Essex Senior Football League

Ninth tier of English league football

Football league

Essex Senior League

Founded| 1971[1]
Country| England
Number of clubs| 20
Level on pyramid| Level 9
Feeder to| Southern League
Isthmian League[1]
Promotion to| Southern League Division One Central
Isthmian League Division One North[1]
Relegation to| Eastern Counties League Division One South[2]
Domestic cup(s)| Essex Senior League Challenge Cup
Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy
Current champions| Tilbury
(2023–24)
Most championships| Basildon United (5 titles)[3]
Website| www.essexseniorleague.co.uk
Current: 2024 –25 season

The Essex Senior Football League is an English men's football league. It contains clubs from the Essex FA, Hertfordshire FA, London FA, Middlesex FA and the Amateur Football Alliance.[1] It is a feeder league to Division One North of the Isthmian League and has a single division which sits at Step 5 (or Level 9) of the National League System.[1]

## Founder members

[edit]

The Essex Senior League was formed in 1971 with nine founder members. The finishing positions for the 1971–72 season were as follows:

1  | Witham Town

|

2  | Billericay Town
3  | Pegasus Athletic
4  | Tiptree United
5  | Saffron Walden Town
6  | Basildon United
7  | Heybridge Swifts
8  | Southend United 'A'
9  | Stansted

## Promotion and relegation

[edit]

The Essex Senior League states that a club must finish in the top 3 to be considered for promotion to the Isthmian League Division One North.[1] However the process is governed by the FA Leagues Committee[3] who regulate relegations and promotions throughout the National League System. As of the 2014–15 season FA rules for Step 5 divisions such as the Essex Senior League stipulate that the champions should be offered the first chance of promotion. If the champions do not wish to be promoted or are not able to meet the entry requirements for promotion then the 2nd or 3rd placed team may be considered for promotion. Under normal circumstances, only one club can be promoted from a Step 5 league (e.g., the Essex Senior League) to a Step 4 league (e.g., the Isthmian League Division One).[4]

In exchange for the promoted club, the Essex Senior League would typically receive a relegated club from a Step 4 league.[1] Relegated clubs of Step 4 leagues are allocated an appropriate league based on their geographical locations.[4] Thus the Essex Senior League is most likely to receive one of the relegated clubs from the Isthmian League Division One North.

There was no relegation from the Essex Senior League into a lower league since there was no Step 6 equivalent to the ESL[1] until the 2017–18 season. Leagues including the Essex Olympian League (Step 7) sometimes acted as a feeder league to the Essex Senior League but promotion and relegation between the two leagues was not automatic.[5] A Step 6 division for Essex and East Anglia was announced in October 2017 to solve the relegation problem. Since 2018–19, the Eastern Counties League controls this new division.[2]

## Current Essex Senior League members

[edit]

* Athletic Newham
* Barking
* Benfleet
* Buckhurst Hill
* FC Clacton
* Frenford
* Great Wakering Rovers
* Halstead Town
* Hullbridge Sports
* Ilford
* Little Oakley
* Romford
* Saffron Walden Town
* Stansted
* Stanway Rovers
* Sawbridgeworth
* Takeley
* West Essex
* White Ensign
* Woodford Town

Athletic Newham

Barking & Romford

Buckhurst Hill

Coggeshall Town

Clacton

Frenford

Great Wakering Rovers & White Ensign

Halstead Town

Hullbridge Sports

Ilford

Little Oakley

Saffron Walden Town

Sporting Bengal United

Stanway Rovers

Takeley

Tilbury

West Essex

Woodford Town

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the Essex Senior League clubs

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## Champions, runners up and third place finishers

[edit]

