FEATURE - Isthmian Premier League Teams Preview

Aveley – Parkside (15 miles)

Relegated from the National League South after a two-season stint, Aveley return to Step 3 with a new man at the helm in Brett Munyard. The Millers have undergone a major squad rebuild this summer, with several familiar faces for Town fans among the new arrivals, and their return to the division marks one of four Essex derbies this season. Our last clash came in December 2022, a 2-0 win at New Lodge thanks to goals from Matt Price and Eze Ebuzoeme.

Brentwood Town – Brentwood Centre Arena (6.5 miles)

Our shortest trip of the season sees us renew acquaintances with newly-promoted Brentwood Town. Keith Rowland’s side are back at Step 3 for the first time since 2016 after lifting the Isthmian North title last term. Much of that success was built on the firepower of Daniel Ogunleye, who netted a remarkable 43 goals and remains with the Blues for 2025/26. We last met in 2016, playing out a 1-1 draw away from home, with Conor Hubble on target.

Burgess Hill Town – Leylands Park (68.9 miles)

Promoted via the Isthmian South East play-offs, Burgess Hill return to Step 3 after a six-year absence and are hoping to re-establish themselves at this level. Co-managers Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett have kept most of last season’s squad, including former Billericay midfielder Chris Whelpdale, who turns 39 in January. A new 3G surface has also been installed at Leylands Park, and our last meeting was a thriller, winning 4-3 in Sussex in December 2017, with goals from Matt Paine, Louis Theophanous, Sam Deering, and Jake Robinson.

Canvey Island – Park Lane (14.9 miles)

An Essex derby always worth circling on the calendar, Canvey endured a tough campaign last season, finishing 17^th, leading to the departure of boss Brad Wellman New manager, former England international Peter Taylor, has overseen a summer of change with plenty of new faces arriving at Park Lane. We enjoyed a memorable afternoon on the island in April, running out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Frankie Merrifield, Tommy Davis and Decarrey Sheriff.

Carshalton Athletic – War Memorial Sports Ground (52.1 miles)

Always one of the division’s most entertaining outfits, Carshalton come into the new season looking to go one better after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last term. Peter Adeniyi’s side are no strangers to a big scalp, often causing issues for the division’s top sides. We last met them in February, when Femi Akinwande’s stunning hat-trick sealed a 3-2 win at New Lodge. The return trip will be our second away game of the new season and promises to be another goal-laden affair if recent meetings are anything to go by.

Chatham Town – The Bauvill (37 miles)

One of the more ambitious sides in the division, the Chats have moved to a full-time programme for the 2025/26 season and are among the bookmakers’ favourites for promotion. Kevin Hake has welcomed several new arrivals this summer, including ex-Blue Adam Leathers, and this season’s fixtures will see former Chatham captain Jack Evans face off against his old side. We last met in the Velocity Cup final in April, where goals from Ben Steward, Frankie Merrifield, and a last-minute winner from Bradley Williams saw us lift the cup for a third time.

Cheshunt – Cheshunt Stadium (25.2 miles)

Few matches will live longer in the memory than our 4-2 final day win over Cheshunt in April. Goals from Frankie Merrifield, Matt Johnson, Decarrey Sheriff and Charlie Panton saw us fight back from 0-2 down, but fall one goal short of the league title.  This time around, both meetings come earlier in the season, so the drama might be a little more subdued! Mel Gwinnett is embarking on his first full campaign in charge and will be looking to guide Cheshunt away from the lower reaches of the table.

Chichester City – Oaklands Park (95.7 miles)

The longest away trip of our campaign takes us to West Sussex to face Chichester City, the surprise package of 2024/25. They finished sixth in their first ever Step 3 season and were the only side to complete a league double over us, including a 2-1 win when we last met at New Lodge in March. Miles Rutherford’s men will hope it’s not a case of second-season syndrome if they hope to remain in the play-off picture.

Cray Valley PM – The Artic Stadium (29.2 miles)

Cray Valley Paper Mills took the Isthmian Premier by storm last year, reaching the play-offs in their debut campaign before falling to Dartford in an enthralling semi-final. Led by Steve McKimm, they earned a reputation for being one of the toughest sides to play against, and both of our clashes last season were close, but we emerged victorious in our last meeting in February, with goals from Femi Akinwande and Bradley Williams securing the three points.

Cray Wanderers – Flamingo Park (28 miles)

The Wands had an impressive end to the season under interim boss Tim O’Shea, earning him the job permanently ahead of this campaign. Notoriously tough to play against, they are riddled with experience and have made some exciting new additions, including former Blues winger Ashley Nzala. Many have tipped them as a dark horse, and we found out their capabilities first hand in April, when they secured a 2-0 win at New Lodge in our last meeting.

