Real Bedford will kick off another Southern League Premier Central season against relegated Leamington at the Ledger Stadium on Saturday, 8 August as another step three campaign begins with hopes of promotion.
A trip to Peterborough Sports, also relegated from National League North alongside Leamington, follow three days later as the Pirates face a tricky start.
Banbury United, Stratford, last season’s losing play-off semi-finalists, Halesowen Town and Leighton Town – promoted from step four – round up the opening block of six fixtures to be played in August.
The cup competitions also kick in quickly, with Real Bedford entering the FA Cup at the first qualifying round, due to be played on Saturday, 5 September while they enter the FA Trophy at the third qualifying round to be played on 26 September.
The festive fixtures see Real Bedford host Hitchin Town on Boxing Day, while the return fixture against Leighton Town will take place on Saturday, 2 January 2027.
They end the season at the Ledger Stadium, with their last league game at home to Alvechurch on Saturday, 17 April.
There are also seven new teams in this division, with the aforementioned Leighton Town and Hitchin Town joined by Anstey Nomads and Racing Club Warwick in winning promotion from step four last season.
Leamington and Peterborough Sports are the only two sides relegated from step two to join Southern League Premier Central, while Rushall Olympic drew the short straw and move ‘sideways’ from the Northern Premier League.
The full Southern League Premier Central fixture list can be found here.
Can Real go one step further?
Real Bedford, once again to be led by long-term manager Rob Sinclair, will be hoping for a better start this year after just one win from their opening eight games last season left them with a mountain to climb.
Climb that mountain they did, securing a play-off place with four weeks of the season to go, beating Kettering Town in the semi-final before going on to succumb to Spalding United in the play-off final.
Read: Play-off heartbreak for Real Bedford after extra time loss at Spalding
And the Pirates did not hang around in trying to improve their squad in pre-season with the explicit aim of going one step further in 2026/27.
Attacker, Jordan Ponticelli from Halesowen and midfielder, Andi Thanoj from Kettering headline the acquisitions, while Sam Collins, who spent the final two months of last season on loan at Real, has now joined on a permanent deal from King’s Lynn.
Another attacker in Owen Brooks also joins from Milton Keynes Irish.
There are also more additions to the dugout, with Luke Ruddick joining as joint assistant manager alongside another new face in Chris Winton.
Amongst the departures are midfielders, Lewis Hilliard and Ben Weyman; the latter going on to join Bedford Town, ex-captain Lee Watkins who has since joined Biggleswade Town as well as Isaac Galliford, Malachi Soile and Rio Deall.
Pre-season sees goals, goals, goals
Pre-season has also been full of action, with 24 goals across three games so far.
A 4-4 draw against last season’s Southern League Premier Central champions, Harborough Town was followed by an 8-2 loss against losing National League play-off finalists, Boreham Wood.
The Pirates bounced back in their third pre-season friendly at Berkhamsted on Saturday (18 July), with two goals apiece for Josh Allen and Ponticelli earning Real a 4-2 win at the Glencar Stadium.
The intensity picks up on Friday night (24 July), as they make the short hop over the fence to face next door neighbours, Bedford Town in the delayed Bedfordshire Senior Cup final.
St Albans City and Hertford Town round off pre-season before the beginning of another intense season begins with a tough start against Leamington.
