Review of Season 2025-26

 Veterans' Divisions

The title race in the division would once again see the top four sides from the previous season, Cricklade Town, Nationwide, Redhouse and Penhill United, heavily involved in the battle for honours at the top end of the table. Last season’s top two met in Week 2 of the season, and it would be last season’s champions Cricklade who would come out on top with a narrow 1-0 win. Cricklade then followed up that win over Nationwide with a 1-0 win over Redhouse,  the side that had finished third last season. With their main rivals from the previous season defeated in the first few weeks of the season it was looking good for Cricklade.  However, within the next month they were to suffer surprising defeats at the hands of both Stratton and ExIntel which would prove very costly in the final reckoning.

After suffering that early defeat Nationwide then went on a ten-game unbeaten run in the league, nine of which were won, their only dropped points coming in a 1-1 draw with Penhill United. At the halfway stage of the season, they sat three points clear of Cricklade with Redhouse back in fourth place, behind Royal Wootton Bassett Town who were just a point behind Cricklade but having played one game more.

The top two met in the return fixture in the second week of January and once again it would be Cricklade who would have the better of things, completing the league double over their nearest rivals with a 2-0 win at Cirencester to move level on points at the top of the table. However, just as it looked like Cricklade had the momentum to go on and retain their title they then lost the following week, going down 1-0 to Redhouse. They would then draw with Royal Wootton Bassett Town and pick up just one point from their two league games with Penhill United to lose ground in the title race.

Nationwide meanwhile would not lose another league game all season, their only dropped points coming in drawn games with Penhill and Purton Kingsdown, as they finished the season top of the table on 54 points, six points clear of both Cricklade Town and Redhouse. Congratulations to Nationwide on their first title success to add to the previous cup triumphs in the league and county cups in previous seasons.

In order to decide who would be runners-up a play-off was needed to decide matters, with Cricklade securing that second spot thanks to a 3-0 win in the play-off against Redhouse at Moredon. Penhill United ended the season in fourth place, six points behind Cricklade and Redhouse but some eleven points clear of the fifth placed side, Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Penhill United and Cricklade would also make the final of the Wiltshire FA County Cup with Cricklade Town edging a tight game by the narrowest of margins with Penhill going mightily close to getting an equaliser. Cricklade would go on to complete a cup double for the season, defeating Nationwide in the final of the League Cup competition to complete another successful season for the club.

After a poor start to the season, which saw FS Stratton sat bottom of the table, a storming second half to the campaign saw them climb the table to eventually finish the season in sixth spot. If they can carry that form into next season they could well be challenging for honours in Season 2026-27.

Purton Kingsdown, in their first season in the Veterans’ divisions, would have finished a couple of places higher in the table but for continual postponement of games due to them being unable to raise a side which saw them deducted nine points in total to end the season down in seventh place.

Stratton finished seven points behind Purton Kingsdown in eighth place but, as noted above, were one of the sides to defeat Cricklade Town early on in the season. On their night Stratton were capable of getting a result against most sides but struggled to put together a consistent run of victories, winning just seven of their 22 league fixtures.

Chiseldon finished the season in ninth place but were another side to suffer a points deduction, this time for playing an ineligible player in a number of games that saw them have five points deducted. They did achieve the honour of being the first team in the division to complete their fixtures for the season.

ExIntel, like Purton Kingsdown, struggled to raise a side on occasions during the season but to their credit completed the season but suffered points deductions as a consequence of postponements, finishing in tenth spot. Like Stratton they were the other side that inflicted damage on Cricklade Town’s league title aspirations this season, ExIntel’s 1-0 win early in the season being the highlight of their campaign.

Unfortunately, after seven seasons, 111 league fixtures and one League Cup final appearance, Swindon Rovers, one of the founding members of the North Wilts Vets Division, have played their last game in the league for the time being. They advised the league that they were withdrawing at the end of the season with a number of their players leaving to join another club having achieved an eleventh-place finish in their final season. The League is sad to lose one of the better run Veterans’ sides and we wish the club well in the future and hope they will return at some time in the future.

