# 2005–06 Isthmian League

The 2005–06 season was the 91st in the history of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England.
It was the last season in which the Isthmian League consisted of three tiers. At the end of the season Division Two was disbanded, and most of the Division Two clubs were distributed between lower-level leagues, while Division One was divided into Division One North and Division One South.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 14 clubs from the previous season and eight new clubs.
* Two clubs relegated from the Conference South:
** Margate
** Redbridge
* Three clubs promoted from Division One:
** AFC Wimbledon
** Bromley
** Walton & Hersham
* Three clubs promoted from Southern Football League Division One East:
** Fisher Athletic
** East Thurrock United
** Maldon Town
Braintree Town won the division and were promoted to the Conference South along with play-off winners Fisher Athletic, who earned a second consecutive promotion. Maldon Town, Windsor & Eton and Redbridge were relegated, while Hendon were initially relegated too as the worst 19th-placed club among the seventh level leagues, but were reprieved after Canvey Island resigned from the Conference.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Braintree Town | 42 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 74 | 32 | +42 | 94 | Promoted to the Conference South |
| 2 | Heybridge Swifts | 42 | 28 | 3 | 11 | 70 | 46 | +24 | 87 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Fisher Athletic | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 84 | 46 | +38 | 85 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Conference South |
| 4 | AFC Wimbledon | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 67 | 36 | +31 | 77 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Hampton & Richmond | 42 | 24 | 3 | 15 | 73 | 54 | +19 | 75 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Staines Town | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 74 | 56 | +18 | 70 | |
| 7 | Billericay Town | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 69 | 45 | +24 | 69 | |
| 8 | Worthing | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 67 | |
| 9 | Walton & Hersham | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 64 | |
| 10 | Chelmsford City | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 57 | 62 | −5 | 64 | |
| 11 | Bromley | 42 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 57 | 49 | +8 | 62 | |
| 12 | East Thurrock United | 42 | 18 | 5 | 19 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 59 | |
| 13 | Folkestone Invicta | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 58 | |
| 14 | Margate | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 50 | |
| 15 | Leyton | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 58 | 61 | −3 | 48 | |
| 16 | Harrow Borough | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 56 | 73 | −17 | 48 | |
| 17 | Slough Town | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 63 | 75 | −12 | 47 | |
| 18 | Wealdstone | 42 | 13 | 5 | 24 | 68 | 82 | −14 | 44 | Transferred to the SFL Premier Division |
| 19 | Hendon | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 44 | 64 | −20 | 39 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 20 | Maldon Town | 42 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 41 | 73 | −32 | 35 | Relegated to Division One North |
| 21 | Windsor & Eton | 42 | 8 | 8 | 26 | 37 | 75 | −38 | 32 | Relegated to the SFL Division One South & West |
| 22 | Redbridge | 42 | 3 | 5 | 34 | 28 | 97 | −69 | 14 | Relegated to Division One North |

#### Top scorers

| Player | Club | Goals |
| Richard Jolly | Heybridge Swifts / Wealdstone | 26 |
| Jermaine Beckford | Wealdstone | 26 |
| Danny Hockton | Billericay Town / Margate | 24 |
| Ian Hodges | Slough Town | 21 |
| Steve Watts | Fisher Athletic | 21 |
| Alex Revell | Braintree Town | 21 |
| Stafford Browne | Worthing | 17 |
| Lawrence Yaku | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 17 |
| Nic McDonnell | Bromley | 17 |

### Play-offs

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Heybridge Swifts | 1(2) | | | |
| 5 | Hampton & Richmond | 1(4) | | | |
| 5 | Hampton & Richmond | 1(4) | 3 | Fisher Athletic | 3 |
| | | | 5 | Hampton & Richmond | 0 |
| 3 | Fisher Athletic | 2 | 5 | Hampton & Richmond | 0 |
| 4 | AFC Wimbledon | 1 | | | |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| AFC Wimbledon | Kingsmeadow (groundshare with Kingstonian) |
| Billericay Town | New Lodge |
| Braintree Town | Cressing Road |
| Bromley | Hayes Lane |
| Chelmsford City | Melbourne Stadium |
| East Thurrock United | Rookery Hill |
| Fisher Athletic | Champion Hill (groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet) |
| Folkestone Invicta | Cheriton Road |
| Hampton & Richmond Borough | Beveree Stadium |
| Harrow Borough | Earlsmead Stadium |
| Hendon | Claremont Road |
| Heybridge Swifts | Scraley Road |
| Leyton | Leyton Stadium |
| Maldon Town | Wallace Binder Ground |
| Margate | Hartsdown Park |
| Redbridge | Oakside |
| Slough Town | Stag Meadow (groundshare with Windsor & Eton) |
| Staines Town | Wheatsheaf Park |
| Walton & Hersham | The Sports Ground |
| Wealdstone | Chestnut Avenue (groundshare with Northwood) |
| Windsor & Eton | Stag Meadow |
| Worthing | Woodside Road |
    1.^ Chelmsford City spent start of the season groundsharing with Billericay Town before returning to Chelmsford at January.

