2005–06 Isthmian League

The 2005–06 season was the 91st in the history of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England.

It was the last season in which the Isthmian League consisted of three tiers. At the end of the season Division Two was disbanded, and most of the Division Two clubs were distributed between lower-level leagues, while Division One was divided into Division One North and Division One South.

Premier Division

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Isthmian League
Premier Division
Season2005–06
ChampionsBraintree Town
PromotedBraintree Town
Fisher Athletic
RelegatedMaldon Town
Redbridge
Windsor & Eton
Matches played462
Goals scored1,302 (2.82 per match)
Top goalscorer26 goals – Richard Jolly (Heybridge Swifts)
and
Jermaine Beckford (Wealdstone)
Highest attendance3,315 – AFC WimbledonHampton & Richmond Borough, (18 February)
Total attendance215,064
Average attendance466 (+44.3% to previous season)

The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 14 clubs from the previous season and eight new clubs.

Braintree Town won the division and were promoted to the Conference South along with play-off winners Fisher Athletic, who earned a second consecutive promotion. Maldon Town, Windsor & Eton and Redbridge were relegated, while Hendon were initially relegated too as the worst 19th-placed club among the seventh level leagues, but were reprieved after Canvey Island resigned from the Conference.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Braintree Town 42 28 10 4 74 32 +42 94 Promoted to the Conference South
2 Heybridge Swifts 42 28 3 11 70 46 +24 87 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Fisher Athletic 42 26 7 9 84 46 +38 85 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Conference South
4 AFC Wimbledon 42 22 11 9 67 36 +31 77 Qualified for the play-offs
5 Hampton & Richmond 42 24 3 15 73 54 +19 75
6 Staines Town 42 20 10 12 74 56 +18 70
7 Billericay Town 42 19 12 11 69 45 +24 69
8 Worthing 42 19 10 13 71 60 +11 67
9 Walton & Hersham 42 19 7 16 55 50 +5 64
10 Chelmsford City 42 18 10 14 57 62 −5 64
11 Bromley 42 16 14 12 57 49 +8 62
12 East Thurrock United 42 18 5 19 60 60 0 59
13 Folkestone Invicta 42 16 10 16 47 51 −4 58
14 Margate 42 11 17 14 49 55 −6 50
15 Leyton 42 13 9 20 58 61 −3 48
16 Harrow Borough 42 13 9 20 56 73 −17 48
17 Slough Town 42 13 8 21 63 75 −12 47
18 Wealdstone 42 13 5 24 68 82 −14 44 Transferred to the SFL Premier Division
19 Hendon 42 9 12 21 44 64 −20 39 Reprieved from relegation
20 Maldon Town 42 8 11 23 41 73 −32 35 Relegated to Division One North
21 Windsor & Eton 42 8 8 26 37 75 −38 32 Relegated to the SFL Division One South & West
22 Redbridge 42 3 5 34 28 97 −69 14 Relegated to Division One North
Source: [1] [2][3]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Top scorers

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Player Club Goals[4]
Richard Jolly Heybridge Swifts / Wealdstone 26
Jermaine Beckford Wealdstone
Danny Hockton Billericay Town / Margate 24
Ian Hodges Slough Town 21
Steve Watts Fisher Athletic
Alex Revell Braintree Town
Stafford Browne Worthing 17
Lawrence Yaku Hampton & Richmond Borough
Nic McDonnell Bromley

Play-offs

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Semifinals Final
      
2 Heybridge Swifts 1(2)
5 Hampton & Richmond 1(4)
3 Fisher Athletic 3
5 Hampton & Richmond 0
3 Fisher Athletic 2
4 AFC Wimbledon 1

Stadia and locations

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AFC Wimbledon
 
Bromley
 
Fisher Athletic
 
Hampton & Richmond Borough
 
Harrow Borough
 
Hendon
 
Leyton
 
Redbridge
 
Wealdstone
Locations of the Premier Division clubs
Club Stadium
AFC Wimbledon Kingsmeadow (groundshare with Kingstonian)
Billericay Town New Lodge
Braintree Town Cressing Road
Bromley Hayes Lane
Chelmsford City Melbourne Stadium[1]
East Thurrock United Rookery Hill
Fisher Athletic Champion Hill (groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet)
Folkestone Invicta Cheriton Road
Hampton & Richmond Borough Beveree Stadium
Harrow Borough Earlsmead Stadium
Hendon Claremont Road
Heybridge Swifts Scraley Road
Leyton Leyton Stadium
Maldon Town Wallace Binder Ground
Margate Hartsdown Park
Redbridge Oakside
Slough Town Stag Meadow (groundshare with Windsor & Eton)
Staines Town Wheatsheaf Park
Walton & Hersham The Sports Ground
Wealdstone Chestnut Avenue (groundshare with Northwood)
Windsor & Eton Stag Meadow
Worthing Woodside Road
1.^ Chelmsford City spent start of the season groundsharing with Billericay Town before returning to Chelmsford at January.

