2021–22 Eastern Counties Football League#Premier Division

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,{{cite web|url=https://thurlownunnleague.com/2021/05/18/league-allocations-announced/ |title=League Allocations Announced |date=18 May 2021 |website=Thurlow Nunn League |access-date=2 July 2021}} subject to appeals. The league constitution was published on 27 June.{{cite news |title=League Constitution for Season 2021/22 |url=https://thurlownunnleague.com/2021/06/27/league-constitution-for-season-2021-22/ |access-date=2 July 2021 |work=Thurlow Nunn League |date=27 June 2021}} 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.{{cite web |title=Coronavirus: All football below National League to end |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52052351 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=4 July 2021 |date=26 March 2020}}{{cite web |title=FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6 |url=https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/feb/24/nls-steps-3-6-update-20210224 |publisher=The Football Association |access-date=4 July 2021 |date=24 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/390045/explained-the-2021-22-non-league-restructure/ |website=The Non-League Paper |access-date=4 July 2021 |date=12 April 2021}}

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

{{Infobox football league season

|competition= Eastern Counties
Football League
Premier Division

|season= 2021–22

|winners= Gorleston

|promoted= Gorleston
Wroxham

|relegated= Swaffham Town

|matches= 380

|total goals= 1220

|prevseason= 2020–21

|nextseason= 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=

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|section=Premier Division

|update=complete

|source=[http://fulltime-league.thefa.com/Index.do?league=958158630 The FA Full-Time]

|team_order=GOR, WRO, MIL, MUL, NOR, FAK, WLW, NEW, KIR, MAR, WOO, LAK, ELY, THE, HAD, WHI, HVR, BRA, LNM, SWA

|name_BRA=Brantham Athletic

|name_ELY=Ely City

|name_FAK=Fakenham Town

|name_GOR=Gorleston

|name_HAD=Hadleigh United

|name_HVR=Haverhill Rovers

|name_KIR=Kirkley & Pakefield

|name_LAK=Lakenheath

|name_LNM=Long Melford

|name_MAR=March Town United

|name_MIL=Mildenhall Town

|name_MUL=Mulbarton Wanderers

|name_NEW=Newmarket Town

|name_NOR=Norwich United

|name_SWA=Swaffham Town

|name_THE=Thetford Town

|name_WLW=Walsham-le-Willows

|name_WHI=Whitton United

|name_WOO=Woodbridge Town

|name_WRO=Wroxham

|show_limit=5

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results{{cite web |title=The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2|url=https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/lawsandrules/fa-handbook |publisher=The FA}}

|res_col_header=PQR

|col_PRO=green1 |text_PRO=Promoted to the Isthmian League

|note_res_PRO=Wroxham were automatically promoted as one of ten runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game (PPG).{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Pete|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IA8fb_rfVU6c3XJ98AuGdjbEOVaKoNrhsLp6Hcrq9ao/edit#gid=1969373512|title=Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 5 Promotion|work=Google Docs}}

|col_UCL=#CCCCFF |text_UCL=Transferred to the United Counties League

|col_REP= |text_REP=Reprieved from relegation |note_res_REP=Reprieved as one of twelve clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom in Step 5.

|col_REL=red1 |text_REL=Relegated to Division One North

}}

=Stadia and locations=

{{Location map+ |United Kingdom East of England|float=right | width=550 |caption=Locations of the Premier Division clubs |places=

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.9578 |long=1.0590 |label=Brantham Athletic |position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.4103 |long=0.2470 |label=Ely City |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.8400 |long=0.8726 |label=Fakenham Town|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.5659 |long=1.7083 |label=Gorleston |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0389 |long=0.9543 |label=Hadleigh United |position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0865 |long=0.4492 |label=Haverhill Rovers |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.4563 |long=1.7266 |label=Kirkley & Pakefield |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.4182 |long=0.5218 |label=Lakenheath|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0760 |long=0.7128 |label=Long Melford |position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.5543 |long=0.0860 |label=March Town United|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.3424 |long=0.5150 |label=Mildenhall Town |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.5620 |long=1.2384 |label=Mulbarton Wanderers|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.2393 |long=0.4114 |label=Newmarket Town |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6388 |long=1.4565 |label=Norwich United |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6475 |long=0.6875 |label=Swaffham Town |position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.4208 |long=0.7470 |label=Thetford Town |position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.3078 |long=0.9311 |label=Walsham-le-Willows |position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0822 |long=1.1216 |label=Whitton United |position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.7010 |long=1.3971 |label=Wroxham |position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0856 |long=1.2910 |label=Woodbridge Town |position=right}}

