The1996–97 season was the 55th in the history ofEastern Counties Football League afootball competition in England.[1]
Wroxham were champions, winning their fourth Eastern Counties Football League title, while Wisbech Town were promoted to the Southern Football League, returning to the Southern League after seventeen seasons in the Eastern Counties Football League.
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Wroxham |
| Promoted | Wisbech Town |
| Relegated | Hadleigh United March Town United |
| Matches | 506 |
| Goals | 1,751 (3.46 per match) |
1997–98 → | |
The Premier Division featured 20 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs:
Also, Felixstowe Town changed name toFelixstowe Port & Town.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wroxham | 44 | 34 | 7 | 3 | 122 | 25 | +97 | 109 | |
| 2 | Wisbech Town | 44 | 32 | 8 | 4 | 141 | 37 | +104 | 104 | Promoted to theSouthern Football League |
| 3 | Harwich & Parkeston | 44 | 32 | 8 | 4 | 133 | 34 | +99 | 104 | |
| 4 | Diss Town | 44 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 81 | 41 | +40 | 91 | |
| 5 | Great Yarmouth Town | 44 | 26 | 7 | 11 | 87 | 51 | +36 | 85 | |
| 6 | Gorleston | 44 | 26 | 5 | 13 | 86 | 54 | +32 | 83 | |
| 7 | Bury Town | 44 | 23 | 10 | 11 | 101 | 54 | +47 | 79 | |
| 8 | Newmarket Town | 44 | 23 | 8 | 13 | 97 | 75 | +22 | 77 | |
| 9 | Lowestoft Town | 44 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 84 | 56 | +28 | 75 | |
| 10 | Stowmarket Town | 44 | 22 | 4 | 18 | 74 | 62 | +12 | 70 | |
| 11 | Tiptree United | 44 | 19 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 59 | +5 | 65 | |
| 12 | Halstead Town | 44 | 19 | 6 | 19 | 87 | 79 | +8 | 63 | |
| 13 | Soham Town Rangers | 44 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 82 | 87 | −5 | 58 | |
| 14 | Fakenham Town | 44 | 15 | 11 | 18 | 78 | 80 | −2 | 56 | |
| 15 | Warboys Town | 44 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 62 | 72 | −10 | 55 | |
| 16 | Woodbridge Town | 44 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 51 | 63 | −12 | 48 | |
| 17 | Sudbury Wanderers | 44 | 13 | 5 | 26 | 61 | 100 | −39 | 44 | |
| 18 | Felixstowe Port & Town | 44 | 11 | 6 | 27 | 56 | 103 | −47 | 39 | |
| 19 | Watton United | 44 | 10 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 106 | −57 | 36 | |
| 20 | Sudbury Town reserves | 44 | 7 | 7 | 30 | 46 | 96 | −50 | 28 | Resigned from the league |
| 21 | Clacton Town | 44 | 7 | 5 | 32 | 43 | 156 | −113 | 26 | |
| 22 | Hadleigh United | 44 | 5 | 8 | 31 | 41 | 128 | −87 | 23 | Relegated toDivision One |
| 23 | March Town United | 44 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 25 | 133 | −108 | 18 |
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Ely City |
| Promoted | Ely City Histon |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 983 (3.21 per match) |
1997–98 → | |
Division One featured 13 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with five new clubs:
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ely City | 34 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 93 | 36 | +57 | 86 | Promoted to thePremier Division |
| 2 | Histon | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 85 | 31 | +54 | 73 | |
| 3 | Maldon Town | 34 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 89 | 44 | +45 | 69 | |
| 4 | Needham Market | 34 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 67 | 24 | +43 | 68 | |
| 5 | Ipswich Wanderers | 34 | 20 | 6 | 8 | 80 | 35 | +45 | 66 | |
| 6 | Brightlingsea United | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 56 | |
| 7 | Swaffham Town | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 62 | 48 | +14 | 52 | |
| 8 | Haverhill Rovers | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 54 | 46 | +8 | 52 | |
| 9 | Stanway Rovers | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 55 | 49 | +6 | 52 | |
| 10 | Whitton United | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 45 | 58 | −13 | 39 | |
| 11 | Norwich United | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 38 | |
| 12 | Cambridge City reserves | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 51 | 68 | −17 | 37 | |
| 13 | Downham Town | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 45 | 88 | −43 | 31 | |
| 14 | Thetford Town | 34 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 34 | 66 | −32 | 30 | |
| 15 | Mildenhall Town | 34 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 35 | 61 | −26 | 29 | |
| 16 | Cornard United | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 40 | 70 | −30 | 26 | |
| 17 | Somersham Town | 34 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 69 | −46 | 25 | |
| 18 | Chatteris Town | 34 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 27 | 96 | −69 | 15 |