New EAL season kicks off tomorrow

It feels like just yesterday that the curtain came down on the 2015/16 season, a season that brought us much drama with every division eagerly contested until the very last.

What followed the conclusion to the last campaign has been an extraordinarily busy summer of expansion and plenty of excitement with the acquisition of 21 new teams and, subsequently, a brand new fourth tier to the league.

We welcome all of our new clubs aboard and wish you every success for the season ahead.

We now look ahead to the opening weekend of fixtures as the 2016/17 season formally gets underway.

PREMIER DIVISION

The league’s reigning champions, Chingford Athletic, open their season this Saturday sporting new personnel and a new home ground, newly reformed LOASS being the first visitors.

Having pushed Chingford so close last season, runners-up Jolof Sports Club start the season with renewed enthusiasm and will open their account against a well-prepared London Falcons side who have put in some strong performances in pre-season.

Another new side to the league who are brimming with confidence are Lopes Tavares London who will be visited first up by another of last season’s front runner sides, Blue Marlin.

Two sides who met at the semi-final stage of the Fenton Cup last season come face-to-face on the opening day as Division One Champions, Grove United, open their Premier Division endeavours with a trip to Rainham Working Mens Club who saw a much improved campaign last time out.

The early season spotlight will be on United London whose unique set-up of being managed by their fans will undoubtedly be followed with some interest from all quarters. They will begin their season with the visit of another of our new clubs, and now the oldest to compete in this league, Old Esthameians.

DIVISION ONE

East Ham International make a return to the league (formerly members of the Ilford & District League) following a number of seasons in Sunday football and will kick-off their campaign against last season’s runners-up, Three Colts.

Promoted Singh Sabha Barking make their debut in the division following a runners-up finish in Division Two last year, a season that went right down to the wire of a final day decider. They open against a West Essex Reserves side who will be looking for a positive start themselves.

Sporting Hackney Reserves join the league this season and have a home opening day fixture as they are visited by St Johns Deaf, both of whom will be eager to get points on the board early doors.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, two of the league’s new sides face each other on the opening day as Chigwell Rovers face the returning Ryan Reserves, both of whom are tipped for successful seasons with the bookmakers.

Last season’s cup winners, Chingford Athletic Reserves, open the new season with a local derby as they take on Chingford Harriers on the opening day with local pride at stake.

Rounding off the division’s action will be new side Lymore Gardens whose debut in the league sees them host Inter Plaistow at Jubilee Park in Leyton, Plaistow having been one of the title front-runners last season and looking to continue that form.

DIVISION THREE

Another all-new clash in Division Three kicks us off as Brentwood United Reserves host newly formed Wanstead Warriors on the opening day of the season with both sides undoubtedly looking for a positive start to the season.

Flyers open their season with a home match against another newly formed outfit as they welcome Royal Forest to King Georges Park.

There’s a battle of the reserve sides in Division Three on the opening day as Old Esthameians Reserves take on Upminster Reserves at Newbury Park.

And last but not least, St Francis Reserves will be looking to put a difficult last campaign behind them as they take on the newly established Kitroom, making their debut in the league this weekend.