1997–98 Spartan South Midlands Football League
# 1997–98 Spartan South Midlands Football League

The 1997–98 Spartan South Midlands Football League season was the first in the history of Spartan South Midlands Football League. The league was formed by the merger of the Spartan League and the South Midlands League.

The league consisted of 75 clubs divided into five divisions.

For this season only both Premier Division and Division One were split geographically into two sections, as the Premier Division North was a successor of the South Midlands League Premier Division, and the Premier Division South was a successor of the Spartan League Premier Division. Senior Division was a successor of the South Midlands League Senior Division. Division One North was a successor of the South Midlands League Division One, and the Division One South was a successor of the Spartan League divisions One and Two.

At the end of the season Premier divisions were merged, while Division One North was renamed Division One as all the Division One South clubs resigned from the league and formed the London Intermediate League.

## Premier Division North

The division featured 15 clubs, all came from the South Midlands League Premier Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Brache Sparta | 28 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 75 | 17 | +58 | 71 | |
| 2 | Potters Bar Town | 28 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 62 | 21 | +41 | 67 | |
| 3 | London Colney | 28 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 67 | 46 | +21 | 52 | |
| 4 | Royston Town | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 47 | |
| 5 | Hoddesdon Town | 28 | 15 | 2 | 11 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 47 | |
| 6 | Welwyn Garden City | 28 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 46 | |
| 7 | Arlesey Town | 28 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 44 | |
| 8 | Harpenden Town | 28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 41 | |
| 9 | Toddington Rovers | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 39 | 52 | −13 | 35 | |
| 10 | Buckingham Athletic | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 46 | 55 | −9 | 33 | |
| 11 | Letchworth | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 50 | 63 | −13 | 29 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 12 | Biggleswade Town | 28 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 28 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 13 | Milton Keynes | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 40 | 52 | −12 | 28 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 14 | Bedford United | 28 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 67 | −42 | 14 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 15 | Langford | 28 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 23 | 90 | −67 | 5 | Relegated to the Senior Division |

* ↑ Milton Keynes were deducted 1 point.
* ↑ Bedford United were deducted 3 points.

## Premier Division South

The division featured 15 clubs, all came from Spartan League Premier Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Brook House | 28 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 66 | 27 | +39 | 60 | |
| 2 | Beaconsfield SYCOB | 28 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 59 | 27 | +32 | 56 | |
| 3 | Ruislip Manor | 28 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 61 | 29 | +32 | 55 | |
| 4 | Hillingdon Borough | 28 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 73 | 35 | +38 | 52 | |
| 5 | Barkingside | 28 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 44 | 34 | +10 | 43 | |
| 6 | Waltham Abbey | 28 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 54 | 42 | +12 | 42 | |
| 7 | Haringey Borough | 28 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 40 | |
| 8 | Brimsdown Rovers | 28 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 37 | |
| 9 | St Margaretsbury | 28 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 36 | |
| 10 | Islington St Mary's | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 42 | 52 | −10 | 33 | |
| 11 | Woodford Town | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 48 | 59 | −11 | 30 | Resigned from the league |
| 12 | Hanwell Town | 28 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 45 | 76 | −31 | 28 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 13 | Harefield United | 28 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 67 | −40 | 27 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 14 | Amersham Town | 28 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 26 | 45 | −19 | 26 | Relegated to the Senior Division |
| 15 | Cockfosters | 28 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 35 | 61 | −26 | 22 | Relegated to the Senior Division |

* ↑ St Margaretsbury were deducted 1 point.
* ↑ Islington St Mary's were deducted 1 point.

## Senior Division

The division featured 13 clubs which competed in the previous season South Midlands League Senior Division, along with three new clubs.

* Two clubs, promoted from South Midlands League Division One:
   * Biggleswade United
   * Caddington
* One club joined the Division:
   * Shillington, who last competed in the 1995–96 season in the South Midlands League

