Written by Scott W [Twitter:@ScottMHC14] – Non-League/Grassroots Writer
Hello and welcome to a preview of the coming season’s Essex Alliance League {EAL) divisions, focusing on the top three divisions and giving you a run-down of the opening weekend’s fixtures of the new campaign. Also to note, coverage of the League will remain on the Grassroots Football Show (GFS) on East London Radio throughout the campaign as part of their Intermediate Football section.
If you’d like more info, you can find the EAL on Twitter: @EssexAllianceFL or via their website: http://www.essexallianceleague.com | Thanks for reading & wishing all EAL clubs a good season too.
We begin this preview with a look ‘at-a-glance’ at the sides who will contest the top division of the EAL, including their position last term where aplicable & their Twitter feeds where known. Featuring a heady mix of EAL veterans, new clubs plus a big returning club who has enjoyed success in the Essex Alliance League in the past.
| EAL Senior Division 2020-21 Constitution | |||
|
Club |
Position Last Season (or a Returning/ New Club) | Twitter feed | Other Info |
| All Prospects | 3rd – in EAL Div One | @ProspectsAll | |
| Blue Marlin | 7th – in EAL Senior | @BlueMarlinFC | |
| Chigwell Town | New Club | @ChigwellTownFC | |
| CSM London | 4th – EAL Senior | @CSMLondonFC | Will play home games at the West Ham Community Grd [3G] in Beckton this term |
| DT FC | New Club | @_dtfc | Have signed to play home games at Harlow Arena [3G] this term |
| FC Baresi | 6th – EAL Senior | @FC_Baresi | Won EAL Div One title in 2018/19 |
| FC Petrocub | 3rd – EAL Senior | Not known | |
| Jolof Sports | Returning Club | @JolofSportsFC | Last played in EAL Senior in Season 2018-19 – played in Middx County Div One (Central & East) in Step 8 last term |
| London Cranes | 5th – EAL Senior | Not known | |
| Lymore Gardens | 10th – EAL Senior | @LymoreGardensfc | |
| Rapid Chingford | 11th – EAL Senior (Bottom) | Not known | |
| Tower Utd | 2nd – EAL Div One | @TowerUtdFC | |
| West Essex Reserves | 2nd – EAL Senior | @westessexfcres | Winners of Senior Division Cup in 2017/18 |
| (13 clubs) | |||
Now moving on to Division One, which sees three clubs receiving at least a double elevation. One of those clubs are Chadwell Heath Spartans who had a fine debut season in the EAl last term, finishing top of Div Three before the season was curtailed.
| EAL Division One 2020-21 Constitution | |||
| Club | Position Last Season (or a Returning/ New Club) | Twitter feed | Other Info |
| Chadwell Heath Spartans | 1st – EAL Div Three
(double elevation) |
@CH_SpartansFC | |
| Eastside | 4th – EAL Div One | @EastSideFC_ | |
| Francis Luke | New Club | Not known | n/a |
| Frenford ‘A’ | 5th – EAL Div Three (double elevation) |
Main: @Frenfordfc | n/a |
| Kit Out London | New Club | @kol_cc | n/a |
| Leyton Royal | New Club | Not known | n/a |
| London Park City | 7th – EAL Div One | @londonarkcity | n/a |
| North East Lions | New Club | @NorthEastSat1 | n/a |
| Wapping | Returning Club | Not active | n/a |
| Westhamians | New Club | @WHamians | A previous iteration of the club played in the Essex Olympian League in recent times |
| Woodford East | 1st – EAL Div Four (Treble elevation) |
@WoodfordEastFC | n/a |
| (11 clubs) | |||
Finally for our focused divisions, here is the Division Two constitution which has a number of familiar names to fans of EAL, plus a few clubs including one making a transition into Saturday Football in Belfry.
