Dorking Wandering
The Dorking Wanderers FC Fans Forum
Here is the current NLS line-up so far for next season:
Guaranteed:
Chesham United (promoted from step 3)
Chippenham Town
Dorking Wanderers (relegated from step 1)
Hornchurch (promoted from step 3)
Slough Town
St Albans City
Tonbridge Angels
Weston-super-mare
Weymouth
Likely:
Aveley
Farnborough
Truro City
Welling United
We won't know the fate of Oxford City until we see who else gets relegated from the NL or if Merthyr Town potentially get promoted from the Southern Prem. The last relegated team from NLS is interesting and should be clearer over this next week. Hemel are probably ok but may get dragged in to if Taunton, Torquay and Eastbourne pick up wins this week.
A few new grounds for Dorking in there and Truro are moving back to Cornwall from next season as well.
What away day are people most looking forward to? Who do we think will bring the most fans to Meadowbank?
Most fans - Maidstone if they stay down and we get them on something like Good Friday
Looking forward to any new ones I haven't visited before. Hoping Truro is late in the season so that we get to visit their new ground as I had done their old one Tryrew Road (or whatever it was called)
Wierdly I like the sparsley attended less developed grounds, grounds with 'character' and those lacking tlc like Welling!!
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
So much to think about...is Welling's ground still literally falling down?!
Hornchurch, running track ground,
Chesham, never been but apparently very nice,
Weston, could be nice to visit the huge beach if in August,
Aveley, seem to have come from nowhere, again a new 'tick'
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Looking forward to Truro, Weymouth and Weston - all in August / Sept please. And St Albans is a good away day. Think I better check my map re Aveley ...
Aveley is just inside the M25 in east London
Just seen the season ticket prices for next season. Looks like they have gone UP from last season (even though the team has gone down a division). Think they are rather optimistic with those prices if I am being honest. Glad I got mine on a Black Friday deal a while back. Woking's are £249 at the moment. Not saying people choose solely based on price (otherwise I would regularly be at Crawley where £17 covers both me AND my teenage son), but if the club are hoping this season ticket release will produce a lot of sales I am not sure at those prices.
Wasn't it something like £290 in January early bird? Should really be no more than £299 for NLS football if we are being realistic here? We're playing Tonbridge and Slough not Barnet and Oldham.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Tonight there are some matches which might help clarify some more teams we will be playing next season.
In the National League, Ebbsfleet, Boreham Wood, Wealdstone and Eastleigh all play
If Boreham Wood lose at Rochdale, then we definitely won't be playing Eastleigh, Dagenham or Fylde next season as they will then be safe.
At the top of the National League South, if Hampton & Richmond win then the six play off teams will be certain (and we'll definitely be playing Aveley and Farnborough next season)
At the bottom, a huge game in the west, Taunton v Torquay - however because Taunton still have 3 games to play at the time of writing this will run and run! Truro will probably put themselves safe tonight with a really long away trip at already relegated Dover
Eastbourne who are on the edge of danger travel to nothing to play for Weston Super Mare (where we will definitely be playing!)
In the Isthmian Prem, our near neighbours Horsham are at nothing to play for Lewes and could finalise the four teams in the play-offs with a win tonight.
In the Southern League, not a great deal affecting promotion tonight, but Dorchester have to win at fighting for their lives Tiverton in order to keep their feint hopes of making the play offs alive.
The picture could be slightly less blurry by the end of tonight!
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@dorking-eagle Yup, should be clearer by the end of tonight.
I believe Eastleigh are already mathematically safe though due to the fact Ebbsfleet and Boreham Wood play eachother on Saturday.
Good maths
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
So much to think about...is Welling's ground still literally falling down?! - Yes, I think it is. Love it though. Think they have major dev't plans
Hornchurch, running track ground, - awful, avoid
Chesham, never been but apparently very nice, - Love this ground and place. Know it very, very well as followed them for several seasons in the early nineties. No segregation - even when they played Maidstone in the cup with 3k there.
Weston, could be nice to visit the huge beach if in August,
Aveley, seem to have come from nowhere, again a new 'tick' - bit crap, new ground, old one was brilliant
Anyone for Horsham? Might be a good Boxing Day/NYD back to back derby? As long as they give us enough tickets...
Can't stand Horsham, just because we play them every pre-season (please if anyone is reading choose someone else!) and sometimes mid season friendly as well. Been to their ground so many times during 'covid' because being step 3 you could, but couldn't warm to them. And they often beat us. No thanks!!
Had a look at Welling's development plans - which is basically build a huge block of flats between the main road (the one the red double decker buses pass along) and the near goal. To the extent that it won't leave space for any spectators along that end.
That will then fund a new main stand with all the mod cons.
Awful.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Chesham, never been but apparently very nice,
For those that watch the show 'Taskmaster', the Chesham United ground is featured heavily as one of the task locations in one of the series. Alex Horne is also a director at the club.
Next season's NLS line up is narrowing down:
From the NL:
Definite - Dorking Wanderers 😥
Possibles - Oxford City, Boreham Wood, Woking, Ebbsfleet, Wealdstone
Definites staying in the NLS :
Slough
St Albans
Chippenham
Tonbridge
Weston-super-Mare
Weymouth
Truro
Welling
Torquay
Possibles from the NLS:
2 OUT OF: Hemel, Eastbourne, Taunton
7 OUT OF: Chelmsford, Worthing, Braintree, Maidstone, Bath, Hampton, Aveley, Farnborough
Newly promoted into NLS:
Hornchurch
Chesham
Possibles via play offs:
1 from: Chatham, Enfield, Wingate & Finchley, Horsham, Billericay, Hastings
1 from: Gosport, Salisbury, Totton, Merthyr, Bracknell, Walton & Hersham, Hungerford, Dorchester
I have potentially as many as 9 new grounds if miracles happen and the stars align, or also potentially as few as 5 new ground 'ticks.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@dorking-eagle I reckon Oxford City are pretty much confirmed as NLN now as York being relegated is now very unlikely. Merthyr are the only team that might change that.
@dorking-eagle I reckon Oxford City are pretty much confirmed as NLN now as York being relegated is now very unlikely. Merthyr are the only team that might change that.
Unless they put Braintree in the NLN, if they don't go up via the playoffs? Braintree is further North and East, and therefore much further for all those west country games?
