2007–08 Football Conference

Conference Premier

A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 19 sides from last season, one relegated from the Football League Two, two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South.

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 2006–07 Conference North

• Droylsden
• Farsley Celtic

Teams promoted from 2006–07 Conference South

• Histon
• Salisbury City

Teams relegated from 2006–07 League Two

• Torquay United

Boston United were also relegated from the Football League, but were placed in the Conference North due to financial problems. Altrincham, who had finished in the relegation zone in the 2006–07 season, were reprieved in order for the division to remain at 24 teams.

Overall

Aldershot Town made a return to the Football League, Aldershot F.C. having actually folded during the league season of 1991–92 league season. Its successor Aldershot Town F.C., however, actually made an exceptionally bad start of the season, losing two of their first three home games, but after that they gained a form that produced Football Conference records, such as their 31 wins and the 101 points, wrapping up the title and the promotion well ahead of the end of the season. A key factor was their ability to avoid drawn matches, of which they only had eight. And even then six of them occurred during the nine games when they were wrapping up the title.

The play-offs saw local rivals Exeter City and Torquay United facing each other for a chance to play for a promotion to the Football League. Torquay had the upper hand at first, winning the first leg on Exeter's soil with 1–2, and they on home ground they were leading 1–0 (3–1 aggregate) with just 20 minutes left, when Exeter ended their hopes with a burst of four goals to wrap up the series with a 5–3 aggregate win. Exeter eventually won 1–0 over Cambridge United at Wembley to seal their return to the League.

As usual, the biggest average crowds were seen in Oxford, with an average of 4,728 spectators per game and an aggregate of 108,750, but actually they fell fifth in highest attendances, with the West Country derby between Exeter City and Torquay United drawing the biggest crowd of the season with 7,839 spectators, followed by the Cambridgeshire derby of Cambridge United v Histon with 7,125, another West Country derby between Torquay and Exeter with 6,021 and even Aldershot Town v Weymouth with 5,980, leaving Oxford behind in their top drawing match against Crawley Town with their 5,900 spectators. Droylsden had the fewest spectators, with an aggregate of 14,800, meaning an average crowd of 643 spectators, with a high of 1,178 against Altrincham.

League table

Exeter City Farsley Celtic, Stafford Rangers Eastbourne Borough, Kettering Town, Lewes Histon – Torquay United 4–5 (18 September 2007)

|win_R&D=15|draw_R&D=14|loss_R&D=17|gf_R&D=55|ga_R&D=55

Locations

Aldershot Town Altrincham Burton Albion Cambridge United Crawley Town Exeter City Droylsden Forest Green Rovers Farsley Celtic Ebbsfleet United Grays Athletic Halifax Town Histon Kidderminster Harriers Northwich Victoria Oxford United Rushden & Diamonds Salisbury City Stafford Rangers Stevenage Borough Torquay United Weymouth Woking York City

Results

|match_ALD_R&D=2–1

|match_ALT_R&D=1–2

|match_BRT_R&D=2–1

|match_CAM_R&D=1–0

|match_CRA_R&D=4–1

|match_DRO_R&D=1–4

|match_EBB_R&D=0–3

|match_EXE_R&D=2–2

|match_FAR_R&D=0–1

|match_FGR_R&D=0–1

|match_GRY_R&D=3–0

|match_HAL_R&D=1–1

|match_HIS_R&D=2–1

|match_KID_R&D=2–0

|match_NOR_R&D=1–0

|match_OXF_R&D=1–0

|name_R&D=Rushden & Diamonds |match_R&D_ALD=1–1 |match_R&D_ALT=1–0 |match_R&D_BRT=0–0 |match_R&D_CAM=1–2 |match_R&D_CRA=1–1 |match_R&D_DRO=0–0 |match_R&D_EBB=0–1 |match_R&D_EXE=0–2 |match_R&D_FAR=1–0 |match_R&D_FGR=1–2 |match_R&D_GRY=1–1 |match_R&D_HAL=2–2 |match_R&D_HIS=2–3 |match_R&D_KID=0–1 |match_R&D_NOR=1–0 |match_R&D_OXF=5–0 |match_R&D_SAL=0–0 |match_R&D_STA=1–1 |match_R&D_STB=0–0 |match_R&D_TOR=2–1 |match_R&D_WEY=3–2 |match_R&D_WOK=2–1 |match_R&D_YOR=1–1

