The fixtures for the 2025/26 Ebac Northern Football League Division Two season are out, and Ryton & Crawcrook Albion will begin the new campaign with an away trip to FC Hartlepool on Saturday 26 July.
Just four days later, Albion return home for their first match at the Oldhaulage Stadium, hosting Sunderland West End on Wednesday 30 July.
Manager Nathan Beckham and his side will need to hit the ground running to keep pace in what’s shaping up to be a relentless opening two months, with ten league fixtures provisionally scheduled by the end of August and eight straight midweek rounds.
The regular season is due to conclude on Saturday 18 April 2026 with a trip to Grangetown Boys Club.
The Division Two champions will again earn automatic promotion to the Northern League’s top tier, while a four-team play-off will decide who joins them. At the other end of the table, the bottom three clubs will be ‘liable’ to relegation.
Local interest will peak on Saturday 9 August when Albion make the short journey to Essity Park to face Prudhoe YC Seniors in the first Tyne Valley derby of the season. The return fixture in Crawcrook is set for Saturday 29 November. Both eagerly anticipated derby clashes, however, are likely to be moved to the Friday night slots.
Albion will face two newly-promoted sides. A trip to AFC Newbiggin, promoted from the Northern Alliance Premier Division, is set for 4 October; while the journey to another university outfit, Durham United – from the Wearside League – follows on 18 October. Both will make the return visits to the Oldhaulage Stadium on 14 March and 11 April respectively.
From the other direction, Seaham Red Star and Tow Law Town join Division Two following relegation from the top flight. Albion welcome Seaham on 6 August and travel for the reverse on 22 November. Tow Law visit NE40 on Boxing Day – always a special date in the football calendar – with the away fixture on 4 April.
Meanwhile, Chester-le-Street United have rebranded as Park View AFC and return to their traditional home at the Riverside while Billingham Synthonia continue at Stockton.
The fixture calendar includes a few “free” Saturdays – currently 6 December, 28 February, and 28 March – which may be used for any rearranged matches due to postponements.
As always, the FA Vase campaign will also begin early in the season. The First and Second Qualifying Rounds are scheduled for 23 August and 20 September respectively, with the draw expected to be released on 4 July.
You can view the full fixture list in the graphic below. Fixtures will be uploaded onto the Matches page on our website in due course.
Please note that all fixtures are subject to change. Make sure to check the website and follow us on social media (@RACAFC1970) for updates throughout the season.
