The 2003–04 season was the 89th 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 the last season for the Isthmian League as a feeder for the Conference Premier. At the end of the season, the Premier Division was replaced as a level 6 league (along with the Northern Premier League Premier Division and Southern Football League Premier Division) by the newly formed Conference North and Conference South. The Premier Division lost more than half its clubs to newly formed divisions, and the two regional divisions had a number of their clubs promoted to the Premier Division to replace them. Thus, the Isthmian League divisions downgraded to 7-9 levels.
Premier Division
The Premier Division consisted of 24 clubs, including 19 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs: Bognor Regis Town, promoted as runners-up in Division One South Carshalton Athletic, promoted as champions of Division One South Hornchurch, promoted as runners-up in Division One North Kettering Town, relegated from the Conference National Northwood, promoted as champions of Division One North
Canvey Island won the division and were promoted to the Conference National. Clubs finished higher than 14th position were to transfer to the newly created Conference North and South divisions and clubs finished higher than 21st position plus winners of Division One were to participate in the play-offs for a two final spots in Conference North/South. After play-offs was held Hendon decided not to take up their option to join the Conference, their place was taken by Basingstoke Town. At the end of the season Ford United were renamed Redbridge.
There were no relegation from the Premier Division this season, though, due to league reform, clubs remained in the division downgraded from sixth tier to seventh.
League table
Stadia and locations
Club Stadium Aylesbury United Buckingham Road Basingstoke Town The Camrose Bedford Town The Eyrie Billericay Town New Lodge Bishop's Stortford Woodside Park Bognor Regis Town Nyewood Lane Braintree Town Cressing Road Canvey Island Brockwell Stadium Carshalton Athletic War Memorial Sports Ground Ford United Oakside Grays Athletic New Recreation Ground Harrow Borough Earlsmead Stadium Hayes Church Road Hendon Claremont Road Heybridge Swifts Scraley Road Hitchin Town Top Field Hornchurch Hornchurch Stadium Kettering Town Rockingham Road Kingstonian Kingsmeadow (groundshare with AFC Wimbledon) Maidenhead United York Road Northwood Chestnut Avenue St Albans City Clarence Park Sutton United Gander Green Lane Thurrock Ship Lane
Play-offs
Division One North
Division One North consisted of 24 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season, and six new clubs: Boreham Wood, relegated from the Premier Division Chesham United, relegated from the Premier Division Cheshunt, promoted as champions of Division Two Dunstable Town, promoted as champions of the Spartan South Midlands League Enfield, relegated from the Premier Division Leyton, promoted as runners-up in Division Two
Before the start of the season Leyton Pennant was renamed Waltham Forest.
Yeading won the division, but lost in the play-offs for a place in the newly created Conference North and South and were placed in the Premier Division along with Leyton and Cheshunt. Chesham United, Dunstable Town and Hemel Hempstead Town were transferred to the Southern Football League Premier Division. They were followed by Wealdstone, who defeated Dulwich Hamlet from Division One South. Enfield finished bottom of the table and relegated to Division Two, going down from sixth to ninth tier in two years due to league system reform.
At the end of the season divisions One were merged, all the remaining Division One North clubs were transferred to the Southern Football League Division Ones.
League table
Stadia and locations
Club Stadium Arlesey Town Hitchin Road Aveley The Mill Field Barking & East Ham United Mayesbrook Park Barton Rovers Sharpenhoe Road Berkhamsted Town Broadwater Boreham Wood Meadow Park Chesham United The Meadow Cheshunt Cheshunt Stadium Dunstable Town Creasey Park East Thurrock United Rookery Hill Enfield Meadow Park (groundshare with Boreham Wood) Great Wakering Rovers Burroughs Park Harlow Town Harlow Sportcentre Hemel Hempstead Town Vauxhall Road Leyton Leyton Stadium Oxford City Marsh Lane Thame United Windmill Road Tilbury Chadfields Uxbridge Honeycroft Waltham Forest Wadham Lodge Wealdstone White Lion (groundshare with Edgware Town) Wingate & Finchley The Harry Abrahams Stadium Wivenhoe Town Broad Lane Yeading The Warren
Division One South
Division One South consisted of 24 clubs, including 21 clubs from the previous season, and three new clubs: Hampton & Richmond Borough, relegated from the Premier Division Marlow, transferred from Division One North Slough Town, transferred from Division One North
Lewes won the division and subsequent play-offs and were promoted to the Conference South. Clubs finished second to sixth were transferred to the Premier Division. Epsom & Ewell finished bottom of the table and were relegated, remaining clubs were to start next season in the merged Isthmian League Division One, going down with it from seventh to ninth level due to creation of Conference North/South.
League table
Stadia and locations
Club Stadium Ashford Town (Middlesex) Short Lane Banstead Athletic Merland Rise Bracknell Town Larges Lane Bromley Hayes Lane Corinthian-Casuals King George's Field Croydon Croydon Sports Arena Croydon Athletic Keith Tuckey Stadium Dulwich Hamlet Champion Hill Egham Town The Runnymede Stadium Epsom & Ewell Merland Rise (groundshare with Banstead Athletic) Hampton & Richmond Borough Beveree Stadium Horsham Queen Street Leatherhead Fetcham Grove Lewes The Dripping Pan Marlow Alfred Davis Memorial Ground Metropolitan Police Imber Court Molesey Walton Road Stadium Slough Town Stag Meadow (groundshare with Windsor & Eton) Staines Town Wheatsheaf Park Tooting & Mitcham United Imperial Fields Walton & Hersham The Sports Ground Whyteleafe Church Road Windsor & Eton Stag Meadow Worthing Woodside Road
Division Two
After Hungerford Town resigned from the league, Division Two consisted of 15 clubs, including 12 clubs from the previous season, and three new clubs: Chertsey Town, relegated from Division One South Hertford Town, relegated from Division One North Wembley, relegated from Division One North
Leighton Town won the division and were transferred to Southern Football League Division One, while runners-up Dorking were transferred to the merged Isthmian League Division One. At the end of the season Wokingham Town merged into Emmbrook Sports (9° Reading League Premier Division) to create new club Wokingham & Emmbrook F.C., who joined Hellenic League Division One East.
League table
Stadia and locations
Club Stadium Abingdon Town Culham Road Camberley Town Krooner Park Chalfont St Peter Mill Meadow Chertsey Town Alwyns Lane Clapton The Old Spotted Dog Ground Dorking Meadowbank Stadium Edgware Town White Lion Flackwell Heath Wilks Park Hertford Town Hertingfordbury Park Kingsbury Town Avenue Park Leighton Town Bell Close Ware Wodson Park Wembley Vale Farm Witham Town Spa Road Wokingham Town Cantley Park
See also Isthmian League 2003–04 Northern Premier League 2003–04 Southern Football League
References
External links Official website