2021–22 Western Football League

2021–22 Western Football League is a topic that has captured the attention of many people in recent years. With its impact on society and culture, it has generated numerous debates and conflicting opinions. From its origins to the current moment, 2021–22 Western Football League has been the subject of study and research, and continues to be a point of interest for academics, experts and the general public. In this article we will explore different aspects related to 2021–22 Western Football League, analyzing its influence, its challenges and its opportunities.

Western Football League
Season2021–22
ChampionsTavistock
PromotedTavistock
Exmouth Town
RelegatedBrislington
Bridport

The 2021–22 Western Football League season (known as the 2021–22 Toolstation Western Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 120th in the history of the Western Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.

The constitution was announced on 18 May 2021.[1]

After the abandonment of the previous two seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[2][3] a number of promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.

Premier Division

The Premier Division was reduced to 19 clubs from 21 after Plymouth Parkway were promoted to the Southern League, and Bradford Town, Chipping Sodbury Town, Cribbs, Hallen, Roman Glass St George and Westbury United were transferred to the Hellenic League. Odd Down requested demotion to Division One, which the league accepted.

Prior to this season, Bridgwater Town merged with women's club Yeovil United, forming Bridgwater United.[4]

Six new clubs joined the division.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Tavistock (C, P) 36 23 8 5 96 34 +62 77 Promoted to the Southern League
2 Exmouth Town (P) 36 23 8 5 92 31 +61 77[a]
3 Mousehole 36 22 7 7 90 46 +44 73[b]
4 Saltash United 36 20 5 11 80 46 +34 65
5 Bridgwater United 36 20 5 11 69 39 +30 65
6 Shepton Mallet 36 17 9 10 77 36 +41 60
7 Clevedon Town 36 16 11 9 76 54 +22 59
8 Ilfracombe Town 36 16 8 12 62 56 +6 56
9 Helston Athletic 36 14 12 10 67 49 +18 54
10 Buckland Athletic 36 15 8 13 69 54 +15 53
11 Keynsham Town 36 15 8 13 68 58 +10 53
12 Millbrook 36 12 9 15 60 70 −10 45
13 Bitton 36 13 6 17 64 75 −11 45
14 Wellington 36 11 10 15 52 64 −12 43
15 Cadbury Heath 36 10 5 21 48 81 −33 35
16 Street 36 9 5 22 48 71 −23 32
17 Brislington 36 9 5 22 42 95 −53 32 Voluntarily demoted to Division One[c]
18 Ashton & Backwell United 36 7 8 21 47 80 −33 29 Reprieved from relegation[d]
19 Bridport (R) 36 1 1 34 17 185 −168 4 Relegated to the South West Peninsula League
Source: Toolstation Western League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Exmouth Town were promoted as they were one of ten runners-up at Step 5 promoted on a PPG (points per game) basis.
  2. ^ Mousehole v Keynsham Town, 5 April 2022 – Keynsham did not send a team to Mousehole, and Mousehole were awarded the three points.
  3. ^ Brislington requested voluntary demotion to Division One for the 2022–23 season.
  4. ^ Ashton & Backwell United were one of the twelve clubs with the most PPG (points per game) out of 16 second-bottom clubs at Step 5, and were reprieved from relegation.[5]

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Ashton & Backwell United Backwell Recreation Ground
Bitton Bitton Recreation Ground 2,000
Bridgwater United Bridgwater Fairfax Park 2,500
Bridport Bridport St Mary's Field 2,000
Brislington Bristol (Brislington) Brislington Stadium 3,000
Buckland Athletic Newton Abbot Homers Heath
Cadbury Heath Cadbury Heath Springfield
Clevedon Town Kenn Hand Stadium 3,500
Exmouth Town Exmouth Southern Road
Helston Athletic Helston Kellaway Park
Ilfracombe Town Ilfracombe Marlborough Park 2,000
Keynsham Town Keynsham Crown Field
Millbrook Millbrook Jenkins Park
Mousehole Mousehole Trungle Parc
Saltash United Saltash Kimberley Stadium
Shepton Mallet Shepton Mallet The Playing Fields 2,500
Street Street The Tannery 1,500
Tavistock Tavistock Langsford Park 2,000
Wellington Wellington The Playing Field 1,500

First Division

The First Division was increased from 20 clubs to 21 after Ashton & Backwell United were promoted to the Premier Division, and Calne Town and Corsham Town were promoted and transferred to the Hellenic League Premier Division.

