Non-League and Academy football writer

Although the fixtures aren’t out yet, for the first stage of the 2024/25 Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division season, with last season (2023/24) having started in August, I thought that now would be a good time to write my season preview of the league. This step 7 league was a fantastic one to cover last season, for the quality and competitiveness of the league. And that quality really was evident in last season’s Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup final, at the home of Leyton Orient. The intensity of that cup final (Walthamstow Reserves won the match 2-1) was a fantastic showcase of the league, and it was also a great occasion.

Leaving this 16 team league for the 2024/25 season, are last season’s deserved league champions, FC Baresi, who will be playing at step 6 for the very first time in their history this season. Also, Priory Park Rangers and Kit Out London, were respectively relegated to step 8, last season. And finally, Aveley Under 23s have since transferred over to the Essex Senior Reserve League, for the 2024/25 season. Newly promoted sides who are joining the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division this season, are as follows: Fairlop Rovers (league champions of the Premier Division East), Ongar Town (runners up of the Premier Division East) and the champions of the Premier Division West – Philip United, a club who had an outstanding first season at step 8, last season.

Kulture Klub (formerly of the Essex Alliance Football League) were playing their football at step 8 of the Middlesex Football League in 2023/24, but they have since been entered back into this league (Essex Alliance Football League) for this season. And Woodford Town Reserves are new to the league this season, having previously been in the Essex Senior Reserve League. Sporting Hackney and Bakers693, will be hoping to build on last season, having finished in 13th and 12th place respectively, and then just above them in the league was CSM London. Having won promotion back to step 7 during the season before last, Will Brobby’s CSM London side have started this pre-season really well, and they are a real footballing side. I reckon that CSM London will improve further on last season, in 2024/25. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see them do well in the Senior Division League Cup.

Walthamstow Reserves, managed by Eny Okoro, achieved some great things last season. They did of course win the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup, but Eny Okoro’s very talented and youthful side also had a good league season, as they finished in ninth place in the league standings. However, they had a good 2024, as a whole, as well. What Eny and his coaching staff achieved last season, including in the Senior Division Cup, was superb, and in my opinion they’ll be a side to watch out for this season. 

The newly named AS Rapid Londra (formerly Rapid Chingford) had a solid season in 2023/24, finishing the league season in eighth place. And just above them in seventh place, was Lymore Gardens. Lymore Gardens only recently announced that they will be groundsharing with Redbridge FC, at their Oakside Stadium, during the 2024/25 season. That news means that Lymore Gardens could potentially win promotion to step 6 for the following season. So they’ll be really looking forward to this season, as they really look to build on last season. Whenever I saw Lymore Gardens during the previous season, I thought that they were very good, tactically and with the ball. They play exciting and fast paced football, and I really do think that they’ll be up there competing for the league title this season.

Finishing in sixth place during the previous season, was FC Petrocub. A club who represent the Moldovan community, FC Petrocub have some really good players, and they are a side who are very good in possession of the ball. They are another side who could definitely improve further in the league, during 2024/25. Also, Wayne Phillips’ Frenford Development side enjoyed a really good season, last season. They finished in fifth place in the league, and one point off the top four. On the one occasion that I saw them last season, they really impressed me for the way in which they played the game. 

Player-manager Aaron Hunwicks’ Chadwell Heath Spartans side are ambitious and also very capable of winning the league this season, as they look to improve on their fourth place finish during the previous season. Just today (Friday) Chadwell Heath Spartans announced on social media that they will be groundsharing with step 5 side Frenford FC for the 2024/25 season, which is fantastic news for a great club. I reckon that Chadwell Heath Spartans will have a very good season, as they look to challenge for the league and the cups. Finishing in third place in the league last season was Haringey Borough Under 23s. They are a team who play really good attacking football, and they recorded some great results last season. They also reached the semi-finals of the 2023/24 Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup. It will be interesting to see how this talented squad of players do this season.

Halil Hassan’s Waltham Forest Borough (formerly know as Woodford East) finished as league runners up in 2023/24. They are a very good and experienced side, and  Halil Hassan is a man with real experience in non-League, who will be looking to go for the league title again this season. You really couldn’t predict how this league season will go, such is the quality of the league. Just like with the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division, the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division is a tremendous step 7 league. I’m really looking forward to covering this league on my blog, again this season. And I wish all of the clubs who are competing in the league, all the very best for the season ahead.

The clubs who will be competing in the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division, this season (2024/25):

• AS Rapid Londra (Formerly Rapid Chingford)
• Bakers693
• Chadwell Heath Spartans
• CSM London 
• Fairlop Rovers (Promoted from the Premier Division East)
• FC Petrocub
• Frenford Development
• Haringey Borough Under 23s
• Kulture Klub (Transferred over from the Middlesex County Football League Division One Central/East – step 8)
• Lymore Gardens
• Ongar Town (Promoted from the Premier Division East)
• Philip United (Promoted from the Premier Division West)
• Sporting Hackney 
• Waltham Forest Borough (Formerly Woodford East)
• Walthamstow Reserves
• Woodford Town Reserves (Transferred over from the Essex Senior Reserve League North Division)