ESSEX ALLIANCE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2019/20 CONSTITUTION

The Essex Alliance League have announced their preliminary constitution for the 2019/20 campaign with a healthy total of forty-seven clubs. It's great to see so many new teams joining. 

PREMIER DIVISION 

(12 CLUBS) 

BLUE MARLIN 

CHIGWELL (promoted) 

CHINGFORD ATHLETIC RESERVES (promoted) 

DOCKLANDS ALBION

EAST HAM INTER 

FC BARESI (promoted) 

LONDON CRANES 

LYMORE GARDENS 

PETROCUB (new) 

RAPID CHINGFORD (promoted) 

SINGH SABHA BARKING 

WEST ESSEX RESERVES 

DIVISION ONE 

(12 CLUBS)

ALL REAL (new) 

CHINGFORD UNITED 

CLA ACADEMY (new) 

CSM Lonodn (promoted) 

EASTSIDE (promoted) 

EMERSON PARK (new) 

FOREST GREEN 

JOLOF SPORTS u21 (new) 

LONDON PARK CITY (relegated) 

TOWER HAMLETS RESERVES (promoted) 

TOWER UNITED (new) 

WAPPING 

DIVISION TWO 

(12 CLUBS) 

CLAPTON GARAGE (new) 

CM ACADEMY (new) 

COWLEY COMMUNITY 

MELBOURNE SPORTS (relegated) 

OLD ESTHAMEIANS 

PUMA KINGS 

RAINHAM WMC 

ROYAL FOREST (promoted) 

SUNGATE RESERVES (promoted) 

THREE COLTS (relegated) 

UNITEY (new) 

UPSHIRE FOREST 

DIVISION THREE 

(12 CLUBS)

AVONDALE RANGERS (promoted) 

BARKINGSIDE 'A' (new) 

CHADWELL HEATH SPARTANS (new) 

CUSTOM HOUSE UNITED 

DEBDEN PARK (promoted) 

FLYERS 

FRENFORD 'A' 

GLENDALE 

ILFORD DEVELOPMENT  (new)

NEWHAM WANDERERS (new) 

NOAK HILL (new) 

ST FRANCIS 

DIVISION FOUR

(11 CLUBS) 

ACES UNITED (new) 

BRENTWOOD UNITED RESERVES 

CHIGWELL MEN'S CLUB 

CHINGFORD HARRIERS (relegated) 

DAGENHAM UNITED RESERVES 

FAIRLOP ROVERS (new) 

LOUGHTON LIONS 

LYMORE GARDENS RESERVES (new) 

NEWHAM ROYALS 

SOUL YOUTH 

WOODFORD AFC 

Newly formed Woodford AFC have a very busy pre-season planned for their Saturday team and their Sunday first team and reserves  

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE ODDS FOR 2019/20 SEASON

Most bookmakers have posted early odds for the Vanarama National League and make Notts County, relegated from the football league last season, favourites for the title. They are closely followed by Chesterfield (14th last season after relegation in 2017/18) and last season's play-off losers AFC Fylde.   

The Magpies who were founder members of the football league in 1888 stated their pre-season campaign on Saturday 6th July with an away trip to Nuneaton Borough and Ilkeston Town on Saturday 13th July. They welcome Walsall and Ipswich Town to Meadow Lane before trips to Alfreton Town and York City. 

Vanarama National League current odds 
courtesy of betfair.com
each way 3 places 1/4 odds 
13/2 Notts County 
7/1 Chesterfield 
7/1 AFC Fylde 
8/1 Wrexham 
11/1 Torquay United
12/1 Harrogate Town 
14/1 Solihull Moors 
14/1 Stockport County 
14/1 Barnet 
16/1 Ebbsfleet United 
16/1 Yeovil Town
20/1 Dagenham and Redbridge 
20/1 Sutton United 
25/1 Bromley 
25/1 Chorley 
25/1 Hartlepool United 
25/1 Eastleigh 
25/1 Woking 
33/1 FC Halifax Town 
33/1 Dover Athletic 
33/1 Barrow 
66/1 Maidenhead United 
66/1 Boreham Wood 
80/1 Aldershot Town 

ENFIELD TOWN v FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER - FRIDAY 12th JULY & MORE PRE-SEASON NEWS

It seems as if the 2018/19 campaign has only just ended but the good news is many pre-season friendlies for the 2019/20 season have been announced with the games seemingly getting earlier and earlier as the years go by with games already announced for the first weekend of July. 

An interesting Friday night match takes place on Friday 12th July 2019 at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium as Bostik Premier Division side Enfield Town take on FC United of Manchester who were relegated from the Vanarama North Division last season. The match will be for The Brian Lomax Cup (formely the Supporter's Direct Cup).  FCUM then travel to The Dripping Pan to play Lewes on Saturday 13th July. 

Welwyn Garden City get underway on Tuesday 2nd July playing Burnham at Bisham Abbey before playing teams from Barnet, Luton Town and MK Dons. The game versus The Hatters, newly promoted to the Championship, is likely to attract a decent crowd to Herns Way. 

