2023–24_Combined_Counties_Football_League
2023–24 Combined Counties Football League
Football league season
The 2023–24 Combined Counties Football League season (known as the 2023–24 Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League for sponsorship reasons) is the 46th in the history of the Combined Counties Football League, a football competition in England. The league consists of four divisions for the first time, with a new Division Two being added to the Premier North, the Premier South and Division One. Division Two (details beyond the scope of this article) is intended largely for reserve and U23 sides, although it is also open to first teams.[1]
The constitution was announced on 15 May 2023.[2] Starting this season, the two step 5 divisions in the league will each promote two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaces the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there will be only one club relegated from each of the two step 5 divisions.[3]
Premier Division North remained at 20 clubs, after Ascot United were promoted to the Isthmian League South Central Division; Spelthorne Sports were transferred to Premier Division South, and Windsor and Oxhey Jets were relegated to Division One. After the constitution was announced, London Lions transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League in a swap with Ardley United.
Five new clubs joined the division:
- One relegated from the Isthmian League South Central Division:
- Two transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division:
- One promoted from Division One:
- One promoted from Hellenic League Division One:
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flackwell Heath (C, P) | 37 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 98 | 26 | +72 | 94 | Promotion to step 4 |
| 2 | Rayners Lane (Q) | 37 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 108 | 36 | +72 | 87[lower-alpha 1] | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Bedfont Sports (Q) | 37 | 21 | 9 | 7 | 94 | 33 | +61 | 72 | |
| 4 | Reading City (Q) | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 78 | 59 | +19 | 62 | |
| 5 | Burnham | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 90 | 62 | +28 | 58 | |
| 6 | Holyport | 37 | 18 | 4 | 15 | 59 | 60 | −1 | 58 | |
| 7 | North Greenford United | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 63 | 60 | +3 | 53 | |
| 8 | Broadfields United | 37 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 72 | 78 | −6 | 52 | |
| 9 | Ardley United | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 49 | |
| 10 | Risborough Rangers | 37 | 14 | 6 | 17 | 67 | 64 | +3 | 48 | |
| 11 | Milton United | 37 | 14 | 6 | 17 | 56 | 72 | −16 | 48 | |
| 12 | Virginia Water | 35 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 47[lower-alpha 2] | |
| 13 | Harefield United | 37 | 14 | 4 | 19 | 52 | 60 | −8 | 46 | |
| 14 | Egham Town | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 54 | 66 | −12 | 43 | |
| 15 | Wembley | 37 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 42 | 88 | −46 | 38 | |
| 16 | Wallingford & Crowmarsh | 37 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 46 | 82 | −36 | 36 | |
| 17 | Wokingham & Emmbrook | 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 44 | 76 | −32 | 35 | |
| 18 | Edgware & Kingsbury | 37 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 47 | 75 | −28 | 33 | |
| 19 | Hilltop | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 54 | 84 | −30 | 33 | |
| 20 | Chalfont St Peter | 37 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 45 | 79 | −34 | 30 | Relegation to step 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Notes:
- Rayners Lane had four points deducted for fielding an ineligible player.[4]
Promotion playoffs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Rayners Lane | ||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||
| 3 | Bedfont Sports | ||||||||
| 4 | Reading City | ||||||||
Semifinals
| Bedfont Sports | v | Reading City | Bedfont | |
| Stadium: Bedfont Recreation Ground |
| Rayners Lane | v | Rayners Lane | ||
| Stadium: The Tithe Farm Social Club |
Final
| v |
Premier Division South remained at 20 clubs after Raynes Park Vale and Badshot Lea were promoted to the Isthmian League South Central Division; Frimley Green were relegated to Wessex League Division One, and Banstead Athletic were relegated to Southern Combination League Division One.
