Conference South

Conference South

Countries	England  Wales
Founded	2004
Number of teams	22
Levels on pyramid	6
Promotion to	Conference National
Relegation to	Isthmian League Premier Division Southern League Premier Division
Domestic cup(s)	FA Cup FA Trophy Conference League Cup
Current champions	Braintree Town (2010–11)
Website	Conference
2011–12 Football Conference

Conference South (as of 2011^[update] billed as Blue Square Bet South for sponsorship reasons) is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference North it is at the second level of the National League System, and at the sixth tier overall of the English football league system.

The Conference South was introduced in 2004 as part of a major restructuring of English non-League football. The champions are automatically promoted to Conference National. A second promotion place goes to the winners of play-offs involving the teams finishing in second to fifth place. The three bottom clubs are relegated to Step 3 leagues.

In an agreement with Setanta Sports, some Conference South matches were to be broadcast live on the Setanta channels. Setanta also re-instated the Conference League Cup, under the name of the Setanta Shield. On June 23, 2009, Setanta entered administration; this will likely terminate the agreement. Conference South teams were expected to receive a minimum of £15,000 per year under the agreement and this is expected to end.^[1]

From the 2007–08 season to 2009–10 it was known as Blue Square South; it is now known as the Blue Square Bet South.

Conference South clubs, 2011–12

The area covered by Conference South is coloured in yellow. Conference South teams also come from counties bordering Conference North (purple).

Club	Finishing position 2010–11
Basingstoke Town	13th
Boreham Wood	14th
Bromley	11th
Chelmsford City	4th
Dartford	10th
Dorchester Town	17th
Dover Athletic	7th
Eastbourne Borough	23rd in Conference National
Eastleigh	8th
Farnborough	2nd
Hampton & Richmond Borough	18th
Havant & Waterlooville	9th
Maidenhead United	19th
Salisbury City	3rd in Southern League Premier Division
Staines Town	15th
Sutton United	1st in Isthmian League Premier Division
Thurrock	20th (Reprieved)
Tonbridge Angels	2nd in Isthmian League Premier Division
Truro City	1st in Southern League Premier Division
Welling United	6th
Weston-super-Mare	12th
Woking	5th

Past Conference South winners

South Conference Trophy

Season	Winner	Playoff Winner
2004–05	Grays Athletic	Eastbourne Borough **
2005–06	Weymouth	St Albans City
2006–07	Histon	Salisbury City
2007–08	Lewes	Eastbourne Borough
2008–09	AFC Wimbledon	Hayes & Yeading United
2009–10	Newport County	Bath City
2010–11	Braintree Town	Ebbsfleet United

** Not promoted. In 2004-5 only three promotion places were available to the Conference National. The third place was decided in a Playoff at Stoke's Britannia Stadium, which Eastbourne lost 2–1 to the Conference North Playoff winners, Altrincham.

Records

Biggest home win	7 – Bognor Regis Town 8 Maidenhead United 1, 08.11.2005 Bromley 8 Thurrock 1, 26.12.2007 Weston-super-Mare 7 Bromley 0, 11.12.10
Biggest away win	7 – Dorchester Town 0 Grays Athletic 7, 23.10.2004
Highest scoring match	11 – Bognor Regis Town 6 Welling United 5, 11.09.2004
Consecutive wins	10 – Weymouth, 2005/06 & Hayes & Yeading United, 2008/09
Consecutive games unbeaten	21 – Newport County, 2009/10
Most wins in a season	32 – Newport County 2009/10
Fewest wins in a season	5 – Sutton United 2007/08 Fisher Athletic 2008/09 Weston-super-Mare & Weymouth 2009/10
Most defeats in a season	34 – Fisher Athletic 2008/09
Fewest defeats in a season	3 – Newport County 2009/10
Most draws in a season	17 – Welling United 2005/06 Lewes 2006/07 Braintree Town 2009/10
Fewest draws in a season	3 – Redbridge 2004/05 Eastleigh 2005/06 Fisher Athletic 2008/09
Most goals scored in a season	118 – Grays Athletic, 2004/05
Fewest goals scored in a season	22 – Fisher Athletic 2008/09
Most goals conceded in a season	103 – Weymouth 2009/10
Fewest goals conceded in a season	26 – Newport County, 2009/10
Most clean sheets in a season	23 – Newport County 2009/10
Most points in a season	103 – Newport County 2009/10
Most individual goals in a season	34 – Adam Birchall, Dover Athletic, 2010/11
Most individual goals in a game	6 – Mitchell Bryant, Weymouth 0 Basingstoke Town 6, 13.02.2010
Highest attendance	5,022 – Weymouth vs. St Albans City, 17.04.2006
Highest average attendance	3,219 – AFC Wimbledon, 2008/09

See also

• Conference North
• Conference National

References

1. ^ Setanta blow for Town., Blackpool Gazette, June 25, 2009

External links

• National Conference official site
• Conference South Guide
• Conference South clubs' locations