# 1996–97 Isthmian League

The 1996–97 season was the 82nd season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England. The league consisted of four divisions.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs:
* Dagenham & Redbridge, relegated from the Football Conference
* Heybridge Swifts, promoted as runners-up in Division One
* Oxford City, promoted as champions of Division One
* Staines Town, promoted as third in Division One

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Yeovil Town | 42 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 83 | 34 | +49 | 101 | Promoted to the Football Conference |
| 2 | Enfield | 42 | 28 | 11 | 3 | 91 | 29 | +62 | 95 | |
| 3 | Sutton United | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 87 | 70 | +17 | 67 | |
| 4 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 57 | 43 | +14 | 65 | |
| 5 | St Albans City | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 65 | |
| 6 | Yeading | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 58 | 47 | +11 | 65 | |
| 7 | Heybridge Swifts | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 65 | |
| 8 | Aylesbury United | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 62 | |
| 9 | Purfleet | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 67 | 63 | +4 | 62 | |
| 10 | Boreham Wood | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 58 | |
| 11 | Kingstonian | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 56 | |
| 12 | Dulwich Hamlet | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 57 | 57 | 0 | 55 | |
| 13 | Carshalton Athletic | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 56 | −5 | 53 | |
| 14 | Hitchin Town | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 67 | 73 | −6 | 52 | |
| 15 | Oxford City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 67 | 83 | −16 | 52 | |
| 16 | Hendon | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 53 | 59 | −6 | 51 | |
| 17 | Harrow Borough | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 50 | |
| 18 | Bromley | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 67 | 72 | −5 | 48 | |
| 19 | Bishop's Stortford | 42 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 43 | 64 | −21 | 43 | |
| 20 | Staines Town | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 46 | 71 | −25 | 38 | Relegated to Division One |
| 21 | Grays Athletic | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 43 | 78 | −35 | 33 | Relegated to Division One |
| 22 | Chertsey Town | 42 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 40 | 98 | −58 | 31 | Relegated to Division One |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Aylesbury United | Buckingham Road |
| Bishop's Stortford | Woodside Park |
| Boreham Wood | Meadow Park |
| Bromley | Hayes Lane |
| Carshalton Athletic | War Memorial Sports Ground |
| Chertsey Town | Alwyns Lane |
| Enfield | Meadow Park (groundshare with Boreham Wood) |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | Victoria Road |
| Dulwich Hamlet | Champion Hill |
| Grays Athletic | New Recreation Ground |
| Harrow Borough | Earlsmead Stadium |
| Hendon | Claremont Road |
| Heybridge Swifts | Scraley Road |
| Hitchin Town | Top Field |
| Kingstonian | Kingsmeadow |
| Oxford City | Marsh Lane |
| St Albans City | Clarence Park |
| Staines Town | Wheatsheaf Park |
| Sutton United | Gander Green Lane |
| Thurrock | Ship Lane |
| Yeading | The Warren |
| Yeovil Town | Huish Park |

## Division One

Division One consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs from the previous season and six new teams:
Three clubs relegated from the Premier Division:
* Molesey
* Walton & Hersham
* Worthing
Three clubs promoted from Division Two:
* Canvey Island
* Croydon
* Hampton

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Chesham United | 42 | 27 | 6 | 9 | 80 | 46 | +34 | 87 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Basingstoke Town | 42 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 81 | 38 | +43 | 79 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Walton & Hersham | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 67 | 41 | +26 | 76 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 4 | Hampton | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 62 | 39 | +23 | 75 | |
| 5 | Billericay Town | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 69 | 49 | +20 | 75 | |
| 6 | Bognor Regis Town | 42 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 63 | 44 | +19 | 72 | |
| 7 | Aldershot Town | 42 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 67 | 45 | +22 | 71 | |
| 8 | Uxbridge | 42 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 62 | |
| 9 | Whyteleafe | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 71 | 68 | +3 | 61 | |
| 10 | Molesey | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 50 | 53 | −3 | 60 | |
| 11 | Abingdon Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 56 | |
| 12 | Leyton Pennant | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 71 | 72 | −1 | 54 | |
| 13 | Maidenhead United | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 57 | 57 | 0 | 52 | |
| 14 | Wokingham Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 52 | |
| 15 | Thame United | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 57 | 69 | −12 | 49 | |
| 16 | Worthing | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 58 | 77 | −19 | 44 | |
| 17 | Barton Rovers | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 58 | −27 | 44 | |
| 18 | Croydon | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 40 | 57 | −17 | 43 | |
| 19 | Berkhamsted Town | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 47 | 66 | −19 | 42 | |
| 20 | Canvey Island | 42 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 52 | 71 | −19 | 41 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 21 | Marlow | 42 | 11 | 6 | 25 | 41 | 84 | −43 | 39 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 22 | Tooting & Mitcham United | 42 | 8 | 8 | 26 | 40 | 85 | −45 | 32 | Relegated to Division Two |
* ↑ 3 points deducted

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Abingdon Town | Culham Road |
| Aldershot Town | Recreation Ground |
| Barton Rovers | Sharpenhoe Road |
| Basingstoke Town | The Camrose |
| Berkhamsted Town | Broadwater |
| Billericay Town | New Lodge |
| Bognor Regis Town | Nyewood Lane |
| Canvey Island | Brockwell Stadium |
| Chesham United | The Meadow |
| Croydon | Croydon Sports Arena |
| Hampton | Beveree Stadium |
| Leyton Pennant | Wadham Lodge |
| Maidenhead United | York Road |
| Marlow | Alfred Davis Memorial Ground |
| Molesey | Walton Road Stadium |
| Thame United | Windmill Road |
| Tooting & Mitcham United | Imperial Fields |
| Uxbridge | Honeycroft |
| Walton & Hersham | The Sports Ground |
| Whyteleafe | Church Road |
| Wokingham Town | Cantley Park |
| Worthing | Woodside Road |

