Format and Regulations
No more than 80 clubs and 132 teams (first and reserve teams) are to be permitted to the league system. The Premier Division and Division 1 are "senior" divisions while the rest of the divisions are "junior" divisions. There are 16 clubs in each division, although some divisions do get reduced in size either at the start of the season or during the season due to clubs withdrawing, due to not enough players or financial problems. Their places for the next season are taken by clubs elected from the feeder leagues. Teams play each other twice, home and away, in a double round robin format. This means each club plays a total of 30 league games (assuming a 16-club division).
In Division 1 to Division 5, the top two clubs are promoted while the bottom two are relegated. In the Premier Division, there is no automatic promotion as clubs need to meet the FA's ground grading guide for Eastern Counties Division 1 in order to do so, as well as being in competition for promotion with champions of other feeder leagues to the Eastern Counties leagues. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Division 1. In Division 6, the top two earn promotion, but there is no automatic relegation. Clubs need to be elected from the feeder leagues below, in order for relegation to occur, providing that there are no places in other divisions in the league to fill due to withdrawals.
- Transfers
Players are allowed to move clubs at any point during the season. However each player is only permitted one move during the season. Once they move, they cannot move again until after the season's end.
- Premier Division ground grading
Clubs in the Premier Division are subject to the FA's Ground Grading regulations where they are subject to the regulations of Grade H Clubs that fail to comply to the regulations by a certain deadline could face expulsion to Division 1 at the end of the season. Every Premier Division club in the 2011–12 competition met the deadline of 31 March 2012 except North Walsham Town. They were given a deadline of 25 June 2012 to raise the funds and complete the work needed to meet regulations. Otherwise North Walsham Town would have been demoted to Division 1. However after finding the funds and getting the necessary upgrades done in time, they stayed in the Premier Division for the 2012-13 season.
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