The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Shepshed Dynamo Football Club
Nickname: The Dynamo
Founded: 1994
Ground: The Dovecote Stadium
Capacity: 2,500 (500 seated)
Chairman: Mick Sloan
Manager: Gary Drake (since October 2024)
Last season: 13th/21 (NPL Midlands)
Journey distance: 28 miles

The Opposition - History
Football in Shepshed dates back to the late 19th century, with Shepshed Albion joining the Leicestershire Senior League in 1907 and winning titles in 1911 and 1921.

In 1975, backed by Maurice Clayton of Charterhouse Holdings, the club became Shepshed Charterhouse and began a remarkable rise. Between 1978 and 1984, they won six consecutive league titles, reaching the Southern League Premier Division and even the FA Cup First Round in 1982, losing to Preston North End. Former Nottingham Forest player Martin O’Neill briefly managed the club in 1989.

After back-to-back relegations in 1991–92, the club reverted to Shepshed Albion, then reformed as Shepshed Dynamo in 1994. They won the Midland Football Alliance in 1995–96, earning promotion to the Southern League.

Subsequent years brought fluctuating fortunes, with league restructures and financial struggles. Despite occasional reprieves from relegation, Dynamo eventually dropped to the United Counties League in 2012, later joining the Midland Football League Premier Division after a merger in 2014.

The Opposition - This Season
The Dynamo lost only two of their first nine games in all competitions but a packed September where they played seven games - all at home - saw them dumped out of the FA Cup and Trophy as well as a heavy NPL defeat to Corby Town.
October started with a good win at Bourne Town but they lost five out of the next six matches before recovering in November with home wins over Coventry Sphinx and Wellingborough Town.
The festive period started with a point at the Raygar Stadium and after losing the next two they went on a four game winning streak.
After that run ended they went three without a win but come into the match today off the back of victory at St. Neots Town on Tuesday evening.

League (6th/22): P 30 W 13 D 6 L 11 F 38 A 32 Pts. 45
Cups: P 6 W 3 D 1 L 2 F 7 A 9
FA Cup: Exited at Second Qualifying Round (Stamford)
FA Trophy: Exited at First Qualifying Round (Anstey Nomads)
County Cup: N/A

Top goalscorers (NPL only): Jude Collins (12), Jesse Friend (8)
Most minutes played (NPL only): Declan Peart (2,610), Jude Collins (2,582)
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs. Racing Club Warwick (23rd August)
Heaviest defeat: 0-4 vs. Anstey Nomads (6th September) and 1-5 vs. Corby Town (23rd September)
Highest home attendance: 488 vs. Anstey Nomads (31st January)
Average home attendance (NPL): 249 (14th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 4
Most games without a win: 4
Most consecutive defeats: 4
Most games without a defeat: 6

The Nailers
Belper had a great start to the NPL campaign, not losing until matchday ten but did exit the FA Cup at the first hurdle, Kidsgrove Athletic winning in Staffordshire.
There was an early exit from the FA Trophy as well, Rugby Town coming from two goals down to win 3-2 and the league form was up and down after this match, with two wins followed by two defeats and then another two wins before a draw and a defeat!
November was much better with three wins from four matches and the concession of just a single goal.
December started well with four further matches without defeat but it ended with reversals to St. Neots Town and Long Eaton United.
The Nailers have struggled to get any momentum in 2026, with a draw at home to Basford United on New Year's Day followed by a win in the County Cup but then an NPL defeat to Corby Town.
After ending Wellingborough Town's fantastic run with victory in Northamptonshire, Belper drew at home to Coleshill Town and slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Carlton Town the following Saturday but then in midweek came a comprehensive win at Rugby Town.
Two weeks ago the Nailers thought they had won it with an Ioan Evans header in the 85th minute but a Martyn Waghorn penalty for Anstey Nomads secured them a point. Last weekend saw the match at AFC Rushden & Diamonds postponed.
Appearances wise, two players - Kev Bastos and Curtis Burrows - have appeared in every match this season.
In terms of goals, Bastos leads the way with ten, closely followed by Liam Moran and Jacob Gratton with nine. Jacob Fenton scored four before his move away from the Raygar Stadium while four players sit on four goals. Five players have three goals or fewer.

Head to Head
The two sides have met on 21 occasions (this includes one abandoned), all since 2004.
The Dynamo had much the better of the early meetings, going unbeaten in the first four.
Belper then won back to back games before Shepshed did the same.
The Nailers struggled to get any momentum in the fixture until they achieved three wins in a row, a run which was ended in the last meeting prior to this season when Shepshed won at the Raygar Stadium in March 2022.
Shepshed took a point from the Raygar Stadium in the most recent encounter in early December.
Belper's biggest win is 6-0 in April 2012 while Shepshed's is 3-0 in September 2008.

Overall record for Belper:
P 21 W 7 D 5 L 8 (1 abandoned) F 33 A 28
(20 x NPL Step 4, 1 x Challenge Cup)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Shepshed Dynamo: WWDDLW
Belper Town: WDLWDL

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 2:15pm.

Permutations
Belper could climb back up to 2nd in the table however this would require a win combined with a Basford United defeat as well as Anstey Nomads failing to win.
There is a four point cushion to 5th placed Coleshill Town so the Nailers cannot drop a place.
Shepshed can climb into the playoff places if they win and Coleshill Town are defeated but they could drop as low as 13th if results and goals go against them; four points separate 6th and 15th.

Match details
Shepshed Dynamo vs. Belper Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Saturday, 28th February 2026 - 3:00pm kick off

The Dovecote Stadium
Butthole Lane
Shepshed
Leicestershire
LE12 9BN

Admission prices: Adults £10, Concessions £7, U18 £5, U16 £3, U10 £0

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

Audio commentary with Tom on Radio Belper Town
Full text coverage on X and Facebook.
Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

NPL Midlands fixtures
The match at the Dovecote Stadium is one of two between teams in or around the playoff positions, the other being at Basford United where Coleshill Town are the visitors.
St. Neots Town entertain Rugby Town in a battle of the bottom two while the next two teams up, Bourne Town and Loughborough Students, also play each other so it could be all change in the fight for survival.

(10th) AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs. Coventry Sphinx (16th)
(2nd) Basford United vs. Coleshill Town (5th)
(17th) Bedworth United vs. Wellingborough Town (8th)
(20th) Bourne Town vs. Loughborough Students (19th)
(1st) Carlton Town vs. Mickleover FC (7th)
(14th) Long Eaton United vs. Lichfield City (15th)
(11th) Racing Club Warwick vs. Boldmere St. Michaels (18th)
(6th) Shepshed Dynamo vs. Belper Town (4th)
(22nd) St. Neots Town vs. Rugby Town (21st)
(13th) Sutton Coldfield Town vs. Anstey Nomads (3rd)