The 2008–09 Football Conference season was the fifth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirtieth season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference Premier was the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, while the Conference North and Conference South existed at the sixth level. The top team and the winner of the playoff of the National division were promoted to Football 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 the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League or Southern League. For sponsorship reasons, the Conference Premier was frequently referred to as the Blue Square Premier.
Conference Premier A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides from last season, two relegated from the Football League Two, two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2007–08 Conference North Kettering Town Barrow
Teams promoted from 2007–08 Conference South Lewes Eastbourne Borough
Teams relegated from 2007–08 League Two Mansfield Town Wrexham
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. Altrincham remain in the Conference after a third consecutive reprieve from relegation, following Halifax 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
Results
Play-offs
Semifinals
Cambridge United won 4–3 on Aggregate.
Torquay United won 2–1 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
Stadia and locations
Top goalscorers
PosPlayerTeamGoals1 Andy ManganForest Green Rovers262 James ConstableOxford United233 Steve MorisonStevenage Borough224 Charlie GriffinSalisbury City215 Matthew Barnes-HomerKidderminster Harriers20 Jack MidsonHiston7 Greg PearsonBurton Albion188 Colin LittleAltrincham16 Justin RichardsKidderminster Harriers10 Shaun HarradBurton Albion15 Jefferson LouisWrexham Gareth SeddonKettering Town Richard BrodieYork City
Conference North
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 16 sides from last season, three relegated from the Conference Premier, two promoted from the Northern Premier League and one promoted from the Southern Football League.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2007–08 Northern Premier League Premier Division Gateshead Fleetwood Town
Teams promoted from 2007–08 Southern League Premier Division King's Lynn
Teams relegated from 2007–08 Conference Premier Droylsden Stafford Rangers Farsley Celtic
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. Both Boston United and Nuneaton Borough were expelled from the league for financial reasons before the season, resulting in Vauxhall Motors relegation and Redditch United's transfer to the Conference South being cancelled.
League table
Locations
Results
Play-offs
Semifinals
Gateshead won 2–1 on Aggregate.
AFC Telford United won 5–4 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
Top goalscorers PosPlayerTeamGoals1 Lee NovakGateshead262 Gareth SheldonTamworth233 Adam WarlowFleetwood Town19 Liam HearnAlfreton Town5 Chris SimmHyde United186 Paul ClaytonAlfreton Town177 Ciaran KilheeneySouthport16 Luke BeckettGainsborough Trinity9 Gareth ArnisonWorkington15 Andy BrownAFC Telford United
Conference South
A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 18 sides from last season, one transferred from the Conference North, two promoted from the Isthmian League and one promoted from the Southern Football League.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2007–08 Southern League Premier Division Team Bath
Teams promoted from 2007–08 Isthmian League Premier Division Chelmsford City AFC Wimbledon
Teams transferred from 2007–08 Conference North Worcester City
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 allowed Dorchester Town to remain in the Conference South. All the four new teams never played in Conference South before.
League table
Locations
Results
Play-offs
Semifinals
Hampton & Richmond Borough won 3–1 on Aggregate.
Hayes & Yeading United won 6–4 on Aggregate.
Play-Off Final
Top goalscorers PosPlayerTeamGoals1 Jon MainAFC Wimbledon332 Josh ScottHayes & Yeading United223 Warren McBeanBromley214 Richard PacquetteMaidenhead United205 Charlie SheringhamWelling United196 Paul HakimSt Albans City187 Craig ReidNewport County15 Dave RainfordChelmsford City Lawrence YakuHampton & Richmond Borough10 Marco AdaggioWorcester City14 Danny HocktonBraintree Town
References