Essex Senior Football League: Difference between revisions
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| folded =
| divisions =
| teams =
| feeds = [[Southern Football League|Southern League]]<br>[[Isthmian League]]<ref name=history />
| promotion = [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Division One Central<br>[[Isthmian League]] Division One North<ref name=history />
| relegation = [[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League Div 1 South]]<ref name=Step6>{{cite
| level = [[English football league system|Level 9]]
| domest_cup = Essex Senior League Challenge Cup<br>Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy
| confed_cup =
| champions = [[
| season =
| most successful club = [[Basildon United F.C.|Basildon United]] (5 titles)<ref name=handbook />
| sponsorship_name =
| tv =
| website =
| current = [[
}}
The '''Essex Senior Football League''' is an English men's [[Association football|football]] league. It contains clubs from the [[Essex FA]], [[Hertfordshire FA]], [[London FA]], [[Middlesex Football Association|Middlesex FA]] and the [[Amateur Football Alliance]].<ref name=history /> It is a feeder league to Division One North of the [[Isthmian League]] and has a single division which sits at Step 5 (or Level 9) of the [[National League System]].<ref name=history />
Line 63:
==Promotion and relegation==
The Essex Senior League
In exchange for the promoted club, the Essex Senior League would typically receive a relegated club from a Step 4 league.<ref name=history /> Relegated clubs of Step 4 leagues are allocated an appropriate league based on their geographical locations.<ref name=nls-doc /> Thus the Essex Senior League is most likely to receive one of the relegated clubs from the Isthmian League Division One North.
There was no relegation from the Essex Senior League into a lower league since there was no Step 6 equivalent to the ESL<ref name=history /> until the 2017–18 season. Leagues including the [[Essex Olympian League]] (Step 7) sometimes acted as a feeder league to the Essex Senior League but promotion and relegation between the two leagues was not automatic.<ref name=nonleaguematters>{{cite web|title=Essex Senior Football League|url=http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/divisions/26/|website=Non-League Matters|access-date=23 April 2015}}</ref> A Step 6 division for Essex and [[East Anglia]] was announced in October 2017 to solve the relegation problem.
==Current Essex Senior League members==
{{col-2}}
*[[Athletic Newham F.C.|Athletic Newham]]
*[[Barking F.C.|Barking]]▼
*[[Buckhurst Hill F.C.|Buckhurst Hill]]
*[[Coggeshall Town F.C.|Coggeshall Town]]▼
*[[F.C. Clacton|FC Clacton]]
*[[Frenford F.C.|Frenford]]
*[[Great Wakering Rovers F.C.|Great Wakering Rovers]]▼
*[[Halstead Town F.C.|Halstead Town]]
*[[Hullbridge Sports F.C.|Hullbridge Sports]]
*[[Ilford F.C.|Ilford]]
*[[Little Oakley F.C.|Little Oakley]]
*[[Romford F.C.|Romford]]
*[[Saffron Walden Town F.C.|Saffron Walden Town]]
*[[Sporting Bengal United F.C.|Sporting Bengal United]]
*[[Stanway Rovers F.C.|Stanway Rovers]]
*[[Takeley F.C.|Takeley]]
*[[Tilbury F.C.|Tilbury]]
*[[West Essex F.C.|West Essex]]
*[[White Ensign F.C.|White Ensign]]
*[[Woodford Town F.C.|Woodford Town]]
{{col-2}}
{{location map+ |England
|width=400 |float=right |caption=Locations of the Essex Senior League clubs |places=
