2021–22 Spartan South Midlands Football League
The 2021–22 Spartan South Midlands Football League season is the 25th in the history of the Spartan South Midlands Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates three divisions, two of which are in covered in this article, the Premier Division, at Step 5 and Division One at Step 6 of the English football league system.
The league constitution for this season was based on allocations for Steps 5 and 6 that were announced by The Football Association on 18 May 2021, and were subject to appeal.[1][2]
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.[3][4][5]
Premier Division[]
Season | 2021–22 |
---|---|
← 2020–21 |
At the end of the previous season, eight teams left the Premier Division:
- Biggleswade United, transferred to the United Counties League
- Colney Heath, promoted to Southern League Division One Central
- Edgware Town, transferred to the Combined Counties League
- Eynesbury Rovers, transferred to the United Counties League
- Newport Pagnell Town, transferred to the United Counties League
- North Greenford United, transferred to the Combined Countied League
- Potton United, transferred to the United Counties League
- Wembley, transferred to the Combined Counties League
The remaining 13 teams, together with the following, formed the Premier Division for 2021–22:
- Ardley United, transferred from the Hellenic League after appeal
- Flackwell Heath, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Hadley, transferred from the Essex Senior League
- Holmer Green, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Milton Keynes Irish, promoted from Division One
- New Salamis, promoted from Division One
- Risborough Rangers, promoted from the Hellenic League
Cockfosters, initially allocated to this division from the Essex Senior League, successfully appealed and the transfer was rescinded.[6]
Premier Division table[]
Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphabetic sequence of teams rather than league position.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Risborough Rangers | 22 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 63 | 13 | +50 | 57 | Promotion to Step 4 |
2 | New Salamis | 23 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 68 | 27 | +41 | 55 | Promotion to Step 4 or qualification for inter-step play-offs[a] |
3 | Hadley | 23 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 50 | 22 | +28 | 51 | |
4 | Leighton Town | 26 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 60 | 28 | +32 | 49 | |
5 | Leverstock Green | 26 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 44 | |
6 | Harpenden Town | 25 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 43 | |
7 | Flackwell Heath | 24 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 43 | 27 | +16 | 39 | |
8 | Arlesey Town | 25 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 49 | 51 | −2 | 36 | |
9 | Ardley United | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 38 | 26 | +12 | 35 | |
10 | Aylesbury Vale Dynamos | 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 34 | |
11 | Oxhey Jets | 24 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 48 | 65 | −17 | 34 | |
12 | Milton Keynes Irish | 25 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 32 | |
13 | Dunstable Town | 25 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 31 | 45 | −14 | 30 | |
14 | Harefield United | 23 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 26 | |
15 | Broadfields United | 23 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 35 | 48 | −13 | 25 | |
16 | London Colney | 25 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 26 | 63 | −37 | 24 | |
17 | Baldock Town | 23 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 32 | 44 | −12 | 19 | |
18 | Tring Athletic | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 27 | 48 | −21 | 19 | |
19 | Holmer Green | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 28 | 79 | −51 | 17 | Possible relegation to Step 6[b] |
20 | Crawley Green | 24 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 32 | 67 | −35 | 13 | Relegation to Step 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[8]
Notes:
- ^ The 10 runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game (PPG) will be automatically promoted. The remaining six runners-up will contest one-off inter-step play-off matches with six next-to-bottom clubs with the lowest PPG from the eight divisions at Step 4 at the end of the 2021–22 season. The winner of each match will rise to or stays at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will drop to or remains at Step 5.[7]
- ^ Twelve clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that are second-from-bottom at Step 5 will be reprieved.[7]
Division One[]
Season | 2021–22 |
---|---|
← 2020–21 |
At the end of the previous season, eight teams left Division One:
- Enfield Borough, transferred to the Combined Counties League
- Hillingdon Borough, transferred to the Combined Counties League
- London Lions, transferred to the Combined Counties League
- Milton Keynes Irish, promoted to the Premier Division
- New Salamis, promoted to the Premier Division
- Park View, transferred Eastern Counties League
- Rayners Lane, transferred to the Combined Counties League
- St Panteleimon, promoted to the Combined Counties League
The remaining nine teams, together with the following, will form Division One for 2021–22:
- Burton Park Wanderers, transferred from the United Counties League
- Irchester United, transferred from the United Counties League
