The FA last week announced the National League System Steps 3-6 club allocations for the 2021-22 season. The restructuring that had been delayed by the effects of coronavirus was carried out, creating one new division at Step 4, two extra at Step 5 and a reduction from twenty to seventeen divisions at Step 6. The non-league pyramid starting with the National League is now a 1-2-4-8-16-17 structure.

107 clubs across Steps 4-6 will be moved up a step, based on their points per game figure across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. [20 clubs have been elevated to Step 4, 3 from each of the northern Step 5 leagues and 1 from the remaining eleven. 60 clubs have been elevated to Step 5 and 27 to Step 6.]

It is hoped that the restructure will create a purer pyramid and result in more local fixtures with reduced travel for many clubs.

Whitstable Town will have two new clubs to play in the league next season with Corinthian and Lancing rising from the Southern Counties East and Southern Combination Leagues, respectively. Guernsey and Whyteleafe have been moved sideways into the South Central Division to accommodate them.

The two newcomers have played Whitstable previously, both in fact most recently during the 2017-18 season when Whitstable were in their second season in the Southern Counties East League and completed the double over Corinthian on their way to promotion, winning 5-0 and 1-0. Corinthian were also beaten 5-0 in the Kent Senior Trophy that season. They have been very consistent in recent campaigns and deserve their elevation to Step 4, as do Lancing, who made the long trip to the Belmont Ground in the FA Vase and in an incredible game containing 32 efforts on target, 3 penalties and hat tricks for Danny Williams and Shaun Welford, Whitstable eventually won 6-5 after extra time.

The complete line up for 2021-22 is given below.

Pitching In Isthmian South East Division
Ashford United
Burgess Hill Town
Chichester City
Corinthian
Cray Valley PM
East Grinstead Town
Faversham Town
Hastings United
Haywards Heath Town
Herne Bay
Hythe Town
Lancing
Phoenix Sports
Ramsgate
Sevenoaks Town
Sittingbourne
Three Bridges
VCD Athletic
Whitehawk
Whitstable Town

For followers of local football, there will also be some movement in the two divisions of the Southern Counties East League.

In the Premier Division, apart from the loss of Corinthian to the Isthmian League, Kennington, Holmesdale and Rusthall move up into the Premier Division. Three clubs will be moved across to the Combined Counties League - AFC Croydon Athletic, Balham and Beckenham Town.

Division One will contain six new teams, as Westside, Chessington and Hook United and Tooting Bec move from the Combined Counties League and Staplehurst Monarchs, Faversham Strike Force and Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers move up from the Kent County League.

Full details are available to download on the FA website.
https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/may/18/nls-allocations-20210518