1997–98 Spartan South Midlands Football League

The 1997–98 Spartan South Midlands Football League season was the first in the history of Spartan South Midlands Football League. The league was formed by the merger of the Spartan League and the South Midlands League.

The league consisted of 75 clubs divided into five divisions.

For this season only both Premier Division and Division One were split geographically into two sections, as the Premier Division North was a successor of the South Midlands League Premier Division, and the Premier Division South was a successor of the Spartan League Premier Division. Senior Division was a successor of the South Midlands League Senior Division. Division One North was a successor of the South Midlands League Division One, and the Division One South was a successor of the Spartan League divisions One and Two.

At the end of the season Premier divisions were merged, while Division One North was renamed Division One as all the Division One South clubs resigned from the league and formed the London Intermediate League.

Premier Division North

Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Premier Division North
Season1997–98
ChampionsBrache Sparta
RelegatedLetchworth
Biggleswade Town
Milton Keynes
Bedford United
Langford
Matches played210
Goals scored714 (3.4 per match)
← 1996–97 (South Midlands League)
1998–99 (Premier Division) →

The division featured 15 clubs, all came from the South Midlands League Premier Division.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Brache Sparta 28 23 2 3 75 17 +58 71
2 Potters Bar Town 28 20 7 1 62 21 +41 67
3 London Colney 28 16 4 8 67 46 +21 52
4 Royston Town 28 14 5 9 52 34 +18 47
5 Hoddesdon Town 28 15 2 11 50 36 +14 47
6 Welwyn Garden City 28 12 10 6 47 42 +5 46
7 Arlesey Town 28 13 5 10 51 41 +10 44
8 Harpenden Town 28 12 5 11 46 45 +1 41
9 Toddington Rovers 28 10 5 13 39 52 −13 35
10 Buckingham Athletic 28 9 6 13 46 55 −9 33
11 Letchworth 28 8 5 15 50 63 −13 29 Relegated to the Senior Division
12 Biggleswade Town 28 7 7 14 41 53 −12 28
13 Milton Keynes 28 8 5 15 40 52 −12 28[a]
14 Bedford United 28 3 8 17 25 67 −42 14[b]
15 Langford 28 1 2 25 23 90 −67 5
Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Milton Keynes were deducted 1 point.
  2. ^ Bedford United were deducted 3 points.

Premier Division South

Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Premier Division South
Season1997–98
ChampionsBrook House
RelegatedHanwell Town
Harefield United
Amersham Town
Cockfosters
Matches played210
Goals scored714 (3.4 per match)
← 1996–97 (Spartan League)
1998–99 (Premier Division) →

The division featured 15 clubs, all came from Spartan League Premier Division.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Brook House 28 18 6 4 66 27 +39 60
2 Beaconsfield SYCOB 28 16 8 4 59 27 +32 56
3 Ruislip Manor 28 17 4 7 61 29 +32 55
4 Hillingdon Borough 28 15 7 6 73 35 +38 52
5 Barkingside 28 12 7 9 44 34 +10 43
6 Waltham Abbey 28 12 6 10 54 42 +12 42
7 Haringey Borough 28 12 4 12 42 44 −2 40
8 Brimsdown Rovers 28 11 4 13 46 58 −12 37
9 St Margaretsbury 28 11 4 13 46 58 −12 36[a]
10 Islington St Mary's 28 10 4 14 42 52 −10 33[b]
11 Woodford Town 28 7 9 12 48 59 −11 30 Resigned from the league
12 Hanwell Town 28 8 4 16 45 76 −31 28 Relegated to the Senior Division
13 Harefield United 28 7 6 15 27 67 −40 27
14 Amersham Town 28 8 2 18 26 45 −19 26
15 Cockfosters 28 5 7 16 35 61 −26 22
Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ St Margaretsbury were deducted 1 point.
  2. ^ Islington St Mary's were deducted 1 point.