- Kidlington Reserves, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Letchworth Garden City Eagles, promoted from the Hertfordshire Senior County League
- Long Crendon, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Northampton Sileby Rangers, transferred from the United Counties League
- Penn & Tylers Green, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Raunds Town, transferred from the United Counties League
- Rushden & Higham United, transferred from the United Counties League
- Thame Rangers, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Wellingborough Whitworth, transferred from the United Counties League
Division One table[]
Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphabetic sequence of teams rather than league position.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stotfold | 25 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 85 | 22 | +63 | 60 | Promotion to Step 5 |
2 | Winslow United | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 77 | 17 | +60 | 58 | Qualification for the play-offs |
3 | Ampthill Town | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 62 | 37 | +25 | 50 | |
4 | Northampton Sileby Rangers | 25 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 69 | 46 | +23 | 45 | |
5 | Bedford | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 67 | 52 | +15 | 44 | |
6 | Long Crendon | 24 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 69 | 40 | +29 | 42 | |
7 | Wellingborough Whitworth | 24 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 64 | 45 | +19 | 42 | |
8 | Buckingham Athletic | 23 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 48 | 31 | +17 | 41 | |
9 | Thame Rangers | 28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 63 | −18 | 36 | |
10 | Shefford Town & Campton | 19 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 57 | 32 | +25 | 35 | |
11 | Rushden & Higham United | 25 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 41 | 52 | −11 | 35 | |
12 | Penn & Tylers Green | 23 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 59 | 43 | +16 | 32 | |
13 | Langford | 24 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 41 | 50 | −9 | 31 | |
14 | Letchworth Garden City Eagles | 24 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 28 | |
15 | Kidlington Development | 23 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 36 | 70 | −34 | 24 | |
16 | Raunds Town | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 38 | 76 | −38 | 23 | |
17 | Amersham Town | 24 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 39 | 58 | −19 | 22 | |
18 | London Tigers | 25 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 33 | 75 | −42 | 22 | Possible relegation to feeder leagues |
19 | Burton Park Wanderers | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 28 | 72 | −44 | 10 | |
20 | Irchester United | 26 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 87 | −65 | 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[8]
Step 5 rankings[]
The 10 runners-up with the most points per game (PPG) at Step 5 will be automatically promoted after the 2021–22 season. The remaining six are to play one-off inter-step play-off matches with the six third-from-bottom clubs with the fewest PPG from the eight divisions at Step 4. The winner of each match will play at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will also play at Step 5.[7]
The current points-per-game ranking of the second-placed teams is as follows:
Pos | Team, division | Pld | Pts | PPG | Promotion or qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | Newhaven, Southern Combination League Premier | 28 | 59 | 2.107 | Promotion to Step 4 |
11 | Stansted, Essex Senior League | 27 | 56 | 2.074 | Qualification for the inter-step play-offs |
12 | Bradford Town, Hellenic League Premier | 28 | 58 | 2.071 | |
13 | Skelmersdale United, North West Counties League Premier | 29 | 60 | 2.069 | |
14 | North Greenford United, Combined Counties League Premier North | 21 | 43 | 2.048 | |
15 | Exmouth Town, Western League Premier | 22 | 44 | 2.000 | |
16 | AFC Wulfrunians, Midland League Premier | 25 | 45 | 1.800 |
The 12 best second-from-bottom clubs on a PPG basis out of 16 that are at Step 5 will be reprieved from relegation. The four other teams will be relegated.[7]
The current points-per-game ranking of the second-from-bottom-placed teams is also as follows:
Pos | Team, division | Pld | Pts | PPG | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | Southend Manor, Essex Senior League | 26 | 14 | 0.538 | Retention at Step 5 |
13 | Tower Hamlets, Southern Counties East League Premier | 25 | 12 | 0.480 | Relegation to Step 6 |
14 | AFC Varndeanians, Southern Combination League Premier | 26 | 12 | 0.462 | |
15 | Hythe & Dibden, Wessex League Premier | 28 | 8 | 0.286 | |
16 | Northampton ON Chenecks, United Counties League Premier South | 27 | 7 | 0.259 |
References[]
- ^ "We have provided an update on NLS allocations at Steps 3-6 for the 2021-22 season". The Football Association. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Provisional constitution for 2021-22 season". 23 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Revised Premier Division Constitution As Cockfosters Win Appeal". Essex Senior Football League. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Changes to promotion and relegation at Step 5". North East Counties Football League. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ a b "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
- Spartan South Midlands Football League seasons
- 2021–22 in English football leagues