The 2021–22 season was the 79th season in the history of the Eastern Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams are divided into three divisions, the Premier Division at Step 5, and the geographically separated Division One North and Division One South, both at Step 6 of the English football league system.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by the Football Association and published on the league's website on 18 May 2021, subject to appeals. The league constitution was published on 27 June. After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons.
Gorleston were champions, winning their first Eastern Counties Football League title and were promoted to the Isthmian League for the first time in their history. Wroxham finished second and returned to the Isthmian League after five years as one of ten runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game.
Premier Division
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Gorleston |
| Promoted | Gorleston Wroxham |
| Relegated | Swaffham Town |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 1,220 (3.21 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
The Premier Division featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs, promoted from Division One North:
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gorleston | 38 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 87 | 36 | +51 | 84 | Promoted to the Isthmian League |
| 2 | Wroxham | 38 | 26 | 5 | 7 | 104 | 28 | +76 | 83 | |
| 3 | Mildenhall Town | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 79 | 42 | +37 | 70 | |
| 4 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 67 | 48 | +19 | 68 | |
| 5 | Norwich United | 38 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 62 | 45 | +17 | 67 | |
| 6 | Fakenham Town | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 63 | |
| 7 | Walsham-le-Willows | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 63 | 47 | +16 | 61 | |
| 8 | Newmarket Town | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 71 | 59 | +12 | 60 | |
| 9 | Kirkley & Pakefield | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 59 | |
| 10 | March Town United | 38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 72 | 63 | +9 | 57 | Transferred to the United Counties League |
| 11 | Woodbridge Town | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 54 | |
| 12 | Lakenheath | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 63 | 56 | +7 | 50 | |
| 13 | Ely City | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 60 | 77 | −17 | 45 | |
| 14 | Thetford Town | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 61 | 60 | +1 | 44 | |
| 15 | Hadleigh United | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 46 | 62 | −16 | 43 | |
| 16 | Whitton United | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 46 | 94 | −48 | 38 | |
| 17 | Haverhill Rovers | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 46 | 71 | −25 | 36 | |
| 18 | Brantham Athletic | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 32 | 63 | −31 | 36 | |
| 19 | Long Melford | 38 | 6 | 14 | 18 | 46 | 70 | −24 | 32 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 20 | Swaffham Town | 38 | 3 | 4 | 31 | 20 | 132 | −112 | 13 | Relegated to Division One North |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results
Notes:
- Wroxham were automatically promoted as one of ten runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game (PPG).
- Reprieved as one of twelve clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom in Step 5.
Stadia and locations
Brantham AthleticEly CityFakenham TownGorlestonHadleigh UnitedHaverhill RoversKirkley & PakefieldLakenheathLong MelfordMarch Town UnitedMildenhall TownMulbarton WanderersNewmarket TownNorwich UnitedSwaffham TownThetford TownWalsham-le-WillowsWhitton UnitedWroxhamWoodbridge Townclass=notpageimage| Locations of the Premier Division clubs
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Brantham Athletic | Brantham Leisure Centre | 1,200 |
| Ely City | Unwin Sports Ground | 1,500 |
| Fakenham Town | Clipbush Park | 2,000 |
| Gorleston | Emerald Park | 3,000 |
| Hadleigh United | Millfield | 3,000 |
| Haverhill Rovers | New Croft | 3,000 |
| Kirkley & Pakefield | Walmer Road | 2,000 |
| Lakenheath | The Nest | |
| Long Melford | Stoneylands | |
| March Town United | The GER Sports Ground | |
| Mildenhall Town | Recreation Way | 2,000 |
| Mulbarton Wanderers | The Common | |
| Newmarket Town | Cricket Field Road | 2,750 |
| Norwich United | Plantation Park | 3,000 |
| Swaffham Town | Shoemakers Lane | |
| Thetford Town | Mundford Road | 1,500 |
| Walsham-le-Willows | Summer Road | 1,000 |
| Whitton United | King George V Playing Fields | 1,000 |
| Woodbridge Town | Notcutts Park | 3,000 |
| Wroxham | Trafford Park | 2,000 |
Division One North
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Sheringham |
| Promoted | Harleston Town Sheringham |
| Relegated | Peterborough North End Sports Wisbech St Mary |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Goals scored | 826 (3.44 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
Division One North featured ten clubs which competed in the previous season, along with six new clubs.
