2023–24 Wessex Football League

Wessex Football League
Season	2023–24
Champions	Moneyfields
Promoted	Moneyfields; Shaftesbury
Relegated	Lymington Town
	← 2022–23 2024–25 →

The 2023–24 Wessex Football League season was the 38th in the history of the Wessex Football League since its establishment in 1986. The league consists of two divisions: the Premier Division and Division One.

The constitution was announced on 15 May 2023.^[1] Starting this season, the Premier Division (step 5) promotes two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there was only one club relegated from the Premier Division.^[2]

Premier Division

The Premier Division remained at 20 clubs, after Bemerton Heath Harlequins were promoted to the Southern League South Division; Horndean were promoted to the Isthmian League South East Division; Pagham were transferred to the Southern Combination League, and Alresford Town were relegated to Division One.

Four new teams joined the division:

Two promoted from Division One:
- Andover New Street
- Petersfield Town

One transferred from the Western League Premier Division:
- Sherborne Town

One demoted from the Southern League South Division:
- Lymington Town

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Moneyfields (C, P)	38	33	3	2	141	39	+102	99^[a]	Promoted to the Southern League
2	A.F.C. Stoneham	38	31	2	5	131	26	+105	95	Qualification for the play-offs
3	Shaftesbury (O, P)	38	29	3	6	117	50	+67	90	Promoted to the Southern League
4	A.F.C. Portchester	38	25	6	7	90	44	+46	81	Qualification for the play-offs
5	Baffins Milton Rovers	38	21	4	13	88	52	+36	67^[b]	Qualification for the play-offs
6	Brockenhurst	38	19	10	9	77	47	+30	67
7	Portland United	38	19	8	11	66	42	+24	65
8	Laverstock & Ford	38	20	4	14	88	73	+15	64
9	Sherborne Town	38	18	5	15	75	67	+8	59
10	Fareham Town	38	16	5	17	68	80	−12	53
11	Cowes Sports	38	15	6	17	83	75	+8	51
12	Hamble Club	38	14	8	16	82	75	+7	50
13	Petersfield Town	38	12	5	21	71	81	−10	41	Transferred to the Southern Combination
14	Andover New Street	38	11	6	21	62	92	−30	39
15	Hythe & Dibden	38	10	5	23	60	87	−27	35
16	Bournemouth	38	8	9	21	56	107	−51	33
17	Blackfield & Langley	38	10	2	26	40	116	−76	32
18	Christchurch	38	7	6	25	51	123	−72	27
19	United Services Portsmouth	38	7	4	27	53	117	−64	25
20	Lymington Town (R)	38	3	3	32	36	142	−106	12	Relegated to Division One

Source: Wessex 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:

^ Moneyfields had three points deducted for failing to fulfil a fixture.
^ Christchurch 0–8 Baffins Milton Rovers (16 December 2023) and Lymington Town 1–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (6 January 2024) were voided after Baffins Milton Rovers fielded an ineligible player. Both matches were to be replayed.^[3] Replayed matches: Lymington Town 0–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (30 January 2024), Christchurch 1–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (20 April 2024).

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals			Final

2	A.F.C. Stoneham	2

5	Baffins Milton Rovers	1
			2	A.F.C. Stoneham	0

			3	Shaftesbury	1
3	Shaftesbury	1

4	A.F.C. Portchester	0

Semifinals

23 April	A.F.C. Stoneham	2–1	Baffins Milton Rovers	Eastleigh
19:45	Jenkins 74', Sampson 89'	Report	Robinson 51'	Stadium: Stoneham Football Complex Attendance: 270

24 April	Shaftesbury	1–0	A.F.C. Portchester	Shaftesbury
19:45	Pitman	Report		Stadium: Cockrams Attendance: 356

Final

27 April	A.F.C. Stoneham	0–1	Shaftesbury	Eastleigh
15:00		Report	Pitman	Stadium: Stoneham Football Complex Attendance: 534

Division One

Division One was increased to 21 clubs from 20 after Andover New Street and Petersfield Town were promoted to the Premier Division, and Fleet Spurs and Amesbury Town were relegated.