|match_SAL_R&D=1–1

|match_STA_R&D=0–1

|match_STB_R&D=2–1

|match_TOR_R&D=3–2

|match_WEY_R&D=1–2

|match_WOK_R&D=1–1

|match_YOR_R&D=2–3

Play-offs

Main article: 2008 Conference Premier play-off Final

1st leg 1/2 May; 2nd leg 5/6 May 18 May 2008 | RD1-seed1=2nd | RD1-team1=Cambridge United | RD1-score1-1=2 | RD1-score1-2=2 | RD1-score1-agg=4 | RD1-seed2=5th | RD1-team2=Burton Albion | RD1-score2-1=2 | RD1-score2-2=1 | RD1-score2-agg=3 | RD1-seed3=3rd | RD1-team3=Torquay United | RD1-score3-1=2 | RD1-score3-2=1 | RD1-score3-agg=3 | RD1-seed4=4th | RD1-team4=Exeter City | RD1-score4-1=1 | RD1-score4-2=4 | RD1-score4-agg=5 | RD2-seed1=2nd | RD2-team1=Cambridge United | RD2-score1= 0 | RD2-seed2=4th | RD2-team2=Exeter City | RD2-score2= 1

Semifinals

• Clare
• Stride
• McEvilly
• Wolleaston
• Clare Cambridge United won 4–3 on Aggregate.

• Carlisle
• Sills
• Zebroski
• Hill
• Harley
• Watson
• Logan
• Carlisle Exeter City won 5–3 on Aggregate.

Play-Off Final

• Edwards

Top scorers in order of league goals

Source:

Conference North

Nuneaton (reformed and demoted); Boston United (expelled) Gateshead, King's Lynn Kettering Town – Vauxhall Motors 6–0 (18 August 2007); Stalybridge Celtic – Redditch United 6–0 (26 April 2008)

Promotion and relegation

A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 17 sides from last season, one relegated from Football League Two, two relegated from the Conference National and two promoted from the Northern Premier League.

Teams promoted from 2006–07 Northern Premier League Premier Division

• Burscough
• AFC Telford United

Teams relegated from 2006–07 Conference National

• Tamworth
• Southport

Teams relegated from 2006–07 League Two

• Boston United

Boston United were transferred down two divisions due to financial problems. At the end of the season still under entering administration, Boston United were relegated another division down.

League table

Locations

AFC Telford United Alfreton Town Barrow Blyth Spartans Boston United Burscough Gainsborough Trinity Harrogate Town Hinckley United Hucknall Town Hyde United Kettering Town Leigh RMI Nuneaton Borough Redditch United Solihull Moors Southport Stalybridge Tamworth Vauxhall Motors Worcester City Workington

Results

Play-offs

| RD1-seed1=2nd | RD1-team1=AFC Telford United | RD1-score1-1=0 | RD1-score1-2=0 | RD1-score1-agg=0 | RD1-seed2=5th | RD1-team2=Barrow | RD1-score2-1=2 | RD1-score2-2=2 | RD1-score2-agg=4 | RD1-seed3=3rd | RD1-team3=Stalybridge Celtic (pen.) | RD1-score3-1=0 | RD1-score3-2=2 | RD1-score3-agg=**2 (5) ** | RD1-seed4=4th | RD1-team4=Southport | RD1-score4-1=1 | RD1-score4-2=1 | RD1-score4-agg=2 (3) | RD2-seed1=3rd | RD2-team1=Stalybridge Celtic | RD2-score1=0 | RD2-seed2=5th | RD2-team2=Barrow | RD2-score2=1

Semifinals

• Tait
• Rogan
• Reynolds
• Tait Barrow won 4–0 on Aggregate.