- Clubs, promoted from the Anglian Combination:
- Promoted from the Peterborough and District League:
- Transferred from the United Counties League:
Also, Blackstones and Bourne Town were initially moved to this division from the United Counties League but they successfully appealed and their transfers were rescinded.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheringham | 30 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 84 | 28 | +56 | 75 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Harleston Town | 30 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 77 | 23 | +54 | 73 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Downham Town | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 56 | 26 | +30 | 63 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 4 | Norwich CBS | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 68 | 48 | +20 | 52 | |
| 5 | Framlingham Town | 30 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 49 | |
| 6 | Whittlesey Athletic | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 45 | |
| 7 | Huntingdon Town | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 48 | 49 | −1 | 42 | |
| 8 | Peterborough North End Sports | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 50 | 50 | 0 | 38 | Resigned from the league |
| 9 | Leiston reserves | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 49 | 54 | −5 | 36 | |
| 10 | Great Yarmouth Town | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 36 | |
| 11 | Debenham LC | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 50 | 64 | −14 | 36 | |
| 12 | University of East Anglia | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 35 | Resigned from the league |
| 13 | Diss Town | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 56 | −10 | 30 | |
| 14 | Needham Market reserves | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 54 | 71 | −17 | 29 | |
| 15 | FC Parson Drove | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 62 | −34 | 28 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 16 | Wisbech St Mary | 30 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 16 | 109 | −93 | 3 | Relegated to the Cambridgeshire County League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results
Notes:
- Peterborough North End Sports requested for a voluntary relegation to the Peterborough and District League at the end of the season. They were placed bottom for relegation purposes.
- All third-from-bottom clubs at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation. The top 15 second-from-bottom sides were also reprieved on a PPG basis.
Play-offs
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Harleston Town | 2 | |||||||
| 5 | Framlingham Town | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Harleston Town | 3 | |||||||
| 3 | Downham Town | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Downham Town | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Norwich CBS | 0 | |||||||
Stadia and locations
Debenham LCDiss TownDownham TownFC Parson DroveFramlingham TownGreat Yarmouth TownHarleston TownHuntingdon TownLeistonres
Needham Market resNorwich CBSPeterborough North End SportsSheringhamUniversity of East AngliaWhittlesey AthleticWisbech St Maryclass=notpageimage| Locations of Division One North clubs
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Debenham LC | Maitlands | 1,000 |
| Diss Town | Brewers Green Lane | 2,500 |
| Downham Town | Memorial Field | 1,000 |
| FC Parson Drove | Main Road | |
| Framlingham Town | Badingham Road | |
| Great Yarmouth Town | Wellesley Recreation Ground | 3,600 |
| Harleston Town | Wilderness Lane | |
| Huntingdon Town | Jubilee Park | |
| Leiston reserves | Victory Road | 2,500 |
| Needham Market reserves | Bloomfields | 4,000 |
| Norwich CBS | FDC Bowthorpe | |
| Peterborough North End Sports | Lincoln Road (groundshare with Peterborough Sports) | 2,300 |
| Sheringham | Weybourne Road | |
| University of East Anglia | Aldiss Park (groundshare with Dereham Town) | 2,500 |
| Whittlesey Athletic | Feldale Field | |
| Wisbech St Mary | Beechings Close |
Division One South
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Ipswich Wanderers |
| Promoted | Ipswich Wanderers Halstead Town Buckhurst Hill |
| Relegated | Brimsdown |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 1,473 (3.88 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
Division One South featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with six new clubs:
- Clubs, transferred from Division One North:
- Plus:
- Buckhurst Hill, promoted from the Essex Olympian League
- Park View, transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ipswich Wanderers | 38 | 33 | 4 | 1 | 127 | 19 | +108 | 103 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Buckhurst Hill | 38 | 31 | 5 | 2 | 144 | 29 | +115 | 98 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Essex Senior League |
