The 2022–23 Western Football League season (known as the 2022–23 Toolstation Western Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 121st in the history of the Western Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.
The constitution was announced on 12 May 2022.
With a view to a merger between the Western League and the South West Peninsula League in 2023–24, four clubs were to be automatically promoted from Division One to Step 5, depending on ground grading. The fifth-placed club may also have been promoted, on a PPG (points per game) basis. However, the FA scrapped the merger in February 2023 after a breakdown in negotiations, and promotion was reverted to two clubs, one via a play-off.
Premier Division The Premier Division was increased to 20 clubs from 19 after Exmouth Town and Tavistock were promoted to the Southern League South Division, and Bridport were relegated to the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East. Brislington requested demotion to Division One, which the league accepted.
Five new clubs joined the division. Promoted from Division One: Sherborne Town Welton Rovers Promoted from the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East: Torpoint Athletic Promoted from the South West Peninsula League Premier Division West: Falmouth Town Relegated from the Southern League Division One South: Barnstaple Town
League table
Inter-step play-off
Stadia and locations
ClubLocationStadiumCapacityAshton & Backwell United Backwell Backwell Recreation Ground 1,000Barnstaple Town Barnstaple Mill Road 5,000Bitton Bitton Bath Road Bridgwater United Bridgwater Fairfax Park 2,500Buckland Athletic Newton Abbot Homers Heath 1,000Cadbury Heath Cadbury Heath Cadbury Heath Road Clevedon Town Clevedon North Somerset Community Stadium 3,900Falmouth Town Falmouth Bickland Park 3,572Helston Athletic Helston Kellaway Park 1,300Ilfracombe Town Ilfracombe Marlborough Park 2,000Keynsham Town Keynsham AJN Stadium 3,001Millbrook Millbrook Jenkins Park 1,000Mousehole Paul Trungle Parc 2,000Saltash United Saltash Kimberley Stadium 1,000Shepton Mallet Shepton Mallet Old Wells Road 2,500Sherborne Town Sherborne Raleigh Grove 1,150Street Street The Tannery Ground 1,000Torpoint Athletic Torpoint The Mill 1,000Wellington Wellington Wellington Playing Field 1,000Welton Rovers Midsomer Norton West Clewes Recreation Ground 2,400
First Division The First Division was increased from 21 clubs to 22 after Sherborne Town and Welton Rovers were promoted to the Premier Division, and Devizes Town were relegated.
Four new clubs joined: Brislington, voluntarily demoted from the Premier Division Hallen, relegated from the Hellenic Football League Premier Division Nailsea & Tickenham, promoted from the Somerset County League Shirehampton, promoted from the Gloucestershire County Football League Lebeq United changed their name to FC Bristol. Brislington are ineligible for promotion after taking voluntary demotion from the Premier Division last season.
League table
Promotion playoffs
Semifinals
Final
Stadia and locations
ClubLocationStadiumCapacityAEK Boco Hanham Greenbank Recreation Ground 1,000Almondsbury Almondsbury The Field Bishop Sutton Bishop Sutton Lakeview 1,500Bishops Lydeard Bishops Lydeard Darby Way 1,000Brislington Bristol Ironmould Lane 3,000Bristol Telephones Whitchurch BTRA Sports Ground 1,000Cheddar Cheddar Draycott Road FC Bristol Almondsbury Oaklands Park 2,000Gillingham Town Gillingham Woodwater Lane 1,000Hallen Hallen Hallen Centre 2,000Hengrove Athletic Whitchurch Norton Lane 1,000Longwell Green Sports Longwell Green Longwell Green Community Centre 1,000Nailsea & Tickenham Nailsea Fryth Way 1,000Odd Down Bath Lew Hill Memorial Ground 1,000Oldland Abbotonians Oldland Common Aitchison Playing Field 1,000Portishead Town Portishead Bristol Road 1,400Radstock Town Radstock Southfields Recreation Ground 1,250Shirehampton Shirehampton Penpole Lane 1,000Tytherington Rocks Tytherington Hardwicke Playing Field 1,000Warminster Town Warminster Weymouth Street 1,000Wells City Wells Athletic Ground 1,500Wincanton Town Wincanton Wincanton Sports Ground 1,000
References League tables
External links Western League Official Site