With the fixtures due to be released in the coming days, we continue our look into the Acorns Southern League Div One South opposition for 2026/27.
This week we take a look into the teams that earned promotion into the division and some of the new places we’ll be visiting in the new season.
So let’s delve right into finding out more about the newly promoted sides.
SLIMBRIDGE
STADIUM: Thornhill Park
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 16.5-miles
NICKNAME: The Swans
FOUNDED: 1902
MANAGER: Michael Palmer & Tom Deakin
25/26 FINISH: 1st (Hellenic League Premier)
QUICK BOUNCE BACK
The Swans are no strangers to the Southern League, having been in the league as recent as 2023.
A struggling 2022/23 season saw the Swans’ eight year stay at Step Four come to end, finishing rock bottom of the league.
The Gloucestershire based side returned to the Hellenic League Premier in 2023, for the first time in a decade.
In their first season trying to climb back up, the Swans narrowly missed out on the play-offs before suffering an uncharacteristic season in 2024/25 when they finished 16th.
But, with changes throughout the side last campaign, the Swans became a strong force and secured their second Hellenic Premier title, seeing them make a swift return to the Div One South.
RECENT MEETINGS
It will be a nice local trip for the Acorns, among those long away days, and the two sides paths will be crossed once again, just like they were in the 2024/25 season.
On our last trip to Thornhill Park, it was the Swans who narrowly got the better of the Acorns in a 1-0 defeat before the Acorns secured a 2-1 win at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium.
CLUB CONNECTIONS
Many players have crossed the paths of both Hartpury and Slimbridge just like during their title winning season which saw ex-FC captain Kian Kang, former goalkeeper Stephen Sarkodie amongst them.
WORCESTER RAIDERS
STADIUM: Diary of a Debt Collector Stadium
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 31.7 miles
NICKNAME: The Raiders
FOUNDED: 2001
MANAGER: Jordan Lewis
25/26 FINISH: 5th (Hellenic League Premier)
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Worcester Raiders only saw there men’s side formed in 2010 after the club was originally founded a youth team back in 2001.
Since their formation into the men’s game, Raiders secured a spot in the Hellenic Premier in 2022, going onto to finish 4th in their debut season.
Raiders never finished below 10th during their four year stay at Step Five before securing a play-off finish last campaign.
The side were seen as outsiders on their hunt for promotion but defied expectations and took down both favourites Roman Glass and Droitwich Spa to earn promotion to Step Four for the first time in their history.
HEAD TO HEADS
The Acorns and Raiders last met back in the Acorns Hellenic Premier title winning season in 2024/25.
The most recent meeting saw the Acorns take home silverware, beating Raiders on penalties to secure the Marsh Challenge Cup.
Prior to that the Acorns tallied up a 3-1 victory away to Raiders, with goals from Ben Baxter and Louis Manning, but fell to a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.
PAULTON ROVERS
STADIUM: The Winterfield Stadium
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 52.5-miles
NICKNAME: The Robins
FOUNDED: 1881
MANAGER: Kyle Tooze
25/26 FINISH: 3rd (Western League Premier)
BACK AT THE LEVEL
Paulton Rovers are another side that are no strangers to the Div On South having spent six seasons, between 2018 and 2024, at this level.
The Robins suffered relegation in 2024, sending them back to the Western League for the first time since 2004.
In their first season back, they narrowly missed out on the play-offs but came back with vengeance last season and won the play-offs, after missing out on the title by two points.
Their place back at Step Four was confirmed with a confident 4-2 win over Sidmouth Town.
STEP FOUR PLAYING LEAGUE ONE
The Robins have played as high as the Southern League Premier South, where they enjoyed two seasons in 2014/15 and 2015/16.
But a momentous accolade came back in 2009, while still playing at Step Four, the Robins reached the first round of the FA Cup and faced then League One side, Norwich City at home.
It was a fantastic occasion, but quality showed on the day as the Canaries stormed away 7-0 winners on the day.
BARNSTAPLE TOWN
STADIUM: Mill Road
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 129-miles
NICKNAME: Barum
FOUNDED: 1904
MANAGER: Craig Laird
25/26 FINISH: 1st (Western League Premier)
FINAL DAY WINNERS
Barnstaple Town had their name in the hat for title winners throughout last season, having not finished lower than fifth in their four seasons in the league, but could never get themselves on top.
That was until their final game of the season when they travelled to Oldland Abbitonians and produced a 2-0 victory which secured Barum the title and promotion back to Step Four.
This title secured Barum promotion back to Div One South after a four year break away from the division, having been relegated out of it in 2022.
IN ANOTHER TIMELINE
Barnstaple enjoyed a run in the FA Vase last campaign, reaching the fourth round of the competition.
On the way, Barum beat teams such as Wadebridge Town, Cheddar, Newent Town, Sherborne Town and Buckland Athletic on penalties.
But they met their match in the fourth round when they narrowly lost 2-1 to the eventual Vase winners AFC Stoneham.
In another world, a different result could have seen Barnstaple lifting the trophy under the Wembley arches?
PORTLAND UNITED
STADIUM: The Camp & Satherley Stadium
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 136-miles
NICKNAME: The Blues
FOUNDED: 1921
MANAGER: Craig Adams & Kyle Critchell
25/26 FINISH: 3rd (Wessex League Premier Division)
FROM SURVIVING TO PROMOTION
In the 2024/25 season, Portland United narrowly avoided relegation but fast forward a year, and the Blues secured passage into the Southern League for the first time in the clubs history.
The Blues finished third before beating Laverstock & Ford on penalties in the play-off final, to create a moment of history for the club.
This result ended a 10-year stay in the Wessex Premier and secured their second highest ever finish in the division.
SAINTS IN THE DUGOUT
Craig Adams has an experienced second hand man in his technical area next season with former Southampton youth product and first team player, Kyle Critchell with the club once again.
Critchell ended his playing career with Portland in 2016 and also had a spell as manager of the club between 2022 and 2024.
The 39-year-old’s CV boasts a lot of non-league promise having featured for clubs such as Weymouth, Wrexham, Chesterfield, York City, Torquay United and Dorchester Town.
We look forward to crossing paths with all these new clubs and wish them the best of luck next season!
