Avro look to start off well under the new manager, Lewis Hardcastle, as he takes charge of his first game this Saturday against Ilkeston Town at the New Manor Ground. Last time out for the Ro it was a disappointing result in the North East as they were defeated 3-1 by fellow newly promoted side Redcar Athletic.
Since 2023, Ilkeston Town have been participating in the Northern Premier League Premier Division since winning the NPL Division One Midlands in the 2021/2022 season. Last season, the Robins finished in 11th place, 11 points outside the playoff places and 10 points ahead of the relegation zone. Ilkeston come into this game after 3-1 defeat on the road against Gainsborough Trinity, adding to their already disappointing start to the season.
Lewis Hardcastle and the players need your support this Saturday against the Robins as we look to start our new adventure with a win!
Ilkeston Town:
Founded in 2017, Ilkeston Town have had a short history, but it started off well. They started off in the Midlands League Division One in the 2017/2018 season; the Robins finished 2nd with 95 points and earned promotion to the Midlands League Premier Division. Ilkeston immediately earned promotion from the Premier Division in style, beating Loughborough University 8-1 on the final day to win the title, over Walsall Wood, their title rivals from last season in the Midlands Division One. It would take a few years for the Robins to make their way out of the NPL Division One Midlands, but prior to their promotion in the 2022/2023 season, Ilkeston made major improvements to the stadium, including the installation of a new 3G pitch at the New Manor Ground. Since their promotion to the NPL Premier Division, Ilkeston have only ever finished in the top half of the table, and in the 2024/2025 season they finished just outside the playoff places, but this season has seen the club start horribly with two wins and one draw in 14 games. The start of October saw the manager leave the club and be replaced with Ryan Hindley, who hasn’t started well with a 3-1 loss against Gainsborough Trinity away from home, with his first game in the home dugout happening this saturday.
Head to Head:
Ilkeston and Avro will meet for the first time this Saturday!
Details:
Ilkeston – Avro
Saturday 17th October 2026
Kick-off 15:00
New Manor Ground, DE7 8JF
Northern Premier League Premier Division
£13 Adults, £9 Concessions, £2 U16s, U11s FREE with a paying adult
