The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.
In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. (which later reformed as West Ham United). One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was Francis Payne, club secretary of Thames Ironworks F.C. in 1897. [1] The league started with three divisions, [2] the 3rd Grenadier Guards winning the inaugural championship. [3]
The league fluctuated between having a single division and reaching four divisions. Before World War I, most of the senior London Football League clubs fielded a reserve side in the London League.[ citation needed]
In 1964, the London League ceased to exist, merging with the Aetolian League to form the Greater London League, which then further merged in 1971 with the Metropolitan League to form the Metropolitan–London League. [4] This later merged into the Spartan League, which in turn merged into the modern Spartan South Midlands League.[ citation needed]
In 1920, a third division, known as Division Two was added
Year | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|---|
1920–21 | Barking Town | Sterling Athletic | Wall End United |
1921–22 | Grays Athletic | Barking Town reserves | Wall End United |
1922–23 | Custom House | Millwall United | Hendon Town |
1923–24 | Leyton | S T D Athletic | Savoy Hotel |
In 1924, Division Two was disbanded
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1924–25 | Leyton | Bromley reserves |
1925–26 | Leyton | Bromley reserves |
1926–27 | Grays Athletic | Callender Athletic |
1927–28 | Epsom Town | Beckenham |
1928–29 | Mitcham Wanderers | Holland Athletic |
1929–30 | Grays Athletic | Park Royal |
1930–31 | Chelmsford | Park Royal |
1931–32 | Park Royal | Chelmsford reserves |
1932–33 | Park Royal | Leavesden Mental Hospital |
1933–34 | Park Royal | Eton Manor |
1934–35 | Park Royal | Northmet |
1935–36 | Leavesden Mental Hospital | Ford Sports |
1936–37 | Finchley | Briggs Motor Bodies |
1937–38 | Eton Manor | Northmet |
1938–39 | Dagenham Town | Briggs Motor Bodies |
In 1939, the league was suspended due to the outbreak of World War II. On the resumption of football after the War, nineteen clubs played in the London League, split into Western and Eastern Divisions. Eastern Division champions Woolwich Polytechnic beat Eastern Champions Edgware Town 2–1 in a play-off
Year | Eastern Division | Western Division |
---|---|---|
1945–46 | Edgware Town | Woolwich Polytechnic |
In 1946, the divisions were re-organised, and a new structure of a Premier Division and a Division One was formed
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1946–47 | Chelmsford City reserves | Dagenham British Legion |
Within 12 months, enough clubs had joined to form a new Division Two
Year | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|---|
1947–48 | Chelmsford City reserves | Cheshunt | West Thurrock Athletic |
1948–49 | Guildford City reserves | Cheshunt | Vickers |
1949–50 | Cheshunt | Vickers | Bata Sports |
1950–51 | Dartford reserves | Aveley | Woodford Town reserves |
1951–52 | West Thurrock Athletic | London Transport | Pitsea United |
1952–53 | Eton Manor | Storey Athletic | Wapping Sports |
In 1953, Division Two was disbanded
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1953–54 | Eton Manor | London Transport |
1954–55 | Aveley | Wapping Sports |
1955–56 | Eton Manor | Bata Sports |
In 1956, Division One was disbanded, leaving only a single Senior section
Year | Champions |
---|---|
1956–57 | Cray Wanderers |
1957–58 | Cray Wanderers |
1958–59 | Tilbury |
1959–60 | Tilbury |
1960–61 | Tilbury |
1961–62 | Tilbury |
1962–63 | Chingford |
In 1963, an increase in the number of clubs led to a reversion to two divisions.
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1963–64 | Epping Town | CAV Athletic |
The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.
In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. (which later reformed as West Ham United). One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was Francis Payne, club secretary of Thames Ironworks F.C. in 1897. [1] The league started with three divisions, [2] the 3rd Grenadier Guards winning the inaugural championship. [3]
The league fluctuated between having a single division and reaching four divisions. Before World War I, most of the senior London Football League clubs fielded a reserve side in the London League.[ citation needed]
In 1964, the London League ceased to exist, merging with the Aetolian League to form the Greater London League, which then further merged in 1971 with the Metropolitan League to form the Metropolitan–London League. [4] This later merged into the Spartan League, which in turn merged into the modern Spartan South Midlands League.[ citation needed]
In 1920, a third division, known as Division Two was added
Year | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|---|
1920–21 | Barking Town | Sterling Athletic | Wall End United |
1921–22 | Grays Athletic | Barking Town reserves | Wall End United |
1922–23 | Custom House | Millwall United | Hendon Town |
1923–24 | Leyton | S T D Athletic | Savoy Hotel |
In 1924, Division Two was disbanded
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1924–25 | Leyton | Bromley reserves |
1925–26 | Leyton | Bromley reserves |
1926–27 | Grays Athletic | Callender Athletic |
1927–28 | Epsom Town | Beckenham |
1928–29 | Mitcham Wanderers | Holland Athletic |
1929–30 | Grays Athletic | Park Royal |
1930–31 | Chelmsford | Park Royal |
1931–32 | Park Royal | Chelmsford reserves |
1932–33 | Park Royal | Leavesden Mental Hospital |
1933–34 | Park Royal | Eton Manor |
1934–35 | Park Royal | Northmet |
1935–36 | Leavesden Mental Hospital | Ford Sports |
1936–37 | Finchley | Briggs Motor Bodies |
1937–38 | Eton Manor | Northmet |
1938–39 | Dagenham Town | Briggs Motor Bodies |
In 1939, the league was suspended due to the outbreak of World War II. On the resumption of football after the War, nineteen clubs played in the London League, split into Western and Eastern Divisions. Eastern Division champions Woolwich Polytechnic beat Eastern Champions Edgware Town 2–1 in a play-off
Year | Eastern Division | Western Division |
---|---|---|
1945–46 | Edgware Town | Woolwich Polytechnic |
In 1946, the divisions were re-organised, and a new structure of a Premier Division and a Division One was formed
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1946–47 | Chelmsford City reserves | Dagenham British Legion |
Within 12 months, enough clubs had joined to form a new Division Two
Year | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|---|
1947–48 | Chelmsford City reserves | Cheshunt | West Thurrock Athletic |
1948–49 | Guildford City reserves | Cheshunt | Vickers |
1949–50 | Cheshunt | Vickers | Bata Sports |
1950–51 | Dartford reserves | Aveley | Woodford Town reserves |
1951–52 | West Thurrock Athletic | London Transport | Pitsea United |
1952–53 | Eton Manor | Storey Athletic | Wapping Sports |
In 1953, Division Two was disbanded
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1953–54 | Eton Manor | London Transport |
1954–55 | Aveley | Wapping Sports |
1955–56 | Eton Manor | Bata Sports |
In 1956, Division One was disbanded, leaving only a single Senior section
Year | Champions |
---|---|
1956–57 | Cray Wanderers |
1957–58 | Cray Wanderers |
1958–59 | Tilbury |
1959–60 | Tilbury |
1960–61 | Tilbury |
1961–62 | Tilbury |
1962–63 | Chingford |
In 1963, an increase in the number of clubs led to a reversion to two divisions.
Year | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1963–64 | Epping Town | CAV Athletic |