| 3 | Benfleet | 38 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 74 | 48 | +26 | 74 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 4 | Halstead Town | 38 | 23 | 2 | 13 | 99 | 72 | +27 | 71 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Essex Senior League |
| 5 | Wivenhoe Town | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 83 | 59 | +24 | 70 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Burnham Ramblers | 38 | 21 | 5 | 12 | 91 | 66 | +25 | 68 | |
| 7 | Wormley Rovers | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 70 | 75 | −5 | 58 | |
| 8 | Holland | 38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 72 | 73 | −1 | 57 | Transferred to Division One North |
| 9 | Frenford | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 80 | 77 | +3 | 51 | |
| 10 | May & Baker | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 49 | |
| 11 | Barkingside | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 55 | 76 | −21 | 49 | |
| 12 | Hackney Wick | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 65 | 72 | −7 | 44 | |
| 13 | Harwich & Parkeston | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 44 | Transferred to Division One North |
| 14 | AFC Sudbury reserves | 38 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 74 | 103 | −29 | 44 | |
| 15 | Coggeshall United | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 43 | |
| 16 | Newbury Forest | 38 | 12 | 2 | 24 | 70 | 104 | −34 | 38 | |
| 17 | Park View | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 65 | 103 | −38 | 36 | |
| 18 | Cornard United | 38 | 10 | 5 | 23 | 52 | 93 | −41 | 35 | Reprieved from relegation, then transferred to Division One North |
| 19 | Haverhill Borough | 38 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 43 | 98 | −55 | 25 | |
| 20 | Brimsdown | 38 | 4 | 7 | 27 | 45 | 118 | −73 | 19 | Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results
Notes:
- Losing play-off finalists Buckhurst Hill promoted to fill a vacancy made by Brislington's voluntary relegation from the Western League Premier Division.
- All third-from-bottom clubs at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation. The top 15 second-from-bottom sides were also reprieved on a PPG basis.
Play-offs
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Buckhurst Hill | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | Wivenhoe Town | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | Buckhurst Hill | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Halstead Town | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Benfleet | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Halstead Town (a.e.t.) | 2 | |||||||
Stadia and locations
Sudbury res
BarkingsideBenfleetBrimsdownBuckhurst HillBurnham RamblersCoggeshall UnitedCornard UnitedFrenfordHackney WickHalstead TownHarwich & ParkestonHaverhill BoroughHollandIpswich WanderersMay & BakerNewbury ForestPark ViewWivenhoe TownWormley Roversclass=notpageimage| Locations of Division One South clubs
BarkingsideBuckhurst HillFrenfordMay & BakerPark ViewNewbury Forestclass=notpageimage| Greater London Division One South football clubs
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Sudbury reserves | King's Marsh | 2,500 |
| Barkingside | Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) | 3,500 |
| Benfleet | Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island) | 4,100 |
| Brimsdown | Chadfields (groundshare with Tilbury) | 4,000 |
| Buckhurst Hill | Roding Lane | |
| Burnham Ramblers | Leslie Fields | 2,000 |
| Coggeshall United | West Street (groundshare with Coggeshall Town) | |
| Cornard United | Blackhouse Lane | |
| Frenford | The Jack Carter Centre | 2,000 |
| Hackney Wick | Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town) | 2,500 |
| Halstead Town | Rosemary Lane | |
| Harwich & Parkeston | Royal Oak | |
| Haverhill Borough | New Croft (groundshare with Haverhill Rovers) | 3,000 |
| Holland | Dulwich Road | |
| Ipswich Wanderers | Humber Doucy Lane | |
| May & Baker | Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) | 3,500 |
| Newbury Forest | Oakside Stadium (groundshare with Redbridge) | 3,000 |
| Park View | New River Stadium | 5,000 |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane | 2,876 |
| Wormley Rovers | Wormley Playing Fields | 500 |
References
- "League Allocations Announced". Thurlow Nunn League. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- "League Constitution for Season 2021/22". Thurlow Nunn League. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 5 Promotion". Google Docs.
- ^ "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
- "Peterborough North End seek a voluntary relegation after one season away from the Peterborough League". Peterborough Telegraph. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 6 Relegation". Google Docs.
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