We look ahead to the 2026 / 2027 Southern League Central Division One season and the teams Thame United will face over 42 league games. There are 22 clubs competing at Step 4 of the National League System. The official lineup includes six new additions entering through relegation, promotion, or lateral league transfers. We said goodbye to Leighton Town and Hitchin Town who won promotion to the Southern League Premier Central and step 3 football, while Enfield FC, Northwood, Rayners Lane and AFC Dunstable were all relegated to step 5 of the pyramid

To replace those teams we have had two teams relegated from step 3, Royston Town from the Southern League Premier Central League and Potters Bar Town from the Isthmian Premier League, both teams will be formidable opposition this season and will be determined to bounce straight back up.

Two teams have transferred from other step 4 leagues, Didcot Town move across from the Southern League South Division One, they join Thame as the second Oxfordshire based team in the league, with the prospect of two Oxfordshire derby matches, and will be delighted with reduction in travelling. Waltham Abbey have also returned to the league after two seasons in the Isthmian league where last season they reached the play offs.

Finally two teams have been promoted to step 4 football for the first time, Haringey Borough join from the Spartan South Midland League after winning the division and Winslow United joining them from the same league after winning the play off’s, both teams finished on 84 points with Haringey winning the league on goal difference.

Sixteen teams remain unchanged from the 2025 / 2026 season all continue to play at the same grounds with the exception of Aylesbury United who for the first two months of the season will be playing their home games at Beaconsfield Town. Thame's overall away trip milage has increased slightly to 1610 miles.

The closest round journeys are Aylesbury 36 miles, Winslow United 36 miles, & Didcot Town 38 miles.

There are now four trips of over 100 miles, three of these are the new teams with Haringey Borough 104 miles, Waltham Abbey 104 miles, Ware 108 miles and Royston Town 134 miles.

Its a fragmented start to the campaign with the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round taking place this weekend there are only three games in the league Biggleswade Town vs Ware, Potters Bar vs Hertford and Thame United vs Royston Town, followed by a full league programme on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the following week, with Thame visiting Beaconsfield on the Wednesday to take on Aylesbury United.

There is also a new format to look forward to this season with play off spots now going down to seventh place, to bring it in line with the other non league divisions, The league winners will gain automatic promotion, fourth fifth, six and seventh place will play each other with the winners going on to play the teams in second and third place, with the two winners of those ties playing in the play off final.

Remaining Teams

Aylesbury United
Barton Rovers
Beaconsfield Town
Biggleswade FC
Biggleswade Town
Flackwell Heath
Hadley
Hertford Town
Leverstock Green
London Lions
Marlow
Milton Keynes Irish
Stotfold
Thame United
Ware
Welwyn Garden City