## Division One

The 2005–06 season was the last of two seasons in which the Isthmian League consisted of a single Division One.
Division One consisted of 23 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and six new clubs:
* Dover Athletic, relegated from the Premier Division
* Kingstonian, relegated from the Premier Division
* Lymington & New Milton, promoted as champions of the Wessex League
* Ramsgate, promoted as champions of the Kent League
* Tonbridge Angels, relegated from the Premier Division
* Walton Casuals, promoted as champions of the Combined Counties League
Ramsgate won the division and were promoted to the Premier Division along with runners-up Horsham, and play-off winners Tonbridge Angels who returned to the Premier Division at the first attempt. There was no relegation from the division this season, though Banstead Athletic resigned from the league at the end of the season.
At the end of the season Division One North and Division One South were created to replace Division One. Most of the clubs remaining in the division were transferred to the new Division One South.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Ramsgate | 44 | 24 | 14 | 6 | 84 | 38 | +46 | 86 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Horsham | 44 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 94 | 55 | +39 | 86 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Tonbridge Angels | 44 | 24 | 8 | 12 | 71 | 48 | +23 | 80 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division |
| 4 | Metropolitan Police | 44 | 24 | 7 | 13 | 72 | 46 | +26 | 79 | Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to Division One South |
| 5 | Dover Athletic | 44 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 69 | 46 | +23 | 77 | Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to Division One South |
| 6 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 44 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 93 | 62 | +31 | 75 | Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to Division One South |
| 7 | Kingstonian | 44 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 82 | 56 | +26 | 74 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 8 | Croydon Athletic | 44 | 20 | 13 | 11 | 56 | 41 | +15 | 73 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 9 | Bashley | 44 | 20 | 10 | 14 | 63 | 61 | +2 | 70 | Transferred to SFL Division One South & West |
| 10 | Leatherhead | 44 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 64 | 50 | +14 | 68 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 11 | Cray Wanderers | 44 | 20 | 8 | 16 | 80 | 74 | +6 | 68 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 12 | Hastings United | 44 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 65 | 58 | +7 | 67 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 13 | Dulwich Hamlet | 44 | 19 | 8 | 17 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 65 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 14 | Fleet Town | 44 | 13 | 19 | 12 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 58 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 15 | Walton Casuals | 44 | 16 | 10 | 18 | 68 | 75 | −7 | 58 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 16 | Lymington & New Milton | 44 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 61 | 80 | −19 | 47 | Transferred to SFL Division One South & West |
| 17 | Molesey | 44 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 56 | 79 | −23 | 46 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 18 | Whyteleafe | 44 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 50 | 66 | −16 | 44 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 19 | Burgess Hill Town | 44 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 57 | 83 | −26 | 40 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 20 | Banstead Athletic | 44 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 43 | 71 | −28 | 37 | Resigned to the Combined Counties League |
| 21 | Ashford Town (Kent) | 44 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 41 | 81 | −40 | 35 | Transferred to Division One South |
| 22 | Newport (Isle of Wight) | 44 | 6 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 97 | −59 | 29 | Transferred to SFL Division One South & West |
| 23 | Corinthian-Casuals | 44 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 39 | 85 | −46 | 27 | Transferred to Division One South |

#### Top scorers

| Player | Club | Goals |
| Phil Ruggles | Molesey | 28 |
| Richard Gillespie | Bashley | 22 |
| James Rose | Fleet Town / Kingstonian | 22 |
| Shaun Welford | Ramsgate | 21 |
| Kevin Cooper | Metropolitan Police / Fleet Town | 21 |
| Jamie Taylor | Horsham | 21 |

### Play-offs

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 4 | Metropolitan Police | 0 | | | |
| 5 | Dover Athletic | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Dover Athletic | 1 | 3 | Tonbridge Angels | 3 |
| | | | 5 | Dover Athletic | 2 |
| 3 | Tonbridge Angels | 2 | 5 | Dover Athletic | 2 |
| 6 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 0 | | | |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Ashford Town (Kent) | The Homelands |
| Banstead Athletic | Merland Rise |
| Bashley | Bashley Road |
| Burgess Hill Town | Leylands Park |
| Corinthian-Casuals | King George's Field |
| Cray Wanderers | Hayes Lane (groundshare with Bromley) |
| Croydon Athletic | Keith Tuckey Stadium |
| Dover Athletic | Crabble Athletic Ground |
| Dulwich Hamlet | Champion Hill |
| Fleet Town | Calthorpe Park |
| Hastings United | The Pilot Field |
| Horsham | Queen Street |
| Kingstonian | Kingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon) |
| Leatherhead | Fetcham Grove |
| Lymington & New Milton | Fawcetts Fields |
| Metropolitan Police | Imber Court |
| Molesey | Walton Road Stadium |
| Newport (IOW) | St Georges Park |
| Ramsgate | Southwood Stadium |
| Tonbridge Angels | Longmead Stadium |
| Tooting & Mitcham United | Imperial Fields |
| Walton Casuals | Waterside Stadium |
| Whyteleafe | Church Road |

