The 2020–21 season was the 78th season in the history of the Eastern Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were 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 the English football league system.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 for season 2020–21 were announced by the FA on 21 July,[1] and were subject to appeal.
The 2020–21 season started in September and was suspended in December a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The league season was subsequently abandoned.[2]
The scheduled restructure of non-League took place at the end of the season, with new divisions added to the Combined Counties and the United Counties League at step 5 for 2021-22, along with new a division in the Northern Premier League at step 4.[3] Promotions from steps 5 to 4 and 6 to 5 were based on points per game across all matches over the two cancelled seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21), while teams were promoted to step 6 on the basis of a subjective application process.
| Competition: | Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division |
| Season: | 2020–21 |
| Promoted: | Stowmarket Town |
| Matches: | 105 |
| Total Goals: | 350 |
| Prevseason: | 2019–20 |
| Nextseason: | 2021–22 |
The Premier Division comprised the same set of 20 teams which competed in the aborted competition the previous season.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brantham Leisure Centre | 1,200 | ||
| Unwin Sports Ground | 1,500 | ||
| The Rush Green Bowl | 3,000 | ||
| Bearscroft Lane | 1,050 | ||
| Emerald Park | 3,000 | ||
| Millfield | 3,000 | ||
| New Croft | 3,000 | ||
| Walmer Road | 2,000 | ||
| Stoneylands | |||
| Recreation Way | 2,000 | ||
| Cricket Field Road | 2,750 | ||
| Plantation Park | 3,000 | ||
| Hawthorns | 1,500 | ||
| Greens Meadow | 1,000 | ||
| Shoemakers Lane | |||
| Mundford Road | 1,500 | ||
| Summer Road | 1,000 | ||
| King George V Playing Fields | 1,000 | ||
| Notcutts Park | 3,000 | ||
| Trafford Park | 2,000 |
| Competition: | Eastern Counties Football League Division One North |
| Season: | 2020–21 |
| Promoted: | Fakenham Town March Town United Lakenheath Mulbarton Wanderers |
| Matches: | 106 |
| Total Goals: | 453 |
| Prevseason: | 2019–20 |
| Nextseason: | 2021–22 |
Division One North comprised 19 teams, one less than in the previous season, following the resignation of Felixstowe & Walton United reserves.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Sudbury reserves | King's Marsh | 2,500 | |
| Blackhouse Lane | 2,000 | ||
| Maitlands | 1,000 | ||
| Brewers Green Lane | 2,500 | ||
| Memorial Field | 1,000 | ||
| Clipbush Park | 2,000 | ||
| Badingham Road | |||
| Wellesley Recreation Ground | 3,600 | ||
| New Croft (artificial, groundshare with Haverhill Rovers) | 3,000 | ||
| Humber Doucy Lane | 1,000 | ||
| King's Lynn Town reserves | The Walks | 5,733 | |
| The Nest | |||
| Leiston reserves | Victory Road | 2,500 | |
| The GER Sports Ground | |||
| The Common | |||
| Needham Market reserves | Bloomfields | 4,000 | |
| FDC Bowthorpe | |||
| Weybourne Road | |||
| Beechings Close |
| Competition: | Eastern Counties Football League Division One South |
| Season: | 2020–21 |
| Promoted: | Athletic Newham Little Oakley White Ensign |
| Matches: | 84 |
| Total Goals: | 301 |
| Prevseason: | 2019–20 |
| Nextseason: | 2021–22 |
Division One South featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with one new club:
In addition, Hackney Wick were relocated to the Spartan South Midlands League, but this relocation was reversed. On 27 August 2020, Lopes Tavares announced the renaming of the club to Athletic Newham.[4]
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terence MacMillan Stadium | |||
| Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) | 3,500 | ||
| Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island) | 4,100 | ||
| Chadfields (groundshare with Tilbury) | 4,000 | ||
| Leslie Fields | 2,000 | ||
| West Street (groundshare with Coggeshall Town) | |||
| Jack Carter Centre | |||
| Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town) | 2,500 | ||
| Rosemary Lane | 1,000 | ||
| Royal Oak | |||
| Dulwich Road | |||
| Memorial Ground | |||
| Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) | 3,500 | ||
| Oakside (groundshare with Redbridge) | 3,000 | ||
| Basildon Sports Village | |||
| Broad Lane | 2,876 | ||
| Wormley Playing Fields |