The AGM of of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League took place on Wednesday 12th June 2024 at the Towcester Suite, Coleview Community Centre, Towcester Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon. The meeting started with a minutes silence for the two members of the League Committee who had passed away during the season, former League President and Chairman Dennis Kilford and Vets & U18 Referees Secretary Colin Nunn.

The meeting that followed saw the proposed constitution for the Premier Division and Division One approved, with 18 teams set to participate in the Premier Division and Division One set to increase to 16 teams. The Premier Division includes two sides, Park United and Faringdon Town promoted from last season's Division 1 and Letcombe promoted under the pyramid agreement with the Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 2's. The final new side are Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves who join from the Hampshire Combination & Development League which they won by 13 points last season, losing just three of their 28 league games, whilst also lifting the Wiltshire Junior Cup. With Faringdon Town set to have floodlights installed, Trowbridge currently fundraising for lights to also be installed in the Autumn, the addition of Bemerton means that 12 sides will hopefully have operational floodlights next season, helping with maintaining an 18 team top division. Were Pewsey Vale and Shrivenham to receive support to repair their lights that number could increase further to 14 meaning the League should continue the trend of the past two seasons in being in a position to provide a promotion candidate to Step 6 come the end of the season. On that note, Amesbury Town have been promoted to the Wessex League having won our Premier Division last season, whilst Ludgershall Sports have been relegated to Division One after a tough season back in the Premier Division.

The expanded Division One sees three new clubs join the League, two sides Down Ampney and Redhouse moving across from the Swindon & District League and Bradford Town Res joining from the Trowbridge & District League. Whilst eligible for promotion to the Premier Division, assuming ground grading work was completed, Bradford Town Res have opted to join our Division One. The full finalised make up of the two divisions for Season 2024-25 is as follows:

Premier Division

Bemerton Heath Harlequins Res

Blunsdon

Calne Town Res

Faringdon Town

Kingsdown

Kintbury Rangers

 Larkhall Athletic Dev

Letcombe

Malmesbury Victoria Dev

Melksham Town Res

Park United

Pewsey Vale

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Dev

Salisbury Dev

Shrewton United

Shrivenham

Trowbridge Town

Wroughton

Division 1

Bishops Cannings

Bradford Town Res

Bratton

Cricklade Town

Devizes Town Res

Down Ampney

Kingsdown Dev

Kintbury Rangers Dev

Lambourn Sports

Ludgershall Sports

Marlborough Town

Pewsey Vale Dev

Purton

Redhouse

Shrivenham Dev

Stratton Juniors

The Under 18 Division for next season will run with twelve, sides.  The Division for next season sees three sides from last season, runners-up Royal Wootton Bassett Town, Kingsdown and Bristol Manor Farm not competing this coming season. However, the good news is that six new sides have applied to join, including a side from last season's Premier Division champions Amesbury Town. In addition to Amesbury, Bishops Cannings and Devizes Town return after a short absence, with Salisbury, Swindon Supermarine and Westbury United the other three new sides.  The agreed constitution of the U18 Division for Season 2024-25 is as follows:

Under 18 Floodlight Division

Amesbury Town

Bishops Cannings

Calne Town

Devizes Town

FC Chippenham Youth

Kintbury Rangers

Melksham Town

Radstock Town

Salisbury

Swindon Supermarine

Westbury Youth

Wims 11

The Veterans' divisions in Season 2024-25 will see 11 teams in the North Wiltshire Division and 12 teams in the Mid Wiltshire Division. In the North Wiltshire Division, Swindon Old Boys will not be running next season but are replaced by two new sides, FS Swindon and Intel. In the Mid Wiltshire Division, all 11 sides that finished last season remain with the addition of Bishops Cannings taking the division back up to 12 teams, the same number as started last season. The agreed make up of the two divisions is as follows:

North Wiltshire Veterans' Division

AFC Swindon

Chisledon

Coate

Cricklade Town

FS Swindon

Intel

Penhill Utd

Redhouse

Royal Wootton Bassett Town

Stratton Juniors

Swindon Rovers FC

Mid Wiltshire Veterans' Division

Amesbury Junior Badgers

Bishops Cannings

Calne Town

Chippenham Town

Corsham Town

Devizes Town

Durrington

Melksham Town

Radstock Town

Trowbridge Town Tigers

Warminster Town

Westbury United

Women's Divisions

Season 2024-25 sees the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League take over the running of the Wiltshire Women's League and the league will kick-off the new era with two divisions, with a series of new sides being established who will be included in a Development Division. The make up of the two divisions will be as follows:

Premier Division

Bemerton Heath Harlequins

Calne Town

Durrington

FC Chippenham Youth

Highworth Town

Kingsdown

Melksham Town

Swindon Supermarine

Trowbridge Wanderers

Westbury Youth

Development Division

Bath Athena

Bemerton Heath Harlequins Res

Blunsdon Ladies

Ferndale Rodbourne

Kingsdown Dev

Malmesbury Victoria

Marlborough Town

Salisbury

Westbury Youth Res

Season Dates

The start and end dates for the various divisions were agreed to be as follows:

• Premier Division and Division One to commence on Saturday 3rd August 2024 and complete by Saturday 3rd May 2025.