}}

Team ! Stadium ! Capacity
class="wikitable sortable"
Brantham Athletic	Brantham Leisure Centre	align="center" \| 1,200
Ely City	Unwin Sports Ground	align="center" \| 1,500
Fakenham Town	Clipbush Park	align="center" \| 2,000
Gorleston	Emerald Park	align="center" \| 3,000
Hadleigh United	Millfield	align="center" \| 3,000
Haverhill Rovers	New Croft	align="center" \| 3,000
Kirkley & Pakefield	Walmer Road	align="center" \| 2,000
Lakenheath	The Nest	align="center" \|
Long Melford	Stoneylands	align="center" \|
March Town United	The GER Sports Ground	align="center" \|
Mildenhall Town	Recreation Way	align="center" \| 2,000
Mulbarton Wanderers	The Common	align="center" \|
Newmarket Town	Cricket Field Road	align="center" \| 2,750
Norwich United	Plantation Park	align="center" \| 3,000
Swaffham Town	Shoemakers Lane	align="center" \|
Thetford Town	Mundford Road	align="center" \| 1,500
Walsham-le-Willows	Summer Road	align="center" \| 1,000
Whitton United	King George V Playing Fields	align="center" \| 1,000
Woodbridge Town	Notcutts Park	align="center" \| 3,000
Wroxham	Trafford Park	align="center" \| 2,000

Division One North

{{Infobox football league season

|competition= Eastern Counties
Football League
Division One North

|season= 2021–22

|winners= Sheringham

|promoted= Harleston Town
Sheringham

|relegated= Peterborough North End Sports
Wisbech St Mary

|matches= 240

|total goals= 826

|prevseason= 2020–21

|nextseason= 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:
Harleston Town
University of East Anglia
Promoted from the Peterborough and District League:
FC Parson Drove
Peterborough North End Sports
Transferred from the United Counties League:
Huntingdon Town
Whittlesey Athletic

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=

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|section=Division One North

|update=complete

|source=[https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?selectedSeason=367672825&selectedDivision=581763486 The FA Full-Time]

|team_order=SHE, HAR, DOW, NCB, FRA, WHI, HUN, PNE, LEI, GYT, DEB, UEA, DIS, NEE, PAR, WIS

|name_DEB=Debenham LC

|name_DIS=Diss Town

|name_DOW=Downham Town

|name_PAR=FC Parson Drove

|name_FRA=Framlingham Town

|name_GYT=Great Yarmouth Town

|name_HAR=Harleston Town

|name_HUN=Huntingdon Town

|name_LEI=Leiston reserves

|name_NEE=Needham Market reserves

|name_NCB=Norwich CBS

|name_PNE=Peterborough North End Sports

|name_SHE=Sheringham

|name_UEA=University of East Anglia

|name_WHI=Whittlesey Athletic

|name_WIS=Wisbech St Mary

|show_limit=5

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results

|res_col_header=PQR

|col_PRO=green1 |text_PRO=Promoted to the Premier Division

|col_PO=blue1 |text_PO=Qualified for the play-offs

|col_PP=blue1 |text_PP=Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division

|col_REP= |text_REP=Reprieved from relegation |note_res_REP=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.{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Pete |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IA8fb_rfVU6c3XJ98AuGdjbEOVaKoNrhsLp6Hcrq9ao/edit#gid=1538740871 |title=Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 6 Relegation |website=Google Docs}}

|col_PDL=red1 |text_PDL=Resigned from the league |note_res_PDL=Peterborough North End Sports requested a voluntary relegation to the Peterborough and District League at the end of the season.{{cite news |title=Peterborough North End seek a voluntary relegation after one season away from the Peterborough League |url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-north-end-seek-a-voluntary-relegation-after-one-season-away-from-the-peterborough-league-3638572 |access-date=28 April 2022 |work=Peterborough Telegraph |date=3 April 2022}} They were placed bottom for relegation purposes.

|col_RES=red1 |text_RES=Resigned from the league

|col_R=red1 |text_R=Relegated to the Cambridgeshire County League

}}

=Play-offs=

{{4TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals

| RD2=Final

| RD1-seed1= 2

| RD1-team1=Harleston Town

| RD1-score1= 2

| RD1-seed2= 5

| RD1-team2=Framlingham Town

| RD1-score2= 1

| RD1-seed3= 3

| RD1-team3=Downham Town

| RD1-score3= 1

| RD1-seed4= 4

| RD1-team4=Norwich CBS

| RD1-score4= 0

| RD2-seed1= 2

| RD2-team1= Harleston Town

| RD2-score1= 3

| RD2-seed2= 3

| RD2-team2= Downham Town

| RD2-score2= 1

}}

=Stadia and locations=

{{Location map+ |United Kingdom East of England|float=right | width=500 |caption=Locations of Division One North clubs |places=

