South Midlands League

The South Midlands League was a football league covering Bedfordshire and some adjoining counties in England. It was founded in 1922 as the Bedfordshire County League and merged with the Spartan League in 1997 to form the Spartan South Midlands League.

South Midlands League
Founded1922
First season1922–23
Folded1997
Country England
Divisions1–4
Promotion toIsthmian League
Domestic cup(s)FA Cup, FA Vase
Most championshipsBarton Rovers (8)

History

The league was formed in 1922 as the Bedfordshire County League, beginning with eight clubs; Arlesey Town, Biggleswade & District Reserves, Leighton United, Letchworth Town, Luton Clarence Reserves, RAF Henlow, Stotfold Athletic and Waterlows Athletic.[1] In 1924 the league was renamed the Bedfordshire & District County League.[1] A second division was added in 1925,[1] and in 1929 it was renamed the South Midlands League.[1]

Division Two had only six clubs in 1930–31 and 1931–32, and was not played in 1932–33.[1] However, it was reintroduced for the 1933–34 season with nine clubs, all but two of which were reserve teams.[1]

The league was abandoned in 1939 due to World War II, before returning for the 1946–47 season.[1] In 1947 Division One was renamed the Premier Division and Division Two became Division One, with a new third division added, name Division Two.[1] The league gained another division in 1949 when Division Two was split into Division Two A and B, with a play-off between the two division winners to determine the overall Division Two champions.[1] The following season Division Two reverted to being a single division.[2]

Division Two was abolished in 1955 after having shrunk to only eight clubs in 1954–55.[2] The league then remained unchanged until 1993 when Division One was renamed the Senior Division and a new division (Division One) added as a third tier.[3] In 1997 the league merged with the Spartan League to form the Spartan South Midlands League.[3] The new league initially ran with two Premier Divisions (north and south), a Senior Division and two Division Ones (north and south).[4]

During the evolution of the National League System, the league became a feeder to the Isthmian League, with clubs such as Leighton Town, Oxford City and Bedford Town earning promotion.

Although clubs from the league played in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup from the late 1920s onwards, none ever reached the first round proper. The best performance came from Barton Rovers in 1976–77 when they reached the fourth qualifying round. South Midlands League clubs had more success in the FA Vase, with Barton Rovers reaching the final in 1977–78 and Arlesey Town winning the competition in 1994–95.

Divisional champions

Season Champions
1922–23Waterlows Athletic
1923–24Biggleswade & District Reserves
1924–25Waterlows Athletic
Season Division One Division Two
1925–26Waterlows AthleticWaterlows Athletic Reserves
1926–27Leagrave & DistrictBatford Old Boys
1927–28Baldock TownLeighton United
1928–29Luton Amateur & RamblersLuton Davis Athletic
1929–30WaterlowsArlesey Town
1930–31RAF HenlowStevenage Town
1931–32Vauxhall MotorsArlesey Town
Season Champions
1932–33St Neots & District
Season Division One Division Two
1933–34Vauxhall MotorsDunstable Athletic
1934–35Bedford Town ReservesStewartby Works
1935–36Kettering Town ReservesBiscot Sports
1936–37Vauxhall MotorsArlesey Town
1937–38Vauxhall MotorsVauxhall Motors Reserves
1938–39Wolverton TownEsavian Sports
Competition abandoned due to World War II
1946–47Luton Town ColtsBedford St Cuthbert's
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two
1947–48Wootton Blue CrossPeartree Old BoysBaldock Town
1948–49Cambridge Town ReservesLuton Hitchin Road Old BoysLynton Works
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two A Division Two B
1949–50Rushden Town ReservesBaldock TownHoughton Rangers[lower-alpha 1]Cranfield United[lower-alpha 1]
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two
1950–51Bletchley TownLuton Kents AthleticVauxhall Motors 'A'
1951–52Arlesey TownBedford Town 'A'Arlesey Town Reserves
1952–53Arlesey TownBiggleswade Town ReservesLuton Skefco Athletic
1953–54Shefford TownStotfoldLuton Davis Athletic
1954–55Shefford TownHunting Percival AthleticBarton Rovers
Season Premier Division Division One
1955–56Bletchley & WIPACLuton Town 'B'
1956–57Bletchley BBOBLuton Town 'B'
1957–58Bletchley UnitedPeartree Old Boys
1958–59Luton Skefko AthleticStewartby Works
1959–60Ampthill TownSandy Albion
1960–61Hemel Hempstead UnitedWaterlows
1961–62Harpenden TownTotternhoe
1962–63ElectroluxAddmult
1963–64ElectroluxHoughton Regis
1964–65Harpenden TownBarton Rovers
1965–66Baldock TownEsavian Sports
1966–67Leighton TownHanslope
1967–68Baldock TownRootes Sports
1968–69AddmultSelby
1969–70Baldock TownWelwyn Garden United
1970–71Barton RoversTowcester Town
1971–72Barton RoversEaton Bray United
1972–73Barton RoversPirton
1973–74Welwyn Garden CityApsley Guise
1974–75Barton RoversWinslow United
1975–76Barton RoversBAC
1976–77Barton RoversNew Bradwell St Peter
1977–78Barton RoversRoyston Town
1978–79Barton RoversBAC
1979–80PirtonHatfield Town
1980–81StotfoldThe 61
1981–82PirtonWelwyn Garden
1982–83PirtonGS Ashcroft Co-Op
1983–84Shefford TownNew Bradwell St Peter
1984–85Eaton Bray UnitedMilton Keynes Borough
1985–86SelbyBuckingham Athletic
1986–87SelbyElectrolux
1987–88ShillingtonPitstone & Ivinghoe
1988–89LangfordWelwyn Garden United
1989–90Pitstone & IvinghoeHarpenden Town
1990–91Thame UnitedBuckingham Athletic
1991–92Leighton TownAshcroft
1992–93Oxford CityBedford Town
Season Premier Division Senior Division Division One
1993–94Bedford TownToddington RoversStony Stratford Town
1994–95Arlesey TownLondon ColneyHoughton Town
1995–96Arlesey TownHolmer GreenMercedes-Benz
1996–97 Potters Bar TownLeverstock GreenBiggleswade United
  1. Cranfield won the play-off, defeating Houghton Rangers 3–2 and 2–1 for a 5–3 aggregate win

Member teams

References

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