2023–24 Southern Counties East Football League
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Article ImagesThe 2023–24 Southern Counties East Football League season was the 58th in the history of the Southern Counties East Football League, and the eighth year the competition will have two divisions, the Premier Division and Division One, at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system.
The provisional club allocations for steps 5 and 6 were announced by The Football Association on 15 May 2023.[1] Starting this season, the Premier Division (step 5) in the league promotes two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there was only one club relegated from the division.[2]
Season | 2023–24 |
---|---|
Champions | Deal Town |
Promoted | Deal Town Erith Town |
Relegated | Welling Town |
Top goalscorer | Stefan Payne (35) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → |
The Premier Division comprised 16 clubs from the previous season, along with five new clubs after Erith & Belvedere and Phoenix Sports were promoted to Isthmian League South East Division and Canterbury City and K Sports were relegated to Division One.
The five clubs joining the division were:
- Corinthian - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division
- Faversham Town - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division
- Lydd Town - Promoted from Division One
- Snodland Town - Promoted from Division One
- VCD Athletic - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division
Premier Division table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deal Town (C, P) | 40 | 29 | 5 | 6 | 96 | 45 | +51 | 92 | Promotion to the Isthmian League |
2 | Faversham Town | 40 | 25 | 8 | 7 | 107 | 53 | +54 | 83 | Qualification for the play-offs |
3 | Glebe | 40 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 87 | 48 | +39 | 83 | |
4 | Erith Town (O, P) | 40 | 25 | 5 | 10 | 91 | 52 | +39 | 80 | |
5 | Corinthian | 40 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 86 | 49 | +37 | 79 | |
6 | Whitstable Town | 40 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 79 | 52 | +27 | 73 | |
7 | Bearsted | 40 | 21 | 9 | 10 | 66 | 43 | +23 | 72 | |
8 | Snodland Town | 40 | 19 | 8 | 13 | 77 | 44 | +33 | 65 | |
9 | Punjab United | 40 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 65 | |
10 | Lydd Town | 40 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 78 | 64 | +14 | 64 | |
11 | Lordswood | 40 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 55 | |
12 | VCD Athletic | 40 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 61 | 64 | −3 | 50 | |
13 | Tunbridge Wells | 40 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 49 | |
14 | Fisher | 40 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 70 | 85 | −15 | 48 | |
15 | Hollands & Blair | 40 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 61 | 76 | −15 | 47 | |
16 | Holmesdale | 40 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 59 | 77 | −18 | 42 | |
17 | Kennington | 40 | 9 | 10 | 21 | 50 | 80 | −30 | 37 | |
18 | Stansfeld | 40 | 6 | 7 | 27 | 42 | 99 | −57 | 25 | |
19 | Rusthall | 40 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 42 | 86 | −44 | 23 | |
20 | Sutton Athletic | 40 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 42 | 102 | −60 | 23 | |
21 | Welling Town (R) | 40 | 4 | 6 | 30 | 45 | 132 | −87 | 18 | Relegation to Division One |
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
2 | Faversham Town | 2 (1) | |||||||
5 | Corinthian | 2 (4) | |||||||
4 | Erith Town | 1 (4) | |||||||
5 | Corinthian | 1 (2) | |||||||
3 | Glebe | 1 | |||||||
4 | Erith Town | 2 |
Source: FA Full-Time Grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
- ^ Match awarded to Fisher in accordance with league rules, after initial match was abandoned at 2–3 due to unsavoury scenes between the Lydd Town players and Fisher fans.[3]
- ^ Match awarded to Tunbridge Wells in accordance with league rules, after initial match was abandoned at 0–0 due to the behaviour of Snodland Town's players and staff.[4]
Season | 2023–24 |
---|---|
Champions | AFC Whyteleafe |
Promoted | AFC Whyteleafe Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers |
Relegated | Greenways |
Top goalscorer | Matt Day (31) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → |
Division One consisted of sixteen teams, down from eighteen teams in the previous season. Teams that left Division One from the previous season were Snodland Town and Lydd Town who had been promoted to the Premier Division and Bermondsey Town who were relegated to the Kent County League
The two new teams that joined the division were:
- Canterbury City - Relegated from Premier Division
- K Sports - Relegated from Premier Division
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AFC Whyteleafe (C, P) | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 84 | 35 | +49 | 71 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
2 | Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers (O, P) | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 77 | 38 | +39 | 63 | Qualification for the play-offs |
3 | Staplehurst Monarchs | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 54 | 29 | +25 | 60 | |
4 | Rochester United | 30 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 72 | 41 | +31 | 59 | |
5 | Lewisham Borough | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 52 | |
6 | FC Elmstead | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 62 | 42 | +20 | 50 | |
7 | Canterbury City | 30 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 58 | 46 | +12 | 48 | |
8 | Croydon | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 44 | |
9 | Tooting Bec | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 48 | 46 | +2 | 37 | |
10 | Bridon Ropes | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 41 | 57 | −16 | 36 | |
11 | Faversham Strike Force | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 48 | 63 | −15 | 33 | |
12 | Sporting Club Thamesmead | 30 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 38 | 69 | −31 | 32 | |
13 | K Sports | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 56 | 88 | −32 | 28 | |
14 | Meridian VP | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 50 | 82 | −32 | 25 | |
15 | Forest Hill Park | 30 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 36 | 61 | −25 | 24 | |
16 | Greenways (R) | 30 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 45 | 104 | −59 | 15 | Relegation to the Kent County League |
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
2 | Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers | 0 (13) | |||||||
5 | Lewisham Borough | 0 (12) | |||||||
2 | Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers | 1 | |||||||
3 | Staplehurst Monarchs | 0 | |||||||
3 | Staplehurst Monarchs | 1 | |||||||
4 | Rochester United | 0 |
Source: FA Full-Time Grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
Notes:
League Challenge Cup
The 2023–24 SCEFL Challenge Cup was contested by all 37 clubs from both the Premier and First divisions (indicated by '(PD)' and '(FD)' respectively in the results listings below).
