Steelmen and Diamonds set to collide next season as Poppies return to Southern League

The Football Association confirmed the National League System club allocations for the 2023/24 campaign today (Tuesday) with Diamonds, who were relegated from Step 3 last season, being placed alongside the Steelmen in the Northern Premier League Midlands.

It means Diamonds boss Chris Nunn and Steelmen manager Gary Setchell will lock horns in the next campaign in what will be two blockbuster Northamptonshire derby encounters.

Kettering Town, as expected, will play in the Southern League Premier Central next season following their relegation on the final day of the Vanarama National League North campaign.

And the Poppies will be in familiar company with AFC Telford United and Leamington, who were also relegated from Step 2, joining them.

The Premier Central is shaping up to be a tough division at Step 3 with the likes of Coalville Town, Nuneaton Borough and Leiston, who were all beaten in the play-offs, remaining in there alongside newly-promoted duo Stamford and Halesowen Town.

Wellingborough Town and Desborough Town remain in the United Counties League Premier Division South and are joined by Daventry Town who were relegated from Step 4 last season.

And the Spartan South Midlands League Division One has a real Northamptonshire feel about it.

The clubs already in there – Raunds Town, Burton Park Wanderers, Rushden & Higham United and Whitworth – will be joined by Rothwell Corinthians who have dropped down from the UCL Premier Division South.

And there is also a welcome return to Step 6 for Irchester United who applied for promotion and were duly awarded it after finishing in the top five in the Northants Combination Premier Division last season.