The 2024/25 season has arrived as the Lock Stock Ardal North-West and North-East begin next week. 
As ever Lock Stock Self Storage will be keeping a close eye on the competition as the league’s title sponsors and look forward to exciting battles across the divisions.
Here, we take a look ahead to the upcoming campaign with the Ardal North-East.
Promotion Race
Just four points separated the top three when it came to the title last season, and yet again we expect another close encounter. Penrhyncoch were victorious with Bow Street missing out by just two points, whilst Llanuwchllyn were the nearest side qualified and able to compete in the playoffs losing out to Llay Miners Welfare of the North West.
This season, expect Bow Street and Llanuwchllyn to be up there challenging once again with 12 points separating them from fourth placed Builth Wells. However, two new sides have come down from the JD Cymru North keen to bounce back from a disappointing campaign. Chirk AAA and Llanidloes Town will have to recover to be in with a chance to compete in a difficult top end of the division.
New Kids on the Block
Chirk and Llanidloes come down from the second tier licking their wounds but will see the new season as a chance to get back on track. Llanidloes begin with a number of new young players as they look to give youth a chance whilst Chirk look to bounce back, but have had to replace key players.
Kerry sealed promotion last season and will be keen to cement themselves at this level whilst Brickfield Rangers move across from the North-West.
Dark Horses
A number of sides will be hoping to spring a challenge at the top end of the table. Builth Wells were essentially the best of the rest outside the top three last season but were closely followed by Dolgellau and Radnor Valley. Brickfield will look to compete having finished 7th in the North West last season. Cefn Albion finished the year 7th in the North East and have recruited well over the summer.
Opening Day
The opening day of the season sees four games next Tuesday with some mouth watering clashes. An all-Wrexham match between Chirk and Cefn Albion at Holyhead Road compliments a huge early fixture between Llanuwchllyn and Bow Street, last years title rivals go head to head on MD1.
Rhos Aelwyd take on Llangollen whilst the opening night will conclude with the later kick off between Llansantffraid and Kerry.
24 hours later the action continues as Brickfield Rangers meet Penycae before Llandrindod Wells host Radnor Valley and Llanidloes take on Builth Wells.
Good luck to the players, coaches, volunteers and supporters in the Lock Stock Ardal North-East this season!
Don’t forget, players and officials at clubs across the Ardal Northern Leagues get 25% off their first three months of self storage with Lock Stock!
