The2022–23 season was the 80th season in the history of theEastern Counties Football League, afootball competition in England. Teams are divided into three divisions, the Premier Division at Step 5, and the geographically separated Division One North and Division One South, both at Step 6 of theEnglish football league system.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by the Football Association and published on the league's website on 13 May 2022,[1] subject to appeals.
Ipswich Wanderers were champions, winning their first Eastern Counties Football League title and were promoted to the Isthmian League for the first time in their history, while Thetford Town lost their inter-step play-off tie.
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Ipswich Wanderers |
| Promoted | Ipswich Wanderers |
| Relegated | Haverhill Rovers Whitton United |
| Matches | 380 |
| Goals | 1,304 (3.43 per match) |
2023–24 → | |
The Premier Division featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ipswich Wanderers | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 94 | 36 | +58 | 89 | Promoted to theIsthmian League |
| 2 | Thetford Town | 38 | 26 | 4 | 8 | 102 | 48 | +54 | 82 | Qualified for aninter-step play-off |
| 3 | Harleston Town | 38 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 73 | 41 | +32 | 70 | |
| 4 | Woodbridge Town | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 72 | 50 | +22 | 70 | |
| 5 | Lakenheath | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 79 | 59 | +20 | 68 | |
| 6 | Mildenhall Town | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 79 | 49 | +30 | 66 | |
| 7 | Sheringham | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 77 | 54 | +23 | 63 | |
| 8 | Norwich United | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 74 | 52 | +22 | 60 | |
| 9 | Hadleigh United | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 64 | 49 | +15 | 60 | |
| 10 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 63 | 41 | +22 | 57 | |
| 11 | Long Melford | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 54 | 67 | −13 | 50 | |
| 12 | Newmarket Town | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 70 | 63 | +7 | 49 | |
| 13 | Brantham Athletic | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 60 | 65 | −5 | 48 | |
| 14 | Walsham-le-Willows | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 65 | 69 | −4 | 41 | |
| 15 | Soham Town Rangers | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 61 | 71 | −10 | 41 | |
| 16 | Kirkley & Pakefield | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 40 | |
| 17 | Fakenham Town | 38 | 11 | 3 | 24 | 53 | 79 | −26 | 36 | |
| 18 | Ely City | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 44 | 86 | −42 | 36 | |
| 19 | Haverhill Rovers | 38 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 43 | 96 | −53 | 30 | Relegated toDivision One North |
| 20 | Whitton United | 38 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 27 | 168 | −141 | 9 |
| 29 April 2023 | Barton Rovers | 2–0 | Thetford Town | Barton-le-Clay |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Sharpenhoe Road |
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Brantham Athletic | Brantham Leisure Centre | 1,200 |
| Ely City | Unwin Sports Ground | 1,500 |
| Fakenham Town | Clipbush Park | 2,000 |
| Hadleigh United | Millfield | 3,000 |
| Harleston Town | Wilderness Lane | |
| Haverhill Rovers | New Croft | 3,000 |
| Ipswich Wanderers | Humber Doucy Lane | |
| Kirkley & Pakefield | Walmer Road | 2,000 |
| Lakenheath | The Nest | |
| Long Melford | Stoneylands | |
| Mildenhall Town | Recreation Way | 2,000 |
| Mulbarton Wanderers | The Common | |
| Newmarket Town | Cricket Field Road | 2,750 |
| Norwich United | Plantation Park | 3,000 |
| Sheringham | Weybourne Road | |
| Soham Town Rangers | Julius Martin Lane | 2,000 |
| Thetford Town | Mundford Road | 1,500 |
| Walsham-le-Willows | Summer Road | 1,000 |
| Whitton United | King George V Playing Fields | 1,000 |
| Woodbridge Town | Notcutts Park | 3,000 |
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Heacham |
| Promoted | Downham Town Heacham |
| Relegated | Debenham LC |
| Matches | 342 |
| Goals | 1,267 (3.7 per match) |
2023–24 → | |
Division One North featured eleven clubs which competed in the previous season, along with eight new clubs.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heacham | 36 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 96 | 34 | +62 | 85 | Promoted to thePremier Division |
| 2 | Downham Town | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 84 | 35 | +49 | 81 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then promoted to thePremier Division |
| 3 | Framlingham Town | 36 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 93 | 42 | +51 | 71 | Qualified for theplay-offs |
| 4 | Harwich & Parkeston | 36 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 82 | 52 | +30 | 71 | |
| 5 | Whittlesey Athletic | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 81 | 54 | +27 | 66 | |
| 6 | Cornard United | 36 | 17 | 5 | 14 | 83 | 64 | +19 | 56 | |
| 7 | Huntingdon Town | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 71 | 54 | +17 | 58 | Transferred to theSpartan South Midlands League |
| 8 | AFC Sudbury reserves | 36 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 86 | 70 | +16 | 54 | |
| 9 | Norwich CBS | 36 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 76 | 74 | +2 | 52 | |
| 10 | Holbeach United | 36 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 47 | |
| 11 | Holland | 36 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 57 | 70 | −13 | 46 | |
| 12 | Diss Town | 36 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 42 | |
| 13 | Great Yarmouth Town | 36 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 38 | |
| 14 | Swaffham Town | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 40 | 70 | −30 | 37 | |
