Banbury United

Southern League Premier Division Central this season carries the memory of what came just before it: Banbury United lifted the title in 2021–22. Getting out of the division again is the target now, not just staying in it.

The club began life as Spencer Sports Club, a works team fielded by the Spencer Corsets factory, and only became Banbury United in 1965 after passing through the names Spencer Villa and Banbury Spencer along the way. The nickname stuck regardless: The Puritans, after the movement the town itself is remembered for.

Kevin Wilson left for Derby County in 1979 for £20,000 and made a career out of it before coming back to Banbury as manager in 2024. Chris Wreh, son of the former Chelsea forward Christopher Wreh, was part of the squad that went up in 2021–22.

Local needle is reserved for Brackley Town, with Leamington providing the other regular rivalry. Ownership sits with the fans rather than a single benefactor, which shapes how the club talks about itself as much as how it is run.

Spencer Stadium on Station Approach has held Banbury United since 1934, red shirts and yellow shorts turning out there through promotions, relegations, and the long stretch in the Hellenic League after 1990 before the return to Southern League football. Six Oxfordshire Senior Cups have been won along the way, the town's own trophy kept close to home.