Season | Winner[3] | Runners-up[3] | Third place

|
|
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1971–72 | Witham Town | Billericay Town | Pegasus Athletic
1972–73 | Billericay Town | Basildon United | Stansted
1973–74 | Saffron Walden Town | Billericay Town | Coggeshall Town
1974–75 | Billericay Town | Basildon United | Coggeshall Town
1975–76 | Billericay Town | Tiptree United | Basildon United
1976–77 | Basildon United | Brentwood | Billericay Town
1977–78 | Basildon United | Tiptree United | Ford United
1978–79 | Basildon United | Canvey Island | Eton Manor
1979–80 | Basildon United | Wivenhoe Town | Canvey Island
1980–81 | Bowers United | Heybridge Swifts | Wivenhoe Town
1981–82 | Heybridge Swifts | Wivenhoe Town | Brentwood
1982–83 | Heybridge Swifts | Stansted | Halstead Town
1983–84 | Heybridge Swifts | Bowers United | Witham Town
1984–85 | Maldon Town | Witham Town | Stansted
1985–86 | Witham Town | Wivenhoe Town | Ford United
1986–87 | Canvey Island | Witham Town | Purfleet
1987–88 | Purfleet | Brentwood | Halstead Town
1988–89 | Brightlingsea United | East Thurrock United | Ford United
1989–90 | Brightlingsea United | Woodford Town | East Thurrock United
1990–91 | Southend Manor | Brentwood | Burnham Ramblers
1991–92 | Ford United | Brentwood | East Thurrock United
1992–93 | Canvey Island | Sawbridgeworth Town | Bowers United
1993–94 | Basildon United | Ford United | Canvey Island
1994–95 | Great Wakering Rovers | Sawbridgeworth Town | Romford
1995–96 | Romford | Great Wakering Rovers | Concord Rangers
1996–97 | Ford United | Great Wakering Rovers | Concord Rangers
1997–98 | Concord Rangers | Basildon United | Bowers United
1998–99 | Bowers United | Great Wakering Rovers | Saffron Walden Town
1999–2000 | Saffron Walden Town | Southend Manor | Burnham Ramblers
2000–01 | Brentwood | Saffron Walden Town | Barkingside
2001–02 | Leyton | Enfield Town | Burnham Ramblers
2002–03 | Enfield Town | Concord Rangers | Ilford
2003–04 | Concord Rangers | Ilford | Sawbridgeworth Town
2004–05 | Enfield Town | Burnham Ramblers | Waltham Abbey
2005–06 | A.F.C. Hornchurch | Waltham Abbey | Tilbury
2006–07 | Brentwood Town | Romford | Barkingside
2007–08 | Concord Rangers | Enfield 1893 | Barkingside
2008–09 | Romford | Enfield 1893 | Takeley
2009–10 | Stansted | Witham Town | Burnham Ramblers
2010–11 | Enfield 1893 | Stansted | Witham Town
2011–12 | Witham Town | Southend Manor | Takeley
2012–13 | Burnham Ramblers | Barkingside | Takeley
2013–14 | Great Wakering Rovers | Haringey Borough | Enfield 1893
2014–15 | Haringey Borough | Bowers & Pitsea | Barking
2015–16 | Bowers & Pitsea | Basildon United | FC Romania
2016–17 | Barking | Clapton | FC Romania
2017–18 | Great Wakering Rovers | Basildon United | FC Romania
2018–19 | Hullbridge Sports | Stansted | Walthamstow
2019–20 | No champions; season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic
2020–21 | No champions; season abandoned due to pandemic-related lockdowns
2021–22 | Walthamstow | Saffron Walden Town | Redbridge
2022–23 | Enfield | Redbridge | Woodford Town
2023–24 | Tilbury | Woodford Town | Romford

### League winners records

[edit]

* 5 times – Basildon United
* 3 times – Billericay Town, Bowers & Pitsea, Concord Rangers, Great Wakering Rovers, Heybridge Swifts, Witham Town
* 2 times – Brentwood Town, Brightlingsea United, Canvey Island, Enfield, Enfield Town, Ford United, Romford, Saffron Walden Town
* 1 time – AFC Hornchurch, Barking, Burnham Ramblers, Haringey Borough, Hullbridge Sports, Leyton, Maldon Town, Purfleet, Stansted, Southend Manor, Tilbury, Walthamstow

## Essex Senior League Challenge Cup

[edit]

The Essex Senior League Challenge Cup is a knock-out tournament competed for by teams in the Essex Senior Football League.[3] Brentwood Town and Basildon United hold the record jointly for the most cup wins, each lifting the trophy four times (Brentwood Town in 1975–76, 1978–79, 1990–91, 2006–07, Basildon United in 1977–78, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2015–16).[3] As of the 2017–18 season the competition is referred to as the "Errington Challenge Cup" in recognition of the league's treasurer Margaret Errington who held the post for 26 years before dying in 2016.

