2020–21 Essex Senior Football League Explained

The 2020–21 season was the 50th in the history of the Essex Senior Football League, a football competition in England.

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 league comprised 18 teams, a drop of one from the previous aborted season, with Tower Hamlets having been relocated to the Southern Counties East League. 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]

Promotions, relegation and restructure

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 leagues at step 5 for 2021-22, along with a new division in the Northern Premier League at step 4.[3] Promotions from step 5 to 4 were based on points per game across all matches over the two cancelled seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21), while teams were promoted into step 6 on the basis of a subjective application process.

League table

Competition:Essex Senior
Football League
Season:2020–21
Promoted:Hashtag United
League Topscorer:Craig Calver
(11 goals)
Matches:109
Total Goals:417
Prevseason:2019–20
Nextseason:2021–22

Stadia and locations

ClubLocationStadiumCapacity
Terence McMillan Stadium (groundshare with Athletic Newham) 2,000
Chalk Lane 1,000
Woodside Park (groundshare with Bishop's Stortford) 4,525 (525 seated)
Brickfield Lane 2,000 (150 seated)
Len Salmon Stadium (groundshare with Bowers & Pitsea) 2,661 (300 seated)
Lowfield 3,000 (100 seated)
Cricklefield Stadium 3,500 (216 seated)
Oakside Stadium 3,000 (316 seated)
Catons Lane 2,000
Crofters End 2,500 (175 seated)
2,000 (439 seated)
2,000 (500 seated)
Recreation Ground 1,000 (60 seated)
Hargrave Park 2,000 (200 seated)
Station Road 2,000
Wadham Lodge 3,500
Mayesbrook Park (groundshare with Barking) 2,500 (200 seated)
The Harlow Arena (groundshare with Harlow Town) 3,500

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National League System club allocations – Steps 5–6, Season 2020–21 . 21 July 2020 . Non League Paper.
  2. Web site: FA Update On Steps 3-6 . 4 March 2021 . 24 February 2021.
  3. Web site: EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure . The Non-League Paper . 12 April 2021 . 13 April 2021.