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2023–24 Western Football League

Western Football League
Season2023–24
ChampionsHelston Athletic
PromotedHelston Athletic
Falmouth Town

The 2023–24 Western Football League season (known as the 2023–24 Toolstation Western Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 122nd in the history of the Western Football League, a football competition in England. Teams are divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.

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 was reduced to 18 clubs from 20 after Mousehole were promoted to the Southern League South Division; Sherborne Town were transferred to the Wessex League; Cadbury Heath took voluntary demotion to Division One, Keynsham Town were relegated to Division One, and Ashton & Backwell United and Bitton resigned from the league.

Mangotsfield United were initially transferred from the Hellenic League Premier Division, but were moved back after the resignation of Shrivenham from that league.

Four new clubs joined the division.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Helston Athletic (C, P) 34 25 5 4 104 30 +74 80 Promoted to the Southern League
2 Falmouth Town (O, P) 34 24 4 6 80 25 +55 76
3 Bridgwater United 34 23 3 8 99 48 +51 72 Qualification for the play-offs
4 Clevedon Town 34 21 7 6 70 26 +44 70
5 Barnstaple Town 34 19 10 5 84 44 +40 67
6 Buckland Athletic 34 18 7 9 88 53 +35 61
7 Shepton Mallet 34 18 6 10 63 46 +17 60
8 Brixham 33 14 10 9 69 36 +33 55[a]
9 Nailsea & Tickenham 34 14 4 16 68 63 +5 46
10 Torpoint Athletic 34 13 6 15 51 59 −8 45
11 Ilfracombe Town 34 10 10 14 56 65 −9 40
12 St Blazey 34 11 6 17 55 68 −13 39
13 Saltash United 34 10 6 18 55 64 −9 36
14 Street 34 9 7 18 53 75 −22 34
15 Wellington 34 8 8 18 43 81 −38 32
16 Oldland Abbotonians 34 7 2 25 44 92 −48 23
17 Welton Rovers 34 4 8 22 37 100 −63 17[b]
18 Millbrook (R) 33 2 1 30 17 161 −144 7 Relegated to South West Peninsula League Division One West
Updated to match(es) played on 16:23, 6 May 2024 (UTC). 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. ^ Brixham were awarded three points
  2. ^ Welton Rovers had three points deducted

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Falmouth Town 3
5 Barnstaple Town 1
2 Falmouth Town 2
4 Clevedon Town 0
3 Bridgwater United 0
4 Clevedon Town 1

Semifinals

30 April Falmouth Town 3–1Barnstaple TownFalmouth
19:45 Brabyn , Massey , Wilson Report Montague Stadium: Bickland Park
Attendance: 480
30 April Bridgwater United0–1 Clevedon Town Bridgwater
19:45 Report Teall 79' Stadium: Fairfax Park

Final

4 May Falmouth Town 2–0Clevedon TownFalmouth
15:00 Massey 2', Barner 70' Report Stadium: Bickland Park
Attendance: 973

First Division

The First Division remained at 22 clubs after Nailsea & Tickenham and Oldland Abbotonians were promoted to the Premier Division; Bishops Lydeard were transferred to the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East, FC Bristol and Tytherington Rocks were transferred to the Hellenic League Division One, and Almondsbury were relegated.

Six new clubs joined:

  • From the Premier Division:
  • Reserve and development teams were not eligible for promotion to step 5, or the playoffs. Bitton were also ineligible, due to their resignation from the Premier Division last season.
  • Wincanton Town were promoted on a PPG (points per game) basis despite losing the play-off final.[3]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Portishead Town (C, P) 42 31 6 5 122 29 +93 99 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Radstock Town 42 28 7 7 100 45 +55 91 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Bitton 42 27 8 7 100 49 +51 89
4 Wincanton Town (P) 42 27 4 11 103 75 +28 85 Promoted (PPG) and transferred to the Wessex League Premier Division
5 Wells City 42 27 3 12 100 59 +41 84 Qualification for the play-offs
6 Cribbs Reserves 42 27 5 10 105 60 +45 83[a]
7 Brislington (O, P) 42 25 5 12 125 54 +71 80 Promoted to the Premier Division
8 Bradford Town 42 19 11 12 87 62 +25 68
9 Hallen 42 20 8 14 82 66 +16 68
10 AEK Boco 42 19 8 15 71 54 +17 65
11 Bristol Telephones 42 19 6 17 71 83 −12 63
12 Longwell Green Sports 42 18 5 19 85 88 −3 59
13 Middlezoy Rovers 42 18 2 22 76 88 −12 56 Transferred to South West Peninsula League Premier Division East
14 Cadbury Heath 42 17 4 21 84 70 +14 55
15 Hengrove Athletic 42 13 7 22 63 84 −21 46
16 Odd Down 42 13 7 22 67 108 −41 46
17 Shirehampton 42 12 7 23 73 86 −13 43
18 Keynsham Town 42 13 4 25 89 116 −27 43
19 Warminster Town 42 10 7 25 64 106 −42 37
20 Gillingham Town 42 10 4 28 58 117 −59 34 Reprieved from relegation
21 Cheddar 42 8 1 33 53 115 −62 25
22 Bishop Sutton (R) 42 0 3 39 18 182 −164 3 Relegated to a feeder league
Updated to match(es) played on 16:57, 4 May 2024 (UTC). 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. ^ Cribbs Reserves had three points deducted

