2017–18 Isthmian League


The 2017–18 season was the 103rd season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England. It was also the twelfth season for the current incarnations of the Premier, North and South Divisions, the last to have two regional divisions, and the first as the Bostik League following a sponsorship deal with Bostik.
In May 2017, the FA chose the Southern League to create one additional division at Step 3 and the Isthmian League to create one at Step 4 as part of the next change to the structure, and in March 2018, the Northern Premier League voted to reorganise its Step 4 divisions into an east-west alignment, with all Step 3 divisions contracting to 22 clubs and those at Step 4 to 20, taking effect in the 2018–19 season.

Premier Division

The Premier Division consisted of 24 clubs: 19 clubs from the previous season, and five new clubs:
Billericay Town won the division and returned to National League South after five seasons in the Isthmian League. Dulwich Hamlet, who competed in the Isthmian League since its establishment in 1907, won the play-offs and followed them. Only one club were to relegate from the Premier Division, Tooting & Mitcham finished bottom of the table and returned straight back to the step 4.
At the end of the season a new step 3 division was created under the Southern Football League, seven Premier Division clubs were transferred to the Southern League Premier divisions. Number of clubs in the Premier Division were reduced to 22 for the next season.

League table

Top scorers

Play-offs

Results table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadiumCapacity
Billericay TownNew Lodge3,500
Brightlingsea RegentNorth Road1,000
Burgess Hill TownLeylands Park2,500
Dorking WanderersWesthumble Community Ground1,500
Dulwich HamletChampion Hill3,000
Enfield TownQueen Elizabeth II Stadium2,500
Folkestone InvictaCheriton Road4,000
Harrow BoroughEarlsmead Stadium3,070
Harlow TownThe Harlow Arena3,500
HendonSilver Jubilee Park1,990
KingstonianFetcham Grove 3,400
LeatherheadFetcham Grove3,400
LeistonVictory Road2,500
Lowestoft TownCrown Meadow3,000
MargateHartsdown Park3,000
MersthamMoatside2,000
Metropolitan PoliceImber Court3,000
Needham MarketBloomfields4,000
Staines TownWheatsheaf Park3,009
ThurrockShip Lane3,500
Tonbridge AngelsLongmead Stadium3,000
Tooting & Mitcham UnitedImperial Fields3,500
Wingate & FinchleyThe Harry Abrahams Stadium1,500
WorthingWoodside Road4,000

North Division

North Division consisted of 24 clubs: 17 clubs from the previous season, and seven new clubs:
At the end of the season a new step 3 division were to be created, thus for this season three clubs were to be promoted from each step 4 divisions - champions, runners-up and play-off winners plus one third-placed club with highest points-per-game. Hornchurch won the division and returned to the Premier Division after three seasons in the North Division along with runners-up Potters Bar Town and play-off winners Haringey Borough who never competed at such level. Due to league system restructurisation only one club were to be relegated from step 4 divisions. Norwich United finished bottom of the table and returned to the Eastern Counties League after two seasons in the Isthmian League.
At the end of the season seventh step 4 division was created under the Isthmian League, as the South Division clubs were distributed between new South East and South Central divisions. Four North Division clubs were transferred to South Central Division. Number of clubs in the step 4 divisions were reduced to 20 for the next season.

League table

Top scorers

Play-offs

Results table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadiumCapacity
AFC HornchurchHornchurch Stadium3,500
AFC SudburyKing's Marsh2,500
AveleyParkside3,500
BarkingMayesbrook Park2,500
Bowers & PitseaLen Salmon Stadium2,000
Brentwood TownThe Brentwood Centre Arena1,800
Bury TownRam Meadow3,500
Canvey IslandPark Lane4,500
CheshuntCheshunt Stadium3,000
Dereham TownAldiss Park3,000
Grays AthleticParkside 3,500
Haringey BoroughColes Park1,500
Hertford TownHertingfordbury Park6,500
Heybridge SwiftsScraley Road3,000
Maldon & TiptreeWallace Binder Ground2,000
Mildenhall TownRecreation Way2,000
Norwich UnitedPlantation Park3,000
Potters Bar TownParkfield2,000
RomfordShip Lane 3,500
Soham Town RangersJulius Martin Lane2,000
TilburyChadfields4,000
Waltham AbbeyCapershotts3,500
WareWodson Park3,300
Witham TownSpa Road2,500

South Division

South Division consisted of 24 clubs: 17 clubs from the previous season, and seven new clubs:
At the end of the season a new step 3 division were to be created, thus for this season three clubs were to be promoted from each step 4 divisions - champions, runners-up and play-off winners plus one third-placed club with highest points-per-game. Carshalton Athletic won the division and returned to the Premier Division after four seasons in the South Division along with runners-up Lewes, who spent in the South Division two seasons after the relegation from Premier Division. Play-off winners Walton Casuals were promoted to the Southern League Premier Division South - the highest level they competed in their history. Corinthian-Casuals lost in play-off final but were promoted to the Premier Division as step 4 play-off final loser with highest points-per-game ratio after Thurrock from Premier Division folded. Corinthian-Casuals last competed in top division of the Isthmian League in 1973–74 season. Due to league system restructurisation only one club were to be relegated from step 4 divisions. Shoreham finished bottom of the table and returned straight back to the Southern Combination League.
At the end of the season seventh step 4 division was created under the Isthmian League, as the South Division clubs were distributed between new South East and South Central divisions. Number of clubs in the step 4 divisions were reduced to 20 for the next season.

League table

Top scorers

Play-offs

Results table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadiumCapacity
Ashford UnitedThe Homelands3,200
Carshalton AthleticWar Memorial Sports Ground5,000
ChipsteadHigh Road2,000
Corinthian-CasualsKing George's Field2,700
Cray WanderersHayes Lane 6,000
East Grinstead TownEast Court1,000
Faversham TownSalters Lane2,000
Greenwich BoroughBadgers Sports Ground 1,500
GuernseyFootes Lane5,000
Hastings UnitedThe Pilot Field4,050
Herne BayWinch's Field4,000
HorshamGorings Mead1,500
Hythe TownReachfields Stadium3,000
LewesThe Dripping Pan3,000
MoleseyWalton Road Stadium1,000
Phoenix SportsVictory Road2,000
RamsgateSouthwood Stadium2,500
ShorehamMiddle Road2,000
SittingbourneWoodstock Park3,000
South ParkKing George's Field2,000
Thamesmead TownPrinces Park 4,100
VCD AthleticOakwood1,180
Walton CasualsElmbridge Xcel Sports Hub2,500
WhyteleafeChurch Road2,000

League Cup

The 2017–18 Alan Turvey Trophy was the 44th season of the Alan Turvey Trophy, the cup competition of the whole Isthmian League.

Calendar

The Isthmian League Cup was voluntary this season, nine clubs decided not to take part in the competition:
Sixty two clubs participated in the First round, while one club received a bye to the Second round:
Thirty clubs to have made it through the First round were entered into the draw with two clubs who get a bye, making thirty-two teams.

Third round

Quarterfinals

TieHome Team ScoreAway Team '
56Hendon 1–3Corinthian-Casuals 93
57Wingate & Finchley 0–1Billericay Town 172

TieHome Team ScoreAway Team '
58Metropolitan Police 2–1Enfield Town 66
59Brentwood Town 0–1Dulwich Hamlet 119

Semifinals

Final

Awards

Premier Division

North Division

South Division