| 15 | Needham Market under 23s | 36 | 10 | 4 | 22 | 59 | 99 | −40 | 34 | |
| 16 | Leiston reserves | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 46 | 92 | −46 | 34 | |
| 17 | Haverhill Borough | 36 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 59 | 108 | −49 | 32 | |
| 18 | FC Parson Drove | 36 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 45 | 87 | −42 | 29 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 19 | Debenham LC | 36 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 86 | −41 | 26 | Relegated to theSuffolk and Ipswich League |
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Downham Town | 4 | |||||||
| 5 | Whittlesey Athletic | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Downham Town | 4 | |||||||
| 4 | Harwich & Parkeston | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Framlingham Town | 1 (4) | |||||||
| 4 | Harwich & Parkeston | 1 (5) | |||||||
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Sudbury reserves | King's Marsh | 2,500 |
| Cornard United | Blackhouse Lane | |
| Debenham LC | Maitlands | 1,000 |
| Diss Town | Brewers Green Lane | 2,500 |
| Downham Town | Memorial Field | 1,000 |
| FC Parson Drove | Main Road | |
| Framlingham Town | Badingham Road | |
| Great Yarmouth Town | Wellesley Recreation Ground | 3,600 |
| Harwich & Parkeston | Royal Oak | |
| Haverhill Borough | New Croft (artificial, groundshare withHaverhill Rovers) | 3,000 |
| Heacham | Station Road | |
| Holbeach United | Carters Park | 4,000 |
| Holland | Dulwich Road | |
| Huntingdon Town | Jubilee Park | |
| Leiston reserves | Victory Road | 2,500 |
| Needham Market reserves | Bloomfields | 4,000 |
| Norwich CBS | FDC Bowthorpe | |
| Swaffham Town | Shoemakers Lane | |
| Whittlesey Athletic | Feldale Field |
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Frenford |
| Promoted | Frenford Sporting Bengal United |
| Relegated | Coggeshall United |
| Matches | 342 |
| Goals | 1,248 (3.65 per match) |
2023–24 → | |
Division One South featured eleven clubs which competed in the division last season, along with eight new clubs:
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frenford | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 82 | 51 | +31 | 81 | Promoted to theEssex Senior League |
| 2 | Basildon Town | 36 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 90 | 50 | +40 | 80 | Qualified for theplay-offs |
| 3 | Wormley Rovers | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 89 | 39 | +50 | 76 | |
| 4 | Sporting Bengal United | 36 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 82 | 61 | +21 | 73 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then promoted to theEssex Senior League |
| 5 | Stanway Pegasus | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 80 | 57 | +23 | 66 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then transferred toDivision One North |
| 6 | Benfleet | 36 | 20 | 4 | 12 | 74 | 50 | +24 | 64 | |
| 7 | Burnham Ramblers | 36 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 72 | 44 | +28 | 61 | |
| 8 | May & Baker | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 59 | 51 | +8 | 58 | |
| 9 | Cannons Wood | 36 | 15 | 5 | 16 | 74 | 65 | +9 | 50 | |
| 10 | St Margaretsbury | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 61 | 68 | −7 | 49 | |
| 11 | Park View | 36 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 58 | 69 | −11 | 44 | |
| 12 | Barkingside | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 51 | 58 | −7 | 40 | |
| 13 | Enfield Borough | 36 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 53 | 68 | −15 | 39 | |
| 14 | Tower Hamlets | 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 52 | 78 | −26 | 35 | |
| 15 | Wivenhoe Town | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 58 | 87 | −29 | 34 | Transferred toDivision One North |
| 16 | Newbury Forest | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 58 | 90 | −32 | 33 | |
| 17 | NW London | 36 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 70 | 91 | −21 | 32 | |
| 18 | Hackney Wick | 36 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 39 | 67 | −28 | 31 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 19 | Coggeshall United | 36 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 46 | 104 | −58 | 18 | Club folded |
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Basildon Town | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | Stanway Pegasus | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | Stanway Pegasus | 2 (2) | |||||||
| 4 | Sporting Bengal United | 2 (4) | |||||||
| 3 | Wormley Rovers | 0 | |||||||
| 4 | Sporting Bengal United | 2 | |||||||
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Barkingside | Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare withIlford) | 3,500 |
| Basildon Town | Rookery Hill (groundshare withEast Thurrock United) | 3,500 |
| Benfleet | Park Lane (groundshare withCanvey Island) | 4,100 |
| Burnham Ramblers | Leslie Fields | 2,000 |
| Cannons Wood | The Harlow Arena (groundshare withHarlow Town) | 3,500 |
| Coggeshall United | West Street (groundshare withCoggeshall Town) | |
| Enfield Borough | The Maurice Rebak Stadium (groundshare withWingate & Finchley) | 1,500 |
| Frenford | The Jack Carter Centre | 2,000 |
| Hackney Wick | Spa Road (groundshare withWitham Town) | 2,500 |
| May & Baker | Parkside Stadium (groundshare withAveley) | 3,500 |
| Newbury Forest | Oakside Stadium (groundshare withRedbridge) | 3,000 |
| NW London | Brickfield Lane (groundshare withHadley) | 2,000 |
| Park View | New River Stadium | 5,000 |
| Sporting Bengal United | Mile End Stadium (groundshare withTower Hamlets) | 2,000 |
| St Margaretsbury | Recreation Ground | 1,000 |
| Stanway Pegasus | The Stanway School | |
| Tower Hamlets | Mile End Stadium (groundshare withSporting Bengal United) | 2,000 |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane | 2,876 |
| Wormley Rovers | Wormley Playing Fields | 500 |