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Radstock Town 0
7 Brislington 1
4 Wincanton Town 2
7 Brislington 3
4 Wincanton Town 6
5 Wells City 4

Semifinals

30 April Radstock Town0–1 Brislington Radstock
19:30 Report Griffiths 78' Stadium: The Southfields Recreation Ground
Attendance: 365
30 April Wincanton Town 6–4Wells CityWincanton
19:45 Hodges 7', Jarvis 62' 64',
Williams 67', Thompson 76',
Townsend 84'		 Report Murray 6' 15' 80' (pen.), Diamond 9' Stadium: Wincanton Sports Ground
Attendance: 152

Final

4 May Wincanton Town2–3 Brislington Wincanton
15:00 Thompson 4', Jarvis 25' Report Kington 61', McClennan 72',
Dunn 90+2'		 Stadium: Wincanton Sports Ground
Attendance: 326

Les Phillips Cup

The 2023–24 Les Phillips Cup was the cup competition of the whole Western Football League.

Helston Athletic were defending champions, having beaten Shepton Mallet in the 2022–23 season.

First round

16 clubs participated in the first round.

Tie
(Tier) Home team
Score
Away team (Tier)
 Att.
1 Cheddar (D1) 2–4 Barnstaple Town (PD) 88
2 Clevedon Town (PD) 0–3 Bridgwater United (PD)
3 Hengrove Athletic (D1) 5–2 Bishop Sutton (D1)
4 Hallen (D1) 1–0 Welton Rovers (PD)
5 Warminster Town (D1) 2–4 Street (PD)
6 Cadbury Heath (PD) 1–2 Longwell Green Sports (D1)
7 Brislington (D1) 0–4 AEK Boco (D1)
8 Cribbs Reserves (D1) 3–0 Bristol Telephones (D1)

Second round

The 8 clubs who made it through the first round were joined in the draw by 24 clubs who received a bye to the second round, making 32 clubs.

Tie
(Tier) Home team
Score
Away team (Tier)
 Att.
1 Falmouth Town (PD) 0–2 Helston Athletic (PD)
2 Millbrook (PD) 1–6 Brixham (PD)
3 Buckland Athletic (PD) 0–0 (4–3 p) Torpoint Athletic (PD)
4 St Blazey (PD) 1–5 Saltash United (PD)
5 Wellington (PD) 2–3 Ilfracombe Town (PD)
6 Portishead Town (D1) 1–3 Bridgwater United (PD)
7 Middlezoy Rovers (D1) 1–1 (4–1 p) Radstock Town (D1)
8 Nailsea & Tickenham (PD) 0–4 Barnstaple Town (PD)
9 Bitton (D1) 3–2 Gillingham Town (D1)
10 Wincanton Town (D1) 6–0 Hallen (D1)
11 Hengrove Athletic (D1) 1–2 Shepton Mallet (PD)
12 Wells City (D1) 1–1 (4–3 p) Street (PD)
13 Odd Down (D1) 3–1 Longwell Green Sports (D1)
14 Bradford Town (D1) 2–0 Oldland Abbotonians (PD)
15 Cribbs Reserves (D1) 0–0 (4–3 p) AEK Boco (D1)
16 Keynsham Town (D1) 4–9 Shirehampton (D1)

Third round

Tie
(Tier) Home team
Score
Away team (Tier)
 Att.
1 Brixham (PD) 1–1 (2–3 p) Buckland Athletic (PD)
2 Saltash United (PD) 1–2 Helston Athletic (PD)
3 Bridgwater United (PD) 1–1 (4–2 p) Ilfracombe Town (PD)
4 Middlezoy Rovers (D1) 2–2 (7–8 p) Barnstaple Town (PD)
5 Wincanton Town (D1) 0–6 Shepton Mallet (PD)
6 Bitton (D1) 0–2 Wells City (D1)
7 Cribbs Reserves (D1) 4–4 (4–2 p) Odd Down (D1)
8 Bradford Town (D1) 1–4 Shirehampton (D1)

Quarter-finals

Tie
(Tier) Home team
Score
Away team (Tier)
 Att.
1 Helston Athletic (PD) 3–2 Buckland Athletic (PD)
2 Bridgwater United (PD) 1–4 Barnstaple Town (PD)
3 Shepton Mallet (PD) 2–0 Wells City (D1)
4 Cribbs Reserves (D1) 3–4 Shirehampton (D1) 57

Semi-finals

Tie
(Tier) Home team
Score
Away team (Tier)
 Att.
1 Barnstaple Town (PD) 3–2 Helston Athletic (PD)
2 Shepton Mallet (PD) 6–1 Shirehampton (D1)

Final

12 May 2024 Shepton Mallet (PD) 3–1 Barnstaple Town (PD) Ladysmead, Tiverton
15:00

References

  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.
  3. ^ "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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