## Division Two

The 2005–06 season was the last Isthmian League Division Two season. Division Two consisted of 16 clubs, including 13 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs:
* Croydon, relegated from Division One
* Dorking, relegated from Division One
* Egham Town, relegated from Southern Football League Western Division
The four top clubs were promoted: Ware, Witham Town and Flackwell Heath moved to Division One North, while Brook House were transferred to the Southern League. Following this season, clubs remaining in the division were distributed between local ninth tier leagues. Clapton, who were one of the league founder members, were transferred to the Essex Senior League losing their place in the Isthmian League after 101 years.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Ware | 30 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 77 | 36 | +41 | 61 | Promoted to Division One North |
| 2 | Witham Town | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 61 | 30 | +31 | 58 | Promoted to Division One North |
| 3 | Brook House | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 63 | 33 | +30 | 58 | Promoted to SFL Division One South & West |
| 4 | Flackwell Heath | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 49 | +5 | 52 | Promoted to Division One North |
| 5 | Egham Town | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 50 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 6 | Chertsey Town | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 49 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 7 | Edgware Town | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 46 | 41 | +5 | 44 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 8 | Chalfont St Peter | 30 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 50 | 53 | −3 | 41 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 9 | Dorking | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 41 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 10 | Croydon | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 40 | Transferred to the Kent League |
| 11 | Wembley | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 39 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 12 | Kingsbury Town | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 32 | 37 | −5 | 37 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 13 | Hertford Town | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 35 | 54 | −19 | 31 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 14 | Camberley Town | 30 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 31 | 57 | −26 | 23 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 15 | Epsom & Ewell | 30 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 32 | 64 | −32 | 21 | Transferred to the Combined Counties League |
| 16 | Clapton | 30 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 33 | 71 | −38 | 18 | Transferred to the Essex Senior League |
* ↑ Clapton deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player in six matches.

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Brook House | Farm Park |
| Camberley Town | Kroomer Park |
| Chalfont St Peter | Mill Meadow |
| Chertsey Town | Alwyns Lane |
| Clapton | The Old Spotted Dog Ground |
| Croydon | Croydon Sports Arena |
| Dorking | Meadowbank Stadium |
| Edgware Town | White Lion |
| Egham Town | The Runnymede Stadium |
| Epsom & Ewell | Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic) |
| Flackwell Heath | Wilks Park |
| Hertford Town | Hertingfordbury Park |
| Kingsbury Town | Avenue Park |
| Ware | Wodson Park |
| Wembley | Vale Farm |
| Witham Town | Spa Road |

## League Cup

The Isthmian League Cup 2005–06 was the 32nd season of the Isthmian League Cup, the league cup competition of the Isthmian League. Sixty-one clubs took part. The competition commenced on 6 September 2005 and finished on 12 April 2006.

### Calendar

| Round | Dates | Matches | Clubs |
| First round | 6 September | 19 | 61 → 42 |
| Second round | 11 October | 10 | 42 → 32 |
| Third round | 8 November | 16 | 32 → 16 |
| Fourth round | 20 December | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarterfinals | February | 4 | 8 → 4 |
| Semifinals | March | 4 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | 12 April | 1 | 2 → 1 |

### Fixtures and results

Fixtures are listed in alphabetical order, not that which they were drawn in.

#### First round

In the First round, the thirty-eight lowest ranked clubs in the Isthmian League played each other for a place in the Second round.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 1 | Banstead Athletic (1) | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Corinthian-Casuals (1) | 57 |
| 2 | Burgess Hill Town (1) | 2–4 | Brook House (2) | 74 |
| 3 | Camberley Town (2) | 0–1 | Edgware Town (2) | 57 |
| 4 | Chertsey Town (2) | 1–2 | Leatherhead (1) | 124 |
| 5 | Croydon (2) | 1–3 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 63 |
| 6 | Dover Athletic (1) | 1–0 | Ware (2) | 301 |
| 7 | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 3–1 | Bashley (1) | 107 |
| 8 | Egham Town (2) | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Fleet Town (1) | 50 |
| 9 | Epsom & Ewell (2) | 0–3 | Hastings United (1) | 39 |
| 10 | Flackwell Heath (2) | 1–3 | Witham Town (2) | 40 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 11 | Horsham (1) | 6–1 | Chalfont St. Peter (2) | 102 |
| 12 | Kingsbury Town (2) | 3–1 | Molesey (1) | 37 |
| 13 | Lymington & New Milton (1) | 2–0 | Kingstonian (1) | 90 |
| 14 | Metropolitan Police (1) | 4–2 | Hertford Town (2) | 45 |
| 15 | Ramsgate (1) | 1–2 | Newport IOW (1) | 128 |
| 16 | Tonbridge Angels (1) | 3–1 | Clapton (2) | 170 |
| 17 | Walton Casuals (1) | 0–4 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 113 |
| 18 | Wembley (2) | 5–2 | Ashford Town (Kent) (1) | 52 |
| 19 | Whyteleafe (1) | 1–3 | Dorking (2) | 57 |

