The 2021–22 season was the 107th season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England. The league operates four divisions, the Premier Division at Step 3 and three divisions, North, South Central and South East at Step 4 of the National League System. This was the fourth season since the former South Division was subdivided into the South Central and South East divisions. The league was also known as the Pitching In League under a sponsorship deal with Entain, formerly GVC Holdings.
The allocations for Step 4 this season were announced by The Football Association (FA) on 17 May 2021.[1] Numerous changes were made to the constitutions of the level 8 divisions within the Isthmian League.[2]
The scheduled restructuring of the non-League system took place for the 2021–22 season and a new division was added to the Northern Premier League at Step 4 for 2021–22,[3] which resulted in some reallocations into or out of, and promotions to, the Isthmian League's Step 4 divisions.[3]
Premier Division
The Premier Division comprised the same set of 22 teams which competed in the aborted competition the previous season.
Source: Isthmian League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[5] Notes:
^Cray Wanderers were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.
^Seven clubs at Step 3, all four fourth-from-bottom teams and three that were placed third-from-bottom and had the most points per game (PPG), were reprieved.[4]
Source: Isthmian League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[5] Notes:
^Four teams played for one spot and possible promotion to Level 7.
^Ten of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two clubs placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place both on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from relegation.[7]
^Contested a one-off play-off match as one of the remaining six Step 4 teams against one of six runners-up from Step 5 that had the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. The winner remained at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season and the loser at Step 5.
^Barking were deducted three points for a rule breach.
After Whyteleafe resigned from the league after losing its ground and folded, South Central Division consisted of 19 clubs: 14 clubs from the previous season, and five new clubs:
Source: Isthmian League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[5] Notes:
^Four teams played for one spot and possible promotion to Level 7.
^ abTen of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two clubs placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place both on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from relegation. The remaining six teams will contest one-off play-off matches with seven runners-up from Step 5 that have the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. The winner of each match will play at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will also play at Step 5.[7]
^The FA classified Whyteleafe as relegated for reprieve and inter-step play-off purposes, having resigned "after the Isthmian League AGM" but during the season.[8]
Source: Football Web Pages Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[5] Notes:
^Four teams played for one spot and possible promotion to Level 7.
^ abTen of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two clubs placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place both on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from relegation. The remaining six teams will contest one-off play-off matches with seven runners-up from Step 5 that have the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. The winner of each match will play at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will also play at Step 5.[7]
Seven clubs at Step 3, all four fourth-from-bottom teams and those placed third-from-bottom that were the top three on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from relegation. The remaining team was relegated to Step 4.[7]
The final points-per-game ranking of the third-from-bottom placed teams in Step 3 divisions was as follows:
Ten of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two clubs placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from contesting relegation play-offs. The FA granted third-placed Sheffield a reprieve after demoting Yorkshire Amateur for non-compliance with Step 4 ground grading requirements.[9] The remaining six teams contested one-off matches with sixrunners-up from Step 5 that had the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. Three clubs won winners of their matches and stayed at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while three others lost theirs and were relegated to Step 5.[7]
The final points-per-game ranking of the 3rd-from-bottom-placed teams in Step 4 divisions was also as follows:
The 2021–22 Velocity Trophy (formerly the Isthmian League Cup) was the 48th season of the Alan Turvey Trophy, the cup competition of the whole Isthmian League. 60 of the 82 teams in the Isthmian League participated this season, with the other 22 opting not to participate.
Enfield Town were the defending champions, having beaten AFC Hornchurch in the 2018–19 season—the most recent season in which the competition was fully completed following the abandonment of the 2019–20 competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition was not held during the 2020–21 season.
This season's competition reverted to a straight knock out format. If a game finished level after 90 minutes, the match went straight to penalties—there was no extra time. Clubs were allowed to name and use 5 substitutes per match.
Calendar
Round
Dates
Matches
Clubs
First round
2 November to 30 November
12
60 → 48
Second round
16 November to 11 January
16
48 → 32
Third round
18 January to 22 February
16
32 → 16
Fourth round
21 February to 10 March
8
16 → 8
Quarter-finals
8 March to 17 March
4
8 → 4
Semi-finals
22 March
2
4 → 2
Final
13 April
1
2 → 1
First round
Twenty-four clubs participated in the first round, while thirty-six clubs received a bye to the second round
The twelve clubs who made it through the first round were joined in the draw by twenty clubs who got a bye through the previous round, making thirty-two clubs.
All Premier Division sides participating in the competition received a bye to the third round. They joined the sixteen clubs that advanced past the Second round.
^"[Promotion and relegation for 2021/22]". The Football Association. September 2021. "7 clubs across Step 3 to be reprieved. Reprieves are based on those with the highest PPG, starting with 4th from bottom Clubs, then 3rd from bottom (and so on). As it stands, this would be all four 4th from bottom Clubs and the best three 3rd from bottom Clubs."
