| Competition: | Football Conference |
| Season: | 2009–10 |
| Prevseason: | 2008–09 |
| Nextseason: | 2010–11 |
The 2009–10 Football Conference season was the sixth season with the Football Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirty-first season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference Premier was the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, while the Conference North and Conference South existed at the sixth level. The top team (Stevenage Borough) and the winner of the play-off (Oxford United) of the National division were promoted to Football League Two. The bottom four were scheduled to be relegated to the North or South divisions, but in the event two teams (Salisbury City and Chester City) were expelled and only the bottom two clubs (Ebbsfleet United and Grays Athletic) were relegated with them. The champions of the North and South divisions (Southport and Newport County respectively) were promoted to the National division, alongside the play-off winners from each division (Fleetwood Town and Bath City). The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions were relegated to the premier divisions of the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League or Southern League. For sponsorship reasons, the Conference Premier was frequently referred to as the Blue Square Premier.
A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides from last season, two relegated from the Football League Two, two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South.
Teams promoted from 2008–09 Conference North
Teams promoted from 2008–09 Conference South
Teams relegated from 2008–09 League Two
Luton Town became the first team to drop from the Football League Championship to the Conference in successive seasons and in the process ended an 89-year stay in the Football League. Their matches against eventual playoff winners Oxford United made them the first clubs to face each other in all the top five tiers of English football.[1]
On 26 February 2010, Chester City were expelled from the Conference for numerous rule breaches.[2] Since no appeal was forthcoming, their results were expunged on 8 March 2010.
| Season: | 2009–10 |
| Winners: | Stevenage Borough (2nd Football Conference title) |
| Continentalcup5: | Promoted for the next season |
| League Topscorer: | Richard Brodie (York City), 26 |
| Biggest Home Win: | Rushden & Diamonds – Gateshead 8–0 (13 March 2010), Luton Town – Hayes & Yeading United 8–0 (27 March 2010) |
| Biggest Away Win: | Eastbourne Borough – Stevenage Borough 0–6 (2 March 2010) |
| Highest Scoring: | Luton Town – Histon 6–3, Rushden & Diamonds – Grays Athletic 5–4 |
| Matches: | 506 |
| Total Goals: | 1293 |
| Longest Wins: | ? |
| Longest Unbeaten: | ? |
| Longest Losses: | ? |
| Average Attendance: | 2,045 (+15% compared with the previous season) |
| Nextseason: | 2010–11 |
York City won 2–0 on Aggregate.----Oxford United won 3–1 on Aggregate.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15,550 | |||
| 12,500 | |||
| 11,800 | |||
| 10,226 | |||
| 10,000 | |||
| 9,617 | |||
| 9,196 | |||
| 7,100 | |||
| 6,500 | |||
| 6,441 | |||
| 6,238 | |||
| 6,170 | |||
| 6,085 | |||
| 5,328 | |||
| 5,147 | |||
| 5,011 | |||
| 4,996 | |||
| 4,720 | |||
| 4,256 | |||
| 4,134 | |||
| 4,100 | |||
| 4,000 | |||
| 3,800 | |||
| 3,500 |
Updated to games played on 24 April.[3]
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
| August[28] [29] | Chris Wilder | Oxford United | George Pilkington | Luton Town | |
| September[30] | Chris Wilder | Oxford United | Ryan Clarke | Oxford United | |
| October[31] [32] | David Holdsworth | Mansfield Town | Paul Farman | Gateshead | |
| November[33] [34] | Martin Foyle | York City | Richard Brodie | York City | |
| December[35] | Terry Brown | AFC Wimbledon | Seb Brown | AFC Wimbledon | |
| January[36] [37] | Graham Westley | Stevenage Borough | Magno Vieira | Ebbsfleet United | |
| February[38] [39] | Steve Burr | Kidderminster Harriers | Chris Senior | Altrincham | |
| March[40] [41] | Richard Money | Luton Town | Claude Gnakpa | Luton Town | |
| April[42] [43] | Tommy Widdrington | Salisbury City | Mark Roberts | Stevenage Borough | |
| Competition: | Conference North |
| Season: | 2009–10 |
| Winners: | Southport |
| Promoted: | Southport Fleetwood Town |
| Relegated: | None |
| Prevseason: | 2008–09 |
| Nextseason: | 2010–11 |
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 17 sides from last season, one relegated from the Conference Premier and four promoted from the lower leagues.