Division One

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Isthmian League
Division One
Season2005–06
ChampionsRamsgate
PromotedHorsham
Ramsgate
Tonbridge Angels
Matches played506
Goals scored1,451 (2.87 per match)
Top goalscorer28 goals – Phil Ruggles (Molesey)
Highest attendance1,734 – Dover AthleticRamsgate, (26 December)
Total attendance117,472
Average attendance232 (-36.3% to previous season)

The 2005–06 season was the last of two seasons in which the Isthmian League consisted of a single Division One.

Division One consisted of 23 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and six new clubs:

Ramsgate won the division and were promoted to the Premier Division along with runners-up Horsham, and play-off winners Tonbridge Angels who returned to the Premier Division at the first attempt. There was no relegation from the division this season, though Banstead Athletic resigned from the league at the end of the season.

At the end of the season Division One North and Division One South were created to replace Division One. Most of the clubs remaining in the division were transferred to the new Division One South.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Ramsgate 44 24 14 6 84 38 +46 86 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Horsham 44 25 11 8 94 55 +39 86
3 Tonbridge Angels 44 24 8 12 71 48 +23 80 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division
4 Metropolitan Police 44 24 7 13 72 46 +26 79 Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to Division One South
5 Dover Athletic 44 21 14 9 69 46 +23 77
6 Tooting & Mitcham United 44 22 9 13 93 62 +31 75
7 Kingstonian 44 20 14 10 82 56 +26 74 Transferred to Division One South
8 Croydon Athletic 44 20 13 11 56 41 +15 73
9 Bashley 44 20 10 14 63 61 +2 70 Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
10 Leatherhead 44 18 14 12 64 50 +14 68 Transferred to Division One South
11 Cray Wanderers 44 20 8 16 80 74 +6 68
12 Hastings United 44 19 10 15 65 58 +7 67
13 Dulwich Hamlet 44 19 8 17 55 43 +12 65
14 Fleet Town 44 13 19 12 50 56 −6 58
15 Walton Casuals 44 16 10 18 68 75 −7 58
16 Lymington & New Milton 44 12 11 21 61 80 −19 47 Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
17 Molesey 44 12 10 22 56 79 −23 46 Transferred to Division One South
18 Whyteleafe 44 10 14 20 50 66 −16 44
19 Burgess Hill Town 44 10 10 24 57 83 −26 40
20 Banstead Athletic 44 8 13 23 43 71 −28 37 Resigned to the Combined Counties League
21 Ashford Town (Kent) 44 8 11 25 41 81 −40 35 Transferred to Division One South
22 Newport (Isle of Wight) 44 6 11 27 38 97 −59 29 Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
23 Corinthian-Casuals 44 6 9 29 39 85 −46 27 Transferred to Division One South
Source: [1][2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Top scorers

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Player Club Goals[4]
Phil Ruggles Molesey 28
Richard Gillespie Bashley 22
James Rose Fleet Town / Kingstonian
Shaun Welford Ramsgate 21
Kevin Cooper Metropolitan Police / Fleet Town
Jamie Taylor Horsham

Play-offs

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Semifinals Final
      
4 Metropolitan Police 0
5 Dover Athletic 1
3 Tonbridge Angels 3
5 Dover Athletic 2
3 Tonbridge Angels 2
6 Tooting & Mitcham United 0

Stadia and locations

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Banstead Athletic
 
Corinthian-Casuals
 
Cray Wanderers
 
Croydon Athletic
 
Dulwich Hamlet
 
Kingstonian
 
Leatherhead
 
Metropolitan Police
 
Molesey
 
Tooting & Mitcham United
 
Whyteleafe
Locations of Division One clubs
Club Stadium
Ashford Town (Kent) The Homelands
Banstead Athletic Merland Rise
Bashley Bashley Road
Burgess Hill Town Leylands Park
Corinthian-Casuals King George's Field
Cray Wanderers Hayes Lane (groundshare with Bromley)
Croydon Athletic Keith Tuckey Stadium
Dover Athletic Crabble Athletic Ground
Dulwich Hamlet Champion Hill
Fleet Town Calthorpe Park
Hastings United The Pilot Field
Horsham Queen Street
Kingstonian Kingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon)
Leatherhead Fetcham Grove
Lymington & New Milton Fawcetts Fields
Metropolitan Police Imber Court
Molesey Walton Road Stadium
Newport (IOW) St Georges Park
Ramsgate Southwood Stadium
Tonbridge Angels Longmead Stadium
Tooting & Mitcham United Imperial Fields
Walton Casuals Waterside Stadium
Whyteleafe Church Road