Defending champions Hollands & Blair (who defeated Fisher in the previous season's final) were knocked-out in the second round.
The cup was won by Erith Town for the second occasion in their history (having previously been winners in the 2007–08 season). The final match was played at a neutral venue, this season at Star Meadow the home of Hollands & Blair F.C.
Round | Dates | Matches | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
First round | 2 October to 4 October | 5 | 37 → 32 |
Second round | 31 October to 21 November | 16 | 32 → 16 |
Third round | 29 November to 9 January | 8 | 16 → 8 |
Quarter-finals | 16 January to 10 February | 4 | 8 → 4 |
Semi-finals | 20 February to 27 February | 2 | 4 → 2 |
Final | 29 March | 1 | 2 → 1 |
Ten clubs participated in five first round ties, with byes for the other 27 clubs.
Thirty-two clubs competed in sixteen second round times.
Sixteen clubs competed in eight third round times.
- First leg
Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
1 | Corinthian (PD) | 3–0 | AFC Whyteleafe (FD) | 78 |
2 | Deal Town (PD) | 2–1 | Erith Town (PD) | 473 |
- Second leg
Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
1 | AFC Whyteleafe (FD) | 2–2 (agg. 2–5) | Corinthian (PD) | |
2 | Erith Town (PD) | 4–2 (agg 5–4) | Deal Town (PD) | 171 |
sources:
- Final: "SCEFL Challenge Cup 2023/24 Final". SCEFL. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- Other matches: "SCEFL Challenge Cup: 2023–24". SCEFL. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
The 2023–24 SCEFL Division One Cup was contested by the sixteen clubs of Division One.[6] This was a re-introduction of a cup competition for the league's second tier clubs, previously contested as the Reserves Division cup in the 2012–13 season.
The competition was organised with an initial phase comprising four groups of four teams who played on a home and away basis with the group winners progressing to the semi-finals. Lewisham Borough were the cup winners.
- Group A
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lewisham Borough | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 13 | Progressed to semi-finals |
2 | Tooting Bec | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 9 | |
3 | Croydon | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 8 | |
4 | AFC Whyteleafe | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 4 |
- Group B
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Meridian VP | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 16 | Progressed to semi-finals |
2 | Bridon Ropes | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 10 | |
3 | Forest Hill Park | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 6 | |
4 | SC Thamesmead | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 21 | −14 | 1 |
- Group C
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 7 | +10 | 13 | Progressed to semi-finals |
2 | K Sports | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 9 | |
3 | Greenways | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 7 | |
4 | FC Elmstead | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
- Group D
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Faversham Strike Force | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 | Progressed to semi-finals |
2 | Canterbury City | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | |
3 | Staplehurst Monarchs | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 7 | |
4 | Rochester United | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 7 |
Source: "Division One Cup – 2023/24 Season". SCEFL. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "The FA releases National League System club allocations for Steps 1-6 in 2023-24 term". The FA. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Step 5 to 4 promotion/relegation update". The FA. 16 March 2023.
- ^ "League Statement – Lydd Town v Fisher". SCEFL. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ "League Statement – Snodland Town v Tunbridge Wells". SCEFL. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "League Statement – AFC Whyteleafe". SCEFL. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ "SCEFL First Division Cup Rules 2023-2024" (PDF). SCEFL. Retrieved 10 May 2024.