Essex Senior League side Clapton FC under the new management of Halil Hassan, who has moved from Spartan South Midlands Division One side Brimsdown, start their pre-season with game against Eastern Senior League First Division South side May & Bakers on Saturday 6th July. 

Clapton Football Club pre-season fixtures Saturday 6th July - May and Bakers (A) 
Tuesday 9th July  - NewburyForest (H) 
Saturday 13th July - Lordswood (A) 
Tuesday 16th July - Waltham Abbey (H) 
Saturday 20th July - Stotfold (A) 
Tuesday 23rd July - Enfield Borough (H) 
Saturday 27th July - ErithTown (H)

Biggleswade Town have a huge list of fixtures including a game against St Albans City on Tuesday 16th July which will see the return of Soloman Nwaboukei to Langford Road. The former Enfield Borough player joined the Clarence Park club recently after an impressive season with The Waders where he scooped the young player of the year award after stepping up from the SSMFL D1 in the summer of 2018. 

The match will also see Father v Son in the dub out as Ian Allinson is in charge of The Saints and Lee Allinson is manager of The Waders. 

A FAMOUS DAY FOR NEW SALAMIS AS THEY LIFT THE AUBERY CUP

The Hertfordshire Senior County League Aubery Cup Final was played this Bank Holiday Monday afternoon at Colney Heath and it saw Premier Division runner's up New Salamis play Division One runner's up Oxhey Jets Reserves. It was a very close game with Oxhey having some really impressive young players having the better of the first half going in 1-0 up at half time. 

Salamis equalised through Leon McKenzie (who has AFC Hornchurch, Kettering Town, Bromley, Thurrock and Boreham Wood amongst his former clubs) and then made it 2-1 from a Richard Georgiou penalty kick. The North London based side missed another penalty kick but held on to lift the famous trophy.  

If Oxhey Reserves can keep hold of their talented squad they'll do very well in the Premier Division of 2019/20.  Here are some photographs of the match -

RISBOROUGH RANGERS WIN THE SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CUP

Risborough Rangers lifted the Spartan South Midlands League Division One Cup with a victory over London Lions at Leverstock Green's Pancake Lane ground last Wednesday. A goal in either half won it for Rangers with Sam Pekun hitting the back of the net in the first half and Ben Cullen netting in the second. 

Pekun (who has played for Fleet Town and Hanwell Town) was the best player on the pitch in my opinion playing on the left hand side going forward for Rangers. His pace was a constant threat to the Lions who went into the game in good from winning three in a row scoring fourteen goals in the process. A good crowd of 170 people saw the game.  

The game was really well officiated by Jorden Gibson who has played for Royston Town in the SSMFL as well as now beingthe Professional Development Phase lead coach at Stevenage FC. He spoke to the players well and I think will referee at a higher level in the future - Having played the game I think he knows some of the frustrations players sometime have and explained well why the decisions he made were made which the players appreciated.   

HIGHLIGHTS BELOW

WHICH IS THE STRONGEST STEP THREE/TWO LEAGUE?

