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.
| Competition: | Isthmian League Premier Division |
| Season: | 2005–06 |
| Winners: | Braintree Town |
| Promoted: | Braintree Town Fisher Athletic |
| Relegated: | Maldon Town Redbridge Windsor & Eton |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1302 |
| League Topscorer: | 26 goals – Richard Jolly (Heybridge Swifts) and Jermaine Beckford (Wealdstone) |
| Highest Attendance: | 3,315 – AFC Wimbledon – Hampton & Richmond Borough, (18 February) |
| Attendance: | 215,064 |
| Average Attendance: | 466 (+44.3% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2004–05 |
| Nextseason: | 2006–07 |
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.
| Player | Club | Goals[1] |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Club | Stadium | |
|---|---|---|
| Kingsmeadow (groundshare with Kingstonian) | ||
| New Lodge | ||
| Cressing Road | ||
| Hayes Lane | ||
| Melbourne Stadium | ||
| Rookery Hill | ||
| Champion Hill (groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet) | ||
| Cheriton Road | ||
| Beveree Stadium | ||
| Earlsmead Stadium | ||
| Claremont Road | ||
| Scraley Road | ||
| Leyton Stadium | ||
| Wallace Binder Ground | ||
| Hartsdown Park | ||
| Oakside | ||
| Stag Meadow (groundshare with Windsor & Eton) | ||
| Wheatsheaf Park | ||
| The Sports Ground | ||
| Chestnut Avenue (groundshare with Northwood) | ||
| Stag Meadow | ||
| Woodside Road |
1.Chelmsford City spent start of the season groundsharing with Billericay Town before returning to Chelmsford at January.
| Competition: | Isthmian League Division One |
| Season: | 2005–06 |
| Winners: | Ramsgate |
| Promoted: | Horsham Ramsgate Tonbridge Angels |
| Matches: | 506 |
| Total Goals: | 1451 |
| League Topscorer: | 28 goals – Phil Ruggles (Molesey) |
| Highest Attendance: | 1,734 – Dover Athletic – Ramsgate, (26 December) |
| Attendance: | 117,472 |
| Average Attendance: | 232 (-36.3% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2004–05 |
| Nextseason: | 2006–07 (North) 2006–07 (South) |
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.
| Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Club | Stadium | |
|---|---|---|
| The Homelands | ||
| Merland Rise | ||
| Bashley Road | ||
| Leylands Park | ||
| King George's Field | ||
| Hayes Lane (groundshare with Bromley) | ||
| Keith Tuckey Stadium | ||
| Crabble Athletic Ground | ||
| Champion Hill | ||
| Calthorpe Park | ||
| The Pilot Field | ||
| Queen Street | ||
| Kingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon) | ||
| Fetcham Grove | ||
| Fawcetts Fields | ||
| Imber Court | ||
| Walton Road Stadium | ||
| St Georges Park | ||
| Southwood Stadium | ||
| Longmead Stadium | ||
| Imperial Fields | ||
| Waterside Stadium | ||
| Church Road |
| Competition: | Isthmian League Division Two |
| Season: | 2005–06 |
| Winners: | Ware |
| Promoted: | Brook House Flackwell Heath Ware Witham Town |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 735 |
| League Topscorer: | 29 goals – John Frendo (Ware) |
| Highest Attendance: | 416 – Ware – Hertford Town, (26 December) |
| Attendance: | 16,276 |
| Average Attendance: | 68 (-5.6% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2004–05 |
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.
| Club | Stadium | |
|---|---|---|
| Farm Park | ||
| Kroomer Park | ||
| Mill Meadow | ||
| Alwyns Lane | ||
| The Old Spotted Dog Ground | ||
| Croydon Sports Arena | ||
| Meadowbank Stadium | ||
| White Lion | ||
| The Runnymede Stadium | ||
| Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic) | ||
| Wilks Park | ||
| Hertingfordbury Park | ||
| Avenue Park | ||
| Wodson Park | ||
| Vale Farm | ||
| Spa Road |
| Isthmian League Cup | |
| Year: | 2005–06 |
| Num Teams: | 61 |
| Winners: | Fisher Athletic |
| Second: | Billericay Town |
| Prev Season: | 2004–05 |
| Next Season: | 2006–07 |
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.[2]
| Round | Dates | Matches | width=100 | 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 are listed in alphabetical order, not that which they were drawn in.
