Welcome to the new year, and what a year of Chinese interesting times it promises to be. Leaderships everywhere - Russia, the EU, FIFA, Britain, Scotland and the NSDCA cling to their mantra of "Whatever we can get away with", yet the disconnect between them and their constituencies are becoming ever plainer to see. How will events play out?

Of more concern here, how will the leagues play out?
December is naturally a shortened month for league purposes, though there were matches in all divisions with the third and fifth being particularly active.

The big question in division one is "How many games will Alsager A play?". So far the score is four scheduled, one played, two postponed and one conceded. Well its too early to make any predictions based on results so far, so what else do you expect me to write about?

Last month I wrote that Macclesfield and Newcastle B, last year's top two in division two, hadn't registered a win between them. Their combined December record reads played three, won three. Sorry Crewe, this division is showing all the hallmarks of a five horse race.

Meir A continue to set an impressive pace in division three, playing more games and dropping fewer points than any of their competitors. However a defeat or two, which is always possible for any team in this division, would leave them vulnerable to a cavalry charge from the teams below them. Alsager B with nine points from their last 5 games look to be in a particularly good run of form.

Fenton B have taken up their traditional spot at the top of division four having previously allowed Crewe Pawns the pleasure of sitting temporarily atop the pile, and are now ready to repel all attempts by pretenders to their throne to unseat them.

A single point separates the top five teams in division five with the ethos that taking part is what counts remaining dominant. The count now is that 16 out of 36 sides fielded would have been eligible for a division six.

The player count has reached 163, with 82 reaching the 5 game mark that triggers a performance figure being given in my charts. Activity-wise Peter Windows (Meir) leads the way on 16 games, ahead of Nic Wright (Newcastle) and Kas Capatina (Fenton) on 14.
Performance-wise Dave Buxton (Cheddleton) leads on 209, ahead of Alan Paling (Newcastle, 181) and Ian Jamieson (Kidsgrove, 174), though it has to be admitted that several of the Association's stronger players have yet to reach the 5 game mark.
Cheddleton have fielded 51 players, which is more than any three other clubs put together, whilst at the other extreme Kidsgrove have got by with 6 players, one of whom has played just once.