Isthmian League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Isthmian League |
|---|
| Founded |
| 1905 |
| Nation |
 England |
| Feeder To |
| Conference South |
| Divisions |
| Premier Division (1905-present) Division One North (2002-present) Division One South (2002-present) First Division (1973-2006) Second Division (1973-2006) Third Division (1991-2003) |
| Number of Teams |
| 66 22 (Premier Division ) 22 (Division One North) 22 (Division One South) |
| Levels on Pyramid |
| 7th (Premier Division ) 8th (North and South ) |
| Cups |
| League Cup |
| Current Champions (2007-08) |
| Chelmsford City (Premier Division) Dartford (Division One North) Dover Athletic (Division One South) |
| Website |
| Isthmian |
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England. It is more commonly known by the name of its official title sponsor as the Ryman League, and has in previous years been variously known (in chronological order) as the Rothmans Isthmian League, Berger Isthmian League, Servowarm Isthmian League, Vauxhall-Opel League, Vauxhall League, Diadora League and ICIS League.
Contents |
[edit] History
The league was founded in 1905, and was strongly dedicated to amateurism. The champions did not even receive a trophy, league policy being that the honour sufficed. Teams less able to compete financially thus gravitated to it rather than the Southern League, while those with ambition and money would move in the opposite direction.
Although the league established itself as one of the strongest leagues in the country, routinely providing the winners of the FA Amateur Cup, it was still seen as being at a lower level than the Southern League and Northern Premier League which were the top regional semi-professional leagues.
The league began to admit professionalism in the 1970s, although it refused to participate in the formation of the Alliance Premier League in 1979. Two Isthmian clubs, Enfield and Dagenham, defected to the APL in 1981 but it was not until 1985 that the Isthmian League champions were given a promotion place to the newly renamed Football Conference.
The reward of promotion into the Conference means that, since 1985, no team has retained the title (as had happened on 22 occasions previously); however, Canvey Island were runners-up three seasons running from 2000-01 to 2002-03, also winning the FA Trophy and reaching the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup, before finally securing the 2003-04 league title.
The name presumably commemorates the ancient Isthmian Games, named after the isthmus of Corinth.
[edit] League expansion
The league expanded over the years from six clubs in its first season, to 14 clubs in 1921-22. Over the next five decades, only a few new members were admitted, mainly to fill vacancies left by clubs leaving the league. A second division of 16 clubs was formed in 1973, and a third division was added in 1977. These divisions were renamed as Premier, First and Second divisions.
Most new Isthmian League members joined from the Athenian League, which was similarly dedicated to amateurism. The Athenian League disbanded in 1984 when the Isthmian League Second Division split into North and South sections. These were restructured again to Second and Third divisions in 1991.
In 2002, the league was restructured again, with the First and Second Divisions merging to become First (North) and First (South), and the Third Division being renamed as the Second. In addition, the Isthmian's three feeder leagues - the Combined Counties League, Essex Senior League and Spartan South Midlands League - ran in parallel with the Isthmian Second, and were able to feed directly into the regional First Divisions.
In 2006 the Second Division was scrapped and the league now operates with a Premier Division and two regional First Divisions.
[edit] Current structure
In 2004, The Football Association pushed through a major restructuring of the non-league National League System (NLS), creating new regional divisions of the Football Conference. The Isthmian League was reduced back down to three divisions, and its boundaries were changed to remove the overlap with the Southern League.
Further reorganisation saw a reversion to two regional First Divisions, North and South, and the disbandment of the Second Division, in 2006.
There is a league cup, open to teams of all divisions, until recently sponsored by Bryco and now by Westview.
One team, Clapton F.C., had been ever-present in the Isthmian League since its foundation, but they moved to the Essex Senior League for the 2006-07 season.
In February 2007, the league caused controversy when they deducted AFC Wimbledon 18 points for fielding an ineligible player in 11 league games.[1] However, on March 26, the F.A cut the punishment down to three points and £400, admitting themselves that the penalty imposed was "excessive".[2]
[edit] Champions
Here is a complete list of Isthmian League champions, throughout the league's history.
For the 1974-75 season, Division One was added.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|
| 1973-74 | Wycombe Wanderers | Dagenham |
| 1974-75 | Wycombe Wanderers | Staines Town |
| 1975-76 | Enfield | Tilbury |
| 1976-77 | Enfield | Boreham Wood |
For the 1977-78 season, Division Two was added.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-78 | Enfield | Dulwich Hamlet | Epsom & Ewell |
| 1978-79 | Barking | Harrow Borough | Farnborough Town |
| 1979-80 | Enfield | Leytonstone/Ilford | Billericay Town |
| 1980-81 | Slough Town | Bishop's Stortford | Feltham |
| 1981-82 | Leytonstone & Ilford | Wokingham Town | Worthing |
| 1982-83 | Wycombe Wanderers | Worthing | Clapton |
| 1983-84 | Harrow Borough | Windsor & Eton | Basildon United |
For the 1984-85 season, Division Two was reorganised into North and South regions.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two North | Division Two South |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-85 | Sutton United | Farnborough Town | Leyton Wingate | Grays Athletic |
| 1985-86 | Sutton United | St Albans City | Stevenage Borough | Southwick |
| 1986-87 | Wycombe Wanderers | Leytonstone/Ilford | Chesham United | Woking |
| 1987-88 | Yeovil Town | Marlow | Wivenhoe Town | Chalfont St Peter |
| 1988-89 | Leytonstone/Ilford | Staines Town | Harlow Town | Dorking |
| 1989-90 | Sutton United | Wivenhoe Town | Heybridge Swifts | Yeading |
| 1990-91 | Redbridge Forest | Chesham United | Stevenage Borough | Abingdon Town |
For the 1991-92 season, Division Two North and South were merged and Division Three was added.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two | Division Three |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | Woking | Stevenage Borough | Purfleet | Edgware Town |
| 1992-93 | Chesham United | Hitchin Town | Worthing | Aldershot Town |
| 1993-94 | Stevenage Borough | Bishop's Stortford | Newbury Town | Bracknell Town |
| 1994-95 | Enfield | Boreham Wood | Thame United | Collier Row |
| 1995-96 | Hayes | Oxford City | Canvey Island | Horsham |
| 1996-97 | Yeovil Town | Chesham United | Collier Row & Romford | Wealdstone |
| 1997-98 | Kingstonian | Aldershot Town | Canvey Island | Hemel Hempstead Town |
| 1998-99 | Sutton United | Canvey Island | Bedford Town | Ford United |
| 1999-00 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Croydon | Hemel Hempstead Town | East Thurrock United |
| 2000-01 | Farnborough Town | Boreham Wood | Tooting & Mitcham United | Arlesey Town |
| 2001-02 | Gravesend & Northfleet | Ford United | Lewes | Croydon Athletic |
For the 2002-03 season, Division One was reorganised into North and South regions and Division Three became Division Two.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One North | Division One South | Division Two |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-03 | Aldershot Town | Northwood | Carshalton Athletic | Cheshunt |
| 2003-04 | Canvey Island | Yeading | Lewes | Leighton Town |
For the 2002-03 season, Division Two was disbanded and Division One North and South were merged into new Divisions One and Two.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | Yeading | AFC Wimbledon | Ilford |
| 2005-06 | Braintree Town | Ramsgate | Ware |
For the 2006-07 season, Divisions One and Two was reorganised into Division One North and South regions.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One North | Division One South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | AFC Hornchurch | Maidstone United |
| 2007-08 | Chelmsford City | Dartford | Dover Athletic |