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | New Bradwell St Peter | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 86 | 30 | +56 | 68 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Tring Athletic | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 84 | 30 | +54 | 68 | |
| 3 | Mercedes Benz | 30 | 21 | 2 | 7 | 84 | 51 | +33 | 65 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 4 | Holmer Green | 30 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 94 | 41 | +53 | 63 | |
| 5 | Biggleswade United | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 74 | 40 | +34 | 56 | |
| 6 | Houghton Town | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 54 | |
| 7 | Leverstock Green | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 66 | 43 | +23 | 52 | |
| 8 | Caddington | 30 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 49 | |
| 9 | Shillington | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 56 | 61 | −5 | 41 | |
| 10 | Risborough Rangers | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 50 | 65 | −15 | 33 | |
| 11 | Winslow United | 30 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 55 | 78 | −23 | 32 | |
| 12 | Totternhoe | 30 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 53 | 78 | −25 | 27 | |
| 13 | Stony Stratford Town | 30 | 7 | 2 | 21 | 46 | 78 | −32 | 23 | |
| 14 | The 61 FC Luton | 30 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 35 | 99 | −64 | 18 | Relegated to Division One |
| 15 | Kent Athletic | 30 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 44 | 88 | −44 | 16 | Relegated to Division One |
| 16 | Ampthill Town | 30 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 33 | 92 | −59 | 16 | Relegated to Division One |

* ↑ Kent Athletic were deducted three points.

## Division One North

The division featured 16 clubs which competed in the previous season South Midlands League Division One, along with one new club:

* Greenacres

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Luton Old Boys | 30 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 72 | 30 | +42 | 66 | Promoted to the Senior Division |
| 2 | Greenacres | 30 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 71 | 27 | +44 | 65 | Promoted to the Senior Division |
| 3 | Pitstone & Ivinghoe | 30 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 54 | |
| 4 | Crawley Green Sports | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 76 | 41 | +35 | 50 | Resigned from the league |
| 5 | De Havilland | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 60 | 51 | +9 | 50 | |
| 6 | Bridger Packaging | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 64 | 49 | +15 | 48 | |
| 7 | Bedford Eagles | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 60 | 42 | +18 | 49 | Resigned from the league |
| 8 | Leighton Athletic | 30 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 69 | 66 | +3 | 42 | |
| 9 | Walden Rangers | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 42 | |
| 10 | Abbey National | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 57 | −13 | 38 | |
| 11 | Mursley United | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 48 | 63 | −15 | 37 | |
| 12 | Old Dunstablians | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 41 | 68 | −27 | 35 | |
| 13 | Scot | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 76 | 75 | +1 | 33 | |
| 14 | Old Bradwell United | 30 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 44 | 82 | −38 | 25 | |
| 15 | Flamstead | 30 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 32 | 60 | −28 | 24 | |
| 16 | Emberton | 30 | 3 | 4 | 23 | 29 | 85 | −56 | 12 | Resigned from the league |
| 17 | Buckingham United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Club folded, record expunged |

* ↑ Bedford Eagles deducted one point.
* ↑ Emberton deducted one point.

## Division One South

The division featured ten clubs which competed in the previous season Spartan League divisions One and Two, along with five clubs:

* Crown & Manor
* Chestnut Trojans
* Leyton
* Leyton Youth
* Tottenham Omada

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Old Roan | 24 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 111 | 29 | +82 | 56 | All clubs left the league |
| 2 | Cray Valley P M | 24 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 74 | 22 | +52 | 52 | All clubs left the league |
| 3 | Crown & Manor | 24 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 74 | 22 | +52 | 51 | All clubs left the league |
| 4 | Leyton County | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 72 | 24 | +48 | 47 | All clubs left the league |
| 5 | Bridon Ropes | 24 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 72 | 39 | +33 | 43 | All clubs left the league |
| 6 | Chestnut Trojans | 23 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 66 | 42 | +24 | 39 | All clubs left the league |
| 7 | Odua United | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 62 | 41 | +21 | 37 | All clubs left the league |
| 8 | Holland Park | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 32 | All clubs left the league |
| 9 | Long Lane | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 51 | 42 | +9 | 28 | All clubs left the league |
| 10 | Leyton | 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 54 | 49 | +5 | 28 | All clubs left the league |
| 11 | Doddinghurst | 24 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 34 | 97 | −63 | 14 | All clubs left the league |
| 12 | Leyton Youth | 24 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 32 | 136 | −104 | 7 | All clubs left the league |
| 13 | Chingford Town | 24 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 174 | −155 | 6 | All clubs left the league |
| 14 | Classic Inter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Clubs folded, records expunged |
| 15 | Tottenham Omada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Clubs folded, records expunged |

* ↑ Leyton County were deducted three points.
* 1 2 Remaining match was not played.