The final team within the division were AFC Swindon who won three and drew three of their 22 league games but were competitive throughout the season, being involved in a cumber of close games that saw them lose narrowly.

Cricklade Town who finished runners-up in the North Wiltshire Division and also did the Cup double winning both the League & County Cup

The title race in the Mid Wiltshire Division once again involved the usual sides occupying the top positions in the table in recent seasons, Melksham Town, Devizes Town and Durrington. However, it would eventually turn into a battle between just two of the three as Durrington fell away in the end, leaving Devizes Town and Melksham Town to fight it out for the league title.

Devizes won all of their opening 15 league games including a 2-1 win at Melksham back in October. Monday May 4th then saw Devizes Town entertain Melksham Town with Devizes playing their final game of the season knowing if they could avoid defeat the title would be theirs with Melksham Town finishing as runners-up. The game itself was a tight affair from the very start with neither side creating any real clear-cut chances. The teams turned round at the break with the game still awaiting a goal and it was to remain that way in the second half until three minutes from time. With League officials preparing for a potential awards presentation, Melksham Town were awarded a free kick on the left 25 yards from goal for handball. The free kick was fired in for the only goal of the game.

What this meant was that Melksham Town now needed to win their one remaining game away to Radstock Town to force a play-off for the league title. They won that game 3-0 meaning a play-off was needed to decide the title, with both teams level on 45 points at the top of the table.

The play-off took place at Green Lane, home of the Wiltshire FA, and drew a sizeable crowd for a veterans’ fixture. The crowd were to be entertained with a extremely high standard close encounter between two very good veterans’ sides. It was Melksham Town who went in front early on from the penalty spot. They then doubled their lead, but Devizes pushed hard to try and get back into the game and were rewarded with a well taken goal five minutes before half time. The early stages of the second half saw Devizes Town play with a numerical advantage with Melksham Town having had a player sent off for a second yellow card, enabling Devizes to push hard for an equaliser. They went close on several occasions but couldn’t find a way through. Numbers were levelled up when they also had a player sent off for a second yellow card offence. At the other end Melksham always looked dangerous on the break but there were to be no further goals as Melksham avoided conceding again to make it back-to-back league titles.

Congratulations to Melksham Town on retaining their title and to Devizes for going so close to lifting the title, they were effectively three minutes from their first ever title, that late winner for Melksham three minutes from time from that free kick resulting in the need for a play-off.

Durrington ended the season in third spot but saw their final three games awarded to their opponents being unable to complete the season but their record was not expunged because they had met the required 75% threshold in accordance with standard FA rules.

Warminster Town finished one point behind Durrington in fourth place, ending the season with six home games due to postponements during the winter months.

Radstock Town were then one place and one point below Warminster Town finishing mid-table in fifth spot, winning more games than they lost. However, just one point from a draw with Durrington in games against the top three sides meant they finished outside the top three after a decent season.

Calne Town finished in sixth place and were another side who failed to pick up points against the top three but ran all three sides close in the games against them. In the end they were just six points off a top three finish.

Despite playing some of their games on grass, Trowbridge Town Tigers were one of three sides not to postpone a game all season. Their pro-active switching of games to Selwood Academy when there were issues with Woodmarsh meant their home games all went ahead. Ten of their 14 points came against the two sides who finished below them in the table, but they were competitive in all their other games against the top six sides.

The highlight of Bishops Cannings season was a 5-1 home win over Durrington when Durrington were still very much involved in the title race. There other two wins came against bottom side Barford Hornets which helped them finish seven points clear of Hornets.



Whilst Barford Hornets failed to win all season they picked up draws against both Radstock Town and Trowbridge Town Tigers. They lost all eight of their away games, scoring just once on their travels, but apart from the games against the top three were competitive in all their other fixtures.

Veterans' Mid Wiltshire Division Champions Season 2025-26, Melksham Town

1 June 2026