2021–22 Western Football League

The 2021–22 Western Football League season (known as the 2021–22 Toolstation Western Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 120th in the history of the Western Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.

Western Football League
Season2021–22
ChampionsTavistock
PromotedTavistock
Exmouth Town
RelegatedBrislington
Bridport

The constitution was announced on 18 May 2021.[1]

After the abandonment of the previous two seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[2][3] a number of promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.

Premier Division

The Premier Division was reduced to 19 clubs from 21 after Plymouth Parkway were promoted to the Southern League, and Bradford Town, Chipping Sodbury Town, Cribbs, Hallen, Roman Glass St George and Westbury United were transferred to the Hellenic League. Odd Down requested demotion to Division One, which the league accepted.

Prior to this season, Bridgwater Town merged with women's club Yeovil United, forming Bridgwater United.[4]

Six new clubs joined the division.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Tavistock (C, P) 36 23 8 5 96 34 +62 77 Promoted to the Southern League
2 Exmouth Town (P) 36 23 8 5 92 31 +61 77[lower-alpha 1]
3 Mousehole 36 22 7 7 90 46 +44 73[lower-alpha 2]
4 Saltash United 36 20 5 11 80 46 +34 65
5 Bridgwater United 36 20 5 11 69 39 +30 65
6 Shepton Mallet 36 17 9 10 77 36 +41 60
7 Clevedon Town 36 16 11 9 76 54 +22 59
8 Ilfracombe Town 36 16 8 12 62 56 +6 56
9 Helston Athletic 36 14 12 10 67 49 +18 54
10 Buckland Athletic 36 15 8 13 69 54 +15 53
11 Keynsham Town 36 15 8 13 68 58 +10 53
12 Millbrook 36 12 9 15 60 70 −10 45
13 Bitton 36 13 6 17 64 75 −11 45
14 Wellington 36 11 10 15 52 64 −12 43
15 Cadbury Heath 36 10 5 21 48 81 −33 35
16 Street 36 9 5 22 48 71 −23 32
17 Brislington 36 9 5 22 42 95 −53 32 Voluntarily demoted to Division One[lower-alpha 3]
18 Ashton & Backwell United 36 7 8 21 47 80 −33 29 Reprieved from relegation[lower-alpha 4]
19 Bridport (R) 36 1 1 34 17 185 −168 4 Relegated to the South West Peninsula League
Source: Toolstation Western League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Exmouth Town were promoted as they were one of ten runners-up at Step 5 promoted on a PPG (points per game) basis.
  2. Mousehole v Keynsham Town, 5 April 2022 – Keynsham did not send a team to Mousehole, and Mousehole were awarded the three points.
  3. Brislington requested voluntary demotion to Division One for the 2022–23 season.
  4. Ashton & Backwell United were one of the twelve clubs with the most PPG (points per game) out of 16 second-bottom clubs at Step 5, and were reprieved from relegation.[5]

Stadia and locations
Club Location Stadium Capacity
Ashton & Backwell UnitedBackwellRecreation Ground
BittonBittonRecreation Ground2,000
Bridgwater UnitedBridgwaterFairfax Park2,500
BridportBridportSt Mary's Field2,000
BrislingtonBristol (Brislington)Brislington Stadium3,000
Buckland AthleticNewton AbbotHomers Heath
Cadbury HeathCadbury HeathSpringfield
Clevedon TownKennHand Stadium3,500
Exmouth TownExmouthSouthern Road
Helston AthleticHelstonKellaway Park
Ilfracombe TownIlfracombeMarlborough Park2,000
Keynsham TownKeynshamCrown Field
MillbrookMillbrookJenkins Park
MouseholeMouseholeTrungle Parc
Saltash UnitedSaltashKimberley Stadium
Shepton MalletShepton MalletThe Playing Fields2,500
StreetStreetThe Tannery1,500
TavistockTavistockLangsford Park2,000
WellingtonWellingtonThe Playing Field1,500

First Division

The First Division was increased from 20 clubs to 21 after Ashton & Backwell United were promoted to the Premier Division, and Calne Town and Corsham Town were promoted and transferred to the Hellenic League Premier Division.