• U.18’s Floodlight Division - To start from Monday 2nd September and be completed by week ending Friday 2nd May 2025.

• Veterans’ Divisions will commence from Monday 2nd September and complete by Friday 2nd May 2025.

• Womens's Divisions will commence on Sunday 1st September and complete by Sunday 4th May 2025.

The AGM ended with the traditional end of season awards. The winners for Season 2023-24 were as follows:

The Referees Appreciation Award Winner - Graham Hall

The Referees' Award was decided by the Hon League Referees' Appointments Secretary Darren O'Neil and Referee's Secretary Adie Cripps and for Season 2023-24 the winners shield was awarded to Graham Hall who covered an impressive 31 games across the Premier Division, Division One and the U18 Division last season. Congratulations to Graham on his award, which was presented on the night by Darren O'Neil, and we look forward to seeing Graham at our games again next season.

The Young Referee of the Year Award Winner - Jamie Biddlecombe

The second Referees' Award for the past season, again decided by the Hon League Referees' Appointments Secretary Darren O'Neil and Referee's Secretary Adie Cripps, was for the Young Referee of the Year. This award was presented by Life Member and former Registration Secretary Rod Wirdnam and for Season 2023-24 the award went to Andover based Jamie Biddlecombe.  On the back of last season's performances, Jamie has recently been promoted to Level 5 and did such a brilliant job as the man in the middle on last season's Fountains Trophies Cup FInal. Again well done to Jamie on his award and deserved promotion.

The Colin Nunn Veterans' Divisions Referee of the Year Award Winner - Paul Booth

A new award presented at this years' AGM was the Colin Nunn Veterans' Divisions Referee of the Year Award which has been established in memory of the popular Referee's Appointment's Secretary who sadly passed away during the season. Once again the winner was decided by Darren and Adie and the shield was presented by two of Colin's children, Danielle and Fraser, with Colin's widow Michelle also in attendance. The inaugural winner of the award was Paul Booth.

Presentation of the inaugural Colin Nunn Veterans' Division Referee of the Year Award to Paul Booth. The shield was presented by Colin's daughter Danielle and son Fraser, with Colin's wife Michelle also present to witness the presentation of the shield carrying her husband's name.

The EC Mills Sportsmanship Trophy Winners - Salisbury Development

In a change to the way the Sportsmanship prize money was distributed, rather than having a top five encompassing all five divisions, this AGM saw a winner and a runner-up from each category of division declared separately. In each case the winner picked up £125 and the runners-up £75. The marks for these awards are given by referees and by opposing clubs and adjusted to an assumed figure of 30 games per team. The overall winner across the five divisions then receives the EC Mills Sportsmanship Trophy. The respective winners and overall winner for Season 2023-24 were as follows:

Premier Division
Runners Up - Shrivenham (275 marks and receive £75)
Winners - Salisbury Dev (276 marks and receive £125)

Division 1
Runners Up - Faringdon Town (262 marks and receive £75)
Winners - Pewsey Vale Dev (273 marks and receive £125)

U18 Youth Floodlight Division
Runners Up - Melksham Town (258 marks and receive £75)

Winners - Wims 11 (259 marks and receive £125)

Veterans' Division
Runners Up - Amesbury Junior (268 marks and receive £75)

Winners - Calne Town (269 marks and receive £125)

Highest marked Club and winners of the E C Mills Sportsmanship Award
Salisbury Development

The Club Secretary’s Award Winner - Ian Thomas (Royal Wootton Bassett Town)

The Club Secretary's Award, which is voted on by five of the League's officers, was won by Ian Thomas from Royal Wootton Bassett Town with an impressive score of 196 points out of a maximum of 200. However, it was a really close run thing with previous winner Nikki Jeffery from Pewsey Vale finishing just one point behind Ian and a point ahead of Kathy Crisp (Trowbridge Town), Kevin Hegg (Shrivenham) and Chris Benson (Faringdon Town). There were then a further four Secretaries just one point beind those three in joint sixth place, the closest finish in many a season.

The Top 6 Secretaries and their respective points was as follows:

1. Ian Thomas (Royal W. Bassett Town) - 196 Points

2. Nikki Jeffery (Pewsey Vale) - 195 Points

3.= Kathy Crisp (Trowbridge T), Kevin Hegg (Shrivenham) & Chris Benson (Faringdown T) - 194 Points

6.= Barry Clift (AFC Swindon), Simon Bradbury (Amesbury Junior Badgers), Brendon Rice (Malmesbury Vics ) and Chris Ricketts (Redhouse) - 193 Points

A big thank you to all the Club Secretaries for their efforts over the season.

14 June 2024