2023–24 Southern Counties East Football League

The 2023–24 Southern Counties East Football League season is the 58th in the history of the Southern Counties East Football League, and the eighth year the competition will have two divisions, the Premier Division and Division One, at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system.

The provisional club allocations for steps 5 and 6 were announced by The Football Association on 15 May 2023.[1] Starting this season, the Premier Division (step 5) in the league will promote two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaces the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there will be only one club relegated from the division.[2]

Premier Division

Football league season
Southern Counties East
Football League
Premier Division
Season2023–24
2024–25 →

The Premier Division comprised 16 clubs from the previous season, along with five new clubs after Erith & Belvedere and Phoenix Sports were promoted to Isthmian League South East Division and Canterbury City and K Sports were relegated to Division One.

The five clubs joining the division were:

  • Corinthian - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division
  • Faversham Town - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division
  • Lydd Town - Promoted from Division One
  • Snodland Town - Promoted from Division One
  • VCD Athletic - Relegated from Isthmian League South East Division

Premier Division table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Deal Town 31 24 4 3 79 33 +46 76 Promotion to Step 4
2 Glebe 36 21 10 5 79 48 +31 73 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Corinthian 34 21 7 6 77 38 +39 70
4 Faversham Town 34 19 8 7 91 50 +41 65
5 Erith Town 33 19 5 9 79 48 +31 62
6 Whitstable Town 35 18 7 10 62 48 +14 61
7 Lydd Town 33 17 6 10 66 45 +21 57
8 Snodland Town 32 16 8 8 61 34 +27 56
9 Bearsted 33 16 8 9 54 40 +14 56
10 Punjab United 32 15 10 7 59 45 +14 55
11 Lordswood 33 13 11 9 55 48 +7 50
12 Fisher 35 13 6 16 66 74 −8 45
13 Hollands & Blair 35 12 5 18 53 68 −15 41
14 VCD Athletic 35 10 10 15 51 60 −9 40
15 Holmesdale 34 9 7 18 50 69 −19 34
16 Tunbridge Wells 30 8 8 14 48 54 −6 32
17 Kennington 34 6 8 20 40 73 −33 26
18 Stansfeld 34 5 7 22 39 83 −44 22
19 Sutton Athletic 33 5 7 21 39 83 −44 22
20 Rusthall 35 4 7 24 34 74 −40 19
21 Welling Town 33 4 5 24 36 103 −67 17 Relegation to Step 6
Updated to match(es) played on 30 March 2024. Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results

Results table

Home \ Away BEA COR DEA ERT FAV FIS GLB H&B HOL KEN LOR LYD PUN RUS SNT STA SUT TUN VCD WEL WHI
Bearsted — 1–0 2–4 3–2 1–2 0–2 1–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 4–1 3–0 2–0 2–1 0–0 5–1 0–0
Corinthian 1–3 — 2–1 3–2 4–1 1–2 2–2 2–1 5–1 4–1 3–1 5–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 3–1 4–1 4–0 3–1
Deal Town 2–0 2–1 — 2–2 3–0 4–2 4–0 4–1 2–0 7–3 0–3 3–1 3–0 0–2 1–0 3–0
Erith Town 4–0 3–4 2–3 — 2–3 5–2 1–1 1–0 2–1 4–2 2–1 2–1 5–1 4–1 5–1 2–1 4–2 0–1
Faversham Town 4–0 2–4 3–4 — 5–0 0–2 5–2 6–1 2–1 2–3 2–4 3–1 2–2 8–0 5–1 2–2 2–0 2–1
Fisher 1–0 0–3 3–1 4–2 1–4 — 3–3 4–2 0–0 0–1 1–3 3–1 2–5 2–2 1–2 3–1 3–2 4–0 3–4
Glebe 2–0 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–2 — 3–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 1–3 2–0 2–2 5–0 3–2 4–0 1–1 2–0
Hollands & Blair 0–0 0–0 1–3 1–3 1–5 1–2 — 0–4 4–3 4–1 1–1 1–3 2–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 4–2 10–1 0–3
Holmesdale 1–6 1–2 1–1 0–2 0–0 2–1 3–2 — 1–2 4–2 1–2 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–3 1–1 0–2 2–2 4–2
Kennington 1–1 0–3 0–3 0–0 1–3 1–1 1–3 2–0 — 1–3 1–2 1–1 2–3 3–0 2–0 4–3 2–2 2–4
Lordswood 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–0 0–1 5–0 4–0 — 0–0 1–0 0–3 3–2 5–0 1–0 2–4 1–0 0–4
Lydd Town 1–2 0–3 0–2 2–1 4–1 2–1 0–3 0–0 — 2–0 3–2 3–0 2–2 2–3 5–2 4–0
Punjab United 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–3 0–1 1–1 0–0 2–3 3–1 — 2–0 2–1 4–2 2–1 3–2 4–0 4–2
Rusthall 0–2 1–2 1–2 0–0 1–3 2–4 2–1 1–1 0–1 2–2 — 0–2 3–1 3–4 0–2 3–1 0–3 0–3
Snodland Town 0–0 3–3 0–1 1–1 5–2 3–1 0–1 6–2 4–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 1–0 — 2–0 3–0 0–1
Stansfeld 1–1 2–2 1–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 2–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 0–3 1–2 0–4 — 0–2 1–4 2–1
Sutton Athletic 1–2 0–3 1–2 1–2 2–5 1–1 0–2 1–2 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 — 4–4 1–1 2–1 0–3
Tunbridge Wells 2–3 0–1 3–4 1–0 3–2 2–2 0–1 2–1 1–3 3–3 — 2–1 2–2 3–0
VCD Athletic 0–1 0–3 0–2 0–3 2–2 1–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–0 — 4–0 0–1
Welling Town 2–5 1–2 0–2 0–6 0–2 2–1 2–3 1–3 1–3 0–7 2–2 0–0 3–2 2–6 1–1 — 0–3
Whitstable Town 2–1 2–0 2–2 0–4 1–1 2–0 3–0 3–0 3–3 1–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 0–0 2–1 2–3 —
Updated to match(es) played on 30 March 2024. Source: FA Full-Time Grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Division One

