Winsford United win the First Division South title!
Wed 2nd April 2025 | Winsford United | By Jay Cooper
It’s official! Following a typically dominant 4-0 victory against Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday night, Dean Jones and Dom Johnson’s side have been crowned as league winners in the First Division South.
Goals by Matty Birchall (2), Olli Pope and captain Steve Jenyons were enough for Winsford to overpower fellow promotion hunters Nomads when it mattered most. Now sitting at 80 points for the season, their closest title challengers, Stafford Town, can only manage a maximum of 75 with their remaining league matches.
It’s a doubly-sweet moment for the Winsford faithful, who will get to see their team back at Step 5 of the National League System next season, after begrudgingly accepting voluntary relegation to the First Division South two years ago in order to preserve their NWCFL status after being laterally moved by the FA – one could say that they’re back where they belong.
Club secretary Michael Dawson had one word to sum up the season as a whole: “Mental.
“A crazy season. It’s been surprising, it’s been full of highs, and beyond our expectations. Coming into 2024/25, we just wanted to stabilize the club – we were almost relegated last season, so we sat with players last summer and decided we wanted to target the play-offs and see where it goes from there.
“I always had a sneaky suspicion that we’d do well. From things like our FA Vase run, the momentum we were gathering, the feeling around the ground, and the players’ confidence. Come Christmas, it was just us and Stafford Town ahead of the rest of the league, so we thought, “let’s give it a good go.
“A big hand must go to Stafford – they pushed us hard, all the way through the season. They’re a very good side, and we wish them all the best in the play-offs. It would be nice to see them get the job done.”
With regards to the players and the club’s management team, who took over in the dugout coming into this season, Michael said that “Dean (Jones) and Dom (Johnson) have been superb from day one. They’re meticulous, driven, and very focused.
“They’re not just going out on training days and then hoping things work on matchdays. They do a lot of studying, making sure the team is set up well, and there’s no stone left unturned by their hard work. And they’re a general pleasure to have around the club.”
“There aren’t enough superlatives for the players. We started a bit timidly against Alsager on the first day and in our opening games, but since then they’ve been a well-oiled machine, week in and out, no matter whose playing. They’ve never once walked off the pitch thinking they’ve not done a good job this season.”
Congratulations again to all those involved at Winsford United – deserving winners of the NWCFL First Division South title!
Winsford United win the First Division South title!
Wed 2nd April 2025 | Winsford United
By Jay Cooper
It’s official! Following a typically dominant 4-0 victory against Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday night, Dean Jones and Dom Johnson’s side have been crowned as league winners in the First Division South.
Goals by Matty Birchall (2), Olli Pope and captain Steve Jenyons were enough for Winsford to overpower fellow promotion hunters Nomads when it mattered most. Now sitting at 80 points for the season, their closest title challengers, Stafford Town, can only manage a maximum of 75 with their remaining league matches.
It’s a doubly-sweet moment for the Winsford faithful, who will get to see their team back at Step 5 of the National League System next season, after begrudgingly accepting voluntary relegation to the First Division South two years ago in order to preserve their NWCFL status after being laterally moved by the FA – one could say that they’re back where they belong.
Club secretary Michael Dawson had one word to sum up the season as a whole: “Mental.
“A crazy season. It’s been surprising, it’s been full of highs, and beyond our expectations. Coming into 2024/25, we just wanted to stabilize the club – we were almost relegated last season, so we sat with players last summer and decided we wanted to target the play-offs and see where it goes from there.
“I always had a sneaky suspicion that we’d do well. From things like our FA Vase run, the momentum we were gathering, the feeling around the ground, and the players’ confidence. Come Christmas, it was just us and Stafford Town ahead of the rest of the league, so we thought, “let’s give it a good go.
“A big hand must go to Stafford – they pushed us hard, all the way through the season. They’re a very good side, and we wish them all the best in the play-offs. It would be nice to see them get the job done.”
With regards to the players and the club’s management team, who took over in the dugout coming into this season, Michael said that “Dean (Jones) and Dom (Johnson) have been superb from day one. They’re meticulous, driven, and very focused.
“They’re not just going out on training days and then hoping things work on matchdays. They do a lot of studying, making sure the team is set up well, and there’s no stone left unturned by their hard work. And they’re a general pleasure to have around the club.”
“There aren’t enough superlatives for the players. We started a bit timidly against Alsager on the first day and in our opening games, but since then they’ve been a well-oiled machine, week in and out, no matter whose playing. They’ve never once walked off the pitch thinking they’ve not done a good job this season.”
Congratulations again to all those involved at Winsford United – deserving winners of the NWCFL First Division South title!
