Western Football League
Season2022–23

The 2022–23 Western Football League season (known as the 2022–23 Toolstation Western Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the 121st in the history of the Western Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.

The constitution was announced on 12 May 2022.[1]

With a view to a merger between the Western League and the South West Peninsula League in 2023–24, four clubs were to be automatically promoted from Division One to Step 5, depending on ground grading. The fifth-placed club may also have been promoted, on a PPG (points per game) basis.[2] However, the FA scrapped the merger in February 2023 after a breakdown in negotiations, and promotion was reverted to two clubs, one via a play-off.[3]

Premier Division

The Premier Division was increased to 20 clubs from 19 after Exmouth Town and Tavistock were promoted to the Southern League South Division, and Bridport were relegated to the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East. Brislington requested demotion to Division One, which the league accepted.

Five new clubs joined the division.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Mousehole (C, P) 36 26 8 2 93 32 +61 86 Promoted to the Southern League
2 Saltash United 36 26 6 4 98 39 +59 84 Qualification for an inter-step play-off
3 Barnstaple Town 36 24 3 9 77 49 +28 75
4 Bridgwater United 36 20 9 7 84 41 +43 69
5 Buckland Athletic 36 22 2 12 69 48 +21 68
6 Helston Athletic 36 18 12 6 60 38 +22 66
7 Falmouth Town 36 16 8 12 62 48 +14 56
8 Shepton Mallet 36 15 10 11 58 45 +13 55
9 Street 36 13 10 13 49 63 −14 49
10 Ashton & Backwell United 36 14 6 16 60 52 +8 48 Resigned at the end of the season
11 Clevedon Town 36 13 7 16 60 69 −9 46
12 Torpoint Athletic 36 12 9 15 68 75 −7 45
13 Millbrook 36 11 7 18 45 59 −14 40
14 Welton Rovers 36 10 6 20 47 83 −36 36
15 Wellington 36 9 8 19 51 72 −21 35
16 Ilfracombe Town 36 7 11 18 47 65 −18 32
17 Sherborne Town 36 8 7 21 41 64 −23 31
18 Cadbury Heath 36 4 6 26 34 87 −53 18 Voluntarily demoted to Division One[lower-alpha 1]
19 Keynsham Town (R) 36 5 3 28 39 113 −74 18 Relegated to Division One
20 Bitton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[lower-alpha 2] Resigned from the 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. ↑ Cadbury Heath requested voluntary demotion to Division One for the 2023–24 season.
  2. ↑ Bitton resigned from the league on 21 October 2022 and their playing record of P13 W1 D1 L11 GF10 GA37 Pts4 was expunged.[4]

Inter-step play-off

29 April 2023 Bristol Manor Farm 2–0Saltash UnitedSea Mills, Bristol
15:00 Robbins 34
Nielsen 63		 Stadium: The Creek
Attendance: 379

First Division

The First Division was increased from 21 clubs to 22 after Sherborne Town and Welton Rovers were promoted to the Premier Division, and Devizes Town were relegated.

Four new clubs joined:

  • Lebeq United changed their name to FC Bristol.
  • Brislington are ineligible for promotion after taking voluntary demotion from the Premier Division last season.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Brislington (C) 42 36 2 4 130 35 +95 110
2 Nailsea & Tickenham (P) 42 31 5 6 120 45 +75 98 Promoted to the Premier Division
3 Wells City 42 29 9 4 94 38 +56 96 Qualification for the play-offs
4 Oldland Abbotonians (O, P) 42 24 9 9 92 53 +39 81
5 Wincanton Town 42 22 5 15 93 71 +22 71
6 Shirehampton 42 21 6 15 89 70 +19 69
7 Bishop Sutton 42 19 9 14 69 62 +7 66
8 FC Bristol 42 19 4 19 84 87 −3 61 Transferred to the Hellenic League
9 Hallen 42 16 11 15 70 63 +7 59
10 Warminster Town 42 16 10 16 57 58 −1 58
11 AEK Boco 42 17 4 21 73 88 −15 55
12 Longwell Green Sports 42 16 5 21 78 96 −18 53
13 Odd Down 42 13 12 17 72 72 0 51
14 Portishead Town 42 15 7 20 55 70 −15 52
15 Hengrove Athletic 42 14 8 20 67 71 −4 50
16 Bristol Telephones 42 14 11 17 59 68 −9 50[lower-alpha 1]
17 Gillingham Town 42 11 8 23 72 100 −28 41
18 Cheddar 42 10 9 23 53 72 −19 39
19 Radstock Town 42 8 13 21 57 79 −22 37
20 Tytherington Rocks 42 9 9 24 41 97 −56 36 Reprieved and transferred to the Hellenic League
21 Bishops Lydeard 42 8 8 26 46 102 −56 32 Reprieved and transferred to the South West Peninsula League
22 Almondsbury (R) 42 7 10 25 38 112 −74 31 Relegated to the Gloucestershire County 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. ↑ Bristol Telephones had three points deducted.

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals Final
      
3 Wells City 0
6 Shirehampton 3
4 Oldland Abbotonians 2
6 Shirehampton 1
4 Oldland Abbotonians (pens) 2 (11)
5 Wincanton Town 2 (10)

References

  1. ↑ "The FA provides update on National League System club allocations at Steps 3–6". The FA. 12 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "REACTION: Peninsula and Western League merger plans rubber-stamped by FA". Teignmouth Today. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Merger of Western League and Peninsula League scrapped". Devon Live. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Bitton withdraw from league". Toolstation Western League. 21 October 2021.
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