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5130 |long=0.0318 |label=Athletic Newham|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5476 |long=0.1115 |label=Barking & Romford|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.6264 |long=0.0562 |label=Buckhurst Hill|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.8686 |long=0.6721 |label=Coggeshall Town|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.7932 |long=1.1264 |label=Clacton|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5734 |long=0.0574 |label=Frenford|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5788 |long=0.4502 |label=Great Wakering Rovers & White Ensign|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.9465 |long=0.6326 |label=Halstead Town|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.6157 |long=0.6193 |label=Hullbridge Sports|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5600 |long=0.0911 |label=Ilford|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.9206 |long=1.2294 |label=Little Oakley|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=52.0273 |long=0.2400 |label=Saffron Walden Town|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5190 |long=-0.0334|label=Sporting Bengal United|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.8876 |long=0.8448 |label=Stanway Rovers|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.8657 |long=0.2676 |label=Takeley|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.4701 |long=0.3633 |label=Tilbur|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.5974 |long=-0.0090|label=West Essex|label_size=0}}
{{location map~|England |lat=51.6072 |long=0.0500 |label=Woodford Town|label_size=0}}
}}
{{col-end}}
==Champions, runners up and third place finishers==
Line 170 ⟶ 217:
|[[2018–19 Essex Senior Football League|2018–19]]||[[Hullbridge Sports F.C.|Hullbridge Sports]]||[[Stansted F.C.|Stansted]]||[[Walthamstow F.C.|Walthamstow]]
|-
|[[2019–20 Essex Senior Football League|2019–20]]||colspan=3|No champions; season abandoned due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in
|-
|[[2020–21 Essex Senior Football League|2020–21]]||colspan=3|No champions; season abandoned due to [[COVID-19
|-
|[[2021–22 Essex Senior Football League|2021–22]]||[[Walthamstow F.C.|Walthamstow]]||[[Saffron Walden Town F.C.|Saffron Walden Town]]||[[Redbridge F.C.|Redbridge]]
|-
|[[2022–23 Essex Senior Football League|2022–23]]||[[Enfield F.C.|Enfield]]||[[Redbridge F.C.|Redbridge]]||[[Woodford Town F.C.|Woodford Town]]
|-
|[[2023–24 Essex Senior Football League|2023–24]]||[[Tilbury F.C.|Tilbury]]|| ||
|}
Line 178 ⟶ 231:
*5 times – Basildon United
*3 times – Billericay Town, Bowers & Pitsea, Concord Rangers, Great Wakering Rovers, Heybridge Swifts, Witham Town
*2 times – Brentwood Town, Brightlingsea United, Canvey Island, Enfield, Enfield Town, Ford United, Romford, Saffron Walden Town
*1 time – AFC Hornchurch, Barking, Burnham Ramblers
==Essex Senior League Challenge Cup==
Line 205 ⟶ 258:
|1978–79||[[Brentwood Town F.C.|Brentwood]]||2–0||[[Brightlingsea United F.C.|Brightlingsea United]]
|-
|1979–80||[[Canvey Island F.C.|Canvey Island]]||1–1, 0–0, 2–0||[[Basildon United F.C.|Basildon United]]
|-
|1980–81||[[Witham Town F.C.|Witham Town]]||4–2||[[Sawbridgeworth Town F.C.|Sawbridgeworth Town]]
Line 267 ⟶ 320:
|2009–10||[[Bethnal Green United F.C.|Bethnal Green United]]||4–1||[[Burnham Ramblers F.C.|Burnham Ramblers]]
|-
|2010–11||[[Stansted F.C.|Stansted]]||3–0||[[Enfield
|-
|2011–12||[[Witham Town F.C.|Witham Town]]||2–1||[[Burnham Ramblers F.C.|Burnham Ramblers]]
Line 288 ⟶ 341:
|-
|2020–21||colspan=3|Not played due to coronavirus disease pandemic
|-
|2021–22||Enfield||3–2||[[Cockfosters F.C.|Cockfosters]]
|-
|2022–23||[[Barking F.C.|Barking]]||1–1<br>(5–4 penalties)||[[Redbridge F.C.|Redbridge]]
|}
==League and Cup
On 14 occasions a team has won both the Essex Senior League and the Essex Senior League Challenge Cup in the same season. They are:
Line 301 ⟶ 358:
*1995–96 – Romford<ref name=handbook />
*1998–99 – Bowers United<ref name=handbook />
*
*2005–06 – AFC Hornchurch<ref name=handbook />
*2006–07 – Brentwood Town<ref name=handbook />
Line 312 ⟶ 369:
{{col-break}}
*[[A.F.C. Hornchurch|AFC Hornchurch]]
▲*[[Barking F.C.|Barking]]
*[[Barkingside F.C.|Barkingside]]
*[[Basildon United F.C.|Basildon United]]
Line 323 ⟶ 379:
*[[Bury Academy F.C.|Bury Academy]]
*[[Canvey Island F.C.|Canvey Island]]
▲{{col-break}}
*[[Chelmsford City F.C.|Chelmsford City reserves]]
