‘Step 6 is our plan’: Newbury aiming high with Faraday Road return looming

Newbury are back at Step 7 after the Thames Valley Premier League constitution was ratified last week.

The West Berkshire side finished second in Division One last season after moving back from the Hellenic League Division Two setup. They will go into the Premier Division now alongside division champions Tadley Calleva Reserves.

The club are aiming to eventually return to Step 6 according to Vice Chairman Ifor Sheldon, something that will be made significantly easier with the team’s anticipated return to Faraday Road – backed by West Berkshire Council.

The TVPL top tier is a fiercely contested division with Westwood Wanderers outdoing heavily fancied Windsor & Eton for the title last season. Past winners Finchampstead and serial challengers Burghfield also remain in the division.

Regular readers will know though Newbury don’t need to win the division to go up, and Faraday Road will certainly be a factor in that.

Speaking to Newbury Today, Sheldon said: “We’re working hard with the Council. They’re backing us very strongly, they’ve placed orders for particular bits of equipment for Faraday Road.

“We may not start there for a couple of months, but we will end up there. We are definitely going to Faraday Road. We’re going back to our spiritual home.”