Sunday 3 November 2024

NATIONAL LEAGUE PROMOTION/RELEGATION - WHICH IS THE STRONGEST LEAGUE ISTHMIAN OR SOUTHERN LEAGUE?

CLUBS PROMOTED FROM THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH SINCE THE 04/05 SEASON
CHAMPIONS
2005 - HISTON - RELEGATED FROM NATIONAL NORTH 2014 
2006 - SALISBURY CITY 
2007 - BATH CITY   
2010 - FARNBOROUGH - RELEGATED 2015 
2011 - TRURO CITY - RELEGATED 2013 
2014 - HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN
2016 - POOLE TOWN - RELEGATED 2018 
2017 - CHIPPENHAM TOWN 
2019 - WEYMOUTH 
2022 - TAUNTON TOWN - RELEGATED 2024 
2023 - WESTON-SUPER-MARE
2024 - CHESHAM UNITED

Not including 2024 there have been eleven clubs have been promoted as Champions of the Southern League Premier Division with five relegated back down again. Histon, Salisbury City Bath City and Weymouth have achieved promotion to The National League. 
 
Salisbury City were promoted in 2006 and promoted again via the play-offs in 06/07 finishing 12th, 16th and 12th in The National League. Due to financial problems they were demoted to Step Three at the end of the 09/10 season.   

PLAY OFFS
2006 - BEDFORD TOWN - RELEGATED 2007   
2007 - MAIDENHEAD UNITED   
2008 - TEAM BATH  
2011 - SALISBURY CITY     
2013 - GOSPORT BOROUGH - RELEGATED 2017  
2014 - ST ALBANS CITY  
2015 - TRURO CITY - RELEGATED 2019 
2016 - HUNGERFORD TOWN - RELEGATED 2023   
2018 - SLOUGH TOWN 
2022 - FARNBOROUGH 
2023 - TRURO CITY 
2024 - SALISBURY 

Up to and including the 22/23 season eleven clubs have been promoted via the Southern League Premier Division play-offs with just four relegated back down again. 

Only Maidenhead United and Salisbury City have made it to Step One. 

Team Bath were only formed in 2009 and attached to The University of Bath allowing players to combine education with a good standard of football. They had made a rapid ascent up the football pyramid from The Western League Division One in 2001 to the National South for the 08/09 season where they finished in 11th place only for the club to be disbanded the summer of 2009 as the decision was made by the league not to allow any more promotions due to financial structure of the club. 

Salisbury City, after their two step demotion in 2010 made their way up to Step Two again in 2011 and after another two seasons made it back to The National League via the play-offs. The club were removed from the National League in 2014 due to financial problems and dissolved with Salisbury FC formed for the 15/16 campaign in The Wessex League Premier Division.

Bedford Town and Gosport Borough are the only clubs to have won the play-offs from fifth place but were relegated back down again.  
 
CLUBS PROMOTED FROM THE ISTHMIAN LEAGUE TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH SINCE 04/05 SEASON
CHAMPIONS
2005 - YEADING - RELEGATED 2009 
2006 - BRAINTREE TOWN
2007 - HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH - RELEGATED 2012
2008 - CHELMSFORD CITY 
2009 - DOVER ATHLETIC - RELEGATED 2024 
2010 - DARTFORD - RELEGATED 2024
2011 - SUTTON UNITED 
2012 - BILLERICAY TOWN - RELEGATED 2013 
2013 - WHITEHAWK - RELEGATED 2018 
2014 - WEALDSTONE 
2015 - MAIDSTONE UNITED 
2016 - HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH
2017 - HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE - RELEGATED 2024 
2018 - BILLERICAY TOWN - RELEGATED 2022
2019 - DORKING WANDERERS 
2022 - WORTHING 
2024 - HORNCHURCH 

Up to the end of the 23/24 season there have been sixteen teams promoted to the National South as Isthmian Champions with eight teams relegated back down. Braintree Town, Dover Athletic, Dartford, Sutton United, Wealdstone, Maidstone United, Havant & Waterlooville and Dorking Wanderers have all made it to The National League with Sutton United making it into The Football League. 

Yeading merged with local rivals Hayes in 2007 to form Hayes and Yeading United when both clubs were in The National South only to be relegated in 2009. 

PLAY-OFFS
2005 - EASTLEIGH 
2006 - FISHER ATHLETIC - RELEGATED 2009   
2007 - BROMLEY 
2008 - AFC WIMBLEDON 
2009 - STAINES TOWN - RELEGATED 2015 
2010 - BOREHAM WOOD 
2011 - TONBRIDGE ANGELS - RELEGATED 2014  
2012 - AFC HORNCHURCH - RELEGATED 2013
2013 - CONCORD RANGERS - RELEGATED 2023 
2015 - MARGATE - RELEGATED 2016 
2016 - EAST THURROCK UNITED - RELEGATED 2019 
2017 - BOGNOR REGIS TOWN - RELEGATED 2018 
2018 - DULWICH HAMLET - RELEGATED 2023 
2019 - TONBRIDGE ANGELS 
2022 - CHESHUNT - RELEGATED 2023 
2023 - AVELEY 
2024 - ENFIELD TOWN 

In the play-offs in The Isthmian League there have been sixteen teams promoted with ten relegated. Eastleigh, Bromley, AFC Wimbledon and Boreham Wood have made it to The National League with Bromley and AFC Wimbledon making up to the football league. 

Only Cheshunt have won the play-offs from fifth place and were relegated back down after just one season.

FACTS & STATS UP TO AND INCLUDING 23/24

FACTS & STATS FOR THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED AS CHAMPIONS - 11 
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED BACK - 5 (45.45%) 
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED VIA THE PLAY-OFFS - 11 
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED BACK - 4 (36.36%)
TOTAL PROMOTED - 22 
TOTAL RELEGATED - 9 (40.90%)
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED UP TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE - 4 (18.18%) 
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED TO THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE - 0

FACTS & STATS FOR ISTHMIAN LEAGUE
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED AS CHAMPIONS - 16
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED BACK - 8 (50%) 
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED VIA PLAY-OFFS - 16  
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED -  10 (62.50%) 
TOTAL PROMOTED - 32 
TOTAL RELEGATED - 18 (56.25%)
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED UP TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE - 12 (37.50%)
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED TO THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE - 3 (9.38%)

HAS THE LEAGUE GOT TOUGHER OR EASIER?
SOUTHERN LEAGUE 
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED FROM 04/05 TO 14/15 - 13 
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED - 6 (46.15%)
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED FROM 15/16 TO 23/24 - 9
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED - 3 (33.33%)

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE 
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED FROM 04/05 TO 14/15 - 21 
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED - 12 (57.14%)
NUMBER OF CLUBS PROMOTED FROM 15/16 TO 23/24 - 11  
NUMBER OF CLUBS RELEGATED - 6 (54.54%) 


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