• Blakeman
• Winn
• Payne
• Skyes
• Torpey
• Barwick
• Payne
• Meechan
• Winn
• Barratt
• Robinson
• Gray
• Blakeman Stalybridge Celtic won 5–3 on penalties after tying 2–2 on Aggregate.

Play-Off Final

• Henney

Conference South

Sutton United Team Bath, AFC Wimbledon, Worcester City Maidenhead –Eastleigh 0–5 (8 March 2008); St Albans City – Thurrock 0–5 (19 September 2007); Thurrock – Hampton & Richmond 0–5 (7 September 2007)

Promotion and relegation

A total of 22 teams contested the division, including 17 sides from last season, one relegated from the Conference National, two promoted from the Isthmian League and two promoted from the Southern Football League.

Teams promoted from 2006–07 Southern League Premier Division

• Bath City
• Maidenhead United

Teams promoted from 2006–07 Isthmian League Premier Division

• Hampton & Richmond Borough
• Bromley

Teams relegated from 2006–07 Conference National

• St Albans City

League table

|win_H&R=21|draw_H&R=14|loss_H&R=7|gf_H&R=87|ga_H&R=49 |win_H&W=19|draw_H&W=10|loss_H&W=13|gf_H&W=59|ga_H&W=53 |win_H&Y=14|draw_H&Y=12|loss_H&Y=16|gf_H&Y=67|ga_H&Y=73

Locations

Bath City Bromley Hampton & R. Maidenhead Basingstoke Bishop's Stortford Bognor Regis Braintree Cambridge City Dorchester Eastbourne Eastleigh Fisher Athletic Havant & Waterlooville Hayes & Yeading Lewes Newport County St Albans City Sutton Thurrock Welling Weston-super-Mare

Bromley Fisher Athletic Hampton & Richmond Hayes & Yeading Sutton Thurrock Welling

Results

|match_BAS_H&R=1–2 |match_BAS_H&W=2–3 |match_BAS_H&Y=1–1

|match_BAT_H&R=2–0 |match_BAT_H&W=1–1 |match_BAT_H&Y=2–2

|match_BST_H&R=6–2 |match_BST_H&W=4–1 |match_BST_H&Y=0–1

|match_BOG_H&R=2–4 |match_BOG_H&W=1–1 |match_BOG_H&Y=3–0

|match_BRA_H&R=3–0 |match_BRA_H&W=1–0 |match_BRA_H&Y=0–1

|match_BRO_H&R=0–2 |match_BRO_H&W=2–1 |match_BRO_H&Y=2–1

|match_CAM_H&R=1–2 |match_CAM_H&W=2–0 |match_CAM_H&Y=1–4

|match_DOR_H&R=0–1 |match_DOR_H&W=0–1 |match_DOR_H&Y=1–0

|match_EAB_H&R=0–0 |match_EAB_H&W=2–2 |match_EAB_H&Y=3–1

|match_EAS_H&R=1–1 |match_EAS_H&W=1–1 |match_EAS_H&Y=1–4

|match_FIS_H&R=0–3 |match_FIS_H&W=4–2 |match_FIS_H&Y=4–2

|name_H&R=Hampton & Richmond |match_H&R_BAS=2–2 |match_H&R_BAT=0–0 |match_H&R_BST=1–1 |match_H&R_BOG=1–1 |match_H&R_BRA=3–0 |match_H&R_BRO=3–2 |match_H&R_CAM=2–2 |match_H&R_DOR=4–0 |match_H&R_EAB=0–2 |match_H&R_EAS=3–1 |match_H&R_FIS=0–2 |match_H&R_H&W=1–1 |match_H&R_H&Y=4–1 |match_H&R_LEW=6–0 |match_H&R_MDH=1–1 |match_H&R_NPC=1–0 |match_H&R_SAC=4–1 |match_H&R_SUT=2–2 |match_H&R_THU=2–3 |match_H&R_WEL=4–0 |match_H&R_WSM=5–1

