In Clapton CFC women’s first team’s division, the London & South East Regional Women’s Football League Division 1 North, congratulations are in order to Sport London e Benfica who have been promoted to the L&SERWFL Premier Division. Comiserations to Camden & Islington United who will be relegated to Tier 7.
While we say farewell to those two teams, we will likely find three new teams joining the division as the team ran at 11 rather than the standard 12 teams this season. From the Greater London Women’s Saturday Football League Premier below, Richmond & Kew won a very competitive title challenge and will be promoted into our division. The other two newcomers are unclear, but there might be a regional reorganisation and teams switching from the South to our North division, such as Welling United and Bromley. There might also be another promotion from the GLWSFL, perhaps runners-up Comets or third placed Leyton Orient.
In Clapton CFC men’s first team’s division, the Eastern Counties League Division 1 South, we say farewell to title winners Benfleet and play-off winners Wormley Rovers. They will be replaced by Essex Alliance League winners FC Baresi, who groundshare at Ware FC, and Essex Olympian League champions Rayleigh Town, who play at Concord Rangers on Canvey Island.
The bottom three in the division – Burnham Ramblers, St Margaretsbury and Park View – in theory should all be relegated to Step 7. However, last season two of the three teams in the relegation zone were reprieved to fill spaces, and it’s likely this will happen again. Indeed all three may find themselves staying in the division.
We will probably know more about the men’s first team division in the next week or so, perhaps a bit later for the women’s first team.
While we are here, congratulations to several fan-owned clubs on successful seasons: AFC Wimbledon for their women’s first team’s promotion; FC United of Manchester for their men’s first team winning the Fenix Trophy; Enfield Town for their men’s first team winning promotion via the play-offs.