The AGM of of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League took place on Wednesday 21st June 2023 at the Towcester Suite, Coleview Community Centre, Towcester Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon. The meeting started with a minutes silence for those that had passed away during the season, including former Fixtures Secretary Phil Cook and former Odd Down Development manager Mark Brown.
With John Gingell having decided to stand down as Chairman after seven years and take over the vacant League President position, Registration Secretary Brian Busson was elected as the new Chairman of the League and conducted the meeting for the rest of the evening.
The proposed constitution for the Premier Division and Division One, that sees 18 teams set to participate in the Premier Division and Division One set to increase to 15 teams, was approved. The Premier Division includes two sides, Amesbury Town and Shrivenham, relegated from Step 6 of the National League System, together with the three teams promoted from Division One at the end of last season, Kingsdown, Ludgershall Sports and Fountain Trophies Cup winners Larkhall Athletic Development. Devizes Town have been promoted to the Uhlsport Hellenic League having finished as runners-up last season.
The expanded Division One sees no less than ten new clubs join the League, two sides Marlborough Town and Stratton Juniors, have been relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season, with the three remaining sides from last season's Division One making up the balance of the 15 teams. Both Marlborough Town and Stratton Juniors will be looking to do what Ludgershall Sports did at the end of Season 2022-23 and win promotion back to the Premier Division at the first attempt. Kintbury Rangers Dev, who pulled out part way through last season, are one of the ten new clubs elected into the League. The full finalised make up of the two divisions for Season 2023-24 is as follows:
Premier Division
Amesbury Town FC
Blunsdon FC
Calne Town FC Res
Frome Collegians FC
Kingsdown FC
Kintbury Rangers FC
Larkhall Athletic FC Dev
Ludgershall Sports FC
Malmesbury Victoria FC Dev
Melksham Town FC Res
Odd Down (Bath) FC Dev
Pewsey Vale FC
Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC Dev
Salisbury FC Dev
Shrewton United FC
Shrivenham FC
Trowbridge Town FC
Wroughton FC
Division 1
Bishops Cannings FC
Bratton FC
Cricklade Town FC
Devizes Town FC Res
Faringdon Town FC
Kingsdown FC Dev
Kintbury Rangers FC Dev
Lambourn Sports FC
Marlborough Town FC
Park Utd FC
Pewsey Vale FC Dev
Purton FC
Shrivenham FC Dev
Stratton Juniors FC
Wroughton FC Dev
A warm welcome to the League to all the new clubs across all five of our divisions.
The rule changes triggered by the new Pyramid Agreement with the Hellenic League Division 2, Swindon & District Premier Division and the Trowbridge & District League Division 1 were explained to the clubs. The Wiltshire Senior League Division 1 is also included within the Pyramid Agreement for promotion and relegation. Each season, one club from any or all of the Feeder Leagues (a maximum of four) will be eligible for promotion direct to the Premier Division of the Wiltshire Senior League, provided each of those clubs meet the required ground grading criteria.
(i) If the three Feeder Leagues each have one suitable candidate for promotion, the bottom four teams shall be relegated from the Premier Division and be replaced by the three clubs from the Feeder Leagues plus one from Wiltshire Senior League Division 1.
(ii) If the three Feeder Leagues only have two suitable candidates for promotion, the bottom four teams shall be relegated from the Premier Division and be replaced by the two clubs from the Feeder Leagues plus two from Wiltshire Senior League Division 1.
(iii) If the three Feeder Leagues only have one suitable candidate for promotion, the bottom four teams shall be relegated from the Premier Division and be replaced by the one club from the Feeder Leagues plus three from Wiltshire Senior League Division 1.
(iv) If the three Feeder Leagues don’t have any suitable candidate for promotion, the bottom three teams shall be relegated from the Premier Division and be replaced by three from Wiltshire Senior League Division 1.
(v) Any club, relegated from the Premier Division shall have a choice of which league to play in the following season, either Hellenic League Division 2, Swindon & District Premier Division, Trowbridge & District League Division 1 or Wiltshire Senior League Division 1.
(vi) Any club, relegated from Division 1 of the Wiltshire Senior League shall have a choice of which league to play in the following season, either Hellenic League Division 2, Swindon & District Premier Division or Trowbridge & District League Division 1
This rule is subject to variation should:
(vii) Any club be relegated from Step 6. Any club relegated from Step 6 will automatically be placed in the Premier Division by the Football Association.
(viii) Any Feeder League agree to promote more than club.
