2023–24 Midland Football League
Football league season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2023–24 Midland Football League season was the tenth in the history of the Midland Football League, a football competition in England. The Midland League operates two divisions in the English football league system, the Premier Division at Step 5 and Division One at Step 6; these two divisions are covered by this article.
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Congleton Town[1] |
| Promoted | Congleton Town Darlaston Town (1874) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
The allocations for Steps 3 to 6 for this season were announced by The Football Association on 15 May 2023,[2] and were subject to appeals. Starting this season, the Premier Division in the league promotes two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. Solely for this season, there was only one club relegated from the Step 5 division.[3]
Premier Division
This division comprises 18 teams, two fewer than the previous season.
|
The following 5 clubs left the division before the season:
|
The following 3 clubs joined the division:
|
Premier Division table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congleton Town (C, P) | 34 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 101 | 31 | +70 | 81 | Promotion to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Lichfield City | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 81 | 33 | +48 | 73 | Qualification for the play-offs[a] |
| 3 | Darlaston Town (1874) (O, P) | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 84 | 42 | +42 | 66 | |
| 4 | Stourport Swifts | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 62 | |
| 5 | Highgate United | 34 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 81 | 50 | +31 | 61 | |
| 6 | Studley | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 77 | 46 | +31 | 61 | |
| 7 | Dudley Town | 34 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 65 | 61 | +4 | 51 | |
| 8 | Atherstone Town | 34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 53 | 49 | +4 | 49 | |
| 9 | Shifnal Town | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 46 | |
| 10 | Whitchurch Alport | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 59 | 61 | −2 | 46 | |
| 11 | AFC Wulfrunians | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 48 | 52 | −4 | 45 | |
| 12 | Uttoxeter Town | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 44 | |
| 13 | Northwich Victoria | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 70 | −14 | 44 | |
| 14 | Romulus | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 51 | 65 | −14 | 35 | |
| 15 | Stone Old Alleynians | 34 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 33 | |
| 16 | Wolverhampton Casuals | 34 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 46 | 77 | −31 | 32 | |
| 17 | Tividale | 34 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 38 | 77 | −39 | 24 | |
| 18 | Bewdley Town (R) | 34 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 16 | 156 | −140 | 4 | Relegation to the Hellenic League |
Play-offs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Lichfield City | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | Highgate United | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Lichfield City | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Darlaston Town (1874) | 3 | |||||||
| 3 | Darlaston Town (1874) | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Stourport Swifts | 1 | |||||||
Semifinals
| 27 April | Lichfield City | 3–1 | Highgate United | Lichfield |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 424 |
| 27 April | Darlaston Town (1874) | 3–1 | Stourport Swifts | Walsall |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Bentley Sports Pavilion Attendance: 351 |
Final
| 4 May | Lichfield City | 1–3 | Darlaston Town (1874) | Lichfield |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 1,110 |
Stadia and locations
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Premier Division
20km
12miles
12miles
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Premier Division
1
Congleton Town F.C.2
Northwich Victoria F.C.3
Whitchurch Alport F.C.4
Studley F.C.5
Atherstone Town6
A.F.C. Wulfrunians
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Premier Division from Cheshire
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Wulfrunians | Wolverhampton | Castlecroft Stadium | 2,000 |
| Atherstone Town | Atherstone | Sheepy Road | |
| Bewdley Town | Bewdley | Ribbesford Meadows | 1,000 |
| Congleton Town | Congleton | Cleric Stadium | 1,450 |
| Darlaston Town (1874) | Walsall | Bentley Sports Pavilion | |
| Dudley Town | Willenhall | Asprey Arena | |
| Highgate United | Shirley | The Coppice | 2,000 |
| Lichfield City | Lichfield | City Ground | 1,000 |
| Northwich Victoria | Northwich | Wincham Park | 4,813 |
| Romulus | Birmingham (Castle Vale) | Castle Vale Stadium | 2,000 |
| Shifnal Town | Shifnal | Phoenix Park | |
| Stone Old Alleynians | Meir Heath | King's Park | |
| Stourport Swifts | Stourport-on-Severn | Walshes Meadow | 2,000 |
| Studley | Studley | The Beehive | |
| Tividale | Tividale | The Beeches | 2,000 |
| Uttoxeter Town | Uttoxeter | Oldfields | |
| Whitchurch Alport | Whitchurch | Yockings Park | |
| Wolverhampton Casuals | Featherstone | Brinsford Lane |
Division One
This division comprises 20 teams, one fewer than the previous season.
