HUCKNALL TOWN SEASON 2023/24 PREVIEW

 HUCKNALL TOWN FC

UCL PREMIER DIVISION NORTH

SEASON 2023/24 PREVIEW

Ten years after the club took the unpopular but necessary decision to drop into the Central Midlands League Hucknall return to Step 5 football. The penalty shoot out victories in the Division 1 play offs sees the Yellows in the UCL Premier South division for the coming campaign.

This is a big step up for the club and will see us up against some old foes from out East Midland Counties days. The likes of Sherwood Colliery, Heanor Town, Kimberley MWFC and Eastwood CFC plus Belper United from our Central Midlands encounters. 

Of these clubs last season Sherwood were the most successful finishing 7th and will surely be looking to finish higher than that this time around. Added spice our fixtures with them as all 4 players who left the club since the play off final have taken up roots at Debdale lane. Craig Westcarr, Kieran Knight, Louis Kinnerley and our fans player of last season Louis Tomlinson. Whilst it's disappointing to lose players of this calibre especially to a divisional rival that's football and we wish them all the best for the future.

Kimberley finished 10th in their debut season at step 5 and again I think they will be looking at a higher placed finish this time around.

Heanor and Belper finished 13th and 14th respectively and I'm sure both will be looking at higher finishes after a disappointing season last time around. Belper have a new home this season in sharing the facilities of Eastwood CFC and are indeed Hucknall's first away fixture of the season.

Eastwood will surely do better than finishing 16th and will have no intention of flirting with relegation this time around and I think they could be the surprise package this season if they can keep their players happy.

The placings of our local rivals gives an indication of how tough this league will be because they all have good squads and yet the teams from outside our local area had the upper hand league wise last season.

A very good Anstey Nomads side won the title by 11 points and were promoted to Step 4 alongside Quorn who finished runners up 

Loughborough Students finished third after starting off well but faded away at the end. They will be up there again as will Melton Town, Sleaford Town and Boston Town who all finished above Sherwood. 

Newark and Sherwood finished in 8th. Last seasons Notts Senior Cup winners are my tip for the title and Hucknall face a very difficult looking FA Cup game at Collingham on the 5th August.

Everyone at Hucknall were waiting for the Skegness Town away fixture date and though it's January 6th there will be a good Yellows following for that one.

Skegness finished just above Kimberley in 9th and Hucknall's first visitors Wisbech Town finished just below Kimberley in 11th.

Wisbech are a team I know very little about and I will do a separate match preview for our opening game. 

Making up the 18 teams in the division are other old rivals in AFC Mansfield who finished just above the relegation zone last season in 18th and Lincoln United who were relegated from the NPL Div 1 East last season. Pinchbeck united, Deeping Rangers and Promoted Ashby Ivanhoe are the other teams involved.

Where will we finish? I personally will be happy with a mid table finish. Pre season has been a bit of a mixed bag where we have not been great in all honesty giving away some really sloppy goals. The need to tighten that defence up will be paramount to where we finish. There really are no whipping boys in this division and goals will be fewer than recent seasons. We need a solid start and the fans can do their part in getting behind the team. There will be set backs and we may well suffer some heavy defeats along the way and it's how we respond to those that may be key. I still think we have the makings of a decent side with the new players coming in but I don't think they have totally gelled into a unit yet and better is to come. Only one team gets relegated and I honestly believe we are better than that.

Anything above half way would be a bonus in my humble opinion.

Anyway here's to a good season and hopefully some good performances from the Yellows.