A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

December 22, 2024

As we come to the end of my first six months as the chair of the Velocity Wessex League, it is time to reflect on the season 2024-25 so far.


The weather has been kind to us so far and most clubs have completed close to half of their league programme. Both the Premier Division and Division One have competitive battles at both the top and bottom of the tables and I am sure that the race for the title and play-off positions will be interesting right up to the final games.


Special congratulations are offered to the three teams that remain in the FA Vase, namely AFC Stoneham, Andover New Street and Fareham Town. Whilst they all face difficult away ties on January 11, everyone in the League wishes them well and hope they can carry the Velocity Wessex League flag into the next round.


Off the field, focus for clubs will have to be achieving FA ground accreditation by March 31, 2025. There is the threat of relegation for clubs that do not achieve accreditation, and the league do not want to lose any club on this basis, so please can I ask clubs to focus on getting the required work finished in good time so that promotion and relegation is only decided as it should be, on the field.


If you require any assistance regarding ground accreditation, please do not hesitate to contact Ian Harley or myself.


As we reach the end of 2024, I would like to thank my fellow league officers for the work they do on behalf of the league, and the time spent and knowledge they have to offer clubs does not go unnoticed.


I would particularly like to thank the league secretary Steve Smith for his work and dedication to the role, and he has helped make my transition into the Chairman’s role go smoothly. As I thank the officers, I would like to pay tribute to the League President Dennis Challis who sadly passed away following a short illness recently.


Dennis was a font of knowledge and support for me, and our thoughts are with his wife Val and his family at this time.


I also thank and acknowledge the support of Joe, Will and the team at Velocity Sports, our main sponsor. Without their financial backing it would make running the league harder for both the league officers and clubs.


I would also like to thank all club officers and volunteers for the work that they do to keep all clubs functioning to the standard required of a club within the FA’s National League System, it is appreciated.


Finally, I would like to wish everyone in the Velocity Wessex League 'family' a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2025.



