The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
By Andrew Tidswell
TREBLE TIME? Andrew Tidswell (bottom, right) celebrates winning the UCL Premier Division title with Spalding United last season. He’s hoping that Holbeach United will keep the championship in South Holland. Photo (NIKKI GRIFFIN): VNG190414-47
This weekend sees the new United Counties League (UCL) Premier Division campaign get under way.
Over the close season and summer months there has been a lot of transfers and new recruits being added to many teams.
As ever, whispers of budgets and which teams are going to be the main contenders is the main talk amongst the local UCL football fans… and here’s my view.
For one it’s going to be even more competitive than before and I think you can expect up to three or four clubs to start out with genuine title ambitions – and that’s without discussing a potential surprise package.
The last two seasons have seen the league title stay in South Holland. Firstly, it was taken by John Chand’s Holbeach United in 2013 and then it moved a matter of miles down the road to neighbours Spalding United under the guidance of Pat Rayment in the season just passed.
So I wonder whether South Holland could make it a memorable hat-trick by securing the UCL title for a third consecutive season?
With John now back at Holbeach – albeit as joint manager along with Graham Drury – you can bet they will put together a squad that will be there or thereabouts when all is said and done.
Then there is Deeping Rangers, who have been possibly the most consistent team in the UCL over the last four to five seasons.
Speaking to players who have played and are playing under current manager Tuncay Korkmaz, they only have words of admiration for what he brings to them and what he is putting together for this season’s assault on silverware.
Looking further afield at potential teams who may take the title away from South Holland, you have the likes of AFC Rushden and Diamonds who – for me – start as favourites and that makes them the team to beat.
However the likes of Wisbech Town, Huntingdon Town and Cogenhoe United will also prove to be formidable opponents in what could be the closest race for the title in recent seasons.
But let’s hope for our region that the title remains in South Holland.