Division Two

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Isthmian League
Division Two
Season2005–06
ChampionsWare
PromotedBrook House
Flackwell Heath
Ware
Witham Town
Matches played240
Goals scored735 (3.06 per match)
Top goalscorer29 goals – John Frendo (Ware)
Highest attendance416 – WareHertford Town, (26 December)
Total attendance16,276
Average attendance68 (-5.6% to previous season)

The 2005–06 season was the last Isthmian League Division Two season. Division Two consisted of 16 clubs, including 13 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs:

The four top clubs were promoted: Ware, Witham Town and Flackwell Heath moved to Division One North, while Brook House were transferred to the Southern League. Following this season, clubs remaining in the division were distributed between local ninth tier leagues. Clapton, who were one of the league founder members, were transferred to the Essex Senior League losing their place in the Isthmian League after 101 years.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Ware 30 19 4 7 77 36 +41 61 Promoted to Division One North
2 Witham Town 30 17 7 6 61 30 +31 58
3 Brook House 30 17 7 6 63 33 +30 58 Promoted to SFL Division One South & West
4 Flackwell Heath 30 15 7 8 54 49 +5 52 Promoted to Division One North
5 Egham Town 30 15 5 10 39 36 +3 50 Transferred to the Combined Counties League
6 Chertsey Town 30 14 7 9 47 37 +10 49
7 Edgware Town 30 13 5 12 46 41 +5 44 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
8 Chalfont St Peter 30 13 2 15 50 53 −3 41
9 Dorking 30 11 8 11 48 51 −3 41 Transferred to the Combined Counties League
10 Croydon 30 11 7 12 43 43 0 40 Transferred to the Kent League
11 Wembley 30 11 6 13 44 43 +1 39 Transferred to the Combined Counties League
12 Kingsbury Town 30 9 10 11 32 37 −5 37 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
13 Hertford Town 30 7 10 13 35 54 −19 31
14 Camberley Town 30 5 8 17 31 57 −26 23 Transferred to the Combined Counties League
15 Epsom & Ewell 30 5 6 19 32 64 −32 21
16 Clapton 30 4 9 17 33 71 −38 18[a] Transferred to the Essex Senior League
Source: [1][2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Clapton deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player in six matches.

Stadia and locations

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Banstead Athletic
 
Brook House
 
Chalfont St Peter
 
Clapton
 
Croydon
 
Edgware Town
 
Egham Town
 
Kingsbury Town
 
Wembley
Locations of Division Two clubs
Club Stadium
Brook House Farm Park
Camberley Town Kroomer Park
Chalfont St Peter Mill Meadow
Chertsey Town Alwyns Lane
Clapton The Old Spotted Dog Ground
Croydon Croydon Sports Arena
Dorking Meadowbank Stadium
Edgware Town White Lion
Egham Town The Runnymede Stadium
Epsom & Ewell Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic)
Flackwell Heath Wilks Park
Hertford Town Hertingfordbury Park
Kingsbury Town Avenue Park
Ware Wodson Park
Wembley Vale Farm
Witham Town Spa Road

League Cup

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2005–06 Isthmian League Cup
Tournament details
Country  England
Teams61
Final positions
ChampionsFisher Athletic
Runner-upBillericay Town

The Isthmian League Cup 2005–06 was the 32nd season of the Isthmian League Cup, the league cup competition of the Isthmian League. Sixty-one clubs took part. The competition commenced on 6 September 2005 and finished on 12 April 2006.[5]

Calendar

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Round Dates Matches Clubs
First round 6 September 19 61 → 42
Second round 11 October 10 42 → 32
Third round 8 November 16 32 → 16
Fourth round 20 December 8 16 → 8
Quarterfinals February 4 8 → 4
Semifinals March 4 4 → 2
Final 12 April 1 2 → 1

Fixtures and results

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Fixtures are listed in alphabetical order, not that which they were drawn in.

First round

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In the First round, the thirty-eight lowest ranked clubs in the Isthmian League played each other for a place in the Second round.

Second round

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The nineteen clubs to have made it through the First round were entered into the Second round draw with Cray Wanderers, making twenty teams.

Third round

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The ten clubs to have made it through the Second round were entered into the Third round draw with the twenty-two Premier Division clubs, making thirty-two teams.

Fourth round

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Quarterfinals

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Semifinals

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The Semifinals fixtures were played over two legs.

Final

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12 April 2006 Billericay Town (P)0–4 Fisher Athletic (P) New Recreation Ground, Grays
Barr   13', 57'
Davis   30'
Deen   69'
Attendance: 611

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Robinson, M. (2010). Non-League Football Tables 1889-2010. Soccer Books Ltd. ISBN 9781862232044.
  2. ^ a b c 2005–06 Isthmian League
  3. ^ "nonleaguefooty website". Archived from the original on 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  4. ^ a b "Isthmian League 2005/06 Bulletin No38".
  5. ^ The Isthmian archive
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