The1997–98 season was the 83rd season of theIsthmian League, which is an Englishfootball competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London,East andSouth East England. The league consisted of four divisions.
| Season | 1997–98 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Kingstonian |
| Promoted | Kingstonian |
| Relegated | Hitchin Town Oxford City Yeading |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,343 (2.91 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 2,019 –Kingstonian –Sutton United,(15 November) |
| Total attendance | 206,905 |
| Average attendance | 448 (-10.0% to previous season) |
1998–99 → | |
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from theprevious season and four new clubs:
Kingstonian won the division and were promoted to the Football Conference to reach the highest level in the club history. Yeading, Hitchin Town and Oxford City finished bottom of the table and relegated to the First Division.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingstonian | 42 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 84 | 35 | +49 | 87 | Promoted to theFootball Conference |
| 2 | Boreham Wood | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 81 | 42 | +39 | 80 | |
| 3 | Sutton United | 42 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 83 | 56 | +27 | 78 | |
| 4 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 73 | 50 | +23 | 73 | |
| 5 | Hendon | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 73 | |
| 6 | Heybridge Swifts | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 74 | 62 | +12 | 65 | |
| 7 | Enfield | 42 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 66 | 58 | +8 | 62 | |
| 8 | Basingstoke Town | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 56 | 60 | −4 | 62 | |
| 9 | Walton & Hersham | 42 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 50 | 70 | −20 | 60 | |
| 10 | Purfleet | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 57 | 58 | −1 | 58 | |
| 11 | St Albans City | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 54 | 59 | −5 | 58 | |
| 12 | Harrow Borough | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 60 | 67 | −7 | 55 | |
| 13 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 65 | 67 | −2 | 53 | |
| 14 | Chesham United | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 71 | 70 | +1 | 52 | |
| 15 | Bromley | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 52 | |
| 16 | Dulwich Hamlet | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 56 | 67 | −11 | 50 | |
| 17 | Carshalton Athletic | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 54 | 77 | −23 | 48 | |
| 18 | Aylesbury United | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 55 | 70 | −15 | 47 | |
| 19 | Bishop's Stortford | 42 | 14 | 5 | 23 | 53 | 69 | −16 | 47 | |
| 20 | Yeading | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 49 | 65 | −16 | 47 | Relegated toDivision One |
| 21 | Hitchin Town | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 45 | 62 | −17 | 39 | |
| 22 | Oxford City | 42 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 76 | −41 | 30 |
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Aylesbury United | Buckingham Road |
| Basingstoke Town | The Camrose |
| Bishop's Stortford | Woodside Park |
| Boreham Wood | Meadow Park |
| Bromley | Hayes Lane |
| Carshalton Athletic | War Memorial Sports Ground |
| Chesham United | The Meadow |
| Enfield | Meadow Park (groundshare with Boreham Wood) |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | Victoria Road |
| Dulwich Hamlet | Champion Hill |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | Stonebridge Road |
| Harrow Borough | Earlsmead Stadium |
| Hendon | Claremont Road |
| Heybridge Swifts | Scraley Road |
| Hitchin Town | Top Field |
| Kingstonian | Kingsmeadow |
| Oxford City | Marsh Lane |
| St Albans City | Clarence Park |
| Sutton United | Gander Green Lane |
| Thurrock | Ship Lane |
| Walton & Hersham | The Sports Ground |
| Yeading | The Warren |
| Season | 1997–98 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aldershot Town |
| Promoted | Aldershot Town Billericay Town Hampton |
| Relegated | Abingdon Town Thame United Wokingham Town |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,382 (2.99 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 4,289 –Aldershot Town –Berkhamsted Town,(2 May) |
| Total attendance | 142,653 |
| Average attendance | 309 (+2.3% to previous season) |
1998–99 → | |
Division One consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs from theprevious season and six new clubs:Three clubs relegated from the Premier Division:
Three clubs promoted from Division Two:
Before the start of the season Collier Row & Romford F.C. were renamedRomford.
