The 2014–15 season was the 100th season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England.
Following the resignation of Vauxhall Motors from the Conference North,[1] and the liquidation of Southern League Premier Division club Hinckley United,[2] Redhill and Wroxham were reprieved from relegation in Division One South and Division One North respectively.[3]
There was subsequently a further reprieve as Worksop Town resigned from the Northern Premier League. Wingate & Finchley had initially been relegated to Isthmian League Division One North, but were readmitted to the Premier Division. Knock-on effects included Ware moving back to Division One North after first being placed in the Southern League, and Hayes & Yeading United moving to the Southern Premier after initially being placed in the Isthmian Premier.[4]
| Competition: | Isthmian League Premier Division |
| Season: | 2014–15 |
| Winners: | Maidstone United |
| Promoted: | Maidstone United Margate |
| Relegated: | AFC Hornchurch Bury Town Peacehaven & Telscombe Witham Town |
| Matches: | 552 |
| Total Goals: | 1577 |
| League Topscorer: | 33 goals - Sam Higgins (East Thurrock United) |
| Highest Attendance: | 3000 - Dulwich Hamlet 0 - 0 Maidstone United, (18 April) |
| Attendance: | 215,462 |
| Average Attendance: | 390 (+3.4% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2013–14 |
| Nextseason: | 2015–16 |
The Premier Division consisted of 24 clubs: 19 clubs from the previous season, and five new clubs:
Maidstone United won the division and were promoted to the Conference South, renamed the National League South for 2015–16. It would be the highest level Maidstone had reached since the club was reformed in 1992. Enfield Town initially finished the season in fifth place, but prior to the play-offs they were controversially deducted three points due to fielding an ineligible player, and dropped out of play-off zone. Margate won the play-offs and returned to the sixth tier after ten seasons in the Isthmian League. The four clubs that finished in the bottom four places were relegated. Peacehaven & Telscombe missed out on a reprieve by one point from Marine who finished 21st in the Northern Premier League.
| Player | Club | Goals[5] |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Higgins | East Thurrock United | 33 |
| David Knight | Wingate & Finchley | 29 |
| Rowan Liburd | Billericay Town | 22 |
| Freddie Ladapo | Grays Athletic / Margate | |
| Jay May | Maidstone United | |
| Ryan Moss | Margate | |
| George Purcell | AFC Hornchurch | 20 |
| Leon Smith | Hendon | 19 |
| Charles Moone | Hampton & Richmond Borough | |
| Oliver Pearce | Bognor Regis Town | 18 |
| Kezie Ibe | Hendon |
After Enfield Town were found guilty of fielding an ineligible player in two matches, they were deducted three points, resulting in Metropolitan Police moving into a play-off position.[6] Both play-off semi-finals were postponed until Enfield Town's appeal was (unsuccessfully) concluded.[7]
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 | |||
| New Lodge | 3,500 | ||
| Nyewood Lane | 4,500 | ||
| Ram Meadow | 3,500 | ||
| Park Lane | 4,500 | ||
| 3,000 | |||
| Rookery Hill | 4,000 | ||
| Queen Elizabeth II Stadium | 2,500 | ||
| The Mill Field (groundshare with Aveley) | 1,100 | ||
| Beveree Stadium | 3,500 | ||
| 3,070 | |||
| Earlsmead Stadium (groundshare with Harrow Borough) | 3,070 | ||
| Kingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon) | 4,850 | ||
| Fetcham Grove | 3,400 | ||
| Victory Road | 2,500 | ||
| 3,000 | |||
| 2,500 | |||
| 2,100 | |||
| Imber Court | 3,000 | ||
| The Sports Park | 1,500 | ||
| 5,000 | |||
| Oakwood | 1,180 | ||
| The Harry Abrahams Stadium | 1,500 | ||
| Spa Road | 2,500 |
| Competition: | Isthmian League Division One North |
| Season: | 2014–15 |
| Winners: | Needham Market |
| Promoted: | Brentwood Town Needham Market |
| Relegated: | Burnham Ramblers |
| Matches: | 552 |
| Total Goals: | 1830 |
| League Topscorer: | 32 goals - Alexander Read (Harlow Town) |
| Highest Attendance: | 972 - Needham Market 2 - 2 Harlow Town, (18 April) |
| Attendance: | 68,441 |
| Average Attendance: | 124 (+17.0% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2013–14 |
| Nextseason: | 2015–16 |
Division One North consisted of 24 clubs: 20 clubs from the previous season, and four new clubs:
Needham Market won the division and were promoted to the Premier Division after three play-off defeats in the four previous seasons. This was the highest level so far reached by the club in its history. Brentwood Town won the play-offs and joined Needham Market in the Premier Division after eight years in Division One North. Burnham Ramblers finished bottom of the table and were the only relegated club after Barkingside and Redbridge were reprieved. This was due to Salisbury City not starting the season, Hereford United folding during the season and the lack of clubs promoting from the ninth tier.
