The Essex Alliance Football League was formed through the merging of the Ilford & District and Essex Business House football leagues whom both shared a common aim to support and promote local grassroots football in Essex and East London. In 2021, we were approved by the Football Association to join the National League System as a Regional Feeder League at Step 7 of the non-league football pyramid, providing clubs in our region with the pathway that they seek to further progress through to senior football. The League permits member clubs to play on grounds in the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, Newham, Waltham Forest, Harlow and Epping Forest. The new League had an initial membership of 37 clubs, many of whom were existing members of the aforementioned leagues and were joined by a significant number of new clubs as the League sought to buck the trend of the local Saturday football scene which had been diminishing in numbers over the past few years. The new management committee, comprising of experienced and passionate officers from both previous leagues, have big plans underway to increase participation with the League even further next season and become a dominent force for football in the region. It may only be the very beginning of the journey, but already the new League has drawn much positive interest from the non-league scene and looks set to be providing good standard, competitive football for local clubs for many years to come.
