# 2023–24 Eastern Counties Football League

The 2023–24 Eastern Counties Football League was the 81st 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 (Eastern Senior League), both at Step 6 of the English football league system.
The constitution was announced on 15 May 2023. Starting this season, the Premier Division in the league promotes two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there was only one club relegated from the Step 5 division.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division featured 17 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs:
* Dereham Town, relegated from the Northern Premier League
* Downham Town, promoted from Division One North
* Heacham, promoted from Division One North

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Mildenhall Town (C, P) | 36 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 73 | 16 | +57 | 92 | Promoted to the Isthmian League North |
| 2 | Newmarket Town (O, P) | 36 | 24 | 6 | 6 | 92 | 44 | +48 | 78 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 80 | 46 | +34 | 70 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 4 | Thetford Town | 35 | 20 | 7 | 8 | 67 | 42 | +25 | 70 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Dereham Town | 36 | 21 | 6 | 9 | 77 | 48 | +29 | 69 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Harleston Town | 36 | 20 | 5 | 11 | 74 | 53 | +21 | 65 | |
| 7 | Downham Town | 36 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 67 | 42 | +25 | 61 | |
| 8 | Walsham-le-Willows | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 68 | 48 | +20 | 57 | |
| 9 | Fakenham Town | 36 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 56 | |
| 10 | Lakenheath | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 68 | 74 | −6 | 49 | |
| 11 | Hadleigh United | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 52 | 68 | −16 | 44 | |
| 12 | Soham Town Rangers | 36 | 14 | 2 | 20 | 56 | 79 | −23 | 44 | |
| 13 | Woodbridge Town | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 36 | |
| 14 | Sheringham | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 46 | 70 | −24 | 36 | |
| 15 | Ely City | 36 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 43 | 71 | −28 | 29 | |
| 16 | Brantham Athletic | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 36 | 70 | −34 | 29 | |
| 17 | Long Melford | 36 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 32 | 70 | −38 | 30 | |
| 18 | Heacham | 35 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 27 | 67 | −40 | 28 | |
| 19 | Kirkley & Pakefield | 36 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 32 | 84 | −52 | 21 | |
| 20 | Norwich United (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew from league |
* ↑ Norwich United announced their withdrawal from the league on 14 September 2023'"`UNIQ--ref-0000000C-QINU`"' after multiple scandals.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000000D-QINU`"'

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Newmarket Town | 3 | | | |
| 5 | Dereham Town | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Dereham Town | 1 | 2 | Newmarket Town | 2 |
| | | | 3 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 0 |
| 3 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 2 | 3 | Mulbarton Wanderers | 0 |
| 4 | Thetford Town | 1 | | | |

#### Final

Note: Thetford Town played an ineligible player in their play-off semi-final away at Mulbarton Wanderers on 27 April 2024. The league originally removed Thetford from the playoffs and instated Mulbarton into the final. Following an appeal by Thetford, the FA ordered the semi-final to be replayed.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Brantham Athletic | Brantham Leisure Centre | 1,200 |
| Dereham Town | Aldiss Park | 3,000 |
| Downham Town | Memorial Field | 1,000 |
| Ely City | Unwin Sports Ground | 1,500 |
| Fakenham Town | Clipbush Park | 2,000 |
| Hadleigh United | Millfield | 3,000 |
| Harleston Town | Wilderness Lane | |
| Heacham | Station Road | |
| Kirkley & Pakefield | Walmer Road | 2,000 |
| Lakenheath | The Nest | |
| Long Melford | Stoneylands | |
| Mildenhall Town | Recreation Way | 2,000 |
| Mulbarton Wanderers | The Common | |
| Newmarket Town | Cricket Field Road | 2,750 |
| Norwich United | Plantation Park | 3,000 |
| Sheringham | Weybourne Road | |
| Soham Town Rangers | Julius Martin Lane | 2,000 |
| Thetford Town | Mundford Road | 1,500 |
| Walsham-le-Willows | Summer Road | 1,000 |
| Woodbridge Town | Notcutts Park | 3,000 |

## Division One North

Division One North featured 15 clubs which competed in the previous season, along with six new clubs.
* Relegated from the Premier Division
** Haverhill Rovers
** Whitton United
* Transferred from Division One South
** Stanway Pegasus
** Wivenhoe Town
* Plus:
** Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers, promoted from the Anglian Combination
** FC Peterborough, promoted from the Peterborough and District League