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.2225 |long=1.1697 |label=Debenham LC|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.3809 |long=1.0973 |label=Diss Town|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6095 |long=0.3844 |label=Downham Town|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6597 |long=0.0324 |label=FC Parson Drove |position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.2235 |long=1.3518 |label=Framlingham Town|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6126 |long=1.7362 |label=

Great Yarmouth Town

|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.4024 |long=1.2956 |label=Harleston Town|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.3584 |long=-0.1661|label=Huntingdon Town|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.2044 |long=1.5714 |label=Leiston
res|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.1508 |long=1.0447 |label=Needham Market res|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6428 |long=1.2209 |label=Norwich CBS|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.5940 |long=-0.2544|label=

Peterborough North End Sports

|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.9410 |long=1.1976 |label=Sheringham|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6824 |long=0.9725 |label=University of East Anglia|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.5616 |long=-0.1068|label=Whittlesey Athletic|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.6556 |long=0.0968 |label=Wisbech St Mary|position=bottom}}

}}

Team ! Stadium ! Capacity
class="wikitable sortable"
Debenham LC	Maitlands	align="center" \| 1,000
Diss Town	Brewers Green Lane	align="center" \| 2,500
Downham Town	Memorial Field	align="center" \| 1,000
FC Parson Drove	Main Road	align="center" \|
Framlingham Town	Badingham Road	align="center" \|
Great Yarmouth Town	Wellesley Recreation Ground	align="center" \| 3,600
Harleston Town	Wilderness Lane	align="center" \|
Huntingdon Town	Jubilee Park	align="center" \|
Leiston reserves	Victory Road	align="center" \| 2,500
Needham Market reserves	Bloomfields	align="center" \| 4,000
Norwich CBS	FDC Bowthorpe	align="center" \|
Peterborough North End Sports	Lincoln Road (groundshare with Peterborough Sports)	align="center" \| 2,300
Sheringham	Weybourne Road	align="center" \|
University of East Anglia	Aldiss Park (groundshare with Dereham Town)	align="center" \| 2,500
Whittlesey Athletic	Feldale Field	align="center" \|
Wisbech St Mary	Beechings Close	align="center" \|

Division One South

{{Infobox football league season

|competition= Eastern Counties
Football League
Division One South

|season= 2021–22

|winners= Ipswich Wanderers

|promoted= Ipswich Wanderers
Halstead Town
Buckhurst Hill

|relegated= Brimsdown

|matches= 380

|total goals= 1473

|prevseason= 2020–21

|nextseason= 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:
AFC Sudbury reserves
Cornard United
Haverhill Borough
Ipswich Wanderers

Plus:
Buckhurst Hill, promoted from the Essex Olympian League
Park View, transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League

=League table=

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|section=Division One South

|update=complete

|source=[https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?selectedSeason=367672825&selectedDivision=94370418 The FA Full-Time]

|team_order=IPS, BUC, BEN, HAL, WIV, BUR, WOR, HOL, FRE, M&B, BKS, HAC, HAR, SUD, COG, NEW, PAR, COR, HVB, BRI

|name_SUD=AFC Sudbury reserves

|name_BKS=Barkingside

|name_BEN=Benfleet

|name_BRI=Brimsdown

|name_BUC=Buckhurst Hill

|name_BUR=Burnham Ramblers

|name_COG=Coggeshall United

|name_COR=Cornard United

|name_FRE=Frenford

|name_HAC=Hackney Wick

|name_HAL=Halstead Town

|name_HAR=Harwich & Parkeston

|name_HVB=Haverhill Borough

|name_HOL=Holland

|name_IPS=Ipswich Wanderers

|name_M&B=May & Baker

|name_NEW=Newbury Forest

|name_PAR=Park View

|name_WIV=Wivenhoe Town

|name_WOR=Wormley Rovers

|show_limit=5

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results

|res_col_header=PQR

|col_PRO=green1 |text_PRO=Promoted to the Premier Division

|col_PO=blue1 |text_PO=Qualified for the play-offs

|col_PP=blue1 |text_PP=Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Essex Senior League

|col_PR=blue1 |text_PR=Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Essex Senior League

|note_res_PR=Losing play-off finalists Buckhurst Hill promoted to fill a vacancy made by Brislington's voluntary relegation from the Western League Premier Division.