Dartford – Princes Park (19.6 miles)

Dartford bounced back from early-season inconsistency to finish third in the table last year, only to suffer play-off heartbreak in the final against Dover. Ady Pennock has kept most of his side together, and many have tipped them for promotion at the second attempt. Both fixtures last season finished 4-0 to the home side, a statistic we’ll be hoping to avenge when we head to Princes Park on Tuesday night for our first away game of the season.

Dulwich Hamlet – Champion Hill (35.6 miles)

One of the division’s most recognisable names, Dulwich Hamlet endured a rough campaign last year, finishing 18^th, just above the drop zone. Mark Dacey is the new man tasked with restoring their fortunes, supported by a huge fanbase and plenty of new signings. A side we completed the double over last year, with our most recent meeting ending with a 2-0 win at New Lodge in January, thanks to a Decarrey Sheriff brace.

Folkestone Invicta – Cheriton Road (73.9 miles)

Invicta have been busy with the changes of late, including the appointment of new boss Jay Saunders, and the installation of a new artificial surface at Cheriton Road, scheduled for completion in October. They’ll groundshare with Margate until then and are widely backed to be one of the contending sides after a mid-table finish last time out. A Frankie Merrifield brace saw us past the Kent side in April in our last clash.

Hashtag United – Parkside (15 miles)

The Tags were last season’s entertainers, with their league games seeing a remarkable 153 goals fly in at both ends of the pitch. Though they missed the play-offs, manager Jay Devereux is renowned for his attractive, front-footed style, and they’ll be expected to bring that to Parkside once again in 25/26. Our most recent clash on New Year's Day saw us run our 2-1 winners thanks to Femi Akinwande’s double, in a game that saw both sides reduced to 10-men.

Lewes – The Dripping Pan (81.1 miles)

One of the most distinctive clubs in non-league, Lewes enter a new era with Bradley Pritchard at the helm and a near-complete squad overhaul underway. Their fan-owned model remains unique, and The Dripping Pan is always a memorable stop on the calendar. Our contest in Sussex was one of the most dramatic last term, as we scored twice in stoppage time to salvage a point, before playing out a thrilling 4-2 win in February, with Femi Akinwande notching a hat-trick.

Potters Bar Town – The Lantern Stadium (30.8 miles)

Now back at a revamped Lantern Stadium following a year-long groundshare, Potters Bar are aiming for further stability under Max Mitchell and will be keen to climb the table. Former Blues captain Ronnie Henry is still marshalling their defence at the age of 41, and a new artificial surface will be on show in Hertfordshire this season. We were 2-0 victors in our last meeting back in April, thanks to Elliot Long’s brace.

Ramsgate – Southwood Stadium (77.6 miles)

Back at Step 3 for the first time since 2009, Ramsgate arrive off the back of a promotion-winning campaign and an ever-growing fanbase. Manager Ben Smith has kept much of his core squad together and is hoping to replicate the success stories of Chichester and Cray Valley from last season. It’s a long trip for Town, and a completely fresh match-up, with our last meeting coming 16 years ago, a 1-0 defeat on the Kent coast in February 2009.

St Albans City – Clarence Park (39.3 miles)

A big-name addition to the division, St Albans dropped out of National League South last season and are among the early promotion favourites. With ex-King’s Lynn and Colchester boss Ian Culverhouse at the helm, they’ve built a squad ready to compete at the top end of the table. We last met in the FA Cup in 2023, with Alfie Cerulli’s second half winner sending us through to the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Welling United – Park View Road (26 miles)

Another club dropping from Step 2, Welling are in reset mode under new boss Lee Martin. A summer rebuild has brought in twenty new names, including former Billericay midfielder Jack Paxman, now club captain in Kent. Blues fans will remember our tangle with the Wings at the bottom of the National League South in 2021/22, with our last meeting ending a 2-2 draw in March 2022, with Femi Akinwande and Greg Halford on target.

Whitehawk – The Enclosed Ground (81.9 miles)

Whitehawk enter 2025/26 looking to improve on last season’s 16^th-place finish, and Shaun Saunders embarks on another year in charge in Sussex. The notorious sloped pitch at The Enclosed Ground makes it one of the more awkward away tests, as we found out in our last meeting, a frustrating 0-0 draw last November, although we were victorious on the opening day of last season with a comfortable 3-0 win at New Lodge.

Wingate & Finchley – Maurice Rebak Stadium (34 miles)

Our opening day opponents are a side that often fly under the radar. Wingate are known for punching above their weight, and under Ahmet Rifat, they’ve stayed competitive despite a modest budget. They beat us 3-1 at New Lodge in March, so we’ll be out for revenge today, but expect the North London side to spring many a surprise throughout the year.