Four new clubs joined:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Sherborne Town (C, P) 40 31 6 3 124 38 +86 99 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Warminster Town 40 28 5 7 84 33 +51 89 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Wincanton Town 40 27 7 6 126 49 +77 88
4 Welton Rovers (O, P) 40 27 7 6 90 39 +51 88
5 Radstock Town 40 18 9 13 75 74 +1 63
6 Cheddar 40 17 11 12 81 71 +10 62
7 Wells City 40 16 12 12 82 69 +13 60
8 AEK Boco 40 16 12 12 64 59 +5 60
9 Odd Down 40 16 9 15 82 78 +4 57
10 Oldland Abbotonians 40 17 4 19 84 84 0 55
11 Bishop Sutton 40 15 7 18 73 70 +3 52
12 Tytherington Rocks 40 14 10 16 60 75 −15 52
13 Lebeq United 40 13 12 15 84 82 +2 51
14 Gillingham Town 40 12 10 18 73 87 −14 46
15 Hengrove Athletic 40 12 9 19 62 81 −19 45
16 Portishead Town 40 13 7 20 55 63 −8 43[a]
17 Longwell Green Sports 40 11 9 20 63 87 −24 42
18 Almondsbury 40 12 2 26 54 95 −41 38
19 Bristol Telephones 40 10 5 25 56 114 −58 35 Reprieved from relegation[b]
20 Bishops Lydeard 40 6 6 28 50 98 −48 24
21 Devizes Town (R) 40 6 7 27 55 131 −76 22[c] Relegated to the Wiltshire League
Source: Toolstation Western League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Portishead Town had three points deducted.
  2. ^ All third-from-bottom sides at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation, and a number of second-from-bottom sides, including Bishops Lydeard, were reprieved on a PPG (points per game) basis.[6]
  3. ^ Devizes Town had three points deducted.

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Warminster Town 2
5 Radstock Town 0
2 Warminster Town 0
4 Welton Rovers 1
4 Welton Rovers 2
3 Wincanton Town 0
  • Welton Rovers were at home for their playoff semi-final as Wincanton Town were unable to host the fixture.

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
AEK Boco Bristol (Hanham) Greenbank Road
Almondsbury Almondsbury The Field
Bishop Sutton Bishop Sutton Lakeview 1,500
Bishops Lydeard Bishops Lydeard Darby Way
Bristol Telephones Bristol (Stockwood) Stockwood Lane
Cheddar Cheddar Bowdens Park
Devizes Town Devizes Nursteed Road 2,500
Gillingham Town Gillingham Woodwater Lane
Hengrove Athletic Bristol (Whitchurch) Norton Lane
Lebeq United Almondsbury Oaklands Park
Longwell Green Sports Longwell Green Longwell Green Community Stadium 1,000
Odd Down Bath Lew Hill Memorial Ground 1,000
Oldland Abbotonians Oldland Common Aitchison Playing Field
Portishead Town Portishead Bristol Road
Radstock Town Radstock Southfields Recreation Ground 1,250
Sherborne Town Sherborne Raleigh Grove 1,150
Tytherington Rocks Tytherington Hardwicke Playing Field
Warminster Town Warminster Weymouth Street
Wells City Wells The Athletic Ground 1,500
Welton Rovers Midsomer Norton West Clewes 2,400
Wincanton Town Wincanton Wincanton Sports Ground

References

  1. ^ "National League System club allocations – Steps 5–6, Season 2021–22". The Football Association. 18 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. ^ "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Yeovil United To Merge With Bridgwater Town To Form Bridgwater United FC". Since 71. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Changes to promotion and relegation at Step 5". North East Counties Football League. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Promotion / Relegation – 2021/22 Season". Southern Counties East Football League. November 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2022.