The Ultimate Gloucestershire Football Season Preview Picks 2026/27
It is that time of year when Severn Sport previews the Gloucestershire football season and once again this year we have a podcast to go alongside our annual predictions.
Today sees the picks for the 2026/27 season, from Winners, Teams to Watch and Players to Watch from the Southern League Division One South down to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior Leagues.
Our man Ryan Butler has been joined once again by Cheltenham Town reporter Jon Palmer and welcomes Gloucestershire Live & BBC Gloucestershire’s Mark Halliwell to make their picks and join forces for a special podcast to be released on Saturday morning.
On that show, the gents will discuss the season ahead for Cheltenham Town, Forest Green Rovers and Gloucester City – as well as naming their overall team to watch this season.
In today’s post, all three make their picks for the rest of the most senior leagues involving our sides.
The Southern League Division One South has an additional local side in it after Slimbridge romped to the Hellenic Premier title last season. They join Hartpury University and beaten play-off Semi Finalists, Bishops Cleeve, as they all bid to finish as high as possible
JP
Winner: Weymouth
Team(s) To Watch: Bishops Cleeve
Player(s) To Watch: Ben McLean (Bishops Cleeve), Jack W Smith (Slimbridge)
MH
Winner: Dorchester Town
Team(s) To Watch: Hartpury FC
Player(s) To Watch: Adulai Sambu (Bishops Cleeve)
RB
Winner: Exmouth Town
Team(s) To Watch: Slimbridge
Player(s) To Watch: Toby Soule (Slimbridge), Kian Kang (Slimbridge)
The Hellenic Premier is set to be a potentially quieter season for us, with Slimbridge being promoted and Lydney Town suffering relegation – leaving just the five local sides in the division as we go for a hattrick of Gloucestershire title winners:
JP
Winner: Roman Glass St George
Team(s) To Watch: Cinderford Town
Player(s) To Watch: Jack Watts (Cinderford Town)
MH
Winner: Roman Glass St George
Team(s) To Watch: Cinderford Town
Player(s) To Watch: Jack Watts (Cinderford)
RB
Winner: Droitwich Spa
Team(s) To Watch: Cirencester Town
Player(s) To Watch: Jam Dare (Cirencester Town), Callum McLean (Tuffley Rovers), Lewis Vye (Longlevens)
All eyes on Hellenic Division One this season, with seven local sides in there after Sharpness’ promotion and Lydney dropping down. Stonehouse Town will be looking to go one better than last season’s play-off final heartbreak.
JP
Winner: Stonehouse Town
Team(s) To Watch: Cheltenham Saracens
Player(s) To Watch: Alfie Bradshaw (Stonehouse Town)
MH
Winner: Wantage Town
Team(s) To Watch: Cheltenham Saracens
Player(s) To Watch: Harley Hudd (Stonehouse Town)
RB
Winner: Cheltenham Saracens
Team(s) To Watch: Sharpness, Stonehouse Town
Player(s) To Watch: Harley Hudd (Stonehouse Town), Tommy Bond (Cheltenham Saracens)
The Gloucestershire County League is looking very competitive, with a couple of sides under new Management, alongside established sides looking to build on strong finishes last season:
JP
Winner; Tewkesbury Town
Team(s) To Watch: Quedgeley Wanderers
MH
Winner: Filton Athletic
Team(s) To Watch: Frampton United
RB
Winner: Tewkesbury Town
Team(s) To Watch: Quedgeley Wanderers, Chalford
Once again we have two packed divisions in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League with Whaddon United looking to finally step up and be the winner of Division One, whilst a reshuffle has seen a whole host of new faces promoted into both divisions – including the challengers in last season’s Stroud League Division One title race:
JP
Division One Winner: Dursley Town
Team(s) To Watch: Whaddon United
Division Two Winner: Mushet & Coalway Utd
Team(s) To Watch: Winchcombe Town
MH
Division One Winner: Whaddon United
Team(s) To Watch: Hardwicke
Division Two Winner: Harrow Hill
Team(s) To Watch: Kings Stanley
RB
Division One Winner: Whaddon United
Team(s) To Watch: Barnwood United, Hardwicke
Division Two Winner: Harrow Hill
Team(s) To Watch: Old Richians, Tuffley Rovers Reserves, Minchinhampton
And there we have it. The 2026/27 season previewed in full! Who will be the ones to watch or the surprise packages of the campaign? Let us know on Twitter @SevernSport
Follow Jon and Mark on Twitter @JonPalmerSport & @MarkHalliwell1
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