| Player | Club | Goals[8] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Read | Harlow Town | 32 | |
| Sam Newson | Needham Market | 29 | |
| Jason Hallett | Waltham Abbey | 28 | |
| Christy Finch | Wroxham | ||
| Remy Gordon | Wroxham | 24 |
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Marsh | align=center | 2,500 | ||
| The Mill Field | align=center | 1,100 | ||
| Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) | align=center | 3,500 | ||
| The Brentwood Centre Arena | align=center | 1,800 | ||
| North Road | align=center | 1,000 | ||
| Leslie Fields | align=center | 2,000 | ||
| The Sports Ground | align=center | 5,000 | ||
| Cheshunt Stadium | align=center | 3,000 | ||
| Hayes Lane (groundshare with Bromley) | align=center | 6,000 | ||
| Aldiss Park | align=center | 3,000 | ||
| Burroughs Park | align=center | 2,500 | ||
| Barrows Farm | align=center | 3,500 | ||
| Scraley Road | align=center | 3,000 | ||
| Wallace Binder Ground | align=center | 2,000 | ||
| Bloomfields | align=center | 4,000 | ||
| Oakside | align=center | 3,000 | ||
| Ship Lane (groundshare with Thurrock) | align=center | 3,500 | ||
| Julius Martin Lane | align=center | 2,000 | ||
| Bayliss Avenue | 6,000 | |||
| Ship Lane | 3,500 | |||
| Chadfields | align=center | 4,000 | ||
| Capershotts | align=center | 3,500 | ||
| Wodson Park | align=center | 3,300 | ||
| Trafford Park | align=center | 2,000 |
| Competition: | Isthmian League Division One South |
| Season: | 2014–15 |
| Winners: | Burgess Hill Town |
| Promoted: | Burgess Hill Town Merstham |
| Relegated: | Redhill Horsham |
| Matches: | 552 |
| Total Goals: | 1837 |
| League Topscorer: | 34 goals - Ian Draycott (Folkestone Invicta) Chris Smith (South Park) |
| Highest Attendance: | 1052 - Folkestone Invicta 1 - 0 Chipstead, (3 April) |
| Attendance: | 117,744 |
| Average Attendance: | 213 (+3.0% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2013–14 |
| Nextseason: | 2015–16 |
Division One South consisted of 24 clubs: 20 clubs from the previous season, and four new clubs:
Burgess Hill Town won the division achieving the longest unbeaten run in this season's levels 1-8 of 36 matches. They were promoted to the Premier Division along with play-off winners Merstham. Horsham and Redhill were relegated, while East Grinstead Town were given a reprieve due to Salisbury City failing to start the season, Hereford United folding during the season and the lack of clubs promoting from the ninth tier. Horsham lost their place in the Isthmian League after 32 seasons.