Four new clubs joined:

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Sherborne Town (C, P) 40 31 6 3 124 38 +86 99 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Warminster Town 40 28 5 7 84 33 +51 89 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Wincanton Town 40 27 7 6 126 49 +77 88
4 Welton Rovers (O, P) 40 27 7 6 90 39 +51 88
5 Radstock Town 40 18 9 13 75 74 +1 63
6 Cheddar 40 17 11 12 81 71 +10 62
7 Wells City 40 16 12 12 82 69 +13 60
8 AEK Boco 40 16 12 12 64 59 +5 60
9 Odd Down 40 16 9 15 82 78 +4 57
10 Oldland Abbotonians 40 17 4 19 84 84 0 55
11 Bishop Sutton 40 15 7 18 73 70 +3 52
12 Tytherington Rocks 40 14 10 16 60 75 −15 52
13 Lebeq United 40 13 12 15 84 82 +2 51
14 Gillingham Town 40 12 10 18 73 87 −14 46
15 Hengrove Athletic 40 12 9 19 62 81 −19 45
16 Portishead Town 40 13 7 20 55 63 −8 43[lower-alpha 1]
17 Longwell Green Sports 40 11 9 20 63 87 −24 42
18 Almondsbury 40 12 2 26 54 95 −41 38
19 Bristol Telephones 40 10 5 25 56 114 −58 35 Reprieved from relegation[lower-alpha 2]
20 Bishops Lydeard 40 6 6 28 50 98 −48 24
21 Devizes Town (R) 40 6 7 27 55 131 −76 22[lower-alpha 3] Relegated to the Wiltshire League
Source: Toolstation Western League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Portishead Town had three points deducted.
  2. All third-from-bottom sides at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation, and a number of second-from-bottom sides, including Bishops Lydeard, were reprieved on a PPG (points per game) basis.[6]
  3. Devizes Town had three points deducted.

Promotion playoffs
Semi-finals Final
      
2 Warminster Town 2
5 Radstock Town 0
2 Warminster Town 0
4 Welton Rovers 1
4 Welton Rovers 2
3 Wincanton Town 0
  • Welton Rovers were at home for their playoff semi-final as Wincanton Town were unable to host the fixture.

Stadia and locations
Club Location Stadium Capacity
AEK BocoBristol (Hanham)Greenbank Road
AlmondsburyAlmondsburyThe Field
Bishop SuttonBishop SuttonLakeview1,500
Bishops LydeardBishops LydeardDarby Way
Bristol TelephonesBristol (Stockwood)Stockwood Lane
CheddarCheddarBowdens Park
Devizes TownDevizesNursteed Road2,500
Gillingham TownGillinghamWoodwater Lane
Hengrove AthleticBristol (Whitchurch)Norton Lane
Lebeq UnitedAlmondsburyOaklands Park
Longwell Green SportsLongwell GreenLongwell Green Community Stadium1,000
Odd DownBathLew Hill Memorial Ground1,000
Oldland AbbotoniansOldland CommonAitchison Playing Field
Portishead TownPortisheadBristol Road
Radstock TownRadstockSouthfields Recreation Ground1,250
Sherborne TownSherborneRaleigh Grove1,150
Tytherington RocksTytheringtonHardwicke Playing Field
Warminster TownWarminsterWeymouth Street
Wells CityWellsThe Athletic Ground1,500
Welton RoversMidsomer NortonWest Clewes2,400
Wincanton TownWincantonWincanton Sports Ground

References
  1. "National League System club allocations – Steps 5–6, Season 2021–22". The Football Association. 18 May 2021.
  2. "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. "Yeovil United To Merge With Bridgwater Town To Form Bridgwater United FC". Since 71. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  5. "Changes to promotion and relegation at Step 5". North East Counties Football League. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. "Promotion / Relegation – 2021/22 Season". Southern Counties East Football League. November 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
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