The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Loughborough University Students Football Club
Nickname: The Scholars
Founded: 1920 as Loughborough College
Ground: Loughborough University Stadium
Capacity: 3,300
Chairman: Richard Allen
Manager: Jamie Clapham
Last season: 15th/21 (NPL Midlands)
Journey distance: 27 miles

The Opposition - History
The club, founded in 1920 as Loughborough College, joined the Leicestershire Senior League in 1966 before leaving senior football in 1972 and returning in 2007. They quickly rose through the leagues, winning the Midland Combination Premier Division in 2008–09 and later the League Cup in 2011 and 2012.

After managerial changes in 2014, including Stuart McLaren’s departure, the club struggled but avoided relegation. Improvement followed under Karl Brennan, and new leadership roles were introduced in 2017. They narrowly avoided relegation again that season.

Moved to the United Counties League in 2019, the team reached a county cup final but lost. In 2021, Jamie Clapham became head coach, and the club enjoyed success, winning the 2021–22 BUCS title and reaching the FA Vase semi-finals. After just missing playoffs in 2022–23, they earned promotion to Step 4 in 2023–24 with a dominant playoff final win.

The Opposition - This Season
The Scholars had a tough start to the season, exiting the FA Cup and Trophy at the first hurdle and not winning in the NPL until matchday five.
After this they went another five without a victory but a narrow win over Coventry Sphinx was the catalyst for two comprehensive performances against Long Eaton United and Lichfield City where they scored 11 goals.
However this wasn't the springboard they were hoping for and a run of ten without a win followed.
A Leicestershire Cup win over Lutterworth Town ended this run but three further league defeats followed and the win over Lichfield City on 31st January was their first in the NPL since mid-October.
This was the first of three wins in a row, one which was followed by five games without one.
However they come in to the match today as one of the form sides in the division, with four successive wins and cleansheets.

League (17th/22): P 39 W 11 D 13 L 15 F 60 A 60 Pts. 46
Cups: P 4 W 1 D 1 L 2 F 6 A 8
FA Cup: Exited at Extra Preliminary Round (Replay) (Barton Town)
FA Trophy: Exited at First Qualifying Round (Malvern Town)
County Cup: Still in - play Anstey Nomads in semi-final

Top goalscorers (NPL only): Ashden Shortland (15), Connor Keene & Hussein Issa (8)
Most minutes played (NPL only): Max Prickett-Reed (3,042), Nat Salsby (2,871)
Biggest victory: 6-1 vs. Lichfield City (11th October)
Heaviest defeat: 1-5 vs. Malvern Town (6th September)
Highest home attendance: 295 vs. Long Eaton United (7th October)
Average home attendance (NPL): 200 (17th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 4
Most games without a win: 10
Most consecutive defeats: 3
Most games without a defeat: 6

The Nailers
Belper had a great start to the season, losing just once in a busy August, that defeat being to Kidsgrove Athletic in the FA Cup.
It would be October until they lost in the NPL at home to Carlton Town but by then the FA Trophy campaign was also over as Rugby Town staged a fantastic second half comeback.
One defeat led to two, away to Coleshill Town but the ship was then steadied with wins over Anstey Nomads and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
November was an outstanding month for the Nailers, seeing four wins and a draw and defeat at home to St. Neots Town on the 20th of December was a first in nine matches.
Long Eaton United away on Boxing Day saw a Nailers horror show and heavy defeat and 2026 started with a mixed bag - a win, draw and defeat all at the Raygar Stadium.
February saw only one win as revenge was gained on Rugby Town with a comfortable NPL win but the next three matches were a struggle and Belper didn't win any of them.
After another win in Rugby, this time at Borough, a disappointing home defeat to Sutton Coldfield Town came next.
A great win at AFC Rushden & Diamonds was followed by another reversal at the Raygar Stadium, Lichfield City winning comfortably.
Further defeats at Shepshed Dynamo and Boldmere St. Michaels followed but some confidence was restored with a home win over Long Eaton United on Bank Holiday Monday.
Appearances wise, only Curtis Burrows can lay claim to have played in every match this season, with Kevin Bastos and Kieran Preston missing just the one.
In terms of goals, Bastos and Moran lead the way with ten, closely followed by Jacob Gratton with nine. Jonathan Wafula has five, the same number as Jacob Fenton secured before his move away from the Raygar Stadium while five players sit on four goals. A further four players have three goals or fewer.

Head to Head
The sides met way back on matchday two - the 12th of August and this is the only meeting to date.
Jack Broadhead gave Belper the lead before Jonathan Wafula doubled it on the half hour. Shortland pulled a goal back for the visitors but the Nailers held out.

Overall record for Belper:
P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 2 A 1
(NPL Step 4)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Loughborough Students: DLWWWW
Belper Town: LWLLLW

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

Permutations
Belper know that five points from their remaining three games will guarantee a playoff spot.
If the Nailers win today and Basford United are defeated, we will climb to third spot.
However if Coleshill Town better our result, they will leapfrog us.
The cushion to 6th is now five points.
For the Scholars, a fine run of recent form has them out of the relegation zone, but only by three points.
They are unlikely to drop back in today, with Bourne Town in 19th three points back but 13 goals short of Loughborough's zero goal difference.
They will drop a place if they fail to win and Bedworth United pick up three points.

Match details
Loughborough Students vs. Belper Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Saturday, 11th April 2026 - 3:00pm kick-off

Loughborough University Stadium
Holywell Sports Complex
Holywell Park
Loughborough
LE11 3QF

Admission prices: Adults £8, Concessions £5, Students £2, U18s £1, U16s £0

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

• Audio commentary with Chris 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
(11th) AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs. Rugby Borough (16th)
(3rd) Basford United vs. Shepshed Dynamo (8th)
(13th) Boldmere St. Michaels vs. Anstey Nomads (1st)
(19th) Bourne Town vs. Carlton Town (2nd)
(20th) Coventry Sphinx vs. Sutton Coldfield Town (14th)
(7th) Lichfield City vs. Bedworth United (18th)
(15th) Long Eaton United vs. Mickleover FC (12th)
(17th) Loughborough Students vs. Belper Town (4th)
(9th) Racing Club Warwick vs. Coleshill Town (5th)
(22nd) Rugby Town vs. Wellingborough Town (6th)
(21st) St. Neots Town vs. Corby Town (10th)