Non-league team win title after finishing third

At the conclusion of a 38-game season, two teams were tied on points in the top of the league, separated only by goal difference, but one side still wins the title.

In the Combined Counties Premier South, Jersey Bulls and Redhill were awarded three points each for fielding an ineligible player, but Surrey side AFC Whyteleafe won the title instead.

The club, which was only established four years ago, had a fantastic season in the FA Vase final earlier this month when they were defeated 2-1 by Whitstable Town at Wembley.

Jersey won the game 4-0 over Tooting and Mitcham United on March 20 but received three points for fielding a player who should have received a suspension.

The club will now receive automatic promotion to the eighth-tier Isthmian League Division One South East, and Whyteleafe will now receive the trophy, who would have placed third with 95 points.

In the interim, Redhill will face Cobham in the play-offs, while Jersey will face Fleet Town.

Kelly Waters, the head of Whyteleafe, told BBC Radio Surrey, “I feel great that we were crowned champions and promoted to Step Four.”

“I feel very sorry for Jersey and Redhill given their circumstances,” he said. “I’ve personally experienced it myself while managing at Balham and it’s painful.

We’ve ultimately been a beneficiary of that and we couldn’t be happier to be back in Step Four because they have to enforce the rules to make sure people don’t use them inappropriately.

The current Whyteleafe FC was founded by chairman and co-manager Waters shortly after the original Whyteleafe FC folded in 2021.