ESL promotion applicants confirmed

The FA have this week released the list of Step 5 clubs who have applied for promotion this season.

In the Essex Senior League, there are only three applicants: Bowers & Pitsea, Ilford and FC Romania.

Surprisingly, current leaders Basildon United – rumored to be splashing the cash this season – have not applied. A post on the Non-League matters forum suggests that Bees missed the deadline to apply.

Sawbridgeworth, currently second in the table, level of points with Basildon, have not applied either.

Fourth-placed Barking, unbeaten in ten, are not on the list, and neither are surprise package Wadham Lodge.

This could cause a bit of an issue come the end of the season. Currently, the bottom five clubs in the Ryman Division 1 North are in the ESL footprint. In total, 9 out of the bottom 12 clubs in the division would logically be relegated to the ESL.

It remains to be seen if Basildon and Sawbridgeworth’s decision not to apply could result in an exodus of players, but Sawbo manager Marc Das seems less than impressed:

@walthamforestfc @SawboTownFC give me a club with the drive & foresight so I can lead a team into or in Ryman football.

— Dassy (@marcdas21) December 11, 2015