The 2020–21 season was the 78th season in the history of the Eastern Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into three divisions, the Premier Division at Step 5, and the geographically separated Division One North and Division One South, both at Step 6 of the English football league system.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 for season 2020–21 were announced by the FA on 21 July, and were subject to appeal.
The 2020–21 season started in September and was suspended in December a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league season was subsequently abandoned.
Promotions, relegation and restructure The scheduled restructure of non-League took place at the end of the season, with new divisions added to the Combined Counties and the United Counties League at step 5 for 2021–22, along with new a division in the Northern Premier League at step 4. Promotions from steps 5 to 4 and 6 to 5 were based on points per game across all matches over the two cancelled seasons (2019–20 and 2020–21), while teams were promoted to step 6 on the basis of a subjective application process.
Premier Division
The Premier Division comprised the same set of 20 teams which competed in the aborted competition the previous season.
League table
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Brantham Athletic Brantham Leisure Centre 1,200 Ely City Unwin Sports Ground 1,500 Clacton The Rush Green Bowl 3,000 Godmanchester Rovers Bearscroft Lane 1,050 Gorleston Emerald Park 3,000 Hadleigh United Millfield 3,000 Haverhill Rovers New Croft 3,000 Kirkley & Pakefield Walmer Road 2,000 Long Melford Stoneylands Mildenhall Town Recreation Way 2,000 Newmarket Town Cricket Field Road 2,750 Norwich United Plantation Park 3,000 Stanway Rovers Hawthorns 1,500 Stowmarket Town Greens Meadow 1,000 Swaffham Town Shoemakers Lane Thetford Town Mundford Road 1,500 Walsham-le-Willows Summer Road 1,000 Whitton United King George V Playing Fields 1,000 Woodbridge Town Notcutts Park 3,000 Wroxham Trafford Park 2,000
Division One North
Division One North comprised 19 teams, one less than in the previous season, following the resignation of Felixstowe & Walton United reserves.
League table
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity AFC Sudbury reserves King's Marsh 2,500 Cornard United Blackhouse Lane 2,000 Debenham LC Maitlands 1,000 Diss Town Brewers Green Lane 2,500 Downham Town Memorial Field 1,000 Fakenham Town Clipbush Park 2,000 Framlingham Town Badingham Road Great Yarmouth Town Wellesley Recreation Ground 3,600 Haverhill Borough New Croft (artificial, groundshare with Haverhill Rovers) 3,000 Ipswich Wanderers Humber Doucy Lane 1,000 King's Lynn Town reserves The Walks 5,733 Lakenheath The Nest Leiston reserves Victory Road 2,500 March Town United The GER Sports Ground Mulbarton Wanderers The Common Needham Market reserves Bloomfields 4,000 Norwich CBS FDC Bowthorpe Sheringham Weybourne Road Wisbech St Mary Beechings Close
Division One South
Division One South featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with one new club: Brimsdown, transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League
In addition, Hackney Wick were relocated to the Spartan South Midlands League, but this relocation was reversed. On 27 August 2020, Lopes Tavares announced the renaming of the club to Athletic Newham.
League table
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Athletic Newham Terence MacMillan Stadium Barkingside Cricklefield Stadium (groundshare with Ilford) 3,500 Benfleet Park Lane (groundshare with Canvey Island) 4,100 Brimsdown Chadfields (groundshare with Tilbury) 4,000 Burnham Ramblers Leslie Fields 2,000 Coggeshall United West Street (groundshare with Coggeshall Town) Frenford Jack Carter Centre Hackney Wick Spa Road (groundshare with Witham Town) 2,500 Halstead Town Rosemary Lane 1,000 Harwich & Parkeston Royal Oak Holland Dulwich Road Little Oakley Memorial Ground May & Baker Parkside Stadium (groundshare with Aveley) 3,500 Newbury Forest Oakside (groundshare with Redbridge) 3,000 White Ensign Basildon Sports Village Wivenhoe Town Broad Lane 2,876 Wormley Rovers Wormley Playing Fields
References