Preparation for promotion to the National League System

Over the past few years, our 1st Team have never been far from the top of their league table, three times winning it and runners up as many times. The opportunity to be promoted to the Western League has arisen most years, but it has sadly been the constraints of our grounds that have prevented this opportunity from being taken. The work, time, cost and commitment to begin and complete the process of increasing the ground-grading level is an extraordinary task to undertake, but the time has now come where we feel it is right to make that commitment and progress the team and club to the next level.

Currently, the 1st Team play at Feeder League level (originally Step 7) and the promotion to Step 6 (Western League in our case) of the National League System (NLS) requires not only a formal application within a deadline, but a ground accreditation at Grade 7 before that application can even be made.

What does this mean for us?

We need to meet the accreditation criteria for ground grading level 7 (or have begun work) before an application for promotion to Step 6 can be made. This application must happen before the end of December of the current season. Unfortunately, the level of ground grading that must accompany this application must be entirely self-funded and the works completed before 31st March of the year that we hope to be promoted.

Update – February 2026

Due to unavoidable time constraints and unexpected delays, we have made the decision to re-set our plans, with a view to commit to the work ourselves over the coming months. We should therefore be ready for an application for promotion to be submitted at the beginning of next season. 

The key items required for Grade 7 are:

  • Covered standing accommodation for up to 50 people.
  • Hard standing of at least .9m for the full length of at least two interconnected sides of the adult pitch.
  • Turnstile (or lockable paybox) with cashier protection.

The remaining requirements are met with our current provision or easily accomplishable with adaptation of the current facilities. The process of applying for Step 6 can begin between November 1st and December 31st of this year.

The principal requirement for Step 6 ground grading is the inclusion of floodlights. We secured planning permission for these some time ago, although the siting of the cricket boundary and ‘square’ have presented constraints in terms of placement. However, following lengthy consultations with floodlighting specialists we are delighted to have learnt that a minor adjustment in the siting of the floodlights can overcome these constraints whilst meeting the FA lux requirements. 

For those of you associated and familiar with the youth football pathway at Chilcompton Sports, it has long been a disappointment that this pathway has concluded at U16 level, as there has not been the opportunity to provide the facilities for football at an U18 level. This, however, will be overcome with the ground grading required at Step 6, where floodlighting will enable the introduction of a team to the U18s Floodlit League, completing the pathway from youth to adult football.

Tim Curtis