Guernsey will play in the Southern Combination Premier Division next season after the Football Association confirmed its National League System club allocations for Steps 2-6 for 2025-26.
Following their relegation, the Green Lions will not be returning to the Combined Counties League, perhaps partly due to the uncertainty around Jersey Bulls’ league status for next season as they play-offs are yet to take place in that division. Geographically, the league covers the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey and South West London.
GFC will add 15 new teams teams to their list of opponents and will reunite with four previous opponents in the 20-team division, all from our Isthmian League days. Fans will remember Crawley Down Gatwick well from our first season at Step Four, as they were our first ever opponents in the FA Cup, with the Sarnians winning the game 3-1. That came shortly after a 1-1 draw away from home in the league. Having led the table early, Crawley Down suddently cut their budget and sunk quickly down the table to relegation – but not without being the victims of Guernsey’s record victory, 11-0 at Footes Lane on New Year’s Day with Ross Allen scoring six.
We faced Haywards Heath Town four times over two seasons between 2018 and 2020. We did the double over them in 2018-19 (3-1 at home, 2-1 away) and shared the points in 2019-20 (1-1 away and 2-2 at home) before we were moved from the South East to South Central Division. They were relgated in 2023.
We drew and lost against Peacehaven & Telscombe in 2013-14 as the Sussex side claimed promotion (they swiftly dropped back down to Step Four and suffered further relegation to Step Five). We also had handsome wins (5-2 at home and 3-0 away) against Shoreham in their sole season in the Isthmian League in 2017-18.
As for our new opponents, Steyning Town Community and Lancing (both from Isthmian South East) have also dropped down from Step Four, while Forest Row and Seaford Town have both come up from the Southern Combination First Division. We have actually played at Lancing twice, once when Horsham were groundsharing there and once when we hosted Dover in a ‘home’ FA Cup tie in 2013. We are also familiar with the home of Forest Row, East Court, as they groundshare with former opponents East Grinstead Town. Horsham YMCA aren’t to be confused with the Horsham, who we have faced several times in the past (they recently won promotion to National League South), although the pair used to grounshare at Gorings Mead before Horsham moved into their own stadium.
The full list of teams for the Southern Combination Premier Division for 2026-26 is as follows:
AFC Varndeanians
Bexhill United
Crawley Down Gatwick
Eastbourne United
Forest Row
GUERNSEY
Haywards Heath Town
Horsham YMCA
Lancing
Lingfield
Little Common
Midhurst & Easebourne
Newhaven
Pagham
Peacehaven & Telscombe
Roffey
Seaford Town
Shoreham
Steyning Town Community
Wick
Keep an eye out for the fixture list, expected to be confirmed in July.
