The2008–09Football Conferenceseasonwas the fifth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirtieth season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels ofNon-League footballin England. TheConference Premierwas the fifth highest level of the overallpyramid,while theConference NorthandConference Southexisted at the sixth level. The top team and the winner of the playoff of the National division were promoted toFootball League Two,while the bottom four were relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions were promoted to the National division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions were relegated to the premier divisions of theNorthern Premier League,Isthmian LeagueorSouthern League.For sponsorship reasons, the Conference Premier was frequently referred to as theBlue SquarePremier.
Season | 2008–09 |
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Conference Premier
editA total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides fromlast season,two relegated from theFootball League Two,two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South.
Promotion and relegation
editTeams promoted from2007–08 Conference North
Teams promoted from2007–08 Conference South
Teams relegated from2007–08 League Two
Eastbourne, Mansfield, Lewes and Wrexham appear in the Conference Premier for the first time, while Barrow return to the league after ten years. Kettering have three times been runners-up at this level and return to the league after an absence of five years.Altrinchamremain in the Conference after a third consecutive reprieve from relegation, followingHalifax Town's demotion for financial reasons.
Woking's relegation ended the tenure of the Football Conference's longest serving club, completing seventeen seasons in the top-flight.
League table
editSeason | 2008–09 |
---|---|
Champions | Burton Albion(1stFootball Conference title) |
Promoted toLeague Two | Burton Albion, Torquay United |
Relegated toConference North/Conference South | Woking Northwich Victoria Weymouth Lewes |
Promoted for the next season | Tamworth, Gateshead, AFC Wimbledon, Hayes & Yeading United |
Matches played | 552 |
Goals scored | 1,410 (2.55 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Andy Mangan(Forest Green Rovers),26 |
Biggest home win | Wrexham–Eastbourne Borough5–0,Wrexham–Stevenage Borough5–0 |
Biggest away win | Weymouth–Rushden & Diamonds0–9 |
Highest scoring | Weymouth–Rushden & Diamonds0–9,Oxford United–Eastbourne Borough6–3 |
Longest winning run | Burton Albion(12 games) |
Longest unbeaten run | Burton Albion(18 games) |
Longest losing run | ? |
Average attendance | 1,783 (−1% compared with the previous season) |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Burton Albion(C, P) | 46 | 27 | 7 | 12 | 81 | 52 | +29 | 88 | Promotion toLeague Two |
2 | Cambridge United | 46 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 65 | 39 | +26 | 86 | Qualification forConference Premier play-offs |
3 | Histon | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 83 | |
4 | Torquay United(P) | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 72 | 47 | +25 | 83 | |
5 | Stevenage Borough | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 73 | 54 | +19 | 81 | |
6 | Kidderminster Harriers | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 69 | 48 | +21 | 79 | |
7 | Oxford United[a] | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 72 | 51 | +21 | 77 | |
8 | Kettering Town | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 50 | 37 | +13 | 76 | |
9 | Crawley Town[b] | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 77 | 55 | +22 | 70 | |
10 | Wrexham | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 64 | 48 | +16 | 66 | |
11 | Rushden & Diamonds | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 61 | 50 | +11 | 63 | |
12 | Mansfield Town[c] | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 57 | 55 | +2 | 62 | |
13 | Eastbourne Borough | 46 | 18 | 6 | 22 | 58 | 70 | −12 | 60 | |
14 | Ebbsfleet United | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 52 | 60 | −8 | 58 | |
15 | Altrincham | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 49 | 66 | −17 | 56 | |
16 | Salisbury City | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 54 | 64 | −10 | 55 | |
17 | York City | 46 | 11 | 19 | 16 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 52 | |
18 | Forest Green Rovers | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 70 | 76 | −6 | 52 | |
19 | Grays Athletic | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 44 | 64 | −20 | 52 | |
20 | Barrow | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 51 | 65 | −14 | 51 | |
21 | Woking(R) | 46 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 37 | 60 | −23 | 44 | Relegation toConference South |
22 | Northwich Victoria(R) | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 56 | 75 | −19 | 43 | Relegation toConference North |
23 | Weymouth(R) | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 45 | 86 | −41 | 43 | Relegation toConference South |
24 | Lewes(R) | 46 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 28 | 89 | −61 | 24 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C)Champions;(P)Promoted;(R)Relegated
Notes:
Results
editPlay-offs
editSemi-finals | Final atWembley Stadium | ||||||||||
5 | Stevenage Borough | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||
2 | Cambridge United | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
2 | Cambridge United | 0 | |||||||||
4 | Torquay United | 2 | |||||||||
4 | Torquay United | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||
3 | Histon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Semifinals
editStevenage Borough | 3–1 | Cambridge United |
---|---|---|
Report |
|
Cambridge United | 3–0 (a.e.t.) | Stevenage Borough |
---|---|---|
Report |
Cambridge United won 4–3 on Aggregate.