### Final results

[edit]

Season | Winner[3] | Score[3] | Runners-up[3]

|
|
|

1972–73 | Billericay Town | 2–1 | Saffron Walden Town
1973–74 | No competition played
1974–75 | Colchester United 'A' | 3–1 | Billericay Town
1975–76 | Brentwood | 3–0 | Basildon United
1976–77 | Billericay Town | 1–0 | Bowers United
1977–78 | Basildon United | 3–0 | Bowers United
1978–79 | Brentwood | 2–0 | Brightlingsea United
1979–80 | Canvey Island | 1–1, 0–0, 2–0 | Basildon United
1980–81 | Witham Town | 4–2 | Sawbridgeworth Town
1981–82 | Bowers United | 2–0 | Halstead Town
1982–83 | Heybridge Swifts | 4–1 | Bowers United
1983–84 | Stansted | 1–0 | Brentwood
1984–85 | Chelmsford City Reserves | 2–0 | Maldon Town
1985–86 | Ford United | 1–0 | Coggeshall Town
1986–87 | Purfleet | 2–0 | Burnham Ramblers
1987–88 | Purfleet | 2–1 | Canvey Island
1988–89 | East Thurrock United | 3–2 | Ford United
1989–90 | Southend Manor | 2–0 | Burnham Ramblers
1990–91 | Brentwood | 2–0 | Southend Manor
1991–92 | East Thurrock United | 2–0 | Basildon United
1992–93 | Canvey Island | 3–1 | Sawbridgeworth Town
1993–94 | Basildon United | 3–0 | Sawbridgeworth Town
1994–95 | Sawbridgeworth Town | 2–0 | Stansted
1995–96 | Romford | 2–0 | Southend Manor
1996–97 | Concord Rangers | 1–0 | Ford United
1997–98 | Basildon United | 1–0 | Burnham Ramblers
1998–99 | Bowers United | 2–0 | Great Wakering Rovers
1999-00 | Saffron Walden Town | 2–1 | Southend Manor
2000–01 | Southend Manor | 2–1 | Sawbridgeworth Town
2001–02 | Enfield Town | 1–1
(4–2 penalties) | Leyton
2002–03 | Ilford | 1–0 | Sawbridgeworth Town
2003–04 | Enfield Town | 3–2 | Sawbridgeworth Town
2004–05 | Waltham Abbey | 4–1 | Enfield Town
2005–06 | AFC Hornchurch | 2–0 | Brentwood Town
2006–07 | Brentwood Town | 1–1
(5–4 penalties) | Romford
2007–08 | Eton Manor | 3–2 | Concord Rangers
2008–09 | Barkingside | 2–0 | Burnham Ramblers
2009–10 | Bethnal Green United | 4–1 | Burnham Ramblers
2010–11 | Stansted | 3–0 | Enfield 1893
2011–12 | Witham Town | 2–1 | Burnham Ramblers
2012–13 | Barkingside | 9–1 | Bowers & Pitsea
2013–14 | Great Wakering Rovers | 1–0 | Sporting Bengal United
2014–15 | Bowers & Pitsea | 7–1 | Clapton
2015–16 | Basildon United | 3–0 | FC Romania
2016–17 | Takeley | 1–0 | Sawbridgeworth Town
2017–18 | Great Wakering Rovers | 1–0 | Sawbridgeworth Town
2018–19 | Stansted | 1–0 | West Essex
2019–20 | Not completed due to coronavirus disease pandemic
2020–21 | Not played due to coronavirus disease pandemic
2021–22 | Enfield | 3–2 | Cockfosters
2022–23 | Barking | 1–1
(5–4 penalties) | Redbridge

## League and Cup double

[edit]

On 14 occasions a team has won both the Essex Senior League and the Essex Senior League Challenge Cup in the same season. They are:

* 1972–73 – Billericay Town[3]
* 1977–78 – Basildon United[3]
* 1982–83 – Heybridge Swifts[3]
* 1987–88 – Purfleet[3]
* 1992–93 – Canvey Island[3]
* 1993–94 – Basildon United[3]
* 1995–96 – Romford[3]
* 1998–99 – Bowers United[3]
* 1999–00 – Saffron Walden Town[3]
* 2005–06 – AFC Hornchurch[3]
* 2006–07 – Brentwood Town[3]
* 2011–12 – Witham Town[3]
* 2013–14 – Great Wakering Rovers[3]
* 2017–18 – Great Wakering Rovers

## Former members

[edit]

* AFC Hornchurch
* Barkingside
* Basildon United
* Beaumont Athletic
* Billericay Town
* Bowers & Pitsea
* Brentwood Town
* Brightlingsea United
* Burnham Ramblers
* Bury Academy
* Canvey Island
* Chelmsford City reserves
* Clapton

