Gloucestershire County Football League

Gloucestershire County Football League

Country	England
Founded	1968
Number of teams	18
Level on pyramid	Level 11
Promotion to	Hellenic League Division One West Western League
Relegation to	Bristol & Suburban League Bristol Premier Combination Gloucestershire Northern Senior League
Current champions	AEK Boco (2015–16)
Website	Official website

The Gloucestershire County Football League is a football league in England, founded in 1968. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.

It sits at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System and is a feeder to the Hellenic League Division One West and Wessex League. Clubs to move from the GCL to the Hellenic League in recent seasons are Brimscombe & Thrupp, Longlevens and Tuffley Rovers. The league has always consisted of a single division of clubs. In the 2015–16 season, 17 teams competed in the league.

The Bristol & Suburban League, Bristol Premier Combination, and the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League feed the Gloucestershire County League.

Administration

The League has a maximum size of 20 member clubs, who have to be affiliated to the Gloucestershire Football Association.

The club's ground or headquarters have to be located within the County of Gloucestershire or in those parts of the City of Bristol that were within the 1908 city boundaries.

The league is part of the National League system and clubs may apply for promotion to or from the League.

The Joint Liaison Committee, at the end of each season, confirms promotion and relegation of clubs between the leagues and is responsible for the boundary adjustments between the leagues where appropriate. The Committee is drawn from the Western Football League, Gloucestershire County League, Somerset County League, South West Peninsula League and the Wiltshire League.^[1]

History

The league was originally formed in 1968. Its first Chairman was F.Dowling, who was ably assisted by the Hon. Secretary, L.V. James. Les James has the Leagues' Cup Competition named after him in recognition of his service to football and the league within Gloucestershire. Chairman, Mr F. Dowling, presented the championship trophy to Stonehouse FC, who were the first winners of the County League.^[2]

Among the clubs that have left the Gloucestershire County League and now compete at a higher level are:

Almondsbury Bishop's Cleeve Brimscombe & Thrupp Bitton Bristol St George (now known as Roman Glass St. George) Cadbury Heath Cinderford Town Cirencester Town Fairford Town Cribbs Friends Life (now known as Cribbs) Forest Green Rovers

Lawrence Weston Hallen (now known as Hallen) Longlevens Longwell Green Sports Lydney Town Oldland (now known as Oldland Abbotonians) Winterbourne United Slimbridge Shortwood United Tytherington Rocks Yate Town

Former members of the County League that have dropped back into local football include:

• Harrow Hill joined the County League in 1982/83 and gained promotion to the Hellenic Football League in 1995/96 but have now returned to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.^[3]
• Stonehouse Town were original member of the County League and competed in the competition for 20 years until 1988. From 1947 until 1960 the club played in the Western Football League.^[4]

Member clubs for 2016–17 season

• AEK Boco
• Bishop's Cleeve Reserves
• Bristol Telephones
• Broadwell Amateurs
• Cheltenham Civil Service
• Ellwood
• Frampton United
• Gala Wilton
• Hanham Athletic
• Hardwicke
• Henbury
• Kingswood
• Lebeq United
• Patchway Town
• Rockleaze Rangers
• Southmead Community Sport Athletic
• Stonehouse Town
• Thornbury Town

List of champions

1968–69 – Stonehouse Town 1969–70 – Bristol St George 1970–71 – Cadbury Heath 1971–72 – Cadbury Heath 1972–73 – Cadbury Heath 1973–74 – Cadbury Heath 1974–75 – Matson Athletic 1975–76 – Matson Athletic 1976–77 – Almondsbury Greenway 1977–78 – Almondsbury Greenway 1978–79 – Almondsbury Greenway 1979–80 – Almondsbury Greenway 1980–81 – Almondsbury Greenway 1981–82 – Shortwood United 1982–83 – Old Georgians 1983–84 – Sharpness

1984–85 – Old Georgians 1985–86 – Patchway 1986–87 – Old Georgians 1987–88 – Old Georgians 1988–89 – Lawrence Weston Hallen 1989–90 – Ellwood 1990–91 – Tuffley Rovers 1991–92 – Patchway Town 1992–93 – Hallen 1993–94 – Cadbury Heath 1994–95 – Henbury Old Boys 1995–96 – DRG 1996–97 – Old Georgians 1997–98 – Cadbury Heath 1998–99 – Cadbury Heath 1999–00 – Highridge United

2000–01 – Winterbourne United 2001–02 – Roman Glass St. George 2002–03 – Patchway Town 2003–04 – Almondsbury 2004–05 – Highridge United 2005–06 – Lydney Town 2006–07 – Roman Glass St. George 2007–08 – Hardwicke 2008–09 – Slimbridge 2009–10 – Thornbury Town 2010–11 – Brimscombe & Thrupp 2011–12 – Cribbs Friends Life 2012–13 – Longlevens 2013–14 – Longlevens 2014–15 – Cheltenham Civil Service 2015–16 – AEK Boko

References

1. "Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League – About". Retrieved 2011-05-29.
2. "Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League – About". Retrieved 2011-05-29.
3. "Football Club History Database – Harrow Hill". Retrieved 2011-05-29.
4. "Football Club History Database – Stonehouse". Retrieved 2011-05-29.

External links

• Gloucestershire County League
• FA Full-time