Talking WoSo takes a look at which clubs will be pounding the asphalt the most next season.
While there’s nothing quite like playing at your home ground in front of your own fans, everyone loves an away day.
Whether it’s the opportunity to take in new scenery, winning against the odds on someone else’s turf, or enjoying the camaraderie of travelling with your mates, there’s just something special about it.
So, which teams will be on the road the most next season, which games are just around the corner and which journies will leave you reaching for the hyoscine hydrobromide (travel sickness tablets) and your favourite playlists?
The FAWNL Northern Premier Division in 2021/22
The process of Upward Club Movement saw the FAWNL Northern Premier Division grow from 12 teams to 13 as Sunderland were elevated to the Women’s Championship, while Brighouse Town and Wolves joined the third tier from FAWNL Division One North and Division One Midlands respectively.
There has been one ground change ahead of the new season, with Burnley moving from the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground to The Crown Ground, home of Accrington Stanley.
Middlesbrough, who call Billingham Town FC home, are by far the most northern side, while West Brom are the most southerly.
On the road in 2021/22
Middlesbrough will travel more than 3,000 during the 2021/22 league campaign – more than 500 miles than the next most, Fylde, and over double that of Sheffield FC, who will be on the road the least of the 13 clubs at just 1,469 miles.
Boro’s longest journey of the season is coincidently their first as they make the 350+ mile round trip to welcome Dan McNamara’s Wolverhampton Wanderers to the division.
On the other end of the scale, it will come as little surprise that the West Yorkshire derby, contested by Huddersfield Town and division newcomers Brighouse Town, is the shortest journey of the season at just over a 20-mile round trip. While the Black Country and East Midlands derbies – with teams separated by less than 20 miles – are the next shortest.
Sheffield, whose fuel costs and time on the asphalt will be less than any other team in the division, will travel a total of roughly 1,469 miles during the 2021-22 season – with their shortest away day being a 56-mile round trip to Forest, and the longest a being journey to Teeside to face Boro.
Meanwhile, Derby are arguably the most optimally located club in the Northern Premier Division as the Ewe Rams have six away games that are less than a 100-mile round trip away – more than every other club.
Here are the distances in full:
