Dorking Wandering
The Dorking Wanderers FC Fans Forum
Getting to that time of year where we can start to see the teams we will be facing next season. Obviously we don't know what league we will be in yet but we can see the confirmed teams so far for both.
NLS Confirmed Teams for 26/27 so far:
Dagenham & Redbridge
AFC Totton
Tonbridge Angels
Horsham
Slough Town
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Farnborough
Walton & Hersham (Southern Prem winners)
Folkestone Invicta (Isthmian Prem winners)
Truro City (Relegated from NL)
Braintree Town (Relegated from NL)*
Playoff places for both leagues are basically set as well, so we will see one of Gloucester, Farnham, Poole, Berkhamstead or Sholing from the Southern, and one of Aveley, Billericay, Brentwood, Chatham or Dartford from the Isthmian.
Will be interesting to see what league Gloucester go in if they win the Southern League playoffs. Recently have been in the NLN but they could switch with Braintree.
NL Confirmed Teams for 26/27 so far:
Hartlepool United
Woking
Tamworth
Wealdstone
Solihull Moors
Boston United
Altrincham
Yeovil Town
Gateshead
Sutton United
Aldershot Town
Eastleigh
Worthing likely to be added to this list, as well as either AFC Fylde or South Shields. Still not clear who will be coming down from League Two but Barrow and Harrogate Town are starting to get left behind.
Looking at the list of clubs confirmed an early prediction would be expecting Dagenham too be up there as favourites. Surely they will invest quite heavily in the summer with the KSI backing
@hemelwanderer I see Hemels manager has gone to Dagenham so you’d expect them to be hugely improved next year
@gary-munnery He done a superb job at Hemel from the moment he came in. I can remember seeing us beat them 7-1 at their place couple seasons ago and they was absolute garbage, they went on a really bad run until he came in and turned things around. Good appointment for Daggers
Interestingly only announced by Hemel so far. Expect Dagenham to be one of the favourites next year, along with the playoff regulars, Braintree and Truro plus Chelmsford who are ambitious again.
Looking extremely likely that Farnham can be added to the list of teams in NLS next season, as they are currently 4-1 up against Gloucester. With former Wanderer Bobby Joe Taylor scoring the 3rd
back-to-back-to-back promotions for Farnham. Another local away day 👍👍
Hard to believe they are at the same level as us now as they were in Step 5 a few seasons ago! They have quite a big financial backing though and have picked up a lot of ‘bandwagon’ fans over the past few seasons. That ground will need some investment!
Can see them doing a Horsham and consolidating next year.
It’s mad how far they’ve come in that time. My brother in law played for them on their first promotion and he said they were only getting 300-400 in. Now it’s well over a 1000.I think they only have 3 or 4 players from that era left.
No doubt it’ll be Horsham vibes when we go there with the ex players
Can see them doing a Horsham and consolidating next year.
Essential they consolidate and don't try and challenge for promotion
Farnham's ground holds just over 2000 and needs to hold 3000 by end of March 2027
I honestly don't know how they plan to do that, but it will involve rebuilding either the Main Stand side (with bigger prefabricated stands - and they only put the current stands in on that side 2 years ago), or further developing their clock end with more stepped terracing. Or both.
They will also need a lot more turnstiles and toilets, and more refreshments.
I cannot see how they could ever get a capacity of 4000 at that site including 500 seats, which is the requirement for Step 1 (NL)
Can imagine our game there (amongst others) being all-ticket. Not sure how they would fulfil any visiting club request for 600 tickets either.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@mattywanderer Impressive feat by all means, similar with Walton and Hersham theyve risen through the leagues over the past 5 years. Both will be good additions to the league
Billericay it is too then . Ground looks quite decent from photos online
Not sure how they would fulfil any visiting club request for 600 tickets either.
Didn't Gloucester get 600 today? Looked a tight squeeze. Probably tempting to buy a home ticket tbh and have more space, thier fans seem a placid bunch (someone compared it to Dulwich Hamlet on X earlier) so I can't see any problems...
@gary-munnery Yeah I went to see them must have been a couple of years back, when they were winning the Step 5 title. Amazing progress but tbf, there's been a LOT of money pumped in (someone I know over there said they were paying NLS wages in Step 5 🤯)
Farnham fans are absolutely fine, it must feel like a whirlwind for their longstanding fans.
I remember going there in 20/21 season when they were Step 6, to watch them play Dorking Wanderers Reserves (now know as DW 'B') in a LEAGUE game. Now they are our equals!!!
Anyone aiming for home stands when we play there might want to attend a random midweek home game of theirs to build up a ticket history on their ticket site.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Billericay is fine by the way, we went there a couple of times, most recently we won 5-0 there. Lots of cover, LOADS of seats. Pitch has a wierd sideways slope. Their clubhouse is MASSIVE!
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