|
The following 4 clubs left the division before the season:
|
The following 3 clubs joined the division:
|
Division One table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinckley (C, P) | 38 | 27 | 5 | 6 | 114 | 47 | +67 | 86 | Promotion to the United Counties League |
| 2 | Allscott Heath | 38 | 25 | 5 | 8 | 90 | 62 | +28 | 80 | Qualification for the play-offs, then transfer to the North West Counties League |
| 3 | OJM CFC (O, P) | 38 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 83 | 40 | +43 | 74 | Qualification for the play-offs[a] |
| 4 | Ingles | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 74 | 48 | +26 | 73 | |
| 5 | Droitwich Spa | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 113 | 68 | +45 | 72 | Qualification for the play-offs, then transfer to the Hellenic League |
| 6 | Wednesfield | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 82 | 54 | +28 | 72 | |
| 7 | Cradley Town | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 84 | 61 | +23 | 61 | |
| 8 | Heather St John's | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 81 | 60 | +21 | 58 | |
| 9 | Bilston Town | 38 | 17 | 4 | 17 | 84 | 68 | +16 | 55 | |
| 10 | Shawbury United | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 72 | 74 | −2 | 52 | Transfer to the North West Counties League |
| 11 | Coventry Copsewood | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 71 | 65 | +6 | 51 | |
| 12 | Sutton United | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 68 | 71 | −3 | 48 | |
| 13 | Stapenhill | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 72 | −8 | 47 | |
| 14 | Nuneaton Griff | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 65 | 81 | −16 | 47 | |
| 15 | Coton Green | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 53 | 63 | −10 | 46 | |
| 16 | Wolverhampton Sporting | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 48 | 74 | −26 | 36 | Transfer to the North West Counties League |
| 17 | Chelmsley Town | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 43 | 98 | −55 | 33 | |
| 18 | Smethwick Rangers | 38 | 9 | 3 | 26 | 43 | 100 | −57 | 30 | |
| 19 | Paget Rangers | 38 | 8 | 3 | 27 | 49 | 109 | −60 | 27 | |
| 20 | AFC Bridgnorth | 38 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 48 | 114 | −66 | 21 | Reprieve from relegation |
Play-offs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Allscott Heath | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | Droitwich Spa | 3 | |||||||
| 3 | OJM CFC | 1 (5) | |||||||
| 5 | Droitwich Spa | 1 (3) | |||||||
| 3 | OJM CFC | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Ingles | 0 | |||||||
Semifinals
| 27 April | Allscott Heath | 1–3 | Droitwich Spa | Allscott |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Allscott Sports & Social Club Attendance: 231 |
| 27 April | OJM CFC | 2–0 | Ingles | Kings Norton |
| 15:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Triplex Sports Ground Attendance: 92 |
Final
| 4 May | OJM CFC | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p) | Droitwich Spa | Kings Norton |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: Triplex Sports Ground Attendance: 558 |
Stadia and locations
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Division One
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Division One
Location of the clubs in the 2023–24 Midland League Division One
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Bridgnorth | Bridgnorth | Crown Meadow | |
| Allscott Heath | Allscott | Allscott Sports & Social Club | |
| Bilston Town | Bilston | Queen Street | 4,000 |
| Chelmsley Town | Coleshill | Pack Meadow | |
| Coton Green | Fazeley | New Mill Lane | |
| Coventry Copsewood | Coventry | Allard Way | 2,000 |
| Cradley Town | Cradley | Beeches View | |
| Droitwich Spa | Droitwich Spa | King George V Ground | 2,000 |
| Heather St John's | Heather | St John's Park | 2,050 |
| Hinckley | Barwell | Kirkby Road | 2,500 |
| Ingles | Thringstone | Homestead Road | 2,050 |
| Nuneaton Griff | Nuneaton | Pingles Stadium | 4,000 |
| OJM CFC | Birmingham (Kings Norton) | Triplex Sports Ground | |
| Paget Rangers | Sutton Coldfield | Central Ground | 2,000 |
| Shawbury United | Shrewsbury | New Meadow Community 3G | 1,000 |
| Smethwick Rangers | Boldmere | Trevor Brown Memorial Ground | 2,500 |
| Stapenhill | Stapenhill | Edge Hill | 1,500 |
| Sutton United | Sutton Coldfield | Coleshill Road | |
| Wednesfield | Wednesfield | Cottage Ground | |
| Wolverhampton Sporting | Great Wyrley | Pride Park |
Division Two
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Redditch Borough |
