1988–89 Football Conference
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The Football Conference season of 1988–89 (known as the GM Vauxhall Conference for sponsorship reasons) was the tenth season of the Football Conference.
It was the third season that the champions of the Conference were automatically promoted to the Football League after the abolition of the election system.
Contents
Overview
Maidstone United, who had been Conference champions once earlier in the decade and once the runners-up, were finally promoted to the Football League Fourth Division after gaining their second title at this level.
Newport County, the club newly relegated to the Conference from the Football League, were wound up due to debts on 27 February 1989. They were then expelled from the Conference for failing to fulfil their fixtures; their record was expunged.
New teams in the league this season
- Aylesbury United (promoted 1987–88)
- Chorley (promoted 1987–88)
- Newport County (relegated from the Football League 1987–88)
- Yeovil Town (promoted 1987–88)
Final league table[1]
| Season | 1988–89[1] |
|---|---|
| Champions | Maidstone United (2nd Football Conference title) |
| Promoted to the Football League | Maidstone United |
| Conference League Cup winners | Yeovil Town |
| FA Trophy winners | Telford United |
| Relegated to Level 6/Folded |
Weymouth, Newport County |
| Matches played | 420 |
| Goals scored | 1233 (2.94 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Steve Butler (Maidstone United), 26; Mark Gall (Maidstone United), 26 |
| Biggest home win | Maidstone United – Altrincham 7–2 (27 August 1988); Wycombe Wanderers – Stafford Rangers 6–1 (11 February 1989); Boston United – Barnet 5–0 (29 October 1988); Maidstone United – Yeovil Town 5–0 (22 October 1988); Runcorn – Aylesbury 5–0 (3 December 1988); Welling United – Aylesbury 5–0 (12 October 1988) |
| Biggest away win | Boston United – Runcorn 0–6 (28 September 1988) |
| Highest scoring | Maidstone United – Altrincham 7–2 (27 August 1988); Kidderminster Harriers – Maidstone United 3–6 (8 April 1989) |
| Longest winning run | Boston United, Chorley, Maidstone, Runcorn, 6 matches |
| Longest unbeaten run | Maidstone, 17 matches |
| Longest losing run | Fisher Athletic, 6 matches |
| Highest attendance | Wycombe Wanderers v Kettering Town, 4,890 (8 April 1989) |
| Lowest attendance | ? |
| Average attendance | 1195 (– 4% compared to previous season) |
|
← 1987–88
1989–90 →
|
|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maidstone United | 40 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 48 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 44 | 24 | 92 | 46 | + 46 | 84 | |||||
| 2 | Kettering Town | 40 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 24 | 56 | 39 | + 17 | 76 | |||||
| 3 | Boston United | 40 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 23 | 61 | 51 | + 10 | 74 | |||||
| 4 | Wycombe Wanderers | 40 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 27 | 68 | 52 | + 16 | 71 | |||||
| 5 | Kidderminster Harriers | 40 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 32 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 36 | 25 | 68 | 57 | + 11 | 69 | |||||
| 6 | Runcorn | 40 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 39 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 31 | 77 | 53 | + 24 | 65 | |||||
| 7 | Macclesfield Town | 40 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 26 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 32 | 31 | 63 | 57 | + 6 | 61 | |||||
| 8 | Barnet | 40 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 36 | 30 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 28 | 39 | 64 | 69 | – 5 | 61 | |||||
| 9 | Yeovil Town | 40 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 34 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 37 | 68 | 67 | + 1 | 56 | |||||
| 10 | Northwich Victoria | 40 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 31 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 35 | 64 | 65 | – 1 | 53 | |||||
| 11 | Welling United | 40 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 30 | 45 | 46 | – 1 | 53 | |||||
| 12 | Sutton United | 40 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 43 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 28 | 64 | 54 | + 10 | 51 | |||||
| 13 | Enfield | 40 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 33 | 32 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 35 | 62 | 67 | – 5 | 51 | |||||
| 14 | Altrincham | 40 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 51 | 61 | – 10 | 49 | |||||
| 15 | Cheltenham Town | 40 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 32 | 29 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 29 | 55 | 58 | – 3 | 48 | |||||
| 16 | Telford United | 40 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 19 | 37 | 43 | – 6 | 48 | |||||
| 17 | Chorley | 40 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 26 | 32 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 31 | 39 | 57 | 71 | – 14 | 45 | |||||
| 18 | Fisher Athletic | 40 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 31 | 32 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 55 | 65 | – 10 | 41 | |||||
| 19 | Stafford Rangers | 40 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 22 | 42 | 49 | 74 | – 25 | 40 | [notes 1] | ||||
| 20 | Aylesbury United | 40 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 16 | 41 | 43 | 71 | – 28 | 36 | Relegated to the Isthmian League | ||||
| 21 | Weymouth | 40 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 40 | 37 | 70 | – 33 | 31 | Relegated to the Southern League | ||||
| Newport County | [notes 2] |
- Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
- Points scored: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.