Nick Taplin

Chairman

Velocity Wessex League


July 14, 2025
The Velocity Wessex League Charity Cup sees Premier Division winners, AFC Portchester, take on fellow cup finalists, Hamble Club at the OnSite Group Stadium on July 26 (3pm). This year proceeds from the curtain raising fixture will go to our charity partner, YoungMinds, who champion mental health and wellbeing amongst young people.
July 13, 2025
The Velocity Wessex League are delighted to announce YoungMinds as its official Charity Partner for the 2025/26 season. YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity focusing on improving young people's mental health, in addition to raising awareness of mental health, suicide, self harm and social media abuse. Their mission is to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and all young people get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what. Hundreds of thousands of young people are struggling with their mental health, but too many are being told to wait, struggling to cope and hitting a crisis point before they get help. But things can get better - with YoungMinds leading the movement for change, providing young people with the tools to look after their mental health while empowering adults to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives.
June 28, 2025
The Premier Division gets under way on July 29, with the first three rounds of fixtures released, alongside the opening weekend of Division One, which commences on August 2: Tuesday 29th July PREMIER DIVISION Brockenhurst v Petersfield Town Cowes Sports v Baffins Milton Rovers Hamworthy Recreation v Millbrook Wincanton Town v Bournemouth Saturday 2nd August EMIRATES FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND [Ties scheduled for release on Friday 4 July] DIVISION ONE AFC Aldermaston v Folland Sports Alresford Town v Totton & Eling Amesbury Town v Clanfield Ash United v Blackfield & Langley Colden Common v Lymington Town Cove v Frimley Green Fleetlands v Kintbury Rangers Hamworthy United v Fawley AFC Ringwood Town v United Services Portsmouth Romsey Town v Newport IOW Whitchurch United v Yateley United Tuesday 5th August VELOCITY WESSEX LEAGUE CUP FIRST ROUND Romsey Town v AFC Stoneham PREMIER DIVISION Baffins Milton Rovers v East Cowes Victoria Bournemouth v Brockenhurst Christchurch v Hamworthy Recreation Downton v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Millbrook v Cowes Sports Hythe & Dibden v Hamble Club Petersfield Town v Andover New Street New Milton Town v Laverstock & Ford Wincanton Town v Portland United Saturday 9th August PREMIER DIVISION AFC Stoneham v Wincanton Town Brockenhurst v Hamworthy Recreation Cowes Sports v Bournemouth Downton v Petersfield Town East Cowes Victoria v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Hythe & Dibden v Christchurch Laverstock & Ford v Baffins Milton Rovers Millbrook v New Milton Town Portland United v Hamble Club Sherborne Town v Andover New Street Update: Full season fixtures for the Premier Division were released on June 29 - you can view them on Full-Time here . DOWNLOAD THE FIRST EDITION NEWSLETTER FOR 2025/26
June 19, 2025
The draw for the early rounds of the Velocity Wessex League Cup will take place on Sunday (June 22), live on the Radio Show between 2-4pm. Ten ties will be drawn at the First Round stage, with 22 byes; Ball numbers as follows: 1. AFC ALDERMASTON 2. AFC STONEHAM 3. ALRESFORD TOWN 4. AMESBURY TOWN 5. ANDOVER NEW STREET 6. ASH UNITED 7. BAFFINS MILTON ROVERS 8. BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS 9. BLACKFIELD & LANGLEY 10. BOURNEMOUTH 11. BROCKENHURST 12. CHRISTCHURCH 13. CLANFIELD 14. COLDEN COMMON 15. COVE 16. COWES SPORTS 17. DOWNTON 18. EAST COWES VICTORIA 19. FAWLEY AFC 20. FLEETLANDS 21. FOLLAND SPORTS 22. FRIMLEY GREEN 23. HAMBLE CLUB 24. HAMWORTHY REC 25. HAMWORTHY UNITED 26. HYTHE & DIBDEN 27. KINTBURY RANGERS 28. LAVERSTOCK & FORD 29. LYMINGTON TOWN 30. MILLBROOK 31. NEW MILTON TOWN 32. NEWPORT IOW 33. PETERSFIELD TOWN 34. PORTLAND UNITED 35. RINGWOOD TOWN 36. ROMSEY TOWN 37. SHERBORNE TOWN 38. TOTTON & ELING 39. US PORTSMOUTH 40. WHITCHURCH UNITED 41. WINCANTON TOWN 42. YATELEY UNITED First & Second Round Draw - Updated There will be a different name on the trophy this season, with League and Cup double winners, AFC Portchester (pictured), gaining promotion to the Isthmian South Central. Dates for the ties drawn will be confirmed in due course. The League campaign gets under way on Saturday, August 2 for both the Premier Division and Division One, with fixtures released at the end of June for the Premier Division, and mid-July for Division One (owing to ground shares). Photo: Robin Caddy
June 1, 2025
The FA have released the following dates to support club planning for its competitions in 2025/26: On Friday 13 June 2025 , we shall be releasing the below information; Round dates for The Emirates FA Cup , The Isuzu FA Trophy , The Isuzu FA Vase and The FA Youth Cup . On Friday 27 June 2025 , we shall be releasing the below information for each Competition; List of Clubs accepted into each Competition (Clubs not accepted into a Competition shall be notified separately regarding that Competition on the same date) List of Clubs to receive exemption Prize Fund On Friday 4 July 2025 , we shall be releasing the below information; The Emirates FA Cup – Extra Preliminary Round & Preliminary Round draws The Isuzu FA Trophy – Preliminary Round & First Round Qualifying draws The Isuzu FA Vase – First Round Qualifying & Second Round Qualifying draws The FA Youth Cup – Extra Preliminary Round & Preliminary Round draws During the week commencing Monday 14 July 2025 , Clubs shall receive the below; Competition Rules (The Emirates FA Cup, The Isuzu FA Trophy, The Isuzu FA Vase and The FA Youth Cup) (by email) Carbonated team sheets (by post) FA wall planner (by post) *Please note, all dates are subject to change, any changes shall be communicated if required.
May 15, 2025
The FA have released their NLS allocations for Steps 2-6 for the 2025/26 season. The Velocity Wessex Premier Division will comprise of 20 teams, including New Milton Town and East Cowes Victoria - both promoted from Division One - and a return for Bemerton Heath Harlequins who have taken voluntary relegation from the Southern League. We also welcome back Petersfield Town following their single-season lateral move from the Southern Combination League. Departing us are Premier Division champions, AFC Portchester - who alongside runners-up Fareham Town, are both promoted to the Isthmian League South Central - a division featuring local rivals and fellow Wessex alumni - Horndean and Moneyfields.
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