Dial Square well-placed for fourth promotion 

The club founded by Arsenal supporters for Arsenal supporters are continuing to thrive: Find out more with our latest Dial Square update

After just 12 games, non-League Dial Square are well-positioned in the Surrey Premier County Football League to achieve their fourth promotion in five seasons coming into the festive period.

With just one defeat in their past 13 league and cup games, Dial are again contenders for silverware this season, as Steve Brown’s side seek a league and cup double for the second time in three seasons and the opportunity to gain entry to the illustrious FA Vase competition next year.

As things stand, only five clubs from the Surrey Premier County Football League, Wimbledon Casuals, Cranleigh, CB Hounslow & Abbots, Bagshot, and Dial, could be eligible for promotion, with current table-toppers Casuals likely to pose the biggest challenge to Dial if they apply for promotion by 31 December 2025, which looks increasingly unlikely.

FA Rules state that a club at step 7 (a regional feeder league to the National League System – steps 1-6) cannot use a ground-share arrangement to be promoted to Step 6 without having an existing licence in place, which prevents inform south Woking based club Keens Park Rangers groundsharing for the sole purpose to gain promotion. Any club seeking promotion must have an approved grade 7 or higher ground by 31 March before the following season.

Since we last caught up with Dial, the team has advanced two rounds in the Surrey FA Saturday Intermediate (County) Cup and have progressed through to the quarter-final of the Premier Challenge (League) Cup, where they will play Tongham (A) and Richmond & Kew (H) respectively.

The non-leaguers face a tricky start to the new year, with only one of their five January fixtures being at home, which could make or break their season.

Off-the-field, conversations remain afoot for Dial to relocate to their own ground within the next few years. This will drive growth and enable the club to leverage new commercial partnerships and enhance the fans’ experience. 

So, as we look into the crystal ball, could 2026 be the year where Arsenal and Dial Square achieve the league and cup double? If both can hold their nerve, April and May are likely to be huge months for both clubs in the football calendar.

For more news and information on Dial Square, go to www.dialsquarefc.com