Senior Division

Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Senior Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsNew Bradwell St Peter
PromotedNew Bradwell St Peter
Mercedes Benz
RelegatedThe 61 FC Luton
Kent Athletic
Ampthill Town
Matches played240
Goals scored986 (4.11 per match)
← 1996–97 (South Midlands League)

The division featured 13 clubs which competed in the previous season South Midlands League Senior Division, along with three new clubs.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 New Bradwell St Peter 30 21 5 4 86 30 +56 68 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Tring Athletic 30 21 5 4 84 30 +54 68
3 Mercedes Benz 30 21 2 7 84 51 +33 65 Promoted to the Premier Division
4 Holmer Green 30 20 3 7 94 41 +53 63
5 Biggleswade United 30 16 8 6 74 40 +34 56
6 Houghton Town 30 16 6 8 69 51 +18 54
7 Leverstock Green 30 15 7 8 66 43 +23 52
8 Caddington 30 15 4 11 57 61 −4 49
9 Shillington 30 12 5 13 56 61 −5 41
10 Risborough Rangers 30 8 9 13 50 65 −15 33
11 Winslow United 30 10 2 18 55 78 −23 32
12 Totternhoe 30 8 3 19 53 78 −25 27
13 Stony Stratford Town 30 7 2 21 46 78 −32 23
14 The 61 FC Luton 30 5 3 22 35 99 −64 18 Relegated to Division One
15 Kent Athletic 30 5 4 21 44 88 −44 16[a]
16 Ampthill Town 30 4 4 22 33 92 −59 16
Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Kent Athletic were deducted three points.

Division One North

Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Division One North
Season1997–98
ChampionsLuton Old Boys
PromotedLuton Old Boys
Greenacres
Matches played240
Goals scored912 (3.8 per match)
← 1996–97 (South Midlands League)
1998–99 (Division One) →

The division featured 16 clubs which competed in the previous season South Midlands League Division One, along with one new club:

  • Greenacres

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Luton Old Boys 30 21 3 6 72 30 +42 66 Promoted to the Senior Division
2 Greenacres 30 19 8 3 71 27 +44 65
3 Pitstone & Ivinghoe 30 17 3 10 66 55 +11 54
4 Crawley Green Sports 30 14 8 8 76 41 +35 50 Resigned from the league
5 De Havilland 30 14 8 8 60 51 +9 50
6 Bridger Packaging 30 14 6 10 64 49 +15 48
7 Bedford Eagles 30 15 5 10 60 42 +18 49[a] Resigned from the league
8 Leighton Athletic 30 13 3 14 69 66 +3 42
9 Walden Rangers 30 12 6 12 60 61 −1 42
10 Abbey National 30 10 8 12 44 57 −13 38
11 Mursley United 30 10 7 13 48 63 −15 37
12 Old Dunstablians 30 9 8 13 41 68 −27 35
13 Scot 30 9 6 15 76 75 +1 33
14 Old Bradwell United 30 7 4 19 44 82 −38 25
15 Flamstead 30 5 9 16 32 60 −28 24
16 Emberton 30 3 4 23 29 85 −56 12[b] Resigned from the league
17 Buckingham United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Club folded, record expunged
Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Bedford Eagles deducted one point.
  2. ^ Emberton deducted one point.

Division One South

Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Division One South
Season1997–98
ChampionsOld Roan
Matches played155
Goals scored778 (5.02 per match)
← 1996–97 (Spartan League)

The division featured ten clubs which competed in the previous season Spartan League divisions One and Two, along with five clubs:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Old Roan 24 18 2 4 111 29 +82 56 All clubs left the league
2 Cray Valley P M 24 16 4 4 74 22 +52 52
3 Crown & Manor 24 16 3 5 74 22 +52 51
4 Leyton County 24 15 5 4 72 24 +48 47[a]
5 Bridon Ropes 24 13 4 7 72 39 +33 43
6 Chestnut Trojans 23 11 6 6 66 42 +24 39[b]
7 Odua United 24 11 4 9 62 41 +21 37
8 Holland Park 24 9 5 10 57 61 −4 32
9 Long Lane 24 9 1 14 51 42 +9 28
10 Leyton 23 7 7 9 54 49 +5 28[b]
11 Doddinghurst 24 4 2 18 34 97 −63 14
12 Leyton Youth 24 2 1 21 32 136 −104 7
13 Chingford Town 24 2 0 22 19 174 −155 6
14 Classic Inter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Clubs folded, records expunged
15 Tottenham Omada 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Leyton County were deducted three points.
  2. ^ a b Remaining match was not played.

References