Torquay United | 2–0 | Histon |
---|---|---|
Report |
Histon | 1–0 | Torquay United |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Torquay United won 2–1 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
editStadia and locations
editTop goalscorers
editConference North
editSeason | 2008–09 |
---|---|
Champions | Tamworth |
Promoted | Tamworth Gateshead |
Relegated | Burscough Hucknall Town |
Top goalscorer | Lee Novak(26) |
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 16 sides fromlast season,three relegated from theConference Premier,two promoted from the Northern Premier League and one promoted from the Southern Football League.
Promotion and relegation
editTeams promoted from2007–08 Northern Premier League Premier Division
Teams promoted from2007–08 Southern League Premier Division
Teams relegated from2007–08 Conference Premier
Droylsden and Farsley are returned having spent just one season in the higher league. Fleetwood reached a new high eleven seasons after being re-formed following the bankruptcy of the original Fleetwood Town. BothBoston UnitedandNuneaton Boroughwere expelled from the league for financial reasons before the season, resulting inVauxhall Motorsrelegation andRedditch United's transfer to the Conference South being cancelled.
League table
edit
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tamworth(C, P) | 42 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 70 | 41 | +29 | 85 | Promotion toConference Premier |
2 | Gateshead(P) | 42 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 81 | 48 | +33 | 80 | Qualification forConference North play-offs |
3 | Alfreton Town | 42 | 20 | 17 | 5 | 81 | 48 | +33 | 77 | |
4 | AFC Telford United | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 76 | |
5 | Southport | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 76 | |
6 | Stalybridge Celtic | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 71 | 50 | +21 | 70 | |
7 | Droylsden | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 64 | 44 | +20 | 68 | |
8 | Fleetwood Town | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 70 | 66 | +4 | 62 | |
9 | Harrogate Town | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 57 | +9 | 61 | |
10 | Hinckley United | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 57 | |
11 | Vauxhall Motors | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 53 | |
12 | Workington | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 54 | 55 | −1 | 51 | |
13 | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 57 | 63 | −6 | 50 | |
14 | Redditch United | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 49 | 61 | −12 | 50 | |
15 | Blyth Spartans | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 50 | 58 | −8 | 49 | |
16 | Solihull Moors | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 49 | 73 | −24 | 49 | |
17 | King's Lynn(R) | 42 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 48 | Demoted toNorthern Premier League Premier Division[a] |
18 | Stafford Rangers | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 41 | 56 | −15 | 48 | |
19 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 14 | 5 | 23 | 58 | 65 | −7 | 47 | |
20 | Hyde United | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 57 | 80 | −23 | 42 | |
21 | Burscough(R) | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 43 | 80 | −37 | 36 | Relegated toNorthern Premier League Premier Division |
22 | Hucknall Town(R) | 42 | 5 | 13 | 24 | 39 | 84 | −45 | 28 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C)Champions;(P)Promoted;(R)Relegated
Notes:
- ^King's Lynndemoted as their stadium does not meet the league standards,[4]thusHyde Unitedwere reprieved from relegation.
Results
editPlay-offs
editSemifinals | Final | ||||||||||
5 | Southport | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
2 | Gateshead | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||
2 | Gateshead | 1 | |||||||||
4 | AFC Telford United | 0 | |||||||||
4 | AFC Telford United | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||
3 | Alfreton Town | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Semifinals
editGateshead won 2–1 on Aggregate.
Alfreton Town | 4–3 | AFC Telford United |
---|---|---|
Report |
|
AFC Telford United won 5–4 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
editGateshead | 1–0 | AFC Telford United |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Top goalscorers
editPos | Player | Team | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lee Novak | Gateshead | 26 |
2 | Gareth Sheldon | Tamworth | 23 |
3 | Adam Warlow | Fleetwood Town | 19 |
Liam Hearn | Alfreton Town | ||
5 | Chris Simm | Hyde United | 18 |
6 | Paul Clayton | Alfreton Town | 17 |
7 | Ciaran Kilheeney | Southport | 16 |
Luke Beckett | Gainsborough Trinity | ||
9 | Gareth Arnison | Workington | 15 |
Andy Brown | AFC Telford United |
Conference South
editSeason | 2008–09 |
---|---|
Champions | AFC Wimbledon |
Promoted | AFC Wimbledon Hayes & Yeading United |
Relegated | Bognor Regis Town Fisher Athletic |
Matches played | 462 |
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 18 sides fromlast season,one transferred from the Conference North, two promoted from the Isthmian League and one promoted from the Southern Football League.
