Wednesday, 27 January 2016

NORTHERN, SOUTHERN OR ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISIONS - WHO IS THE STRONGEST LEAGUE?

The Cold End first published the below table in 2011 comparing the Northern Premier, Isthmian and Southern League Premier Divisions. It was from the season 1986/87 season when automatic promotion to the football league from the Conference was introduced. I have updated it to include the last few seasons and it shows since the creation of the Conference South and North divisions only AFC Wimbledon have made it into the football league. I wonder if any team will make it up into League Two and follow in The Dons footsteps? Maybe Maidstone United, FC United, AFC Fylde or Truro City over the next few seasons?

CHAMPIONS TABLE  
SEASON   NPL                  ISTHMIAN             SOUTHERN 
1986-87  Macclesfield Town    Wycombe Wanderers    Fisher Athletic   
1987-88  Chorley              Yeovil Town          Aylesbury United 
1988–89  Barrow               Leytonstone/Ilford   Merthyr Tydfil 
1989–90  Colne Dynamoes*      Sutton United        Dover Athletic 
1990–91  Witton Albion        Redbridge Forest     Farnborough Town 
1991–92  Stalybridge Celtic   Woking               Bromsgrove Rovers 
1992–93  Southport            Chesham              Dover Athletic 
1993–94  Marine*              Stevenage Borough    Farnborough Town 
1994–95  Marine*              Enfield FC*          Hednesford Town 
1995–96  Bamber Bridge*       Hayes                Rushden and Diamonds 
1996–97  Leek Town            Yeovil Town          Gresley Rovers* 
1997–98  Barrow               Kingstonian          Forest Green Rovers 
1998–99  Altrincham           Sutton United        Nuneaton Borough 
1999-00  Leigh RMI            Dag and Red          Boston United 
2000–01  Stalybridge Celtic   Farnborough Town     Margate 
2001–02  Burton Albion        Gravesend and N      Kettering Town 
2002–03  Accrington Stanley   Aldershot Town       Tamworth 
2003–04  Hucknall Town*       Canvey Island        Crawley Town 
------------  Creation of Conference South and North Divisions ------------ 
2004–05  Hyde United          Yeading              Histon  
2005–06  Blyth Spartans       Braintree Town       Salisbury City 
2006–07  Burscough            Hampton and Rich     Bath City 
2007–08  Fleetwood Town       Chelmsford City      Kings Lynn 
2008–09  Eastwood Town        Dover Athletic       Corby Town 
2009–10  Guiseley             Dartford             Farnborough
2010–11  FC Halifax Town      Sutton United        Truro City
2011-12  Chester              Billericay Town      Brackley Town 
2012-13  North Ferriby        Whitehawk            Leamington 
2013-14  Chorley              Wealdstone           Hemel Hempstead Town 
2014-15  FC United            Maidstone United     Corby Town 

PLAY OFF PROMOTION WINNERS FROM 2004 - 2011
2004-05  Workington           Eastleigh            Hednesford Town
2005-06  Farsley Celtic       Fisher Athletic      Bedford Town 
2006-07  AFC Telford United   Bromley              Maidenhead United 
2007-08  Gateshead            AFC Wimbledon        Team Bath
2008-09  Ilkeston Town        Staines Town         Gloucester City   
2009-10  Boston United        Boreham Wood         Nuneaton Town 
2010-11  Colwyn Bay           Tonbridge Angels     Salisbury City
2011-12  Bradford PA          AFC Hornchurch       Oxford City 
2012-13  Hednesford           Concord Rangers      Gosport Borough 
2013-14  AFC Fylde            Lowestoft Town       St Albans City 
2014-15  Curzon Ashton        Margate              Truro City 

red denotes went to become a football league club
* denotes not promoted 
1989/90 - Gateshead promoted in place of Colne Dynamoes
1993/94 - No club promoted in place of Marine 
1994/95 - Morecambe promoted in place of Marine
          Slough Town promoted in place of Enfield
1995/96 - No club promoted in place of Bamber Bridge
1996/97 - Cheltenham Town promoted in place of Gresley Rovers 
2003/04 - No team promoted in place of Hucknall Town

Number of clubs who made it into the football league since 1986/87
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE - SIX
NORTHERN LEAGUE - FIVE  
SOUTHERN LEAGUE - FOUR

Where are the promoted teams now?

League One   - Burton Albion and Fleetwood Town
League Two   - Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Crawley Town, Dagenham & Redbridge
               Morecambe, Stevenage FC, Wycombe Wanderers, Yeovil Town
Vanarama Nat - Aldershot Town, Cheltenham Town and Macclesfield Town
Vanarama Nor - Boston United
Evo Stik Cent- AFC Rushden & Diamonds (new club)  

1 comment:

  1. Southern and Northern have the best support by a long way, with teams like Darlington and Weymouth. The Ryman premier, doesn't have as many big sides, and from what I've seen, the standard isn't as high

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