In April 2009, the Conference decided to demote King's Lynn at the end of the 2008–09 season, because their ground did not meet Conference standards.[44] Farsley Celtic resigned from the league on 8 March 2010 and their playing record was expunged on 12 March. Both Harrogate Town and Vauxhall Motors were reprieved from relegation following Farsley Celtic's withdrawal from the league, Chester's expulsion from the Conference Premier and Northwich Victoria's demotion to the Northern Premier League under financial rules.
Teams promoted from 2008–09 Northern Premier League Premier Division
Teams promoted from 2008–09 Southern League Premier Division
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Conference Premier
Fleetwood Town won 4–3 on penalties after tying 3–3 on Aggregate.----Alfreton Town won 4–1 on Aggregate.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,500 | |||
| 6,300 | |||
| 6,008 | |||
| 5,000 | |||
| 4,500 | |||
| 4,500 | |||
| 4,450 | |||
| 4,329 | |||
| 4,304 | |||
| 4,150 | |||
| 4,100 | |||
| 3,900 | |||
| 3,663 | |||
| 3,600 | |||
| 3,500 | |||
| 3,300 | |||
| 3,101 | |||
| 3,050 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 2,500 | |||
| 2,500 |
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
| August | Paul Cox | Eastwood Town | Ciaran Kilheeney | Southport | |
| September[45] [46] | Steve Burr | Stalybridge Celtic | Dan Lowson | Ilkeston Town | |
| October | Liam Watson | Southport | Mark Danks | Northwich Victoria | |
| November | Dean Thomas | Hinckley United | Adam Webster | Hinckley United | |
| December[47] [48] | Steve Burr | Stalybridge Celtic | Andy Ducros | Redditch United | |
| January | Darren Edmondson | Workington | Nick Rogan | Fleetwood Town | |
| February | Nicky Law | Alfreton Town | Andy Brown | AFC Telford United | |
| March | Brian Little | Gainsborough Trinity | Adam Warlow | Fleetwood Town | |
| Competition: | Conference South |
| Season: | 2009–10 |
| Winners: | Newport County |
| Promoted: | Newport County Bath City |
| Relegated: | Weymouth |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Prevseason: | 2008–09 |
| Nextseason: | 2010–11 |
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 17 sides from last season, three relegated from the Conference Premier and two promoted from the Isthmian League.
Team Bath announced that they were to leave the Football Conference from the end of the 2008–09 season. The club decided to fold, after being informed they could not be promoted to the professional leagues, which also led to them no longer being able to play FA Cup games. Thus Thurrock were reprieved from relegation.
Teams promoted from 2008–09 Isthmian League Premier Division
Teams relegated from 2008–09 Conference Premier
Woking won 2–1 on Aggregate.----Bath City won 3–0 on Aggregate.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8,800 | |||
| 6,500 | |||
| 6,500 | |||
| 6,036 | |||
| 6,000 | |||
| 5,250 | |||
| 5,009 | |||
| 5,000 | |||
| 4,749 | |||
| 4,700 | |||
| 4,500 | |||
| 4,500 | |||
| 4,145 | |||
| 4,000 | |||
| 3,500 | |||
| 3,500 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 |
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
| August | Frank Gray | Basingstoke Town | Manny Williams | Havant & Waterlooville | |
| September | Dean Holdsworth | Newport County | Craig Reid | Newport County | |
| October | Alan Devonshire | Hampton & Richmond Borough | Will Hendry | Maidenhead United | |
| November | Dean Holdsworth | Newport County | Tom Whitnell | Welling United | |
| December | Glenn Pennyfather | Chelmsford City | Charlie Henry | Newport County | |
| January | Steve Cordery | Staines Town | Sam Foley | Newport County | |
| February | Dean Holdsworth | Newport County | Mitchell Bryant | Basingstoke Town | |
| March | Glenn Pennyfather | Chelmsford City | Lee Clarke | Welling United | |