Four new clubs joined the division:
- One relegated from the Isthmian League South Central Division:
- One transferred from Premier Division North:
- One promoted from Division One:
- One promoted from Southern Combination League Division One:
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farnham Town (C, P) | 37 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 123 | 19 | +104 | 105 | Promotion to step 4 |
| 2 | Jersey Bulls (Q) | 37 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 74 | 27 | +47 | 76 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Knaphill (Q) | 37 | 22 | 9 | 6 | 85 | 43 | +42 | 75 | |
| 4 | Tadley Calleva (Q) | 38 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 72 | 57 | +15 | 71 | |
| 5 | Redhill | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 78 | 50 | +28 | 66 | |
| 6 | AFC Croydon Athletic | 36 | 20 | 4 | 12 | 85 | 54 | +31 | 64 | |
| 7 | Alton | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 62 | |
| 8 | Abbey Rangers | 37 | 19 | 3 | 15 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 60 | |
| 9 | Balham | 37 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 46 | 54 | −8 | 59 | |
| 10 | Sandhurst Town | 37 | 15 | 5 | 17 | 70 | 76 | −6 | 50 | |
| 11 | Fleet Town | 37 | 15 | 4 | 18 | 68 | 80 | −12 | 49 | |
| 12 | Cobham | 37 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 46 | |
| 13 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 37 | 14 | 3 | 20 | 59 | 74 | −15 | 45 | |
| 14 | Horley Town | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 63 | 75 | −12 | 37 | |
| 15 | Camberley Town | 37 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 48 | 66 | −18 | 37 | |
| 16 | Spelthorne Sports | 37 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 40 | 69 | −29 | 30[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 17 | Epsom & Ewell | 37 | 9 | 3 | 25 | 58 | 94 | −36 | 30 | |
| 18 | Guildford City | 37 | 8 | 4 | 25 | 45 | 98 | −53 | 28 | |
| 19 | Sheerwater | 37 | 8 | 4 | 25 | 53 | 108 | −55 | 28 | |
| 20 | Colliers Wood United | 37 | 6 | 7 | 24 | 37 | 80 | −43 | 25 | Relegation to step 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Notes:
Promotion playoffs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||
| 4 | Tadley Calleva | ||||||||
Division One was increased from 21 to 22 clubs after Rayners Lane were promoted to Premier Division North; Sandhurst Town were promoted to Premier Division South; A.F.C. Aldermaston and Cove were transferred to Wessex League Division One, and CB Hounslow United were relegated.
Six new clubs joined the division:
- Two relegated from Premier Division North:
- One relegated from the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division:
- Two transferred from Spartan South Midlands League Division One:
- One promoted from the Thames Valley Premier League:
- A reprieve for the club finishing 20th is likely due to movements elsewhere in the pyramid, and a reprieve for the club finishing 21st is possible depending on PPG. A reprieve for the bottom club is less likely.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amersham Town (C, P) | 41 | 35 | 3 | 3 | 152 | 47 | +105 | 108 | Promotion to step 5 |
| 2 | British Airways (Q) | 42 | 30 | 4 | 8 | 112 | 66 | +46 | 94 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Berks County (Q) | 41 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 110 | 61 | +49 | 85 | |
| 4 | Eversley & California | 40 | 24 | 6 | 10 | 88 | 52 | +36 | 78 | |
| 5 | Molesey | 40 | 23 | 5 | 12 | 89 | 65 | +24 | 74 | |
| 6 | Yateley United | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 85 | 65 | +20 | 71 | |
| 7 | Rising Ballers Kensington | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 84 | 45 | +39 | 70 | |
| 8 | Langley | 41 | 20 | 8 | 13 | 93 | 78 | +15 | 68 | |
| 9 | FC Deportivo Galicia | 41 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 84 | 90 | −6 | 57 | |
| 10 | Penn & Tylers Green | 41 | 16 | 8 | 17 | 77 | 70 | +7 | 56 | |
| 11 | Oxhey Jets | 39 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 80 | 72 | +8 | 55 | |
| 12 | Bedfont | 41 | 16 | 7 | 18 | 86 | 87 | −1 | 55 | |
| 13 | Westside | 40 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 67 | 74 | −7 | 49 | |
| 14 | Spartans Youth | 39 | 13 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 73 | −15 | 48 | |
| 15 | London Samurai Rovers | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 77 | 79 | −2 | 46 | |
| 16 | Woodley United | 37 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 58 | 64 | −6 | 45 | |
| 17 | Hillingdon Borough | 41 | 12 | 6 | 23 | 69 | 110 | −41 | 42 | |
| 18 | Brook House | 39 | 11 | 7 | 21 | 66 | 98 | −32 | 40 | |
| 19 | Windsor | 40 | 12 | 3 | 25 | 66 | 107 | −41 | 39 | |
| 20 | Holmer Green (R) | 40 | 7 | 4 | 29 | 41 | 124 | −83 | 25 | Possible relegation to feeder leagues |
| 21 | London Colney (R) | 40 | 5 | 9 | 26 | 50 | 85 | −35 | 24 | |
| 22 | Bagshot (R) | 41 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 41 | 121 | −80 | 19 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Promotion playoffs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | British Airways | ||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||
| 3 | Berks County | ||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||
Semifinals
| British Airways | v | Bedfont | ||
| Stadium: The Orchard |
| Berks County | v | Binfield | ||
| Stadium: Hill Farm Lane |
Final
| v |
- "Many Changes". Combined Counties Football League. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- "REVEALED: Club allocations 2023-24 announced by The FA". The Non-League Football Paper. 15 May 2023.
- "STEP 5 TO 4 PROMOTION/RELEGATION UPDATE". The FA. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- "Flackwell Heath handed huge boost as title rivals Rayners Lane are docked points". Slough & South Bucks Express. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.