Promotion and relegation
editTeams promoted from2007–08 Southern League Premier Division
Teams promoted from2007–08 Isthmian League Premier Division
Teams transferred from2007–08 Conference North
No teams were relegated to the Conference South from the Conference Premier, so Worcester City were transferred in from the Conference North. The expulsion of two teams from the Conference North for financial reasons cancelled Redditch United's transfer between the two, and allowedDorchester Townto remain in the Conference South. All the four new teams never played in Conference South before.
League table
edit
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AFC Wimbledon(C, P) | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 86 | 36 | +50 | 88 | Promotion toConference Premier |
2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 74 | 37 | +37 | 85 | Qualification forConference South play-offs |
3 | Eastleigh | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 69 | 49 | +20 | 83 | |
4 | Hayes & Yeading United(P) | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 74 | 43 | +31 | 81 | |
5 | Chelmsford City | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 77 | |
6 | Maidenhead United | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 71 | |
7 | Welling United | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 68 | |
8 | Bath City | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 45 | +11 | 68 | |
9 | Bishop's Stortford | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 59 | |
10 | Newport County | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 50 | 51 | −1 | 59 | |
11 | Team Bath[a] | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 62 | 64 | −2 | 55 | Club folded at the end of the season |
12 | St Albans City | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 56 | 50 | +6 | 54 | |
13 | Bromley | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 60 | 64 | −4 | 54 | |
14 | Braintree Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 54 | +3 | 52 | |
15 | Havant & Waterlooville | 42 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 59 | 58 | +1 | 48 | |
16 | Worcester City | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 38 | 53 | −15 | 47 | |
17 | Weston-super-Mare | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 43 | 68 | −25 | 47 | |
18 | Basingstoke Town | 42 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 36 | 55 | −19 | 46 | |
19 | Dorchester Town | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 39 | 61 | −22 | 42 | |
20 | Thurrock | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 54 | 60 | −6 | 40 | |
21 | Bognor Regis Town[b](R) | 42 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 33 | 68 | −35 | 26 | Relegation toIsthmian League Premier Division |
22 | Fisher Athletic | 42 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 22 | 100 | −78 | 18 | Club folded at the end of the season |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C)Champions;(P)Promoted;(R)Relegated
Notes:
Results
editPlay-offs
editSemifinals | Final | ||||||||||
5 | Chelmsford City | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||
2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||
2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 2 | |||||||||
4 | Hayes & Yeading United | 3 | |||||||||
4 | Hayes & Yeading United | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||
3 | Eastleigh | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Semifinals
editChelmsford City | 1–3 | Hampton & Richmond Borough |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Hampton & Richmond Borough | 0–0 | Chelmsford City |
---|---|---|
Report |
Hampton & Richmond Borough won 3–1 on Aggregate.
Eastleigh | 0–4 (a.e.t.) | Hayes & Yeading United |
---|---|---|
Report |
|
Hayes & Yeading United won 6–4 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
editHampton & Richmond Borough | 2–3 | Hayes & Yeading United |
---|---|---|
Report |
|
Top goalscorers
editPos | Player | Team | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jon Main | AFC Wimbledon | 33 |
2 | Josh Scott | Hayes & Yeading United | 22 |
3 | Warren McBean | Bromley | 21 |
4 | Richard Pacquette | Maidenhead United | 20 |
5 | Charlie Sheringham | Welling United | 19 |
6 | Paul Hakim | St Albans City | 18 |
7 | Craig Reid | Newport County | 15 |
Dave Rainford | Chelmsford City | ||
Lawrence Yaku | Hampton & Richmond Borough | ||
10 | Marco Adaggio | Worcester City | 14 |
Danny Hockton | Braintree Town |
References
edit- ^"Five-point deduction for Oxford".BBC Sport. 12 January 2009.Retrieved12 January2009.
- ^"Crawley win FA appeal over points".BBC Sport. 27 February 2009.Retrieved27 February2009.
- ^"Mansfield hit by points deduction".BBC Sport. 6 October 2008.Retrieved6 October2008.
- ^"Conference to demote King's Lynn".BBC Sport. 22 April 2009.Retrieved25 April2009.
- ^"Team Bath resign from Conference".BBC Sport. 9 April 2009.Retrieved25 April2009.
- ^"Bognor hit with seven-point deduction".The Argus.Brighton. 12 January 2009.Retrieved2 February2009.