With Season 2024-25 now concluded thoughts now turn to next season. With the FA having announced the structure of leagues at Step 6 and above, whilst there will be several appeals against the various relegations, lateral movements, etc, we do not anticipate there being any effect on the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League and we have therefore advised clubs today of the proposed constitutions for the Premier Division and Division One for next season.
This would have been out earlier but there has been two potential late withdrawals impacting our Premier Division, one of which thankfully has now not happened. The proposed constitutions for Season 2025-26 will still need to be ratified by the FA and then approved by our clubs at the AGM on Wednesday 18th June but we are not anticipating any issues.
Premier Division
Kintbury Rangers, having won the Premier Division, have been promoted to Step 6 and the Wessex League. We are obviously sorry to lose their first team but pleased with the circumstances regarding their departure, and their development team and U18 team remain with us. We wish their first team every success as they move up the pyramid, they have been a classy outfit throughout their tenure in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League, twice winning the Premier Division league title.
In terms of promotion to the Premier Division, we received just the one application to our Premier Division from our three Feeder Leagues, that being from Swindon Supermarine Development who finished second in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 2 Central division. There were no applications from either the Swindon & District League nor the Trowbridge & District League. Consequently three teams have been promoted from our Division One, champions Cricklade Town, runners-up Devizes Town Reserves and third placed Down Ampney. Cricklade return to the Premier Division after four seasons away, whilst for Devizes Town Reserves it has been a period of three years since they were last in the division. Down Ampney have also been members of the Premier Division in the past but it was some 20 years ago, their one and only season in the Premier Division being back in 2005-06. Congratulations to all three on their return to the Premier Division.
With the difficulties faced by their first team which resulted in their departure from the Southern League, initially it looked like Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves would be withdrawing from the Premier Division after just one season. However, the subsequent decision by Salisbury FC to withdraw their Development side has seen the management from Salisbury move across the city to Bemerton to run their reserve side and Bemerton will be remaining in the Premier Division next season. Having successfully operated with 18 teams for most of last season, the League Committee have once again decided to operate an 18-team division next season. Consequently, as a result of Salisbury's withdrawal, Faringdon Town, who were due to be relegated, have been given a reprieve and, subject to confirmation of the constitution at the AGM, will remain in the Premier Division next season. Malmesbury Victoria Development are, therefore, the only side who have been relegated from the Premier Division to Division One where they will look to regroup next season after a tough Season 2024-25.
Therefore, the full proposed constitution of the Premier Division for next season is as follows:
- Bemerton Heath Harlequins Res
- Calne Town Res
- Cricklade Town**
- Devizes Town Res**
- Down Ampney**
- Faringdon Town
- Larkhall Athletic Dev
- Letcombe
- Melksham Town Res
- Park Utd
- Pewsey Vale
- Purton Kingsdown
- Royal Wootton Bassett Town Dev
- Shrewton Utd
- Shrivenham
- Swindon Supermarine Dev*
- Trowbridge Town
- Wroughton
* Denotes new Club to be elected into the League at the AGM
'** Promoted from Division One
With the Committee having decided that the Premier Division will once again start with 18 teams, following the wet weather of the past few seasons, the proposal is that new season will start, like last year, on the first Saturday in August,i.e
Saturday 2nd August.
Division One
With Cricklade Town, Devizes Town Reserves and Down Ampney having been promoted to Division One, with Malmesbury Victoria Development coming the other way from the Premier Division, with Ludgershall Sports having already created a vacancy when they withdrew at the start of last season and then with Purton having decided to place their first team next season in the Swindon & District League after a very difficult Season 2024-25, it meant there are four vacancies in Division One. Applications were received from four teams to join Division One for next season. The four new sides are as follows:
- Fairford Town Reserves - Who will join us from the Hellenic League Division 2 West.
- Great Western - A newly formed club who will be based out of New College, Swindon.
- Laverstock & Ford Res - Who will join from the Hampshire Combination and Development Division. Last season saw them win the Premier Division of that league and also make the final of the Wiltshire Junior Cup where they lost narrowly to this season's Division One champions Cricklade Town.
- Shrewton United Dev - A new second team for our existing Premier Division side.
Therefore, the full proposed constitution of Division 1 for next season is as follows:
- Bishop’s Cannings
- Bradford Town Res
- Bratton
- Fairford Town Res*
- Great Western*
- Kintbury Rangers Dev
- Lambourn Sports
- Laverstock & Ford Res*
- Malmesbury Victoria Dev
- Marlborough Town
- Pewsey Vale Dev
- Purton Kingsdown Dev
- Redhouse
- Shrewton United Dev*
- Shrivenham Dev
- Stratton
* Denotes new Club to be elected into the League at the AGM
Again the proposal is that Division One will start on
Saturday 2nd August, noting that the clubs in this division also take part in County Cup competitions that have additional rounds to those faced by the Premier Division sides.
3 June 2025