- ↑ Stafford Rangers were reprieved from relegation due to Newport County's expulsion.
- ↑ Newport County were expelled from the Conference and their record was expunged.
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Football Conference Champions, promoted to Football League Fourth Division | |
| FA Trophy winners | |
| Conference League Cup winners | |
| Relegated from The Football League, see Newport County | |
| New club in the Conference, see also Yeovil Town | |
| Relegated to Level 6 | |
| Expelled from Conference |
Results[1]
| Home ╲ Away | ALT | AYL | BAR | BOS | CHL | CHO | ENF | FIS | KET | KID | MAC | MAI | NOR | RUN | STA | SUT | TEL | WEL | WEY | WYC | YEO |
| Altrincham | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Aylesbury United | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | |
| Barnet | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| Boston United | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–6 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Cheltenham Town | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Chorley | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | |
| Enfield | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–4 | 1–1 | |
| Fisher Athletic | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | |
| Kettering Town | 0–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2–3 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–6 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | |
| Macclesfield Town | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–3 | |
| Maidstone United | 7–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 5–0 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | |
| Runcorn | 3–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | |
| Stafford Rangers | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–6 | |
| Sutton United | 3–2 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 5–2 | |
| Telford United | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | |
| Welling United | 0–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | |
| Weymouth | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | |
| Wycombe Wanderers | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |
| Yeovil Town | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
Source: Jack Rollin (ed.), Rothmans Football Yearbook 1989–80. Queen Anne Press, Macdonald Futura Publishers, London & Sydney, 1989.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Top scorers[1]
| Rank | Player | Club | League | FA Cup | FA Trophy | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Butler | Maidstone United | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 |
| = | Mark Gall | Maidstone United | 26 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| 3 | Chris Camden | Stafford Rangers | 23 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 34 |
| = | Mark Carter | Runcorn | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| 5 | Ken Charlery | Maidstone United | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 6 | Steve Burr | Macclesfield Town | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 26 |
| = | Don Page | Runcorn | 21 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| 8 | Paul Davies | Kidderminster Harriers | 20 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 25 |
| = | Lenny Dennis | Sutton United | 20 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 29 |
| = | Mark West | Wycombe Wanderers | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 26 |
| 11 | Ronnie Ellis | Altrincham | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| = | Derrick Parker | Northwich Victoria | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 22 |
| 13 | Phil Power | Chorley | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| = | Guy Whittingham | Yeovil Town | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 15 | Chris Cook | Boston United | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| = | Dean Neal | Fisher Athletic | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| = | Paul Wilson | Boston United | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| 18 | Frank Murphy | Barnet | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
| = | Malcolm O'Connor | Northwich Victoria | 14 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 |
| 20 | Gary Abbott | Enfield | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| = | Phil Derbyshire | Macclesfield Town | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| = | Ernie Moss | Kettering Town | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
Promotion and relegation
Promoted
- Maidstone United (to the Football League Fourth Division)
- Barrow (from the Northern Premier League)
- Farnborough Town (from the Isthmian League)
- Merthyr Tydfil (from the Southern League)
Relegated
- Aylesbury (to the Isthmian League)
- Darlington (from the Football League Fourth Division)
- Weymouth (to the Southern League)