#### Second round

The nineteen clubs to have made it through the First round were entered into the Second round draw with Cray Wanderers, making twenty teams.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 20 | Cray Wanderers (1) | 6–0 | Kingsbury Town (2) | 34 |
| 21 | Dorking (2) | 0–3 | Edgware Town (2) | 48 |
| 22 | Dover Athletic (1) | 5–0 | Wembley (2) | 314 |
| 23 | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Banstead Athletic (1) | 98 |
| 24 | Fleet Town (1) | 1–3 | Hastings United (1) | 69 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 25 | Leatherhead (1) | 4–1 | Metropolitan Police (1) | 117 |
| 26 | Lymington & New Milton (1) | 1–4 | Horsham (1) | 31 |
| 27 | Newport IOW (1) | 1–2 | Brook House (2) | 114 |
| 28 | Tonbridge Angels (1) | 0–1 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 224 |
| 29 | Witham Town (2) | 0–2 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 40 |

#### Third round

The ten clubs to have made it through the Second round were entered into the Third round draw with the twenty-two Premier Division clubs, making thirty-two teams.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 30 | Billericay Town (P) | 2–1 | Maldon Town (P) | 201 |
| 31 | Brook House (2) | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Hendon (P) | 84 |
| 32 | Chelmsford City (P) | 3–1 | Horsham (1) | 197 |
| 33 | Dover Athletic (1) | 2–0 | Leyton (P) | 324 |
| 34 | East Thurrock United (P) | 0–3 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 66 |
| 35 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 4–2 | Folkestone Invicta (P) | 82 |
| 36 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Dulwich Hamlet (1) | 104 |
| 37 | Harrow Borough (P) | 1–0 | Windsor & Eton (P) | 117 |
| 38 | Hastings United (1) | 2–3 | Braintree Town (P) | 172 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 39 | Leatherhead (1) | 5–3 (a.e.t.) | Cray Wanderers (1) | 121 |
| 40 | Margate (P) | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Bromley (P) | 345 |
| 41 | Slough Town (P) | 3–2 | Redbridge (P) | 139 |
| 42 | Staines Town (P) | 0–2 | AFC Wimbledon (P) | 622 |
| 43 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 3–0 | Edgware Town (2) | 115 |
| 44 | Wealdstone (P) | 1–0 | Croydon Athletic (1) | 98 |
| 45 | Worthing (P) | 2–2 | Walton & Hersham (P) | 222 |
| Worthing won 5–4 on penalties |||||

#### Fourth round

| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 46 | AFC Wimbledon (P) | 0–1 | Hendon (P) | 835 |
| 47 | Billericay Town (P) | 3–1 | Tooting & Mitcham United (1) | 168 |
| 48 | Braintree Town (P) | 1–2 | Wealdstone (P) | 109 |
| 49 | Dover Athletic (1) | 0–2 (a.e.t.) | Bromley (P) | 475 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 50 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 2–1 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (P) | 113 |
| 51 | Harrow Borough (P) | 1–2 | Worthing (P) | 114 |
| 52 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 2–0 | Chelmsford City (P) | 241 |
| 53 | Leatherhead (1) | 0–2 | Slough Town (P) | 151 |

#### Quarterfinals

| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 54 | Bromley (P) | 3–2 | Wealdstone (P) | 182 |
| 55 | Hendon (P) | 0–1 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 50 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 56 | Slough Town (P) | 3–0 | Heybridge Swifts (P) | 157 |
| 57 | Worthing (P) | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Billericay Town (P) | 157 |

#### Semifinals

The Semifinals fixtures were played over two legs.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 58 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 5–2 | Slough Town (P) | 108 |
| 59 | Bromley (P) | 2–2 | Billericay Town (P) | 315 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | Att. |
| 60 | Slough Town (P) | 3–1 | Fisher Athletic (P) | 118 |
| 61 | Billericay Town (P) | 2–1 | Bromley (P) | 362 |