*[[Clapton F.C.|Clapton]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Cockfosters F.C.|Cockfosters]]
▲*[[Coggeshall Town F.C.|Coggeshall Town]]
*[[Colchester United F.C.|Colchester United 'A']]
*[[Concord Rangers F.C.|Concord Rangers]]
*[[East Ham United F.C.|East Ham United]]
*[[East Thurrock United F.C.|East Thurrock United]]
*[[Enfield F.C.|Enfield]]
*[[Enfield Town F.C.|Enfield Town]]
*[[Eton Manor F.C.|Eton Manor]]
*[[F.C. Romania|FC Romania]]
▲*[[Great Wakering Rovers F.C.|Great Wakering Rovers]]
*[[Hackney Wick F.C.|Hackney Wick]]
*[[Hadley F.C.|Hadley]]
*[[Haringey Borough F.C.|Haringey Borough]]▼
{{col-break}}
*[[
▲*[[Haringey Borough F.C.|Haringey Borough]]
*[[Heybridge Swifts F.C.|Heybridge Swifts]]
*[[
*[[Leyton F.C.|Leyton]]
*[[Leyton Athletic F.C.|Leyton Athletic]]
Line 348 ⟶ 404:
*[[Pegasus Athletic F.C.|Pegasus Athletic]]
*[[Thurrock F.C.|Purfleet]]
*[[
*[[Sawbridgeworth Town F.C.|Sawbridgeworth Town]]
*[[Southend Manor F.C.|Southend Manor]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Southend United F.C.|Southend United 'A']]
*[[St. Margaretsbury F.C.|St Margaretsbury]]
*[[Stambridge United F.C.|Stambridge]]
*[[
*[[Tiptree United F.C.|Tiptree United]]
*[[Tower Hamlets F.C.|Tower Hamlets]]
*[[Waltham Abbey F.C.|Waltham Abbey]]
*[[Walthamstow F.C.|Walthamstow]]
*[[Witham Town F.C.|Witham Town]]
*[[Wivenhoe Town F.C.|Wivenhoe Town]]
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Several Essex Senior League players have also played for [[Football League]] or [[Premier League]] teams:
{{expand list|date=April 2015}}
*[[Jimmy Greaves]] – Played for Brentwood Town<ref name=history /> after playing for [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], [[Tottenham Hotspurs|Tottenham Hotspur]], [[AC Milan]], [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] and [[England men's national football team|England]].
*[[Alan Brazil]] – Played for Stambridge<ref name=history /> after [[Queens Park Rangers]] and other teams including [[Manchester United]] and [[Scotland men's national football team|Scotland]].
*[[Kerry Dixon]] – Played in the Essex Senior League<ref name=history /> for Basildon after playing for other teams including [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] and [[England men's national football team|England]].
*[[Michael Kightly]] – left Basildon United to join [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]] circa 2003,<ref>{{cite web|title=Kightly: His story in pictures|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2008/06/24/kightly-his-story-in-pictures/|website=Express & Star|access-date=23 April 2015}}</ref> playing for [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] as of April 2016.
*[[Dwight Gayle]] – left Stansted to play for [[Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.|Dagenham & Redbridge]], [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] and [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=McLeman|first1=Neil|title=Crystal Palace's Dwight Gayle goes from £200-a-week carpenter to Prem match-winner in two years|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/crystal-palaces-dwight-gayle-goes-2243299|access-date=24 April 2015|work=Mirror|date=1 September 2013}}</ref>
*[[Trevor Putney]] – left Brentwood to join [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] in 1980,<ref>{{cite news|title=Stalwart former boss of football club dies at 83|url=http://www.brentwoodgazette.co.uk/Stalwart-boss-football-club-dies-83/story-13281533-detail/story.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150424122824/http://www.brentwoodgazette.co.uk/Stalwart-boss-football-club-dies-83/story-13281533-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 April 2015|access-date=24 April 2015|work=Brentwood Gazette|date=7 September 2011}}</ref> also played for [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], and [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]].
