Non-League and Academy football writer

Just like with the SCEFL Premier Division, the 2024/25 SCEFL First Division season has so far been fascinating to follow. There is a real title race on, at the moment, with league leaders of this step 6 league, Canterbury City, leading the league table on goal difference (with 36 points, after 21 league matches played). However, second place Forest Hill Park (very well known former Sunday side, SE Dons, formed a partnership with the club at the end of last season) are tied on points with Canterbury, having played three games less than the Kent based club. Two very good sides are right at the top and challenging for the league title this season, as are third place side Soul Tower Hamlets (former Essex Alliance Football League side Soul FC merged with Tower Hamlets, at the end of last season, and they are currently two points off top spot). The club who are based at the Mile End Stadium, were moved across from the Thurlow Nunn League (along with Clapton Community, and Clapton FC, who later withdrew) are flourishing this season.

On Terry Thomas’ Soul Tower Hamlets side, they are a real footballing side, who are definitely building something special, with the excellent squad of players that they have got together. They have great players such as Timothy Monsheju (he is very close to top of the goalscoring charts, in the SCEFL First Division, this season) in their squad. However, Soul Tower Hamlets also have a really good balance to their team, and on the occasions that I have seen them so far this season, I have been very impressed. Another title challenger is Faversham Strike Force (they are on 33 points after 18 matches played), with Croydon and Rochester United (they have a lot of games in hand) are certainly not to be dismissed as title contenders.

In seventh place in the league standings are SC Thamesmead, who are another fine side. And tied on points with them are eighth place Clapton Community (they did well in the FA Vase earlier on in the season), a brilliantly supported club. Geoff Ocran’s side, like with Soul Tower Hamlets, will still be getting to know the teams in the league, having moved across for this season. I have seen Clapton Community on a number of occasions since their Middlesex Football League days, and I think that considering the move across the leagues, that the players and coaches have done a good job so far. Another fine footballing side, of course they’d have hoped to have been a bit higher up in the league table, but they are three points away from the play-off places, at this stage of the season. And it really wouldn’t surprise me if this talented team were to secure a play-off spot come the end of the league season.

Bridon Ropes are a good side who are looking to improve on their finish in this league last season, and they enter 2025 in ninth place in the league table. Then in tenth place are Sheppey Sports, with a talented Lewisham Borough side one place below them, but with plenty of games in hand over teams who are higher up than them in the table. And then from 12th to 15 place in the standings are; Staplehurst Monarchs, FC Elmstead, Halls AFC (a club who were promoted from the Kent County Football League Premier Division, last season) and Greenways, who are just above the relegation zone. In the bottom three of the table (in order) are Tooting Bec, Welling Town, and south London side Meridian VP, who are still looking for their first league win of the season. There’s plenty to play for in this 18 team division during the remainder of the 2024/25 season. I wouldn’t want to make any predictions, however, it will most definitely be a fascinating end to the season, that is for sure!