Northern Football League

Northern League
Country England
Founded 1889
Divisions Division One
Division Two
Number of teams 44
Level on pyramid Levels 9 and 10
Feeder to Northern Premier League
Division One North
Domestic cup(s) Northern League Challenge Cup
Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup
J.R. Cleator Cup
Current champions Shildon (Division One)
South Shields (Division Two)
(2015–16)
Website Ebac Northern League
2016–17

The Northern League is a men's football league in north east England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League.

It contains two divisions; Division One and Division Two. Division One sits on the ninth tier of the English football league system, five divisions below the Football League. These leagues cover County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, northern Cumbria and the northern half of North Yorkshire.

One of the top three teams of Division One may be eligible for promotion to Division One North of the Northern Premier League, subject to certain criteria.

History

The Northern League ran as one of two major amateur competitions (with the Isthmian League) in tandem with the professional Football League, Southern League and, since 1968, the Northern Premier League.

The area covered by the Northern League is coloured in red.

In 1974, amateur status was abandoned by the Football Association and amateur leagues like the Northern had to find a place in the overall structure of non-League football. Unlike its southern equivalent the Isthmian League who became a feeder in 1982, the Northern League rejected repeated invitations to become a feeder league to the Alliance Premier League, later the Conference, when that league was created in 1979.

Ultimately, the Northern League remained out of the football pyramid until 1991, a decision that proved very costly to its status. The league declined throughout the 1980s as its leading clubs defected to other leagues within the football pyramid, such as the Northern Counties East Football League.

When the Northern League was finally forced into the pyramid, the opportunity to become a feeder league to the Conference had long passed and the Northern League was forced to become a feeder league to the lower division of the Northern Premier League, two tiers below the Conference.

The League suffered a further blow to its prestige in 1995 when the Football Association limited the entry to the FA Trophy to the first three steps of the pyramid thereby disqualifying the Northern League's clubs and those in equivalent competitions from competing for the FA Trophy. Northern League clubs now compete for the FA Vase.

The League had an unusual sponsorship deal put in place by Brooks Mileson, owner of the Albany Group, who were its sponsors in 2003. In that year, Mileson announced that he had created a trust which would continue to sponsor the league throughout his lifetime and that of his sons. In 2008, however, the league announced that this sponsorship had come to an end, and it held a raffle to determine its next sponsor. Interested parties were invited to buy a stake in the raffle for £250. The winning stake was held by a local training company and the league was known as the skilltrainingltd Northern League from the 2008–09 season until the 2011–12 season.[1] The league is currently sponsored by dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac.[2]

Level 11 clubs from the Northern Football Alliance, Teesside Football League and Wearside Football League may apply for promotion into the 2nd Division.

Current clubs (2016–17)

Champions

Middlesbrough Ironopolis were champions three times in a row in the 1890s.

Originally the league comprised a single division. The champions were as follows:[3]

Season Champions
1889–90Darlington St. Augustine's
1890–91Middlesbrough Ironopolis
1891–92Middlesbrough Ironopolis
1892–93Middlesbrough Ironopolis
1893–94Middlesbrough
1894–95Middlesbrough
1895–96Darlington
1896–97Middlesbrough

In 1897, the league briefly split into two divisions.[3][4][5][6]

Season Division One Division Two
1897–98StocktonHowden-le-Wear
1898–99Bishop AucklandStockton St. John's
1899–1900DarlingtonWhitby

In 1900, the league reverted to a single division.[3]

Season Champions
1900–01Bishop Auckland
1901–02Bishop Auckland
1902–03Newcastle United A
1903–04Newcastle United A
1904–05Newcastle United A

In 1905 the league split into two sections, one for professionals and one for amateurs. This lasted for a single season.[3]

Season Professional Amateur
1905–06Sunderland ABishop Auckland

In 1906 the league reverted to a single division, a format retained until 1982.[3]