|name_H&W=Havant & Waterlooville |match_H&W_BAS=1–1 |match_H&W_BAT=1–0 |match_H&W_BST=1–2 |match_H&W_BOG=2–0 |match_H&W_BRA=0–0 |match_H&W_BRO=1–0 |match_H&W_CAM=2–1 |match_H&W_DOR=4–0 |match_H&W_EAB=2–1 |match_H&W_EAS=1–0 |match_H&W_FIS=1–0 |match_H&W_H&R=0–3 |match_H&W_H&Y=4–1 |match_H&W_LEW=1–2 |match_H&W_MDH=0–3 |match_H&W_NPC=2–0 |match_H&W_SAC=3–1 |match_H&W_SUT=2–0 |match_H&W_THU=3–0 |match_H&W_WEL=1–0 |match_H&W_WSM=1–1

|name_H&Y=Hayes & Yeading United |match_H&Y_BAS=1–1 |match_H&Y_BAT=3–0 |match_H&Y_BST=2–2 |match_H&Y_BOG=0–2 |match_H&Y_BRA=3–3 |match_H&Y_BRO=6–1 |match_H&Y_CAM=3–1 |match_H&Y_DOR=2–2 |match_H&Y_EAB=1–1 |match_H&Y_EAS=2–4 |match_H&Y_FIS=2–1 |match_H&Y_H&R=0–0 |match_H&Y_H&W=3–1 |match_H&Y_LEW=2–1 |match_H&Y_MDH=1–4 |match_H&Y_NPC=1–3 |match_H&Y_SAC=2–1 |match_H&Y_SUT=3–3 |match_H&Y_THU=1–1 |match_H&Y_WEL=0–1 |match_H&Y_WSM=2–2

|match_LEW_H&R=1–2 |match_LEW_H&W=4–0 |match_LEW_H&Y=2–1

|match_MDH_H&R=1–2 |match_MDH_H&W=3–3 |match_MDH_H&Y=0–1

|match_NPC_H&R=2–2 |match_NPC_H&W=0–1 |match_NPC_H&Y=1–1

|match_SAC_H&R=1–1 |match_SAC_H&W=1–0 |match_SAC_H&Y=2–0

|match_SUT_H&R=2–1 |match_SUT_H&W=1–3 |match_SUT_H&Y=1–2

|match_THU_H&R=0–5 |match_THU_H&W=0–2 |match_THU_H&Y=2–0

|match_WEL_H&R=1–3 |match_WEL_H&W=1–1 |match_WEL_H&Y=1–2

|match_WSM_H&R=2–2 |match_WSM_H&W=3–1 |match_WSM_H&Y=3–1

Play-offs

| RD1-seed1=2nd | RD1-team1=Eastbourne Borough | RD1-score1-1=2 | RD1-score1-2=3 | RD1-score1-agg=5 | RD1-seed2=5th | RD1-team2=Braintree Town | RD1-score2-1=0 | RD1-score2-2=0 | RD1-score2-agg=0 | RD1-seed3=3rd | RD1-team3=Hampton & Richmond B. (pen.) | RD1-score3-1=1 | RD1-score3-2=0 | RD1-score3-agg=1 (4) | RD1-seed4=4th | RD1-team4=Fisher Athletic | RD1-score4-1=1 | RD1-score4-2=0 | RD1-score4-agg=1 (2) | RD2-seed1=2nd | RD2-team1=Eastbourne Borough | RD2-score1=2 | RD2-seed2=3rd | RD2-team2=Hampton & Richmond Borough | RD2-score2=0

Semifinals

• Tait
• Tait
• Crabb
• Atkin

• Tomlin
• Hodges
• Yaku
• McAuley
• Lovett
• Harris
• McCollin
• Hickie
• Thomas
• Batts Hampton and Richmond Borough won 4–2 on penalties after tying 1–1 on Aggregate.

Play-Off Final

• Crabb
• Armstrong

References

References

1. [http://www.soccerbase.com] Soccerbase
2. [http://www.footballconference.co.uk/News/FC_Story_Page/0,14288,5886_2792606,00.html Football Conference]{{Dead link. (August 2019)
3. ''Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2007–2008''. Glenda Rollin & Jack Rollin (eds.). Headline, 2008.
4. "England 2007–08". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.