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Great Yarmouth Town (C, P) | 40 | 29 | 7 | 4 | 103 | 49 | +54 | 94 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Framlingham Town | 40 | 28 | 5 | 7 | 122 | 48 | +74 | 89 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Holland | 40 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 103 | 64 | +39 | 79 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 4 | Stanway Pegasus | 40 | 24 | 5 | 11 | 101 | 40 | +61 | 77 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Cornard United (O, P) | 40 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 112 | 84 | +28 | 75 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Holbeach United | 40 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 84 | 65 | +19 | 66 | |
| 7 | Harwich & Parkeston | 40 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 80 | 62 | +18 | 65 | |
| 8 | Diss Town | 40 | 18 | 8 | 14 | 70 | 69 | +1 | 62 | |
| 9 | Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers | 40 | 18 | 7 | 15 | 80 | 63 | +17 | 61 | |
| 10 | Haverhill Rovers | 40 | 19 | 4 | 17 | 90 | 89 | +1 | 61 | |
| 11 | FC Peterborough | 40 | 17 | 3 | 20 | 91 | 95 | −4 | 54 | |
| 12 | Wivenhoe Town | 40 | 15 | 7 | 18 | 71 | 93 | −22 | 52 | |
| 13 | AFC Sudbury reserves | 40 | 15 | 6 | 19 | 88 | 90 | −2 | 51 | |
| 14 | FC Parson Drove | 40 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 82 | 93 | −11 | 50 | |
| 15 | Norwich CBS | 40 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 86 | 120 | −34 | 45 | Folded at the end of the season |
| 16 | Whittlesey Athletic | 40 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 66 | 87 | −21 | 44 | |
| 17 | Whitton United | 40 | 12 | 5 | 23 | 58 | 83 | −25 | 41 | |
| 18 | Leiston reserves | 40 | 12 | 3 | 25 | 70 | 107 | −37 | 39 | |
| 19 | Swaffham Town | 40 | 11 | 5 | 24 | 63 | 94 | −31 | 38 | |
| 20 | Haverhill Borough | 40 | 9 | 6 | 25 | 49 | 110 | −61 | 33 | |
| 21 | Needham Market under 23s | 40 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 61 | 125 | −64 | 24 | Reprieved from relegation |

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Framlingham Town | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Cornard United | 2 | | | |
| 5 | Cornard United | 2 | 3 | Holland | 1 |
| | | | 5 | Cornard United | 3 |
| 3 | Holland | 3 | 5 | Cornard United | 3 |
| 4 | Stanway Pegasus | 0 | | | |

#### Final
### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| AFC Sudbury reserves | King's Marsh | 2,500 |
| Cornard United | Blackhouse Lane | |
| Diss Town | Brewers Green Lane | 2,500 |
| Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers | The Nest | 1,000 |
| FC Parson Drove | Main Road | |
| FC Peterborough | The Focus Centre | |
| Framlingham Town | Badingham Road | |
| Great Yarmouth Town | Wellesley Recreation Ground | 3,600 |
| Harwich & Parkeston | Royal Oak | |
| Haverhill Borough | New Croft (artificial, groundshare with Haverhill Rovers) | 3,000 |
| Haverhill Rovers | New Croft | 3,000 |
| Holbeach United | Carters Park | 4,000 |
| Holland | Dulwich Road | |
| Leiston reserves | Victory Road | 2,500 |
| Needham Market reserves | Bloomfields | 4,000 |
| Norwich CBS | FDC Bowthorpe | |
| Stanway Pegasus | The Stanway School | |
| Swaffham Town | Shoemakers Lane | |
| Whittlesey Athletic | Feldale Field | |
| Whitton United | King George V Playing Fields | 1,000 |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane | 2,876 |

## Division One South

Division One South featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with eight new clubs:
* Brimsdown, promoted from the Essex Alliance League
* Clapton, relegated from the Essex Senior League
* Clapton Community, promoted from the Middlesex County League
* Dunmow Town, promoted from the Essex and Suffolk Border League
* Harlow Town, resigned from the Southern League
* Hoddesdon Town, relegated from the Spartan South Midlands League
* Hutton, promoted from the Essex Olympian League
* Southend Manor, relegated from the Essex Senior League