*[[Stuart Wardley]] – left Saffron Walden Town to join [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite news|title=Non-league football: Stuart Wardley returns to Saffron Walden Town F.C.|url=http://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/sport/saffron-walden-town-fc/non_league_football_stuart_wardley_returns_to_saffron_walden_town_fc_1_1411493|access-date=24 April 2015|publisher=Saffron Walden Reporter|date=15 June 2012}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
*[[Steve Tilson]] – left Witham Town to join [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tilson a Southend great|url=http://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/article/170414-tilson-a-southend-great-1493571.aspx|website=Southend United Official|access-date=24 April 2015|date=18 April 2014}}</ref>
*[[Gary Hart (footballer)|Gary Hart]] – left Stansted for £1,000 and a set of kit to join [[Brighton & Hove Albion]] in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bazeley|first1=Marc|title=Brighton & Hove Albion legend Gary Hart bring experience to Royston Town|url=http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Brighton-Hove-Albion-legend-Gary-Hart-bring/story-22947901-detail/story.html|website
*[[Ben Barnett (footballer)|Ben Barnett]] – left Southend Manor to briefly join [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Comprehensive list of Football Transfers|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/891081.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 April 2015}}</ref>
*[[John Warner (footballer, born 1961)|John Warner]] – left Burnham Ramblers to join [[Colchester United F.C.|Colchester United]] in 1988.
*[[Scott Forbes (footballer)|Scott Forbes]] – left Saffron Walden Town to join Southend United in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=21684|title=Scott Forbes - Football Stats - No Club - 2000-2004 - Soccer Base|website=www.soccerbase.com}}</ref>
|
Revision as of 11:29, 22 April 2024
Founded | 1971[1] |
---|---|
Country | England |
Number of teams | 20 |
Level on pyramid | Level 9 |
Feeder to | Southern League Isthmian League[1] |
Promotion to | Southern League Division One Central Isthmian League Division One North[1] |
Relegation to | Eastern Counties League Div 1 South[2] |
Domestic cup(s) | Essex Senior League Challenge Cup Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy |
Current champions | Tilbury (2023-24) |
Most championships | Basildon United (5 titles)[3] |
Website | www |
Current: 2023–24 season |
The Essex Senior Football League is an English men's football league. It contains clubs from the Essex FA, Hertfordshire FA, London FA, Middlesex FA and the Amateur Football Alliance.[1] It is a feeder league to Division One North of the Isthmian League and has a single division which sits at Step 5 (or Level 9) of the National League System.[1]
Founder members
The Essex Senior League was formed in 1971 with nine founder members. The finishing positions for the 1971–72 season were as follows:
1 | Witham Town |
2 | Billericay Town |
3 | Pegasus Athletic |
4 | Tiptree United |
5 | Saffron Walden Town |
6 | Basildon United |
7 | Heybridge Swifts |
8 | Southend United 'A' |
9 | Stansted |
Promotion and relegation
The Essex Senior League states that a club must finish in the top 3 to be considered for promotion to the Isthmian League Division One North.[1] However the process is governed by the FA Leagues Committee[3] who regulate relegations and promotions throughout the National League System. As of the 2014–15 season FA rules for Step 5 divisions such as the Essex Senior League stipulate that the champions should be offered the first chance of promotion. If the champions do not wish to be promoted or are not able to meet the entry requirements for promotion then the 2nd or 3rd placed team may be considered for promotion. Under normal circumstances, only one club can be promoted from a Step 5 league (e.g., the Essex Senior League) to a Step 4 league (e.g., the Isthmian League Division One).[4]
In exchange for the promoted club, the Essex Senior League would typically receive a relegated club from a Step 4 league.[1] Relegated clubs of Step 4 leagues are allocated an appropriate league based on their geographical locations.[4] Thus the Essex Senior League is most likely to receive one of the relegated clubs from the Isthmian League Division One North.