SEASON	NPL	ISTHMIAN	SOUTHERN
86/87	MACCLESFIELD TOWN	WYCOMBE WANDERERS	FISHER ATHLETIC
87/88	CHORLEY	YEOVIL TOWN	AYLESBURY UNITED
88/89	BARROW	LEYTONSTONE/ILFORD	MERTHYR TYDFIL
89/90	COLNE DYNAMOES* (GATESHEAD)	SUTTON UNITED	DOVER ATHLETIC
90/91	WITTON ALBION	REDBRIDGE FOREST	FARNBOROUGH
91/92	STALYBRIDGE CELTIC	WOKING	BROMSGROVE ROVERS
92/93	SOUTHPORT	CHESHAM UNITED*	DOVER ATHLETIC
93/94	MARINE*	STEVENAGE BOROUGH	FARNBOROUGH TOWN
94/95	MARINE (MORECAMBE)	ENFIELD FC* (SLOUGH TOWN)	HEDNESFORD TOWN
95/96	BAMBER BRIDGE*	HAYES	RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS
96/97	LEEK TOWN	YEOVIL TOWN	GRESLEY ROVERS* (CHELTENHAM TOWN)
97/98	BARROW	KINGSTONIAN	FOREST GREEN ROVERS
98/99	ALTRINCHAM	SUTTON UNITED	NUNEATON BOROUGH
99/00	LEIGH RMI	DAG & RED	BOSTON UNITED
00/01	STALYBRIDGE CELTIC	FARNBOROUGH TOWN	MARGATE
01/02	BURTON ALBION	GRAVESEND & N	KETTERING TOWN
02/03	ACCRINGTON STANLEY	ALDERSHOT TOWN	TAMWORTH
03/04	HUCKNALL TOWN	CANVEY ISLAND	CRAWLEY TOWN
****	******************	******************	********************
04/05	HYDE UNITED Workington	YEADING Eastleigh	HISTON Hednesford Town
05/06	BLYTH SPARTANS Farsley Celtic	BRAINTREE TOWN Fisher Athletic	SALISBURY CITY Bedford Town
06/07	BURSCOUGH AFC Telford United	HAMPTON & RICH Bromley	BATH CITY Maidenhead United
07/08	FLEETWOD TOWN Gateshead	CHELMSFORD CITY AFC Wimbledon	KINGS LYNN Team Bath
08/09	EASTWOOD TOWN Ilkeston Town	DOVER ATHLETIC Staines Town	CORBY TOWN Gloucester City
09/10	GUISLEY Boston United	DARTFORD Boreham Wood	FARNBOROUGH Nuneaton Town
10/11	FC HALIFAX TOWN Colwyn Bay	SUTTON  UNITED Tonbridge Angels	TRURO CITY Salisbury City
11/12	CHESTER FC Bradford Park Avenue	BILLERICAY TOWN AFC Hornchurch	BRACKLEY TOWN Oxford City
12/13	NORTH FERRIBY UTD Hednesford Town	WHITEHAWK Concord Rangers	LEAMINGTON Gosport Borough
13/14	CHORLEY AFC Fylde	WEALDSTONE Lowestoft Town	HEMEL HEMPSTEAD T St Albans City
14/15	FC UTD MANCHESTER Curzon Ashton	MAIDSTONE UNITED Margate	CORBY TOWN Truro City
15/16	DARLINGTON 1883 Salford City	HAMPTON & RICH East Thurrock United	POOLE TOWN Hungerford Town
16/17	BLYTH SPARTANS Spennymoor Town	HAVANT & WATER Bognor Regis Town	CHIPPENHAM TOWN Leamington
17/18	ALTRINCHAM Ashton United	BILLERICAY TOWN Dulwich Hamlet	HEREFORD Kings Lynn Town

KEY

RED denotes reached the football league 

* denotes non promotion (teams in brackets promoted in place of non-promoted teams)

BLUE denotes reached the Vanarama National 
From 04/05 the teams in CAPITALS are Champions and teams in lower-case are play-off winners. 

"Which is the strongest step three league?" is a discussion many non-league football fans have up and down the country which is where the above updated table comes in which was first published on TCE in 2011. We start the table in 1986/87 when automatic promotion to the football league from non-league's top division was introduced and the three divisions were at step two in the pyramid. 

Since then five clubs (Macclesfield Town, Morecambe, Burton Albion, Accrington Stanley and Fleetwood Town) have reached the football league from the Northern Premier League.  Six clubs (Wycombe Wanderers, Yeovil Town, Stevenage Borough, Dagenham & Redbridge, Aldershot Town and AFC Wimbledon) from the Isthmian League and five clubs from the Southern League have reached at least League Two (Crawley Town, Boston United, Forest Green Rovers, Cheltenham Town and Rushden & Diamonds). 

Since the non-league re-organisation and the creation of the Vanarama South and North divisions which shifted the divisions down to Step Three only Fleetwood Town and AFC Wimbledon have reached the football league and no teams from the Southern Premier League have done so.

Since then nine teams from the NPL and Isthmian League have been promoted to the Vanarama National compared to just five from the SPL.

Morecambe (promoted in place of Marine in 1995) and Cheltenham Town (in place of Gresley Rovers in 1997) are now both members of the football league. Marine were relegated at the end of the recent 2018/19 season after an incredible 40 year stay in the Northern Premier League's top division. Gresley Rovers liquidated at the end of the 2008/09 season and reformed as 'Gresley FC' starting at step 6 in the East Midlands Counties League - they finished bottom of the Northern Premier League First Division (East) at the end of the current season.  

With Salford City, AFC Fylde and Eastleigh involved in The National League play-offs this season the Northern Premier League and Isthmian League total could go up in the next few weeks.  

TITLES STILL TO BE DECIDED IN THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

There are still some titles to be decided in the Middlesex County League. In Division One (Central & East) there is a huge crowd expected at Wadham Lodge on Saturday 11th May when Clapton Community play FC Roast. A win for CFC, currently in second place, would see them crowned Champions as they would overtake Stonewall who currently lead the table and have played all of their games. 804 people attended their home game v London Samurai on Saturday 27th April which they won 3-2 and with so much riding in the game I can see this figure being beaten against FC Roast who are the home side who usually play home game at Market Road in Islington. 

Before this game Clapton CFC are in action this Saturday when they play Essex Olympian Premier Division side Catholic United in the Anagram Records Trophy final at Redbridge's ground Oakside with a 1pm kick off. 

In Division One (West) the title is between the top two in the division in Yeading Town and Hilltop who play each other this Saturday in an exciting title decider. Yeading Town have played seventeen of eighteen games and have 44 points with Hilltop on 42 points from sixteen games. The only result which won't see the title decided is a draw which will see Hilltop having to beat Kodak (Harrow) who are in third place on 41 points from seventeen games.