Bromley and Tonbridge prove that they are angels on the pitch in latest disciplinary figures

BROMLEY celebrated their Greatest Ever Season by scooping the Fair Play Award in Vanarama Conference South.

 

Mark Goldberg’s side claimed the Vanarama Conference South title with a comfortable 3-0 win over Weston-super-Mare on 18 April to win their first league title for 54 years.



REFEREE: Former referee Gary Johnson, who once ran the line in a Premier League fixture at Fulham, is now the chairman of Ryman League Division One South side Whitstable Town.
Photo: Whitstable Town FC

It was an excellent season for the club in general as the Academy side won the Conference Youth Alliance East Sussex/Kent Division title; the under 18s won the Kent Cup; the Ladies’ side scooped the Kent Women’s Plate for the first time and chairman Jerry Dolke lead the club to London Veterans Cup glory.

The Hayes Lane outfit were the best behaved of the 21 clubs in Fair Play figures published by The Football Association.

Disciplinary points were awarded for each caution picked up during the season (4 points), with 10 points being awarded for red cards for denying goalscoring opportunities and players’ picking up two cautions, while 12 points were awarded for more serious red cards, including violent or serious conduct, offensive and abusive language.

Bromley collected 280 disciplinary points in 49 games, picking up 62 cautions and three yellow cards during their title winning season.

Welling United were the worst behaved team in the Vanarama Conference – and in the whole of Kent too!

With three managers at the helm during the campaign in Jamie Day, Jody Brown and Loui Fazakerley, the Wings came bottom of the Fair Play table with 498 points.

In 49 games, the Wings picked up a staggering 498 points, with 89 cautions and 13 red cards.

But the two worst behaved clubs in the entire country were Southern Premier League side Frome, who picked up 15 red cards in their 53 games, and Ryman League Division One North relegated side Redbridge, who also picked up 15 red cards.

Dover Athletic were the best behaved of our three Kent club’s in the top flight of non-league football, collecting 304 points (65 yellows, four red cards in 57 games).

Chris Kinnear’s side finished in eighth-place in the league table and lost to Premier League side Crystal Palace in The FA Cup Third Round.

Tonbridge Angels’ manager Steve McKimm suffered a disappointing first campaign in charge of the club, finishing one place above the Ryman Premier League relegation zone.

But they were certainly angels in the disciplinary stakes, collecting 302 points, consisting of 73 cautions and one red card, winning the Fair Play Award in the division.

Our sides were mainly well behaved in that division as Margate (328 points), Dulwich Hamlet (336) and VCD Athletic (376), while league champions Maidstone United were slap bang in the middle of the statistics on 416 points.

Cray Wanderers celebrated The Great Escape to maintain their Ryman League Division One North status with a club record 10 wins from their last ten games.

But they picked up 12 red cards in the process collecting 440 points, but that record didn’t make them the worst in the division as relegated Burnham Ramblers scooped a staggering 590 points with 114 yellow cards and 12 reds in their 49 games.

Chatham Town, who escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth, were the best behaved of our three Kent clubs in the division, collecting 370 points (84 yellows, 3 reds in 51 games).

Burgess Hill Town made it a double as the Ryman League Division One South champions also claimed the Fair Play Award for that division too.

They played the most games (61) of all of the 24 clubs, collecting 204 disciplinary points, courtesy of a record of 41 cautions and four reds.

But runners-up Folkestone Invicta were also runners-up in the discipline stakes.

Manager Neil Cugley suffered more play-off woe on the pitch after losing the final 3-0 to Merstham at Cheriton Road, but they claim the proud title of Kent’s fairest side to go along with their runners-up medals.

In 57 games they collected 58 cautions and one red card, picking up 244 disciplinary points, claiming the title of Kent’s fairest side last season.

Herne Bay boss Sam Denly will have to work on his side’s discipline next season as they were the fourth worst behaved side in Ryman League Division One South.

The Winch’s Field outfit were shown nine red cards in 51 games, picking up 478 disciplinary points overall.

So who are the fairest side in the whole of England?

That proud title goes to Southern League South & West Division outfit Shortwood United, who played 51 games and only picked up 51 yellow cards, scooping 204 disciplinary points.

Northern Premier League South side Sheffield also went through their entire 52 game campaign in the good books with referees, but they scooped 280 points thanks to their 70 cautions.

Figures only include clubs that play in the Conference, Northern Premier Leagues, Southern Leagues and Isthmian Leagues.

Statistics obtained from: http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/fairplay