There was no relegation from the Essex Senior League into a lower league since there was no Step 6 equivalent to the ESL[1] until the 2017–18 season. Leagues including the Essex Olympian League (Step 7) sometimes acted as a feeder league to the Essex Senior League but promotion and relegation between the two leagues was not automatic.[5] A Step 6 division for Essex and East Anglia was announced in October 2017 to solve the relegation problem. Since 2018–19, the Eastern Counties League controls this new division.[2]
Current Essex Senior League members
|
Champions, runners up and third place finishers
League winners records
- 5 times – Basildon United
- 3 times – Billericay Town, Bowers & Pitsea, Concord Rangers, Great Wakering Rovers, Heybridge Swifts, Witham Town
- 2 times – Brentwood Town, Brightlingsea United, Canvey Island, Enfield, Enfield Town, Ford United, Romford, Saffron Walden Town
- 1 time – AFC Hornchurch, Barking, Burnham Ramblers, Haringey Borough, Hullbridge Sports, Leyton, Maldon Town, Purfleet, Stansted, Southend Manor, Tilbury, Walthamstow
Essex Senior League Challenge Cup
The Essex Senior League Challenge Cup is a knock-out tournament competed for by teams in the Essex Senior Football League.[3] Brentwood Town and Basildon United hold the record jointly for the most cup wins, each lifting the trophy four times (Brentwood Town in 1975–76, 1978–79, 1990–91, 2006–07, Basildon United in 1977–78, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2015–16).[3] As of the 2017–18 season the competition is referred to as the "Errington Challenge Cup" in recognition of the league's treasurer Margaret Errington who held the post for 26 years before dying in 2016.
Final results
League and Cup double
On 14 occasions a team has won both the Essex Senior League and the Essex Senior League Challenge Cup in the same season. They are:
- 1972–73 – Billericay Town[3]
- 1977–78 – Basildon United[3]
- 1982–83 – Heybridge Swifts[3]
- 1987–88 – Purfleet[3]
- 1992–93 – Canvey Island[3]
- 1993–94 – Basildon United[3]
- 1995–96 – Romford[3]
- 1998–99 – Bowers United[3]
- 1999–00 – Saffron Walden Town[3]
- 2005–06 – AFC Hornchurch[3]
- 2006–07 – Brentwood Town[3]
- 2011–12 – Witham Town[3]
- 2013–14 – Great Wakering Rovers[3]
- 2017–18 – Great Wakering Rovers
Former members
|
Notable former Essex Senior League players
Several Essex Senior League players have also played for Football League or Premier League teams:
- Jimmy Greaves – Played for Brentwood Town[1] after playing for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Chelsea and England.
- Alan Brazil – Played for Stambridge[1] after Queens Park Rangers and other teams including Manchester United and Scotland.
- Kerry Dixon – Played in the Essex Senior League[1] for Basildon after playing for other teams including Chelsea and England.
- Michael Kightly – left Basildon United to join Southend United circa 2003,[6] playing for Burnley as of April 2016.
- Dwight Gayle – left Stansted to play for Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough United and Crystal Palace.[7]
- Trevor Putney – left Brentwood to join Ipswich Town in 1980,[8] also played for Norwich City, and Middlesbrough.
- Stuart Wardley – left Saffron Walden Town to join Queens Park Rangers in 1999.[9]
- Steve Tilson – left Witham Town to join Southend United in 1989.[10]
- Gary Hart – left Stansted for £1,000 and a set of kit to join Brighton & Hove Albion in 1998.[11]
- Ben Barnett – left Southend Manor to briefly join Leyton Orient in 2000.[12]
- John Warner – left Burnham Ramblers to join Colchester United in 1988.
- Scott Forbes – left Saffron Walden Town to join Southend United in 2000.[13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Brief History". The Official Web Site of the Essex Senior Football League. Essex Senior League. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ a b "New Step 6 announced". Essex Senior League. 8 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Essex Senior Football League Official Handbook Season 2014/15". The Official WebSite of the Essex Senior Football League. Essex Senior League. Retrieved 22 April 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "National League System 2014–15". The FA. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Essex Senior Football League". Non-League Matters. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Kightly: His story in pictures". Express & Star. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ McLeman, Neil (1 September 2013). "Crystal Palace's Dwight Gayle goes from £200-a-week carpenter to Prem match-winner in two years". Mirror. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ "Stalwart former boss of football club dies at 83". Brentwood Gazette. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ "Non-league football: Stuart Wardley returns to Saffron Walden Town F.C." Saffron Walden Reporter. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tilson a Southend great". Southend United Official. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ Bazeley, Marc. "Brighton & Hove Albion legend Gary Hart bring experience to Royston Town". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Comprehensive list of Football Transfers". BBC. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Scott Forbes - Football Stats - No Club - 2000-2004 - Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com.