In the First round, the thirty-eight lowest ranked clubs in the Isthmian League played each other for a place in the Second round.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 1 | Banstead Athletic (1) | 2–1 | Corinthian-Casuals (1) | 57 | |
| 2 | Burgess Hill Town (1) | 2–4 | Brook House (2) | 74 | |
| 3 | Camberley Town (2) | 0–1 | Edgware Town (2) | 57 | |
| 4 | Chertsey Town (2) | 1–2 | Leatherhead (1) | 124 | |
| 5 | Croydon (2) | 1–3 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 63 | |
| 6 | Dover Athletic (1) | 1–0 | Ware (2) | 301 | |
| 7 | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 3–1 | Bashley (1) | 107 | |
| 8 | Egham Town (2) | 2–3 | Fleet Town (1) | 50 | |
| 9 | Epsom & Ewell (2) | 0–3 | Hastings United (1) | 39 | |
| 10 | Flackwell Heath (2) | 1–3 | Witham Town (2) | 40 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 11 | Horsham (1) | 6–1 | Chalfont St. Peter (2) | 102 | |
| 12 | Kingsbury Town (2) | 3–1 | Molesey (1) | 37 | |
| 13 | Lymington & New Milton (1) | 2–0 | Kingstonian (1) | 90 | |
| 14 | Metropolitan Police (1) | 4–2 | Hertford Town (2) | 45 | |
| 15 | Ramsgate (1) | 1–2 | Newport IOW (1) | 128 | |
| 16 | Tonbridge Angels (1) | 3–1 | Clapton (2) | 170 | |
| 17 | Walton Casuals (1) | 0–4 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 113 | |
| 18 | Wembley (2) | 5–2 | Ashford Town (Kent) (1) | 52 | |
| 19 | Whyteleafe (1) | 1–3 | Dorking (2) | 57 |
The nineteen clubs to have made it through the First round were entered into the Second round draw with Cray Wanderers, making twenty teams.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 20 | Cray Wanderers (1) | 6–0 | Kingsbury Town (2) | 34 | |
| 21 | Dorking (2) | 0–3 | Edgware Town (2) | 48 | |
| 22 | Dover Athletic (1) | 5–0 | Wembley (2) | 314 | |
| 23 | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 3–2 | Banstead Athletic (1) | 98 | |
| 24 | Fleet Town (1) | 1–3 | Hastings United (1) | 69 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 25 | Leatherhead (1) | 4–1 | Metropolitan Police (1) | 117 | |
| 26 | Lymington & New Milton (1) | 1–4 | Horsham (1) | 31 | |
| 27 | Newport IOW (1) | 1–2 | Brook House (2) | 114 | |
| 28 | Tonbridge Angels (1) | 0–1 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 224 | |
| 29 | Witham Town (2) | 0–2 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 40 |
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.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 30 | Billericay Town (P) | 2–1 | Maldon Town (P) | 201 | |
| 31 | Brook House (2) | 1–2 | Hendon (P) | 84 | |
| 32 | Chelmsford City (P) | 3–1 | Horsham (1) | 197 | |
| 33 | Dover Athletic (1) | 2–0 | Leyton (P) | 324 | |
| 34 | East Thurrock United (P) | 0–3 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 66 | |
| 35 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 4–2 | Folkestone Invicta (P) | 82 | |
| 36 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 1–0 | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 104 | |
| 37 | Harrow Borough (P) | 1–0 | Windsor & Eton (P) | 117 | |
| 38 | Hastings United (1) | 2–3 | Braintree Town (P) | 172 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 39 | Leatherhead (1) | 5–3 | Cray Wanderers (1) | 121 | |
| 40 | Margate (P) | 2–3 | Bromley (P) | 345 | |
| 41 | Slough Town (P) | 3–2 | Redbridge (P) | 139 | |
| 42 | Staines Town (P) | 0–2 | AFC Wimbledon (P) | 622 | |
| 43 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 3–0 | Edgware Town (2) | 115 | |
| 44 | Wealdstone (P) | 1–0 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 98 | |
| 45 | Worthing (P) | 2–2 | Walton & Hersham (P) | 222 | |
| Worthing won 5–4 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 46 | AFC Wimbledon (P) | 0–1 | Hendon (P) | 835 | |
| 47 | Billericay Town (P) | 3–1 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 168 | |
| 48 | Braintree Town (P) | 1–2 | Wealdstone (P) | 109 | |
| 49 | Dover Athletic (1) | 0–2 | Bromley (P) | 475 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 50 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 2–1 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 113 | |
| 51 | Harrow Borough (P) | 1–2 | Worthing (P) | 114 | |
| 52 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 2–0 | Chelmsford City (P) | 241 | |
| 53 | Leatherhead (1) | 0–2 | Slough Town (P) | 151 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 54 | Bromley (P) | 3–2 | Wealdstone (P) | 182 | |
| 55 | Hendon (P) | 0–1 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 50 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 56 | Slough Town (P) | 3–0 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 157 | |
| 57 | Worthing (P) | 1–3 | Billericay Town (P) | 157 |
The Semifinals fixtures were played over two legs.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 58 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 5–2 | Slough Town (P) | 108 | |
| 59 | Bromley (P) | 2–2 | Billericay Town (P) | 315 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 60 | Slough Town (P) | 3–1 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 118 | |
| 61 | Billericay Town (P) | 2–1 | Bromley (P) | 362 |