| EAL Division Two 2020-21 Constitution | |||
| Club | Position Last Season (or a Returning/ New Club) | Twitter feed | Other Info |
| Barkingside ‘A’ | New Club | Not Known | n/a |
| Belfry | New Club to EAL | @fc_belfry | Previously only played Sunday Football (ESFC) |
| Chingford Athletic ‘A’ | 8th – EAL Senior (as Reserve side) | Main: @ChingfordAFC | n/a |
| Cowley Community | 5th – EAL Div Two | @CowleyFC | n/a |
| Dagenham Utd | New Club to EAL | @DagenhamUtd_FC | Also previously played in Essex Olympian League |
| Forest Green | 9th – EAL Div One
(Bottom) |
@Forestgreen19 | n/a |
| Newham Wanderers | 4th EAL Div Three | Not known | n/a |
| Old Esthameians | 6th – EAL Div Two | Not known | n/a |
| Rainham WMC | 2nd – EAL Div Two | @RwmcTeam | n/a |
| Royal Forest | 4th – EAL Div Two | @RoyalForestFC | n/a |
| St Francis | 3rd – EAL Div Three | @StFrancis1930 | n/a |
| Unitey | 7th – EAL Div Two | @FCUnitey | n/a |
| (12 clubs) | |||
Finally for this part of my preview, in the table below shows the sides that will compete in the ‘lower’ two tiers of the Essex Alliance League this season.
| Constitution – EAL Division Three | EAL Division Four |
| Bailey Football Academy (New to EAL) | Avondale Rangers |
| Epping Utd (New) | Brentwood Utd Reserves |
| Fairlop Rovers | Chingford Harriers |
| Flyers U23s | Collier Row ‘A’ |
| Forest Havering North (FHN) Athletic (New) | Custom House Utd |
| Glendale | Dagenham Utd Reserves |
| Loughton Lions | Emerson Utd Reserves |
| Lymore Gardens Reserves | Newham Royals |
| Melbourne Sports | Royal Forest Reserves |
| Old Barkabbeyans Reserves | Together Utd |
| (10 Clubs) | (10 clubs) |
Alright, now to round off this piece, here are the Fixtures for the opening weekend of the EAL season
Fixtures – Sat 5th September (Match Day #1) – Normally 2pm KOs
EAL Premier Division
All Prospects v West Essex Res | Castle Green Leisure Centre
Blue Marlin v Chigwell Town | Ford’s Sports Club (Newbury Park)
CSM London v Tower Utd | West Ham Community Ground [3G], Beckton
DT FC v Rapid Chingford | The Harlow Arena [3G]
FC Baresi v Lymore Gardens | Britannia Sports Ground, Walthamstow
FC Petrocub v London Cranes | Noak Hill Sports Complex [3G pitch]
EAL Division One
Chadwell Heath Spartans v London Park City | Mayfield Leisure Centre [3G]
Leyton Royal v North East Lions | Salisbury Hall Sports Ground
Wapping v Francis Luke | Victoria Park, South Hackney
Woodford East v Westhamians | Debden Park Sch, Loughton
Division Two
Chingford Athetic ‘A’ v Unitey | Town Mead Leisure Park
Dagenham Utd v Cowley Community | Castle Green Leisure Centre
Rainham WMC v Old Esthameians | Rainham Men’s Club
Royal Forest v Newham Wanderers | Roding Valley Sch, Loughton
Division Two
Chingford Athetic ‘A’ v Unitey | Town Mead Leisure Park
Dagenham Utd v Cowley Community | Castle Green Leisure Centre
Rainham WMC v Old Esthameians | Rainham Men’s Club
Royal Forest v Newham Wanderers | Roding Valley Sch, Loughton
Division Three
Glendale v FHN Athletic | Roding Valley High Sch, Loughton
Old Barkabbeyans Res v Bailey Football Academy | Barking Abbey Sports Grd
Division Four
Collier Row ‘A’ v Emerson Utd Res | Forest Row Centre, Lodge Lane
Dagenham Utd Res v Chingford Harriers | Castle Green Leisure Centre
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