|col_T=#CCCCFF |text_T=Transferred to Division One North

|col_REP=#CCCCFF |text_REP=Reprieved from relegation, then transferred to Division One North |note_res_REP=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.

|col_R=red1 |text_R=Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League

}}

=Play-offs=

{{4TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals

| RD2=Final

| RD1-seed1= 2

| RD1-team1=Buckhurst Hill

| RD1-score1= 3

| RD1-seed2= 5

| RD1-team2=Wivenhoe Town

| RD1-score2= 2

| RD1-seed3= 3

| RD1-team3=Benfleet

| RD1-score3= 1

| RD1-seed4= 4

| RD1-team4=Halstead Town {{aet}}

| RD1-score4= 2

| RD2-seed1= 2

| RD2-team1= Buckhurst Hill

| RD2-score1= 1

| RD2-seed2= 4

| RD2-team2= Halstead Town

| RD2-score2= 2

}}

=Stadia and locations=

{{Location map+ |United Kingdom East of England|float=right | width=500 |caption=Locations of Division One South clubs |places=

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0402 |long=0.7162 |label=Sudbury res|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.5600 |long=0.0912 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Barkingside|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.5165 |long=0.6157 |label=Benfleet|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.4701 |long=0.3633 |label=Brimsdown |position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.6264 |long=0.0562 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Buckhurst Hill|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.6355 |long=0.8030 |label=Burnham Ramblers|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.8686 |long=0.6721 |label=Coggeshall United|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0219 |long=0.7537 |label=Cornard United|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.5734 |long=0.0574 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Frenford|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.7997 |long=0.6267 |label=Hackney Wick|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.9465 |long=0.6326 |label=Halstead Town|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.9350 |long=1.2735 |label=Harwich & Parkeston|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0865 |long=0.4492 |label=Haverhill Borough|position=left}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.7992 |long=1.1766 |label=Holland|position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=52.0650 |long=1.2075 |label=Ipswich Wanderers|position=top}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.5034 |long=0.2613 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=May & Baker|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.5853 |long=0.0895 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Newbury Forest|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.6051 |long=-0.1004|mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Park View|label_size=0}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.8739 |long=0.9703 |label=Wivenhoe Town|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom East of England |lat=51.7344 |long=-0.0293|label=Wormley Rovers|position=top}}

}}

{{Location map+|Greater London

|caption=Greater London Division One South football clubs

|float=right

|width=400

|places =

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.5600 |long=0.0912 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Barkingside|position=right}}

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.6264 |long=0.0562 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Buckhurst Hill|position=top}}

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.5734 |long=0.0574 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Frenford||position=left}}

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.5034 |long=0.2613 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=May & Baker|position=bottom}}

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.6051 |long=-0.1004|mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Park View|position=left}}

{{location map~|Greater London |lat=51.5853 |long=0.0895 |mark=Blue 000080 pog.svg |label=Newbury Forest|position=right}}

}}

Team ! Stadium ! Capacity
class="wikitable sortable"
AFC Sudbury reserves	King's Marsh	align="center" \| 2,500
Barkingside	Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford)	align="center" \| 3,500
Benfleet	Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island)	align="center" \| 4,100
Brimsdown	Chadfields (groundshare with Tilbury)	align="center" \| 4,000
Buckhurst Hill	Roding Lane	align="center" \|
Burnham Ramblers	Leslie Fields	align="center" \| 2,000
Coggeshall United	West Street (groundshare with Coggeshall Town)	align="center" \|
Cornard United	Blackhouse Lane	align="center" \|
Frenford	The Jack Carter Centre	align="center" \| 2,000
Hackney Wick	Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town)	align="center" \| 2,500
Halstead Town	Rosemary Lane	align="center" \|
Harwich & Parkeston	Royal Oak	align="center" \|
Haverhill Borough	New Croft (groundshare with Haverhill Rovers)	align="center" \| 3,000
Holland	Dulwich Road	align="center" \|
Ipswich Wanderers	Humber Doucy Lane	align="center" \|
May & Baker	Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley)	align="center" \| 3,500
Newbury Forest	Oakside Stadium (groundshare with Redbridge)	align="center" \| 3,000
Park View	New River Stadium	align="center" \| 5,000
Wivenhoe Town	Broad Lane	align="center" \| 2,876
Wormley Rovers	Wormley Playing Fields	align="center" \| 500

References

Category:Eastern Counties Football League seasons