A REVIEW OF SEASON 2007/08
The Ridgeons League are very proud of Lowestoft Town’s achievement in reaching the 2007/08 FA Vase Final at Wembley Stadium. Despite leading for most of the game they succumbed to two late goals from Kirkham and Wesham, the Lancashire side that had eliminated Needham Market in the semi finals to prevent an all-Ridgeons League Final.
Needham Market had the most successful season in their history. Not only did they have a superb run in the FA Vase, but they also won the League Challenge Cup, the Suffolk Premier Cup and were runners-up to Soham Town Rangers in the Premier Division. Soham clinched the title on the very last day when they beat Needham, their only challengers, 4-0. The Cambridgeshire side can now look forward to Step 4 football in 2008/09 and they leave the Ridgeons League with our best wishes.
2006/07 Champions Wroxham could not sustain a challenge to retain their title and finished third, although they did win the Norfolk Senior Cup. Dereham Town leapfrogged Mildenhall Town for fourth place when they beat them in their final match. Also worthy of congratulations are Stanway Rovers who finished seventh in only their second season in the top flight, reached the 5th Round of the FA Vase and beat Colchester United at Layer Road in the Essex Senior Cup.
Swaffham Town, Newmarket Town (after 49 continuous years in the top flight) and Ipswich Wanderers filled the relegation positions although it is possible that Swaffham could get a reprieve if no team is relegated from Step 4.
Tiptree United ran away with the First Division Championship with Ely City, who also won the First Division KO Cup, comfortable in second place. The third promotion position was a very close run thing with five teams still in contention on the last day of the season. In the end it was Whitton United who came successfully up on the rails.
Overall, it was a very exciting and successful season in the Senior Divisions, with attendances up 2% on 2006/07. The League was easily the best supported Step 5 league in the country and the 981 that watched Kirkley & Pakefield v Lowestoft Town was the best Step 5 attendance anywhere all season. Even that was surpassed by the 1,026 that witnessed Debenham LC v AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup.
Winners of the Ridgeons Team of the Month Awards for their overall playing and disciplinary records were Soham Town Rangers (twice), Dereham Town, Ely City, Needham Market, Kirkley & Pakefield, Tiptree United and Hadleigh United.
The Reserve Teams Division again had South and North Divisions, with winners Haverhill Rovers and Walsham-le-Willows contesting the Championship Play-off on a very wet late April evening. Haverhill won through via a penalty shoot out and three days later they added the Suffolk Senior Reserve Cup to their trophy collection by beating Ipswich Wanderers in the final. Wanderers had earlier won the Chell Trophy. Six more teams have so far applied to join for 2008/09 as the Division continues to build on its early successes.
The Youth League also continues to flourish. Buntingford Town beat Kirkley & Pakefield in the Youth Championship Play-off Final with Walsham-le-Willows, King’s Lynn and Harwich & Parkeston also winning their divisions to reach the play-offs. King’s Lynn won the Ridgeons League Youth Cup by beating Witham Town in the final.