Aldershot Town won the division and were promoted to the Premier Division along with Billericay Town and Hampton. Wokingham Town, Abingdon Town and Thame United relegated to Division Two.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aldershot Town | 42 | 28 | 8 | 6 | 89 | 36 | +53 | 92 | Promoted to thePremier Division |
| 2 | Billericay Town | 42 | 25 | 6 | 11 | 78 | 44 | +34 | 81 | |
| 3 | Hampton | 42 | 22 | 15 | 5 | 75 | 47 | +28 | 81 | |
| 4 | Maidenhead United | 42 | 25 | 5 | 12 | 76 | 37 | +39 | 80 | |
| 5 | Uxbridge | 42 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 66 | 59 | +7 | 75 | |
| 6 | Grays Athletic | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 79 | 49 | +30 | 73 | |
| 7 | Romford | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 92 | 59 | +33 | 71 | |
| 8 | Bognor Regis Town | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 77 | 45 | +32 | 69 | |
| 9 | Leatherhead | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 70 | 51 | +19 | 65 | |
| 10 | Leyton Pennant | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 66 | 58 | +8 | 62 | |
| 11 | Chertsey Town | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 83 | 70 | +13 | 61 | |
| 12 | Worthing | 42 | 17 | 6 | 19 | 64 | 71 | −7 | 57 | |
| 13 | Berkhamsted Town | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 59 | 69 | −10 | 53 | |
| 14 | Staines Town | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 54 | 71 | −17 | 49 | |
| 15 | Croydon | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 49 | |
| 16 | Barton Rovers | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 46 | |
| 17 | Wembley | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 38 | 61 | −23 | 45 | |
| 18 | Molesey | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 47 | 65 | −18 | 41 | |
| 19 | Whyteleafe | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 48 | 83 | −35 | 40 | |
| 20 | Wokingham Town | 42 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 41 | 74 | −33 | 31 | Relegated toDivision Two |
| 21 | Abingdon Town | 42 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 47 | 101 | −54 | 31 | |
| 22 | Thame United | 42 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 33 | 96 | −63 | 30 |
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Abingdon Town | Culham Road |
| Aldershot Town | Recreation Ground |
| Barton Rovers | Sharpenhoe Road |
| Berkhamsted Town | Broadwater |
| Billericay Town | New Lodge |
| Bognor Regis Town | Nyewood Lane |
| Chertsey Town | Alwyns Lane |
| Croydon | Croydon Sports Arena |
| Grays Athletic | New Recreation Ground |
| Hampton | Beveree Stadium |
| Leatherhead | Fetcham Grove |
| Leyton Pennant | Wadham Lodge |
| Maidenhead United | York Road |
| Molesey | Walton Road Stadium |
| Romford | Sungate |
| Staines Town | Wheatsheaf Park |
| Thame United | Windmill Road |
| Uxbridge | Honeycroft |
| Wembley | Vale Farm |
| Whyteleafe | Church Road |
| Wokingham Town | Cantley Park |
| Worthing | Woodside Road |
| Season | 1997–98 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Canvey Island |
| Promoted | Braintree Town Canvey Island Wealdstone |
| Relegated | Cheshunt Egham Town Tilbury |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,496 (3.24 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 1,108 –Canvey Island –Braintree Town,(3 January) |
| Total attendance | 78,257 |
| Average attendance | 169 (+24.3% to previous season) |
1998–99 → | |
Division Two consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs from theprevious season and six new clubs:
Three clubs relegated from Division One:
Three clubs promoted from Division Three:
Canvey Island won the division and returned to Division One straight after relegation from it along with Braintree Town and Wealdstone, both achieved the second promotions in two seasons. Tilbury relegated to Division Three along with Egham Town and Abingdon Town.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canvey Island | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 | 116 | 41 | +75 | 98 | Promoted toDivision One |
| 2 | Braintree Town | 42 | 29 | 11 | 2 | 117 | 45 | +72 | 98 | |
| 3 | Wealdstone | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 81 | 46 | +35 | 83 | |
| 4 | Bedford Town | 42 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 25 | +30 | 78 | |
| 5 | Metropolitan Police | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 80 | 65 | +15 | 71 | |
| 6 | Wivenhoe Town | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 84 | 66 | +18 | 66 | |
| 7 | Edgware Town | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 81 | 65 | +16 | 64 | |
| 8 | Chalfont St Peter | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 63 | 60 | +3 | 64 | |
| 9 | Northwood | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 65 | 69 | −4 | 62 | |
| 10 | Windsor & Eton | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 74 | 72 | +2 | 58 | |
| 11 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 56 | +2 | 57 | |
| 12 | Barking | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 62 | 75 | −13 | 57 | |