Season Champions
1906–07Stockton
1907–08South Bank
1908–09Bishop Auckland
1909–10Bishop Auckland
1910–11Eston United
1911–12Bishop Auckland
1912–13Esh Winning Rangers[7]
1913–14Willington
1914–15Crook Town
1915–19Not contested due to World War I
1919–20South Bank
1920–21Bishop Auckland
1921–22South Bank
1922–23Eston United
1923–24Tow Law Town
1924–25Tow Law Town
1925–26Willington
1926–27Crook Town
1927–28Chilton Colliery Recreation Athletic
1928–29Stockton
1929–30Willington
1930–31Bishop Auckland
1931–32Stockton
1932–33Stockton
1933–34Shildon
1934–35Shildon
1935–36Shildon
1936–37Shildon
1937–38Ferryhill Athletic
1938–39Bishop Auckland
1939–40Shildon
1940–45Not contested due to World War II
1945–46Stanley United
1946–47Bishop Auckland
1947–48Ferryhill Athletic
1948–49Evenwood Town
1949–50Bishop Auckland
1950–51Bishop Auckland
1951–52Bishop Auckland
1952–53Crook Town
1953–54Bishop Auckland
1954–55Bishop Auckland
1955–56Bishop Auckland
1956–57Billingham Synthonia
1957–58Ferryhill Athletic
1958–59Crook Town
1959–60West Auckland Town
1960–61West Auckland Town
1961–62Stanley United
1962–63Crook Town
1963–64Stanley United
1964–65Whitley Bay
1965–66Whitley Bay
1966–67Bishop Auckland
1967–68Spennymoor United
1968–69North Shields
1969–70Evenwood Town
1970–71Evenwood Town
1971–72Spennymoor United
1972–73Blyth Spartans
1973–74Spennymoor United
1974–75Blyth Spartans
1975–76Blyth Spartans
1976–77Spennymoor United
1977–78Spennymoor United
1978–79Spennymoor United
1979–80Blyth Spartans
1980–81Blyth Spartans
1981–82Blyth Spartans

In 1982 the league added a second division.[3]

Season Division One Division Two
1982–83Blyth SpartansPeterlee Newtown
1983–84Blyth SpartansChester-le-Street Town
1984–85Bishop AucklandBrandon United
1985–86Bishop AucklandNewcastle Blue Star
1986–87Blyth SpartansBillingham Synthonia
1987–88Blyth SpartansStockton
1988–89Billingham SynthoniaConsett
1989–90Billingham SynthoniaMurton
1990–91GretnaWest Auckland Town
1991–92GretnaStockton
1992–93Whitby TownDunston Federation Brewery
1993–94Durham CityBedlington Terriers
1994–95Tow Law TownWhickham
1995–96Billingham SynthoniaMorpeth Town
1996–97Whitby TownNorthallerton
1997–98Bedlington TerriersChester-le-Street Town
1998–99Bedlington TerriersDurham City
1999–2000Bedlington TerriersBrandon United
2000–01Bedlington TerriersAshington
2001–02Bedlington TerriersShildon
2002–03Brandon UnitedPenrith
2003–04Dunston Federation BreweryAshington
2004–05Dunston Federation BreweryWest Allotment Celtic
2005–06Newcastle Blue StarConsett
2006–07Whitley BaySpennymoor Town
2007–08Durham CityPenrith Town
2008–09Newcastle BenfieldHorden Colliery Welfare
2009–10Spennymoor TownStokesley
2010–11Spennymoor TownNewton Aycliffe
2011–12Spennymoor TownTeam Northumbria
2012–13Darlington 1883Crook Town
2013–14Spennymoor TownNorth Shields
2014–15Marske UnitedSeaham Red Star
2015–16ShildonSouth Shields

Cup competitions

Northern League teams play in a number of Cup competitions:

At national level:

At regional level:

At league level

References

  1. Anthony Vickers (2008-08-08). "League's new name". Evening Gazette. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  2. Steve Brown (2012-06-04). "The Northern League has a new sponsor – County Durham-based dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac Ltd.". Sunday Sun. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "England Northern League". RSSSF. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  4. "HOWDEN-LE-WEAR". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  5. "STOCKTON ST JOHN'S". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  6. "WHITBY". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  7. "ESH WINNING RANGERS". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2012-11-19.

External links

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