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Benfleet (C, P) | 42 | 33 | 4 | 5 | 108 | 32 | +76 | 103 | Promoted to the Essex Senior League |
| 2 | Wormley Rovers (O, P) | 42 | 30 | 7 | 5 | 111 | 37 | +74 | 97 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Harlow Town | 42 | 28 | 7 | 7 | 105 | 48 | +57 | 91 | |
| 4 | Hutton | 42 | 25 | 6 | 11 | 89 | 55 | +34 | 81 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Dunmow Town | 42 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 96 | 73 | +23 | 76 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Clapton Community | 42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 78 | 54 | +24 | 72 | Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to the Southern Counties East League |
| 7 | Cannons Wood | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 103 | 60 | +43 | 71 | |
| 8 | Hackney Wick | 42 | 19 | 6 | 17 | 84 | 77 | +7 | 63 | |
| 9 | Brimsdown | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 73 | 57 | +16 | 59 | |
| 10 | Hoddesdon Town | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 70 | 66 | +4 | 58 | |
| 11 | May & Baker | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 77 | 78 | −1 | 55 | |
| 12 | Basildon Town | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 69 | 78 | −9 | 53 | |
| 13 | Enfield Borough | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 79 | 95 | −16 | 51 | |
| 14 | Newbury Forest | 42 | 15 | 2 | 25 | 72 | 102 | −30 | 47 | |
| 15 | Tower Hamlets | 42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 70 | 96 | −26 | 46 | Transferred to the Southern Counties East League |
| 16 | Barkingside | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 58 | 91 | −33 | 45 | |
| 17 | NW London | 42 | 14 | 3 | 25 | 84 | 123 | −39 | 45 | |
| 18 | Clapton | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 61 | 105 | −44 | 43 | Transferred to the Southern Counties East League |
| 19 | Southend Manor | 42 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 78 | 107 | −29 | 41 | |
| 20 | Park View | 42 | 12 | 4 | 26 | 65 | 115 | −50 | 40 | |
| 21 | St Margaretsbury | 42 | 12 | 2 | 28 | 72 | 110 | −38 | 38 | |
| 22 | Burnham Ramblers | 42 | 11 | 4 | 27 | 73 | 116 | −43 | 37 | Reprieved from relegation |
* ↑ Harlow Town are ineligible for promotion due to withdrawal from the national league system midway through last season.

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Wormley Rovers | 3 | | | |
| 6 | Clapton Community | 2 | | | |
| 6 | Clapton Community | 2 | 2 | Wormley Rovers | 2 |
| | | | 5 | Dunmow Town | 1 |
| 5 | Dunmow Town | 1 | 5 | Dunmow Town | 1 |
| 4 | Hutton | 0 | | | |

#### Final
### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Barkingside | Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) | 3,500 |
| Basildon Town | Rookery Hill (groundshare with East Thurrock United) | 3,500 |
| Benfleet | Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island) | 4,100 |
| Brimsdown | Wormley Playing Fields (groundshare with Wormley Rovers) | 500 |
| Burnham Ramblers | Leslie Fields | 2,000 |
| Cannons Wood | Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) | 3,500 |
| Clapton | Terence McMillan Stadium (groundshare with Athletic Newham) | 2,000 |
| Clapton Community | The Old Spotted Dog Ground | 2,000 |
| Dunmow Town | Scraley Road (groundshare with Heybridge Swifts) | 3,000 |
| Enfield Borough | The Maurice Rebak Stadium (groundshare with Wingate & Finchley) | 1,500 |
| Hackney Wick | Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town) | 2,500 |
| Harlow Town | The Harlow Arena | 3,500 |
| Hoddesdon Town | Lowfield | 3,000 |
| Hutton | New Lodge (groundshare with Billericay Town) | 3,500 |
| May & Baker | Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) | 3,500 |
| Newbury Forest | Oakside Stadium (groundshare with Redbridge) | 3,000 |
| NW London | The Harlow Arena (groundshare with Harlow Town) | 2,000 |
| Park View | New River Stadium | 5,000 |
| Southend Manor | Southchurch Park | 2,000 |
| St Margaretsbury | Recreation Ground | 1,000 |
| Tower Hamlets | Mile End Stadium (groundshare with Sporting Bengal United) | 2,000 |
| Wormley Rovers | Wormley Playing Fields | 500 |