| 13 | Banstead Athletic | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 60 | 63 | −3 | 54 | |
| 14 | Marlow | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 64 | 78 | −14 | 53 | |
| 15 | Horsham | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 67 | 75 | −8 | 48 | |
| 16 | Bracknell Town | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 68 | 93 | −25 | 47 | |
| 17 | Leighton Town | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 45 | 78 | −33 | 45 | |
| 18 | Hungerford Town | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 66 | 77 | −11 | 44 | |
| 19 | Witham Town | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 68 | −13 | 40 | |
| 20 | Tilbury | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 57 | 88 | −31 | 39 | Relegated toDivision Three |
| 21 | Egham Town | 42 | 9 | 5 | 28 | 47 | 101 | −54 | 32 | |
| 22 | Cheshunt | 42 | 4 | 10 | 28 | 31 | 90 | −59 | 22 |
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Banstead Athletic | Merland Rise |
| Barking | Mayesbrook Park |
| Bedford Town | The Eyrie |
| Bracknell Town | Larges Lane |
| Braintree Town | Cressing Road |
| Canvey Island | Brockwell Stadium |
| Chalfont St Peter | Mill Meadow |
| Cheshunt | Cheshunt Stadium |
| Edgware Town | White Lion |
| Egham Town | The Runnymede Stadium |
| Horsham | Queen Street |
| Hungerford Town | Bulpit Lane |
| Leighton Town | Bell Close |
| Marlow | Alfred Davis Memorial Ground |
| Metropolitan Police | Imber Court |
| Northwood | Chestnut Avenue |
| Tilbury | Chadfields |
| Tooting & Mitcham United | Imperial Fields |
| Wealdstone | White Lion (groundshare with Edgware Town) |
| Windsor & Eton | Stag Meadow |
| Witham Town | Spa Road |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane |
| Season | 1997–98 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Hemel Hempstead |
| Promoted | Harlow Town Hemel Hempstead Hertford Town |
| Matches | 380 |
| Goals | 1,221 (3.21 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 480 –Hertford Town –Ware,(27 December) |
| Total attendance | 29,119 |
| Average attendance | 77 (-31.3% to previous season) |
1998–99 → | |
Division Three consisted of 20 clubs, including 14 clubs from theprevious season and six new clubs:
Three clubs relegated from Division Two:
Plus:
Hemel Hempstead won the division and returned to Division Two straight after relegation along with Hertford Town and Harlow Town.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hemel Hempstead | 38 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 84 | 28 | +56 | 87 | Promoted toDivision Two |
| 2 | Hertford Town | 38 | 26 | 5 | 7 | 77 | 31 | +46 | 83 | |
| 3 | Harlow Town | 38 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 81 | 42 | +39 | 83 | |
| 4 | Camberley Town | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 93 | 43 | +50 | 79 | |
| 5 | Ford United | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 90 | 34 | +56 | 78 | |
| 6 | East Thurrock United | 38 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 70 | 40 | +30 | 76 | |
| 7 | Ware | 38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 69 | 57 | +12 | 57 | |
| 8 | Epsom & Ewell | 38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 68 | 57 | +11 | 57 | |
| 9 | Aveley | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 65 | 57 | +8 | 55 | |
| 10 | Corinthian-Casuals | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 59 | 57 | +2 | 54 | |
| 11 | Hornchurch | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 55 | 68 | −13 | 45 | |
| 12 | Clapton | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 46 | 61 | −15 | 45 | |
| 13 | Flackwell Heath | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 50 | 76 | −26 | 45 | |
| 14 | Croydon Athletic | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 43 | |
| 15 | Tring Town | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 51 | 69 | −18 | 43 | |
| 16 | Southall | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 41 | 85 | −44 | 36 | |
| 17 | Dorking | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 49 | 94 | −45 | 33 | |
| 18 | Wingate & Finchley | 38 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 46 | 80 | −34 | 29 | |
| 19 | Lewes | 38 | 7 | 5 | 26 | 34 | 88 | −54 | 26 | |
| 20 | Kingsbury Town | 38 | 5 | 3 | 30 | 35 | 91 | −56 | 18 |
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Aveley | The Mill Field |
| Camberley Town | Kroomer Park |
| Clapton | The Old Spotted Dog Ground |
| Corinthian-Casuals | King George's Field |
| Croydon Athletic | Keith Tuckey Stadium |
| Dorking | Meadowbank Stadium |
| East Thurrock United | Rookery Hill |
| Epsom & Ewell | Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic) |
| Flackwell Heath | Wilks Park |
| Ford United | Oakside |
| Harlow Town | Harlow Sportcentre |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | Vauxhall Road |
| Hertford Town | Hertingfordbury Park |
| Hornchurch | Hornchurch Stadium |
| Kingsbury Town | Avenue Park |
| Lewes | The Dripping Pan |
| Southall | Robert Parker Stadium |
| Tring Town | Pendley Ground |
| Ware | Wodson Park |
| Wingate & Finchley | The Harry Abrahams Stadium |
