The start of January is traditionally the time where the applicants for Step 6 become known. In recent years we’ve seen the likes of Berks County, Yateley United and Windsor & Eton progress successully from Step 7 into Step 6 senior football.
This year there are two Berkshire clubs who have applied to make the big step up into Step 6 football. These are Thames Valley Premier League club Maidenhead Town and Wiltshire Senior League Kintbury Rangers.
Maidenhead Town currently lead the Thames Valley Premier League and have been one of the stronger teams in the division over the past few years. Town are the only club from the Thames Valley League to apply this season.
Kintbury Rangers are currently leading the Wiltshire Senior League and have not lost a league fixture this season. Three other clubs from the Wiltshire Senior League have applied with Letcombe, Shrewton and Trowbridge all submitting an application.
Rangers currently play at the Recreation Ground in Kintbury under floodlights, though it’s likely they’d need to make improvements to make the jump to Step 6.
Other clubs in the immediate area to Berkshire that could be making the jump into Step 6 football include Camden United, Eagles Land, Hayes & Hillgdon and SL Benfica from the Middlesex League and AFC Walcountians, CB Hounslow and Dial Square from the Surrey Premier League.
We understand the following clubs across England have applied for Step 6 football: AFC Newbiggin, AFC North Kilworth, AFC Walcountians, Alcester Town, Almondsbury FC, Alphington, Andover Town, Anstey Town, Birmingham United, Blandford United, Bolehall Swifts, Borrowash Victoria AFC, Bromyard Town, Bungay Town, Camden United, CB Hounslow & Abbots, Chadwell Heath Spartans, Codicote, Colden Common, Cotgrave, Crowle Colts, CSM London, Cuxton 91, Dawley Town, Debenham LC, Dial Square, Dinnington Town, Doncaster City, Dorchester Sports, Durham, Durham United FC, Eagles Land Cricklewood, Easington Lane, Everett Rovers, Eynesbury United, Falmouth Town Reserves, FC Darlaston, FCV Grace Dieu F.C, Fry Club, Fulwood Amateur, Gateshead Leam Rangers, Hailsham Town, Halesworth Town, Halewood Apollo, Harworth Colliery, Haughmond, Hayes & Hillingdon, Hayle, Helston Athletic Reserves, Hemsworth MWFC, Holbrook Saint Michaels, Holt United, Ilminster Town, Immingham Town, Jarvis Brook, Kent United, Kings Park Rangers, Kington Town, Kintbury Rangers, Knowle, Leeds Uni, Letcombe, Leverstock Green Reserves, Linby Colliery Welfare, Liss Athletic, London Cheetahs, Lymore Gardens, Magna 73, Maidenhead Town, Minster, Mousehoule Reserves, MSB Woolton, Nailsea United, New Bradwell St Peter, New Dales Vale, Newcastle Indepedent, Newmarket Town Reserves, Northfield Town, Norwich United, Old Southendian, Ottery St Mary, Pelsall Villa Colts, Philip United, Plymouth Marjon, Porthleven AFC, Ramsgate Athletic, Ringmer AFC, Rocester, Rustington, Sharpness, Shrewsbury Up and Comers FC, Shrewton United, SL Benfica, South Normanton Athletic, Southwater, St Mawgan, Stoke Gifford United, Swanage Town & Herston, Telford Town, Thame United Reserves, Tipton Town, Trowbridge Town, Westfield, Wick, Winstanley Warriors, Woodford United and Wroxham Reserves.
How does promotion from a Step 7 division work?
Step 7 in the English Football Pyramid, is the only level that promotes teams who are not necessarily the division champions or runners-up.
That is because division’s from Step 7 down are commonly county-based and competed for by clubs without the required facilities to play higher – often council pitches, schools or sports centres.
To earn promotion, a club must have applied to the FA before the December deadline and then end the season in the top five. Only one team per Step 7 division can be promoted so if more than one club applies, the side finishing highest will go up. The club must also meet ground grading criteria that typically forces a team to groundshare in order to progress.
On occasion however, clubs from higher up may reform at Step 7 or form a ‘phoenix club’. In recent seasons Windsor & Eton reformed with full use of Stag Meadow, a ground that has previously hosted Step 4 football and higher, Berks County groundshare with Ascot United in order to meet criteria. Meanwhile ambitious Yateley United were developing facilities as the season went on to meet ground grading criteria and had floodlights installed in time for their first winter at Step 6.