| Promoted | Redditch Borough |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
Division Two featured 13 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with 3 new clubs:
- Coventrians, promoted from Division Three
- Central Ajax, promoted from Division Three
- Littleton, relegated from Hellenic League Division One
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redditch Borough | 30 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 82 | 19 | +63 | 77 | Promoted to Hellenic League Division One |
| 2 | AFC Coventry Rangers | 30 | 21 | 2 | 7 | 67 | 34 | +33 | 65 | |
| 3 | Knowle | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 80 | 20 | +60 | 64 | |
| 4 | Alcester Town | 30 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 68 | 44 | +24 | 57 | Transferred to Herefordshire League |
| 5 | Hampton | 30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 60 | 43 | +17 | 53 | |
| 6 | Birmingham United | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 59 | 43 | +16 | 52 | |
| 7 | Coventry Alvis | 30 | 12 | 4 | 14 | 60 | 62 | −2 | 40 | |
| 8 | Coventrians | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 44 | 59 | −15 | 39 | |
| 9 | Central Ajax | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 52 | 62 | −10 | 35 | |
| 10 | Lane Head | 30 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 47 | 61 | −14 | 32 | |
| 11 | Cadbury Athletic | 30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 31 | |
| 12 | Earlswood Town | 30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 56 | 91 | −35 | 31 | |
| 13 | Inkberrow | 30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 75 | −35 | 31 | |
| 14 | Bolehall Swifts | 30 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 28 | 67 | −39 | 27 | |
| 15 | Littleton | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 37 | 69 | −32 | 26 | |
| 16 | Fairfield Villa | 30 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 40 | 64 | −24 | 23 |
Source: FA Full-Time
Division Three
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Champions | AFC Solihull |
| Promoted | AFC Solihull Northfield Town |
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
Division Three featured 10 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with 7 new clubs:
- Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons, relegated from Division Two
- Northfield Town, joined from Birmingham & District League
- Silhill, joined from Birmingham & District League
- Feckenham, joined from Hellenic League Division Two West
- Meadow Park, joined from Hellenic League Division Two West
- BNJS, joined from Birmingham & District League
- Gornal
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AFC Solihull | 32 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 101 | 38 | +63 | 80 | Promoted to Division Two |
| 2 | Northfield Town | 32 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 101 | 42 | +59 | 74 | |
| 3 | AFC Birmingham | 32 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 89 | 32 | +57 | 69 | |
| 4 | Silhill | 32 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 101 | 40 | +61 | 68 | |
| 5 | Feckenham | 32 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 96 | 35 | +61 | 65 | |
| 6 | Wake Green Amateur | 32 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 82 | 54 | +28 | 59 | |
| 7 | Castle Vale Town | 32 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 67 | 53 | +14 | 54 | |
| 8 | DSC United | 32 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 73 | 80 | −7 | 44 | Resigned from the league |
| 9 | Balsall and Berkswell | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 43[a] | |
| 10 | Meadow Park | 32 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 63 | 76 | −13 | 35 | |
| 11 | Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 63 | 72 | −9 | 34[b] | |
| 12 | Continental Star | 32 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 63 | 67 | −4 | 33[c] | |
| 13 | Solihull Sporting | 32 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 69 | 93 | −24 | 30 | |
| 14 | Leamington Hibs | 32 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 36 | 93 | −57 | 26 | |
| 15 | BNJS | 32 | 7 | 6 | 19 | 58 | 102 | −44 | 24[d] | |
| 16 | Gornal | 32 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 47 | 99 | −52 | 23 | |
| 17 | Birmingham Tigers | 32 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 26 | 159 | −133 | 3 |
Source: FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
- Balsall & Berkswell 1 point deducted.
- Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons 3 points deducted.
- Continental Star 6 points deducted.
- BNJS 3 points deducted.