| Player | Club | Goals[9] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Draycott | Folkestone Invicta | 34 | |
| Chris Smith | South Park | ||
| Daniel Summers | Tooting & Mitcham United | 28 | |
| Ian Pulman | Whitstable Town | 25 | |
| Wayne Wilson | Faversham Town | 24 |
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leylands Park | 2,500 | ||
| War Memorial Sports Ground | 5,000 | ||
| High Road | 2,000 | ||
| King George's Field | 2,700 | ||
| East Court | 1,000 | ||
| Shepherd Neame Stadium | 2,000 | ||
| 4,000 | |||
| align=center | 5,000 | ||
| The Pilot Field | align=center | 4,050 | |
| Winch's Field | 4,000 | ||
| Gorings Mead | 1,500 | ||
| Reachfields Stadium | 3,000 | ||
| Moatside | 2,000 | ||
| Southwood Stadium | 2,500 | ||
| Kiln Brow | 2,000 | ||
| Woodstock Park | 3,000 | ||
| King George's Field | 2,000 | ||
| Jubilee Field | 1,500 | ||
| 3,500 | |||
| 2,000 | |||
| Waterside Stadium | 2,000 | ||
| The Belmont Ground | 3,000 | ||
| Church Road | 2,000 | ||
| Worthing Stadium | 4,000 |
| Isthmian League Cup | |
| Year: | 2014–15 |
| Country: | England |
| Num Teams: | 64 |
| Champions: | Hendon |
| Runner-Up: | Grays Athletic |
| Matches: | 63 |
| Goals: | 213 |
| Prevseason: | 2013–14 |
| Nextseason: | 2015–16 |
The Isthmian League Cup 2014–15 (billed as the Robert Dyas Cup 2014–15 for sponsorship reasons) is the 41st season of the Isthmian League Cup, the cup competition of the whole Isthmian League.[10]
| Round | Dates | Matches | width=100 | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 6 October to 12 November | 32 | 64 → 32 | |
| Second round | 11 November to 22 December | 16 | 32 → 16 | |
| Third round | 4 December to 9 February | 8 | 16 → 8 | |
| Quarterfinals | 10 February to 18 February | 4 | 8 → 4 | |
| Semifinals | 11 March | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 15 April | 1 | 2 → 1 |
The Isthmian League Cup was voluntary this season, eight clubs decided not to take part in the competition:
All sixty-four clubs participated in the League Cup from the First round.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 1 | AFC Sudbury (N) | 2–1 | Bury Town (P) | 139 | |
| 2 | Aveley (N) | 1–2 | Redbridge (N) | 62 | |
| 3 | Barkingside (N) | 3–1 | Thamesmead Town (N) | 51 | |
| 4 | Billericay Town (P) | 8–2 | Great Wakering Rovers (N) | 107 | |
| 5 | Burnham Ramblers (N) | 1–3 | Brightlingsea Regent (N) | 55 | |
| 6 | Carshalton Athletic (S) | 1–1 | Whyteleafe (S) | 106 | |
| Whyteleafe advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Corinthian-Casuals (S) | 0–3 | Kingstonian (P) | 151 | |
| 8 | Dulwich Hamlet (P) | 2–2 | Walton & Hersham (S) | 133 | |
| Walton & Hersham advance 4–1 on penalties | |||||
| 9 | East Grinstead Town (S) | 4–2 | Three Bridges (S) | 79 | |
| 10 | East Thurrock United (P) | 0–2 | AFC Hornchurch (P) | 118 | |
| 11 | Enfield Town (P) | 1–0 | Harrow Borough (P) | 112 | |
| 12 | Grays Athletic (P) | 3–1 | Tilbury (N) | 103 | |
| 13 | Heybridge Swifts (N) | 2–4 | Brentwood Town (N) | 62 | |
| 14 | Leiston (P) | 1–1 | Needham Market (N) | 161 | |
| Leiston advance 3–0 on penalties | |||||
| 15 | Lewes (P) | 0–1 | Peacehaven & Telscombe (P) | 191 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 16 | Maidstone United (P) | 4–2 | Cray Wanderers (N) | 627 | |
| 17 | Maldon & Tiptree (N) | 0–1 | Witham Town (P) | 71 | |