The Under 18 Division for next season will run with eleven, sides. AFC Aldermaston, Bishops Cannings and Warminster Town will not be running U18 sides in the League this coming season but will be replaced by Bristol Manor Farm, Swindon based WIMS FC, former champions FC Chippenham Youth who return to the league after a two season absence and Street who were voted in by the other U18 clubs. The agreed constitution of the U18 Division for Season 2023-24 is as follows:
Under 18 Floodlight Division
Bradford Town FC
Bristol Manor Farm FC
Calne Town FC
FC Chippenham Youth FC
Kingsdown Lions FC
Kintbury Rangers FC
Melksham Town FC
Radstock Town FC
Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC
Street FC
WIMS FC
The Veterans' divisions in Season 2023-24 have both increased by two teams on the past season, with Durrington and Warminster Town joining the Mid Wiltshire Division and Coate, Nomads and Penhill Utd joining the North Wiltshire Division, with Stratton Juniors reverting to running just the one side. The agreed make up of the two divisions are as follows:
North Wiltshire Veterans' Division
AFC Swindon
Blunsdon FC
Chisledon FC
Coate FC
Cricklade Town FC
Nomads VFC
Penhill Utd FC
Redhouse FC
Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC
Stratton Juniors FC
Swindon Old Boys FC
Swindon Rovers FC
Mid Wiltshire Veterans' Division
Amesbury Junior FC Badgers
Bradford Town FC
Chippenham Town FC
Corsham Town FC
Devizes Town FC
Durrington FC
FC Calne
Melksham Town FC
Radstock Town FC
Trowbridge Town Tigers FC
Warminster Town FC
Westbury United FC
Two notable rule changes in the Veterans' Divisions are firstly that players will now be eligible to play in the Veterans Divisions, when they reach the age of 35, it will no longer be by reference to a date at the start of the season. The second notable change is that players over 35 who play in either the Premier Division or Division One of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League will now be eligible to play in the Veterans' divisions, the ineligibility rule will now just apply to Step 6 and above.
Season Dates
The Premier Division and Division One are set to commence on Saturday 12th August 2023 and complete by Saturday 4th May 2024. The U.18’s Floodlight Division is set to start week commencing 9th September and complete by week ending Friday 3rd May 2024. Due to an increase in the number of teams, the Veterans’ Divisions will commence from Monday 14th August and complete by Friday 3rd May 2024.
The AGM ended with the traditional end of season awards. The winners for Season 2022-23 were as follows:
The Referees Appreciation Award Winner - Graham Colwill
The Referees' Award was decided by the Hon League Referees' Appointments Secretaries Adie Cripps and Colin Nunn and for Season 2023-23 the winners shield was awarded to Graham Colwill who has been a loyal servant of the league for a number of seasons. Congratulations to Graham on his award and we look forward to seeing him at our games again next season.
Graham Colwill with the Referees Appreciation Shield
The Young Referee of the Year Award Winner - Alex Matthews
There was an additional Referees' Award for the past season, again decided by the Hon League Referees' Appointments Secretaries Adie Cripps and Colin Nunn. The new award was for the Young Referee of the Year and for Season 2023-23 the award went to Melksham based Alex Matthews.
The EC Mills Sportsmanship Trophy Winners - Purton FC
The Top 5 teams and their respective prize money was as follows:
1. Purton (£250)
2. Larkhall Athletic Dev (£200)
3. Blunsdon Vets (£150)
4. Salisbury FC Dev (£100)
5. Bradford Town U18 (£50)
Terry Crumbie and Andy Cowan (Purton FC) with the EC Mills Sportsmanship Shield
The Club Secretary’s Award Winner - Martyn Rosewell (Blunsdon FC)
The Club Secretary's Award, which is voted on by five of the League's officers, with the Referee's Appointment Secretary only voting on the division's they cover, was won by Martyn Rosewell from Blunsdon with an impressive score of 157 points out of a maximum of 160.
The Top 6 Secretaries and their respective points was as follows:
1. Martyn Rosewell (Blunsdon) - 157 Points
2. Nikki Brook (Frome Collegians) - 156 Points
3.= Christian Garcia (FC Calne) and Ian Thomas (Royal W. Bassett Town) - 155 Points
5. Jamie Hyde (Kingsdwon Lions) - 149 Points
6.= Kathy Crisp (Trowbridge Town) and Richard Austen (Cricklade Town) - 148 Points
Blunsdon Secretary Martyn Rosewell with the Secretary of the Year Shield
The final award of the night was made by Wiltshire FA's Football Development Officer Ella Braod and it was made to Adie Cripps in recognition of his services to the League as he stepped down as Referee's Appointments Secretary after 15 years in the post.
22 June 2023
