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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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Braintree Town42281047432+4294Promoted to the Conference South
2Heybridge Swifts42283117046+2487Qualified for the play-offs
3Fisher Athletic4226798446+3885Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Conference South
4AFC Wimbledon42221196736+3177Qualified for the play-offs
5Hampton & Richmond42243157354+1975
6Staines Town422010127456+1870
7Billericay Town421912116945+2469
8Worthing421910137160+1167
9Walton & Hersham42197165550+564
10Chelmsford City421810145762−564
11Bromley421614125749+862
12East Thurrock United42185196060059
13Folkestone Invicta421610164751−458
14Margate421117144955−650
15Leyton42139205861−348
16Harrow Borough42139205673−1748
17Slough Town42138216375−1247
18Wealdstone42135246882−1444Transferred to the SFL Premier Division
19Hendon42912214464−2039Reprieved from relegation
20Maldon Town42811234173−3235Relegated to Division One North
21Windsor & Eton4288263775−3832Relegated to the SFL Division One South & West
22Redbridge4235342897−6914Relegated 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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PlayerClubGoals[4]
Richard JollyHeybridge Swifts / Wealdstone26
Jermaine BeckfordWealdstone
Danny HocktonBillericay Town / Margate24
Ian HodgesSlough Town21
Steve WattsFisher Athletic
Alex RevellBraintree Town
Stafford BrowneWorthing17
Lawrence YakuHampton & Richmond Borough
Nic McDonnellBromley

Play-offs

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SemifinalsFinal
      
2Heybridge Swifts1(2)
5Hampton & Richmond1(4)
3Fisher Athletic3
5Hampton & Richmond0
3Fisher Athletic2
4AFC Wimbledon1

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
ClubStadium
AFC WimbledonKingsmeadow (groundshare with Kingstonian)
Billericay TownNew Lodge
Braintree TownCressing Road
BromleyHayes Lane
Chelmsford CityMelbourne Stadium[1]
East Thurrock UnitedRookery Hill
Fisher AthleticChampion Hill (groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet)
Folkestone InvictaCheriton Road
Hampton & Richmond BoroughBeveree Stadium
Harrow BoroughEarlsmead Stadium
HendonClaremont Road
Heybridge SwiftsScraley Road
LeytonLeyton Stadium
Maldon TownWallace Binder Ground
MargateHartsdown Park
RedbridgeOakside
Slough TownStag Meadow (groundshare with Windsor & Eton)
Staines TownWheatsheaf Park
Walton & HershamThe Sports Ground
WealdstoneChestnut Avenue (groundshare with Northwood)
Windsor & EtonStag Meadow
WorthingWoodside 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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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Ramsgate44241468438+4686Promoted to the Premier Division
2Horsham44251189455+3986
3Tonbridge Angels44248127148+2380Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division
4Metropolitan Police44247137246+2679Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to Division One South
5Dover Athletic44211496946+2377
6Tooting & Mitcham United44229139362+3175
7Kingstonian442014108256+2674Transferred to Division One South
8Croydon Athletic442013115641+1573
9Bashley442010146361+270Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
10Leatherhead441814126450+1468Transferred to Division One South
11Cray Wanderers44208168074+668
12Hastings United441910156558+767
13Dulwich Hamlet44198175543+1265
14Fleet Town441319125056−658
15Walton Casuals441610186875−758
16Lymington & New Milton441211216180−1947Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
17Molesey441210225679−2346Transferred to Division One South
18Whyteleafe441014205066−1644
19Burgess Hill Town441010245783−2640
20Banstead Athletic44813234371−2837Resigned to the Combined Counties League
21Ashford Town (Kent)44811254181−4035Transferred to Division One South
22Newport (Isle of Wight)44611273897−5929Transferred to SFL Division One South & West
23Corinthian-Casuals4469293985−4627Transferred 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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PlayerClubGoals[4]
Phil RugglesMolesey28
Richard GillespieBashley22
James RoseFleet Town / Kingstonian
Shaun WelfordRamsgate21
Kevin CooperMetropolitan Police / Fleet Town
Jamie TaylorHorsham

Play-offs

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SemifinalsFinal
      
4Metropolitan Police0
5Dover Athletic1
3Tonbridge Angels3
5Dover Athletic2
3Tonbridge Angels2
6Tooting & Mitcham United0

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
ClubStadium
Ashford Town (Kent)The Homelands
Banstead AthleticMerland Rise
BashleyBashley Road
Burgess Hill TownLeylands Park
Corinthian-CasualsKing George's Field
Cray WanderersHayes Lane (groundshare with Bromley)
Croydon AthleticKeith Tuckey Stadium
Dover AthleticCrabble Athletic Ground
Dulwich HamletChampion Hill
Fleet TownCalthorpe Park
Hastings UnitedThe Pilot Field
HorshamQueen Street
KingstonianKingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon)
LeatherheadFetcham Grove
Lymington & New MiltonFawcetts Fields
Metropolitan PoliceImber Court
MoleseyWalton Road Stadium
Newport (IOW)St Georges Park
RamsgateSouthwood Stadium
Tonbridge AngelsLongmead Stadium
Tooting & Mitcham UnitedImperial Fields
Walton CasualsWaterside Stadium
WhyteleafeChurch 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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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Ware3019477736+4161Promoted to Division One North
2Witham Town3017766130+3158
3Brook House3017766333+3058Promoted to SFL Division One South & West
4Flackwell Heath3015785449+552Promoted to Division One North
5Egham Town30155103936+350Transferred to the Combined Counties League
6Chertsey Town3014794737+1049
7Edgware Town30135124641+544Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
8Chalfont St Peter30132155053−341
9Dorking30118114851−341Transferred to the Combined Counties League
10Croydon30117124343040Transferred to the Kent League
11Wembley30116134443+139Transferred to the Combined Counties League
12Kingsbury Town30910113237−537Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
13Hertford Town30710133554−1931
14Camberley Town3058173157−2623Transferred to the Combined Counties League
15Epsom & Ewell3056193264−3221
16Clapton3049173371−3818[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
ClubStadium
Brook HouseFarm Park
Camberley TownKroomer Park
Chalfont St PeterMill Meadow
Chertsey TownAlwyns Lane
ClaptonThe Old Spotted Dog Ground
CroydonCroydon Sports Arena
DorkingMeadowbank Stadium
Edgware TownWhite Lion
Egham TownThe Runnymede Stadium
Epsom & EwellMerland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic)
Flackwell HeathWilks Park
Hertford TownHertingfordbury Park
Kingsbury TownAvenue Park
WareWodson Park
WembleyVale Farm
Witham TownSpa 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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RoundDatesMatchesClubs
First round6 September1961 → 42
Second round11 October1042 → 32
Third round8 November1632 → 16
Fourth round20 December816 → 8
QuarterfinalsFebruary48 → 4
SemifinalsMarch44 → 2
Final12 April12 → 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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