Isthmian Supporters predictions- how well did you do? Premier Division

One thing is certain, nobody predicted that the 2019-20 season would end as it did. Nor could anyone predict that we’d lose quite so many matches due to foul weather. But back in July last year we did ask you to let us have your thoughts on who would do best- and worst- in the forthcoming campaign, so we thought it would be a shame not to see how you did when measured against the final standings we ended up with.

Of course, many clubs will argue that their finishing position was false- and with good reason- so this is anything but a scientific study. But it might be fun nonetheless!

Before the campaign began, you decided that Carshalton Athletic would be champions. That, to some extent, was based on their run to the playoffs in the previous campaign, and of course they were fifth when everything ground to a halt in March, so you might yet have been right. You had Worthing placed second, so you obviously had a nose for further Mackerel Men success. You were bang on with Folkestone Invicta, too, as you had them fourth.

You’re terrible at predicting outcomes for Haringey Borough. You thought they’d be relegated in 2018-19 and they ended up in the playoffs, and on this occasion you put them third and they were fifteenth when the campaign ended. To be fair to Borough- and to our predictors- Coles Park saw the departure for higher leagues of many of the playoff squad, so it was no surprise that they had a season of transition- and they’d also played up to four matches fewer than the clubs around them when the last ball was kicked in anger.

You weren’t too far wrong about Bognor Regis Town, who you placed fifth and who were eighth in mid-March, but you expected Margate to have a far better season than they managed, and you could say very much the same for Bishop’s Stortford, who would have loved the ninth place you gave them.

You vastly underestimated Cray Wanderers- but then you weren’t alone, as the South East Champions stormed to second place, had lost only five matches all season, and were twelve games unbeaten when everything shuddered to a halt. You made the same error with the club who were promoted with them, Horsham, who had a wonderful first season back in their home town and were a full ten places better than you predicted, in sixth place.

Another club who did far better than you expected were Hornchurch. The Urchins were in third place when football stopped, a full ten places better than you predicted. Potters Bar Town will also be thumbing their noses at you, as they were comfortable in midtable and spent none of the campaign being threatened by the spectre of relegation, never mind propping up the rest.

Where you did well was with your predictions for Corinthian-Casuals and Wingate & Finchley, who were exactly as you suggested in nineteenth and twentieth. Brightlingsea Regent and Merstham, however, had far less salubrious campaigns that predicted, though you can’t have expected the Moatsiders to lose their entire squad over the summer.

Anyway, there you have it. We’ll do this all again next season- whenever that might be. We'll be back shortly with the North Division.

Headline image- Marcus Hoare. Up to date table-Non League Paper.