| 18 | Margate (P) | 2–0 | Hythe Town (S) | 324 | |
| 19 | Metropolitan Police (P) | 1–2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 92 | |
| 20 | Ramsgate (S) | 1–1 | Folkestone Invicta (S) | 128 | |
| Ramsgate advance 4–3 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Redhill (S) | 1–3 | Burgess Hill Town (S) | 73 | |
| 22 | Sittingbourne (S) | 0–1 | Faversham Town (S) | 84 | |
| 23 | South Park (S) | 0–2 | Leatherhead (P) | 96 | |
| 24 | Thurrock (N) | 5–1 | Romford (N) | 76 | |
| 25 | Tonbridge Angels (P) | 2–1 | Chatham Town (N) | 182 | |
| 26 | Tooting & Mitcham United (S) | 0–5 | Merstham (S) | 161 | |
| 27 | Waltham Abbey (N) | 0–1 | Cheshunt (N) | 92 | |
| 28 | Walton Casuals (S) | 2–1 | Chipstead (S) | 46 | |
| 29 | Ware (N) | 1–2 | Harlow Town (N) | 135 | |
| 30 | Whitstable Town (S) | 1–2 | Herne Bay (S) | 233 | |
| 31 | Wingate & Finchley (P) | 3–4 | Hendon (P) | 102 | |
| 32 | Worthing (S) | 3–4 | Horsham (S) | 138 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 33 | AFC Sudbury (N) | 3–1 | Leiston (P) | 144 | |
| 34 | Barkingside (N) | 0–1 | Grays Athletic (P) | 115 | |
| 35 | Billericay Town (P) | 2–1 | Brentwood Town (N) | 108 | |
| 36 | Brightlingsea Regent (N) | 0–2 | Witham Town (P) | 74 | |
| 37 | Burgess Hill Town (S) | 5–1 | Horsham (S) | 137 | |
| 38 | East Grinstead Town (S) | 2–1 | Peacehaven & Telscombe (P) | 59 | |
| 39 | Enfield Town (P) | 0–1 | Hendon (P) | 97 | |
| 40 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 4–1 | Harlow Town (N) | 201 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 41 | Maidstone United (P) | 6–0 | Herne Bay (S) | 417 | |
| 42 | Margate (P) | 3–1 | Faversham Town (S) | 182 | |
| 43 | Ramsgate (S) | 0–1 | Tonbridge Angels (P) | 86 | |
| 44 | Redbridge (N) | 1–2 | Cheshunt (N) | 62 | |
| 45 | Thurrock (N) | 0–4 | AFC Hornchurch (P) | 88 | |
| 46 | Walton & Hersham (S) | 2–1 | Merstham (S) | 50 | |
| 47 | Walton Casuals (S) | 0–2 | Kingstonian (P) | 48 | |
| 48 | Whyteleafe (S) | 2–1 | Leatherhead (P) | 70 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 49 | Billericay Town (P) | 1–0 | AFC Hornchurch (P) | 116 | |
| 50 | Cheshunt (N) | 0–2 | Grays Athletic (P) | 81 | |
| 51 | Hendon (P) | 1–0 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 87 | |
| 52 | Maidstone United (P) | 0–4 | Tonbridge Angels (P) | 460 | |
| Tonbridge Angels removed from competition for fielding an ineligible player | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | Margate (P) | 2–0 | Burgess Hill Town (S) | 169 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 54 | Walton & Hersham (S) | 1–1 | Kingstonian (P) | 105 | |
| Kingstonian advance 2–1 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | Whyteleafe (S) | 6–2 | East Grinstead Town (S) | 90 | |
| 56 | Witham Town (P) | 1–1 | AFC Sudbury (N) | 105 | |
| AFC Sudbury advance 4–3 on penalties | |||||
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 57 | AFC Sudbury (N) | 0–3 | Grays Athletic (P) | 126 | |
| 58 | Billericay Town (P) | 4–3 | Whyteleafe (S) | 107 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 59 | Hendon (P) | 2–0 | Maidstone United (P) | 84 | |
| 60 | Margate (P) | 2–1 | Kingstonian (P) | 164 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 61 | Grays Athletic (P) | 2–1 | Billericay Town (P) | 211 | |
| 62 | Hendon (P) | 2–1 | Margate (P) | 125 |