Five new teams joined the division:

One relegated from the Premier Division:
- Alresford Town

One relegated and transferred from the Combined Counties League Premier Division South:
- Frimley Green

Two transferred from the Combined Counties League Division One:
- A.F.C. Aldermaston
- Cove

One promoted from the Hampshire Premier League:
- Clanfield

Downton were promoted on a PPG (points per game) basis despite losing the play-off final.^[4]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Hamworthy Recreation (C, P)	40	32	4	4	143	41	+102	100	Promoted to the Premier Division
2	Millbrook (O, P)	40	31	1	8	152	53	+99	94	Promoted to the Premier Division
3	Downton (P)	40	29	7	4	121	44	+77	94	Promoted (PPG) to the Premier Division
4	Alresford Town	40	24	9	7	108	56	+52	81	Qualification for the play-offs
5	Fleetlands	40	22	9	9	91	52	+39	75	Qualification for the play-offs
6	East Cowes Victoria Athletic	40	23	6	11	90	52	+38	75
7	Cove	40	20	6	14	91	89	+2	66
8	Folland Sports	40	19	7	14	78	75	+3	64
9	Clanfield	40	16	9	15	93	67	+26	57
10	Romsey Town	40	15	9	16	95	74	+21	54
11	Fawley	40	16	6	18	54	69	−15	54
12	Newport (IOW)	40	15	7	18	66	74	−8	52
13	Whitchurch United	40	15	7	18	80	113	−33	52
14	Verwood Town	40	14	6	20	69	85	−16	48
15	Totton & Eling	40	14	5	21	54	99	−45	47
16	Ringwood Town	40	11	10	19	74	90	−16	43
17	Ash United	40	9	9	22	74	93	−19	36
18	Frimley Green	40	10	3	27	58	118	−60	33
19	New Milton Town	40	9	6	25	49	114	−65	33	Reprieved from relegation
20	A.F.C. Aldermaston	40	6	1	33	50	124	−74	19	Reprieved from relegation
21	Andover Town (R)	40	6	1	33	45	153	−108	19^[a]	Relegated to a county feeder league

Source: Wessex Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ 14 October 2023 – Romsey Town 2–3 Andover Town was voided after Andover were found to have fielded an ineligible player. The match was replayed on 19 March 2024, with Romsey winning 4–1.

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals			Final

2	Millbrook	5

5	Fleetlands	1
			2	Millbrook	3

			3	Downton	1
3	Downton	2

4	Alresford Town	0

Semifinals

30 April	Millbrook	5–1	Fleetlands	Southampton
19:45	Barker 3', White 14' 19' 84', O'Connell 60'	Report	Wrapson 66'	Stadium: Test Park Attendance: 229

1 May	Downton	2–0	Alresford Town	Downton
19:45	Smith , Osman			Stadium: Brian Whitehead Sports Ground Attendance: 312

Final

4 May	Millbrook	3–1	Downton	Southampton
15:00	White 33' (pen.), 43', Krysztofowicz 82'	Report	Davies 3'	Stadium: Test Park Attendance: 532

References

^ "REVEALED: Club allocations 2023-24 announced by The FA". The Non-League Football Paper. 15 May 2023.
^ "STEP 5 TO 4 PROMOTION/RELEGATION UPDATE". The FA. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
^ "Club Statement: Christchurch and Lymington Town Fixtures". Baffins Milton Rovers F.C. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
^ "THE FA RELEASES NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM CLUB ALLOCATIONS FOR STEPS 1-6 IN 2024-25 TERM". The FA. 17 May 2024.

External links

Wessex Football League official site

[table_hth_MON0.70750580481603-3] Moneyfields had three points deducted for failing to fulfil a fixture.

[table_hth_BMR0.70750580481603-5] Christchurch 0–8 Baffins Milton Rovers (16 December 2023) and Lymington Town 1–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (6 January 2024) were voided after Baffins Milton Rovers fielded an ineligible player. Both matches were to be replayed.^[3] Replayed matches: Lymington Town 0–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (30 January 2024), Christchurch 1–3 Baffins Milton Rovers (20 April 2024).

[table_hth_AND0.58435139273496-7] 14 October 2023 – Romsey Town 2–3 Andover Town was voided after Andover were found to have fielded an ineligible player. The match was replayed on 19 March 2024, with Romsey winning 4–1.

[1] "REVEALED: Club allocations 2023-24 announced by The FA". The Non-League Football Paper. 15 May 2023.

[2] "STEP 5 TO 4 PROMOTION/RELEGATION UPDATE". The FA. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.

[4] "Club Statement: Christchurch and Lymington Town Fixtures". Baffins Milton Rovers F.C. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.

[6] "THE FA RELEASES NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM CLUB ALLOCATIONS FOR STEPS 1-6 IN 2024-25 TERM". The FA. 17 May 2024.

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