The 2021–22 season was the 79th season in the history of the Eastern Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams are 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 this season were announced by the Football Association and published on the league's website on 18 May 2021,[1] subject to appeals. The league constitution was published on 27 June.[2] After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons.[3] [4] [5]
Gorleston were champions, winning their first Eastern Counties Football League title and were promoted to the Isthmian League for the first time in their history. Wroxham finished second and returned to the Isthmian League after five years as one of ten runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game.
| Competition: | Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division |
| Season: | 2021–22 |
| Winners: | Gorleston |
| Promoted: | Gorleston Wroxham |
| Relegated: | Swaffham Town |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 1220 |
| Prevseason: | 2020–21 |
| Nextseason: | 2022–23 |
The Premier Division featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs, promoted from Division One North:
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brantham Leisure Centre | 1,200 | ||
| Unwin Sports Ground | 1,500 | ||
| Clipbush Park | 2,000 | ||
| Emerald Park | 3,000 | ||
| Millfield | 3,000 | ||
| New Croft | 3,000 | ||
| Walmer Road | 2,000 | ||
| The Nest | |||
| Stoneylands | |||
| The GER Sports Ground | |||
| Recreation Way | 2,000 | ||
| The Common | |||
| Cricket Field Road | 2,750 | ||
| Plantation Park | 3,000 | ||
| 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: | 2021–22 |
| Winners: | Sheringham |
| Promoted: | Harleston Town Sheringham |
| Relegated: | Peterborough North End Sports Wisbech St Mary |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 826 |
| Prevseason: | 2020–21 |
| Nextseason: | 2022–23 |
Division One North featured ten clubs which competed in the previous season, along with six new clubs.
Also, Blackstones and Bourne Town were initially moved to this division from the United Counties League but they successfully appealed and their transfers were rescinded.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maitlands | 1,000 | ||
| Brewers Green Lane | 2,500 | ||
| Memorial Field | 1,000 | ||
| Main Road | |||
| Badingham Road | |||
| Wellesley Recreation Ground | 3,600 | ||
| Wilderness Lane | |||
| Jubilee Park | |||
| Leiston reserves | Victory Road | 2,500 | |
| Needham Market reserves | Bloomfields | 4,000 | |
| FDC Bowthorpe | |||
| Lincoln Road (groundshare with Peterborough Sports) | 2,300 | ||
| Weybourne Road | |||
| Aldiss Park (groundshare with Dereham Town) | 2,500 | ||
| Feldale Field | |||
| Beechings Close |
| Competition: | Eastern Counties Football League Division One South |
| Season: | 2021–22 |
| Winners: | Ipswich Wanderers |
| Promoted: | Ipswich Wanderers Halstead Town Buckhurst Hill |
| Relegated: | Brimsdown |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 1473 |
| Prevseason: | 2020–21 |
| Nextseason: | 2022–23 |
Division One South featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with six new clubs:
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Sudbury reserves | King's Marsh | 2,500 | |
| Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) | 3,500 | ||
| Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island) | 4,100 | ||
| Chadfields (groundshare with Tilbury) | 4,000 | ||
| Roding Lane | |||
| Leslie Fields | 2,000 | ||
| West Street (groundshare with Coggeshall Town) | |||
| Blackhouse Lane | |||
| The Jack Carter Centre | 2,000 | ||
| Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town) | 2,500 | ||
| Rosemary Lane | |||
| Royal Oak | |||
| New Croft (groundshare with Haverhill Rovers) | 3,000 | ||
| Dulwich Road | |||
| Humber Doucy Lane | |||
| Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) | 3,500 | ||
| Oakside Stadium (groundshare with Redbridge) | 3,000 | ||
| 5,000 | |||
| Broad Lane | 2,876 | ||
| Wormley Playing Fields | 500 |