JCR Football Preview: Premier Division

The JCR Premier Division is the promised land of JCR football. Seven teams, stuffed with Blues talents, going at it week-in-week-out, all for the prize of that prestigious honour of “not quite Cuppers, but we’ll still get our photo in the bar”.

After two 4^th-placed campaigns, it’s Worcester who pipped Exeter to the throne after holding them to two draws in the dying days of Trinity and thumping a basically-relegated Lincoln to take the prize.

Can they do it again? That remains to be seen.

Watch the throne: Worcester swept all competitions last year and will want to repeat

Worcester will have their eyes on the prize once again, with former Newport Pagnell Town U12 star Felix Easton-Smith reported player of football Freddie Evans (this changed just before we went to print; mystery abound…) taking the reins of a squad that loses several players to graduation but retains several top talents including Blues exec Tom Phelan and two-year varsity starter Luke “Lukey Dev” Devereux.

However, they’ll face stiff challenge along the way; Exeter retain stud striker Sandy Clark and Blues regular Benedict May, while St Hugh’s striker Sam Byrne is back for another year of goal-poaching.  St Catherine’s will be looking towards the likes of number 10 Joe Davies to play off their experienced midfield and push them up the table.

Wadham reversed their recent record of league contenders (including a title in 2011) and cup chokers (out at the first hurdle from 2010-12, one quarter-final appearance since 2007) to grit their way to a Cuppers final while almost getting relegated, and will now be looking to extend a six-year run in the top flight.

For the newly-promoted teams, St Edmund Hall will need to prove themselves from day one, having returned to the top-flight after winning their last game by forfeit, while fourth-year chemist Jack Hostick will be looking to find the winning formula again after his incredible 19 goals and 7 assists in 11 games fired Balliol back to the promised land.

Tab predictions: Exeter to avenge disappointment of 2012/13 to take the crown, Balliol to score 50 goals and finish mid-table, Worcester and Wadham to continue to never submit match-day teams to OUAFC website for some reason.

For previews of the First, Second and Third Divisions click on these links.