Football league season
Southern Counties East
Football League
Division One
Season2023–24
2024–25 →

Division One consisted of sixteen teams, down from eighteen teams in the previous season. Teams that left Division One from the previous season were Snodland Town and Lydd Town who had been promoted to the Premier Division and Bermondsey Town who were relegated to the Kent County League

The two new teams that joined the division were:

Division One table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 AFC Whyteleafe 25 18 4 3 67 28 +39 58 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Rochester United 25 16 2 7 58 35 +23 50 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Staplehurst Monarchs 24 15 5 4 41 20 +21 50
4 Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers 22 14 4 4 62 28 +34 46
5 Croydon 25 13 4 8 57 39 +18 43
6 Canterbury City 26 13 2 11 49 40 +9 41
7 FC Elmstead 24 12 4 8 49 35 +14 40
8 Lewisham Borough 23 11 6 6 47 30 +17 39
9 Faversham Strike Force 25 10 3 12 42 47 −5 33
10 Tooting Bec 25 8 6 11 39 40 −1 30
11 Bridon Ropes 24 7 6 11 35 51 −16 27
12 K Sports 25 6 6 13 47 73 −26 24
13 Forest Hill Park 24 6 4 14 32 47 −15 22
14 Meridian VP 25 5 7 13 40 63 −23 22 Possible relegation to the feeder leagues
15 Sporting Club Thamesmead 23 4 4 15 25 63 −38 16
16 Greenways 25 2 3 20 34 85 −51 9
Updated to match(es) played on 30 March 2024. Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results

Results table

Home \ Away WHY BRI CAN CRO ELM FAV FHP GRE KSP LAR LEW MER ROC SCT STM TOO
AFC Whyteleafe — 7–1 2–1 2–2 3–0 4–1 1–0 2–0 2–3 4–1 2–2 7–0 1–1 1–1
Bridon Ropes — 0–5 0–2 3–2 4–1 2–3 1–1 2–1 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 0–5
Canterbury City 2–3 4–1 — 1–5 1–3 4–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 3–2 0–1 3–2 0–1 3–2
Croydon 2–3 — 1–0 1–2 4–1 1–1 7–1 3–4 2–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 3–1
FC Elmstead 3–0 1–0 — 2–1 3–1 0–2 1–3 2–0 2–3 2–2 0–1 1–1
Faversham Strike Force 1–6 2–2 2–1 2–3 — 0–2 5–1 2–1 0–0 3–0 2–0 0–2 1–3 2–0
Forest Hill Park 0–3 0–4 1–0 3–3 0–3 — 2–4 2–2 0–2 4–2 1–0 1–2
Greenways 1–2 0–1 0–2 2–6 0–4 0–4 — 2–3 0–9 2–5 3–4 0–4 1–2 1–3
K Sports 3–4 3–3 1–2 1–3 1–3 3–3 2–2 — 1–4 1–5 2–1 0–8 4–3 0–2
Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers 1–0 1–2 6–3 2–4 4–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 — 4–1 1–0 3–3 3–1
Lewisham Borough 1–2 3–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 4–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 — 1–1 4–1 2–2 2–1
Meridian VP 1–2 1–1 0–2 2–1 6–3 1–1 4–1 2–5 1–4 — 0–8 3–1 0–0 2–2
Rochester United 3–2 1–0 2–1 1–2 3–2 1–0 1–4 5–1 0–4 1–0 — 2–1 3–1
Sporting Club Thamesmead 0–1 0–7 0–3 0–3 1–0 1–7 3–3 2–2 2–1 — 0–2 0–2
Staplehurst Monarchs 1–2 1–0 1–0 1–2 1–1 3–0 3–1 4–1 1–2 4–0 — 1–0
Tooting Bec 1–2 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–1 4–2 3–3 1–3 3–1 0–3 1–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 30 March 2024. Source: FA Full-Time Grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