* Cockfosters
* Colchester United 'A'
* Concord Rangers
* East Ham United
* East Thurrock United
* Enfield
* Enfield Town
* Eton Manor
* FC Romania
* Hackney Wick
* Hadley
* Haringey Borough

* Hashtag United
* Heybridge Swifts
* Hoddesdon Town
* Leyton
* Leyton Athletic
* London APSA
* Maldon Town
* Pegasus Athletic
* Purfleet
* Redbridge
* Sawbridgeworth Town
* Southend Manor

* Southend United 'A'
* St Margaretsbury
* Stambridge
* Stansted
* Tiptree United
* Tower Hamlets
* Waltham Abbey
* Walthamstow
* Witham Town
* Wivenhoe Town
* Woodford Town
* Woodford Town reserves

|
|
|

## Notable former Essex Senior League players

[edit]

Several Essex Senior League players have also played for Football League or Premier League teams:

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2015)

|

* Jimmy Greaves – Played for Brentwood Town[1] after playing for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Chelsea and England.
* Alan Brazil – Played for Stambridge[1] after Queens Park Rangers and other teams including Manchester United and Scotland.
* Kerry Dixon – Played in the Essex Senior League[1] for Basildon after playing for other teams including Chelsea and England.
* Michael Kightly – left Basildon United to join Southend United circa 2003,[6] playing for Burnley as of April 2016.
* Dwight Gayle – left Stansted to play for Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough United and Crystal Palace.[7]
* Trevor Putney – left Brentwood to join Ipswich Town in 1980,[8] also played for Norwich City, and Middlesbrough.
* Stuart Wardley – left Saffron Walden Town to join Queens Park Rangers in 1999.[9]
* Steve Tilson – left Witham Town to join Southend United in 1989.[10]
* Gary Hart – left Stansted for £1,000 and a set of kit to join Brighton & Hove Albion in 1998.[11]
* Ben Barnett – left Southend Manor to briefly join Leyton Orient in 2000.[12]
* John Warner – left Burnham Ramblers to join Colchester United in 1988.
* Scott Forbes – left Saffron Walden Town to join Southend United in 2000.[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Brief History". The Official Web Site of the Essex Senior Football League. Essex Senior League. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
2. ^ a b "New Step 6 announced". Essex Senior League. 8 October 2017.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Essex Senior Football League Official Handbook Season 2014/15". The Official WebSite of the Essex Senior Football League. Essex Senior League. Retrieved 22 April 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
4. ^ a b "National League System 2014–15". The FA. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
5. ^ "Essex Senior Football League". Non-League Matters. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
6. ^ "Kightly: His story in pictures". Express & Star. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
7. ^ McLeman, Neil (1 September 2013). "Crystal Palace's Dwight Gayle goes from £200-a-week carpenter to Prem match-winner in two years". Mirror. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
8. ^ "Stalwart former boss of football club dies at 83". Brentwood Gazette. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
9. ^ "Non-league football: Stuart Wardley returns to Saffron Walden Town F.C." Saffron Walden Reporter. 15 June 2012. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
10. ^ "Tilson a Southend great". Southend United Official. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
11. ^ Bazeley, Marc. "Brighton & Hove Albion legend Gary Hart bring experience to Royston Town". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
12. ^ "Comprehensive list of Football Transfers". BBC. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
13. ^ "Scott Forbes - Football Stats - No Club - 2000-2004 - Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com.

## External links

[edit]

* FA Full-Time League Websites (Essex Senior Football League)

* v
* t
* e

Essex Senior League

2023–24 clubs|

* Athletic Newham
* Barking
* Buckhurst Hill
* Coggeshall Town
* FC Clacton
* Frenford
* Great Wakering Rovers
* Halstead Town
* Hullbridge Sports
* Ilford
* Little Oakley
* Romford
* Saffron Walden Town
* Sporting Bengal United
* Stanway Rovers
* Takeley
* Tilbury
* West Essex
* White Ensign
* Woodford Town

Seasons|

* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

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National teams|

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League competitions|

| Level 1|

* Premier League

|

Levels 2–4|

* English Football League
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Levels 5–6|

* National League
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Levels 7–8|

* Isthmian League
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Levels 9–10|

* Combined Counties League
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Cup competitions|

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|

League cups|

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County cups|

* List of county cups

Others|

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Lists|

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