Old rivalries and new friends! Holwell Sports chairman Graham Lewin excited by tough looking UCL Division One

Holwell Sports chairman Graham Lewin believes the new-look United Counties League Division One will be a tough competition - which is exactly what he wants.

Following the Football Association’s restructuring of the National League System, Sports will remain in last season’s division, even if the opposition has changed.

“It’s more or less what I was anticipating really,” Mr Lewin told The Times.

“There’s a lot of teams we used to play in the East Midlands League.

“It’ll be nice to make acquaintances old and new with them.

“Basically, we’ve looked at the league and it will be a very tough league again, just like the UCL was before.

“There’s some strong teams like Aylestone Park and St Andrews who are still in it and they were up there.

“They’ll be among favourites to start with, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Indeed, Mr Lewin is more than happy for his squad to test themselves against some of the best step six teams in the area.

“You want it so that you’re going out every week and you know you’ve got to give your best if you want a result,” he said.

“To me that’s what football’s all about.

“It needs to be competitive every game and, at the end of the day, your league position doesn't lie.”

Birstall United, Harrowby United, Lutterworth Athletic and Saffron Dynamo will join Holwell, Aylestone and St Andrews as the nine remaining sides from last season’s UCL Division One.

Kirby Muxloe have moved sideways from the Midland League with the remaining 12 clubs coming in from the East Midlands Counties League - Barrow Town, Belper United, Borrowash Victoria, Clifton All Whites, Dunkirk, Gedling Miners Welfare, Graham Street Pimms, Hucknall Town, Ingles, Kimberley Miners Welfare and Radford.

“We’re cutting down on the travelling which is a big plus for us, and there’s some nice grounds to visit again,” Mr Lewin added.

“We’re looking forward to it.

“There’s some old rivalries there. We have Barrow back, who are our local derby, and we always gets good attendances home and away for that.”