Non-League and Academy football writer

Similar to the Middlesex County Football League season, in how it has gone so far, the Essex Alliance Football League season has also been a fascinating one. At step 7 of this great league, the Senior Division has so far been really interesting. After being promoted from the Premier Division West, to the Senior Division for this season, Philip United have done fantastically well to go into the new year as league leaders of the Senior Division. The east London based club are a real footballing side, who have a great squad of players. Good defensively, but with real creativity and goals in their team, Philip United continue to get stronger as the season goes on. They currently lead at the top of the table by nine points.

Second placed Frenford Development are another side who have had a great season so far (Frenford Development player Bilal Hussain is currently the second highest goalscorer in the league, this season). Wayne Phillips’ side have recorded 39 league points from their first 19 league matches of the season, and they are also doing well in cup competitions. Having finished in tenth place in their first season back in the Senior Division (2023/24), last season, Will Brobby’s CSM London side finish the year in third place in the league standings. They made a fantastic start to the season, and even though they didn’t finish the year in the style that they would’ve hoped, if they win their three games in hand over Philip United, then they will be two points behind them in the table, with a great chance of winning the league. However, CSM have been outstanding so far this season, and they are also still in three cup competitions, going into the new year. Watch out for the east London club in 2025!

Haringey Borough Under 23s sit in fourth place in the league table, and Chris Odell and Ricky Gayler’s talented and youthful side have been making really good progress, and they can’t be ruled out as contenders for the league title, this season. Haringey have only conceded 22 goals so far this season, which is the least amount of goals conceded in the Senior Division. Lymore Gardens are currently in fifth place, one place below Haringey. They have five games in hand over league leaders Philip United, and Lee Benjamin’s side are certainly capable of going on a great run in the new year. They have only lost three games in all competitions this season. Further down the table are Ongar Town (Tony West’s side have really made a good impression this season on the Senior Division, since earning promotion last summer), and then a bit further down in the table are Aaron Hunwicks’ Chadwell Heath Spartans side, and then Woodford Town Reserves.

Around mid-table of the Senior Division, are Walthamstow Reserves (they are another very talented side), and Kulture (league debutants), who are both sides who will be looking to go on a really good run of form in the new year. Towards the bottom end of the table, there is FC Petrocub London, Waltham Forest Borough (Halil Hassan’s squad is very different to last season’s squad), Fairlop Rovers, AS Rapid Londra, Sporting Hackney, and then Bakers693. Bakers693’s youthful side got their first win of the season (against Kulture) just before the Christmas break. In the Premier Division East (step 8) of the Essex Alliance Football League, Greengate District lead the way, going into the new year, with Kit Out London currently in second place. However, third place Dagenham United are looking like the team to beat in the promotion race, with Chris Mascall’s side still having a number of games in hand over the teams above them in the table. They are also unbeaten in the league so far this season.

Barkingside Reserves are another side who are doing really well in the Premier Division East, with the youthful Motormen FC, also doing well in what is their first season in the league. In fact the next game that I am covering in this league is between FC Baresi Reserves, a team who I’m sure will improve in the new year, and Motormen. In the Premier Division West, two teams sadly folded earlier on in the season, in City of Westminster, and also Soul Tower Hamlets Reserves. However, that particular division of the league is proving to be a real contest for the title, with second placed side Newham Wanderers, and league leaders and newly promoted side Saint City currently doing extremely well, at the top end of the table. Third place Sporting Bengal United Reserves have a number of games in hand over the two teams above them in the league. A little bit further down in the league standings is Unitey, and North East Lions, who are also having fine seasons in the Premier Division East.

Finally, the Division One (step 9) race for promotion to step 8, is also really interesting. With league leaders Ocean Pacific, competing mainly with former amateur side Old Esthameians, and Condor (this is their first season in Saturday football) for the Division One title. Another team who are in this division is Lymore Gardens Under 23s, a side whose Fenton Trophy game with Division Two side Royal Forest, I will be covering on Saturday the 4th of January. I wish all of the teams of the Essex Alliance Football League, all the very best for 2025.

The top goalscorers from the respective divisions of the Essex Alliance Football League (from step 7 to step 9):

Senior Division – John Quissua (Philip United – 16 goals from 15 league appearances).

Premier Division East – Roy Malcolm Alie Stevens (Motormen – 10 goals from 9 league appearances).

Premier Division West – Liam Adams (Saint City – 13 goals from 10 league appearances).

Division 1 – Denis Musteata (FC Alpha – 13 goals from 11 league appearances).