## Division Two

Division Two consisted of 22 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs:
Two clubs relegated from Division One:
* Barking
* Wembley
Three clubs promoted from Division Three:
* Horsham
* Leighton Town
* Windsor & Eton
Also, Collier Row & Romford, formed from a merger between Collier Row and Romford

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Collier Row & Romford | 42 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 93 | 33 | +60 | 96 | Promoted to Division One |
| 2 | Leatherhead | 42 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 116 | 45 | +71 | 95 | Promoted to Division One |
| 3 | Wembley | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 91 | 44 | +47 | 80 | Promoted to Division One |
| 4 | Barking | 42 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 68 | 39 | +29 | 79 | |
| 5 | Horsham | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 77 | |
| 6 | Edgware Town | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 74 | 50 | +24 | 74 | |
| 7 | Bedford Town | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 77 | 43 | +34 | 71 | |
| 8 | Banstead Athletic | 42 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 75 | 52 | +23 | 68 | |
| 9 | Windsor & Eton | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 65 | 62 | +3 | 64 | |
| 10 | Leighton Town | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 64 | 52 | +12 | 63 | |
| 11 | Wivenhoe Town | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 69 | 62 | +7 | 60 | |
| 12 | Bracknell Town | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 78 | 72 | +6 | 58 | |
| 13 | Chalfont St Peter | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 55 | |
| 14 | Hungerford Town | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 68 | 77 | −9 | 55 | |
| 15 | Metropolitan Police | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 72 | 75 | −3 | 49 | |
| 16 | Tilbury | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 68 | 77 | −9 | 49 | |
| 17 | Witham Town | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 40 | 67 | −27 | 44 | |
| 18 | Egham Town | 42 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 47 | 86 | −39 | 39 | |
| 19 | Cheshunt | 42 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 37 | 101 | −64 | 30 | |
| 20 | Ware | 42 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 44 | 80 | −36 | 29 | Relegated to Division Three |
| 21 | Dorking | 42 | 7 | 6 | 29 | 40 | 100 | −60 | 27 | Relegated to Division Three |
| 22 | Hemel Hempstead | 42 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 34 | 125 | −91 | 21 | Relegated to Division Three |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Banstead Athletic | Merland Rise |
| Barking | Mayesbrook Park |
| Bedford Town | The Eyrie |
| Bracknell Town | Larges Lane |
| Chalfont St Peter | Mill Meadow |
| Cheshunt | Cheshunt Stadium |
| Collier Row & Romford | Sungate |
| Dorking | Meadowbank Stadium |
| Edgware Town | White Lion |
| Egham Town | The Runnymede Stadium |
| Hemel Hempstead | Vauxhall Road |
| Horsham | Queen Street |
| Hungerford Town | Bulpit Lane |
| Leatherhead | Fetcham Grove |
| Leighton Town | Bell Close |
| Metropolitan Police | Imber Court |
| Tilbury | Chadfields |
| Ware | Wodson Park |
| Wembley | Vale Farm |
| Windsor & Eton | Stag Meadow |
| Witham Town | Spa Road |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane |

## Division Three

Division Three consisted of 17 clubs, including 16 clubs from the previous season and one new club:
* Braintree Town, transferred from Southern League Southern Division
Before the start of the season Cove and Harefield United resigned from the league.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Wealdstone | 32 | 24 | 3 | 5 | 72 | 24 | +48 | 75 | Promoted to Division Two |
| 2 | Braintree Town | 32 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 99 | 29 | +70 | 74 | Promoted to Division Two |
| 3 | Northwood | 32 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 60 | 31 | +29 | 64 | Promoted to Division Two |
| 4 | Harlow Town | 32 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 61 | |
| 5 | Aveley | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 64 | 39 | +25 | 57 | |
| 6 | East Thurrock United | 32 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 58 | 51 | +7 | 54 | |
| 7 | Camberley Town | 32 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 51 | |
| 8 | Wingate & Finchley | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 52 | 63 | −11 | 40 | |
| 9 | Hornchurch | 32 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 35 | 51 | −16 | 39 | |
| 10 | Clapton | 32 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 39 | |
| 11 | Lewes | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 45 | 53 | −8 | 38 | |
| 12 | Kingsbury Town | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 37 | |
| 13 | Hertford Town | 32 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 55 | 65 | −10 | 36 | |
| 14 | Epsom & Ewell | 32 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 62 | 78 | −16 | 29 | |
| 15 | Flackwell Heath | 32 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 36 | 71 | −35 | 29 | |
| 16 | Tring Town | 32 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 33 | 74 | −41 | 24 | |
| 17 | Southall | 32 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 28 | 69 | −41 | 22 | |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Aveley | The Mill Field |
| Braintree Town | Cressing Road |
| Camberley Town | Kroomer Park |
| Clapton | The Old Spotted Dog Ground |
| East Thurrock United | Rookery Hill |
| Epsom & Ewell | Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic) |
| Flackwell Heath | Wilks Park |
| Harlow Town | Harlow Sportcentre |
| Hertford Town | Hertingfordbury Park |
| Hornchurch | Hornchurch Stadium |
| Kingsbury Town | Avenue Park |
| Lewes | The Dripping Pan |
| Northwood | Chestnut Avenue |
| Southall | Robert Parker Stadium |
| Tring Town | Pendley Ground |
| Wealdstone | White Lion (groundshare with Edgware Town) |
| Wingate & Finchley | The Harry Abrahams Stadium |