League Cup

The 2023–24 SCEFL Challenge Cup saw Hollands & Blair enter the competition as defending champions, having defeated Fisher in the previous season's final.

Calendar

Round Dates Matches Clubs
First round 2 October to 4 October 5 37 → 32
Second round 31 October to 21 November 16 32 → 16
Third round 29 November to 9 January 8 16 → 8
Quarter-finals 16 January to 10 February 4 8 → 4
Semi-finals 20 February to 27 February 2 4 → 2
Final 29 March 1 2 → 1

First round

Ten clubs participated in five first round ties.

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 SC Thamesmead (FD) 0–3 Lewisham Borough (FD) 75
2 Deal Town (PD) 8–2 Faversham Strike Force (FD) 370
3 Canterbury City (FD) 1–2 Snodland Town (PD) 67
4 Bridon Ropes (FD) 0–2 Croydon (FD) 40
5 Sutton Athletic (PD) 2–3 Welling United (PD) 37

Second round

Sixteen clubs competed in eight second round times.

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 Bearsted (PD) 0–2 Deal Town (PD) 73
2 Erith Town (PD) 3–1 Tooting Bec (FD) 53
3 Holmesdale (PD) 3–3 (4–2 p) Fisher (PD) 38
4 Kennington (PD) 3–3 (5–4 p) Hollands & Blair (PD) 125
5 Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers (FD) 2–2 (4–3 p) Rochester United (FD)
6 Meridian VP (FD) 2–0 Croydon (FD) 20
7 Rusthall (PD) 4–0 Forest Hill Park (FD)
8 Stansfeld (PD) 2–6 Corinthian (PD)
9 Whitstable Town (PD) 5–2 Lordswood (PD) 172
10 Lewisham Borough (FD) 3–0 Welling Town (PD)
11 Greenways (FD) 1–3 Snodland Town (PD)
12 Faversham Town (PD) 3–1 Lydd Town (PD) 186
13 Punjab United (PD) 1–0 FC Elmstead (FD) 77
14 Tunbridge Wells (PD) 2–0 Glebe (PD)
15 K Sports (FD) 0–4 Staplehurst Monarchs (FD)
16 VCD Athletic (PD) 2–2 AFC Whyteleafe (PD) 80

Third round

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 Snodland Town (PD) 0–1 Tunbridge Wells (PD) 104
2 Erith Town (PD) 3–0 Rusthall (PD) 53
3 Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers (FD) 0–1 Faversham Town (PD) 60
4 Meridian VP (FD) 1–3 Corinthian (PD) 30
5 Punjab United (PD) 1–1 (4–5 p) Holmesdale (PD) 84
6 Kennington (PD) 1–0 Whitstable Town (PD) 102
7 AFC Whyteleafe (FD) 2–0 Lewisham Borough (FD) 168
8 Deal Town (PD) 5–1 Staplehurst Monarchs (FD) 256

Quarter-finals

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 AFC Whyteleafe (FD) 2–1 Tunbridge Wells (PD)
2 Corinthian (PD) 2–1 Faversham Town (PD) 80
3 Kennington (PD) 0–5 Deal Town (PD) 151
4 Holmesdale (PD) 1–3 Erith Town (PD)

Semi-finals

First leg

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 Corinthian (PD) 3–0 AFC Whyteleafe (FD) 78
2 Deal Town (PD) 2–1 Erith Town (PD) 473

Second leg

Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) Att.
1 AFC Whyteleafe (FD) 2–2 (agg. 2–5) Corinthian (PD)
2 Erith Town (PD) 4–2 (agg 5–4) Deal Town (PD) 171

Final

Corinthian (PD) v Erith Town (PD)
29 March 2024 (2024-03-29) Corinthian (PD)1–1
(3–5 p)		 Erith Town (PD) Gillingham
13:00 GMT
  • Hagan 30'
 Report
  • Dyer 85' (pen.)
 Stadium: Star Meadow
Attendance: 452

References

  1. ^ "The FA releases National League System club allocations for Steps 1-6 in 2023-24 term". The FA. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Step 5 to 4 promotion/relegation update". The FA. 16 March 2023.
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