The National League South Season Starts With Some Sizzlers!

By Sam Elliott

Football fans won’t always share the same views of course, but one thing we can surely all agree on is that the Vanarama National League South is harder to call than ever!

Picking out your promoted two is no easy task following a summer of impressive captures - but will the opening day offer some clues?

Talk about kicking things off in style! We’ve got a brilliant fixture card coming your way this weekend and while it’s not always about the fast start, a first weekend three points always goes down very nicely.

Dorking have been talking! Manager Marc White says no side boast a better XI than he does and he’ll want to make sure those comments don’t come back to haunt him.

Wanderers get going at Truro City, who have a lot of expectation themselves after John Askey shocked everyone by taking charge of the Cornish club.

Boreham Wood begin their new era at home to Bath City. New manager Ross Jenkins knows what it takes to get out of this division and he comes up against someone who is desperate to after seven years of trying at Twerton Park. Jerry Gill has called this a “very demanding” first assignment.

Also much-fancied are Maidstone United and St Albans City’s returning boss David Noble knows he has to win Saints fans round.

Worthing hope to get over the heartache of Promotion Final defeat by seeing to Weston-super-Mare and the Rebels now have Chris Agutter in charge.

Hornchurch return to the division with a trip to Hampton & RB while Farnborough didn’t want the summer break to come. They hope to carry on where they left off by beating Chippenham.

Full-time Eastbourne Borough need a better year and Adam Murray has signed well - it’s newcomers Chesham United up first.

Like Murray, Bobby Wilkinson also went early with his captures and Hemel Hempstead hope to reap the benefit. They host Salisbury while Chelmsford City want to start life under new ownership with victory at Scott Davies’ Slough Town.

Torquay United also begin a new era and with Neil Warnock - pictured - lending a hand, the Gulls will be desperate to start with three home points against promoted Enfield Town.

Welling United have been great under Rod Stringer, an opening day win over Aveley will raise hopes of a solid year while Tonbridge meet Weymouth in Kent.

For all Saturday’s opening day fixtures, click here.

Where next?

The National League North Returns But Is Title 'Already Won'? We’ve got some new faces, familiar foes and many who know the division all too well - the National League North is back!
The Vanarama View: The 6 Big Questions To Be Answered! The start of the new Vanarama National League season is a time of optimism – anything is possible before a ball has been kicked.

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