Staffordshire County League (South)

The Staffordshire County League (South) was an English football league that existed from 1892 until 1996 and catered for clubs in the South Staffordshire area. It was also known at various times as the Walsall & District Junior League, Walsall & District League, and Walsall Senior League.

History

The league was formed as the Walsall & District Junior League in May 1892 following a meeting of representatives of various local clubs at the People's Coffee House in Walsall.[1] The nine founder members were Bloxwich Strollers, Brownhills Albion, Cannock Town, Cotterill's (Darlaston), Lichfield Leomansley, Tettenhall Wood, Walsall Rangers, Wolverhampton Presbyterians and Wolverhampton St Chad's, but Lichfield Leomansley and Walsall Rangers withdrew during the 189293 season and their playing records were removed. Brownhills Albion won the inaugural championship, losing only one of their twelve matches.[1] In 1897 the league dropped the word "Junior" from its title, as its member clubs were felt to be of a higher standard than the name suggested. A new Walsall & District Junior League was formed the following year for lesser clubs.[2] As with many other leagues in this era, clubs left the league and new clubs joined almost every season, with the league fluctuating in size every year. In 1908 a Second Division was added, but it lasted for only one season.[3] The league then began to decline in size until in the 191314 season only five teams competed, and one of those resigned after only three matches. After that season, the league shut down for the duration of the First World War.[4]

The league resumed in 1920 with 15 member clubs, including the reserve teams of a number of more senior clubs, and a year later was renamed the Walsall Senior League.[4] Following the 192223 season, however, a number of clubs resigned to join the Birmingham Combination and the league closed down once again, owing to insufficient numbers.[4] It resumed play in 1930, once again as the Walsall & District League, but once again gradually declined in size, as clubs found it hard to continue during the difficult economic conditions of the 1930s. The league once again shut down during the Second World War.[5]

After the war the league once again adopted the Walsall Senior League name, but in 1950 adopted its final name of the Staffordshire County League (South). In the early 1950s the competition was dominated by Shelfield Athletic, who won the league for five consecutive seasons.[6] A Second Division was again added in 1956, but once again it only lasted for one season.[6]

Champions

Walsall & District Junior League
Season Champions
189293Brownhills Albion
189394Willenhall Pickwick
189495Willenhall Pickwick
189596Bilston United
189697Bloxwich Strollers
Walsall & District League
Season Champions
189798Brownhills Albion
189899Willenhall Pickwick
18991900Wednesbury Old Athletic
190001Bilston United
190102Bilston United
190203Bloxwich Strollers
190304Darlaston
190405Wednesbury Old Athletic
190506Darlaston
190607Willenhall Swifts
190708St George's Victoria

Division Two was added in 1908.

Season Division One Division Two
190809Wellington St George'sPelsall Villa

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
190910West Cannock
1910112nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment
191112Bloxwich Strollers
191213Shelfield Villa
191314Shelfield Villa

The League was inactive between 1914 and 1920.

Season Champions
192021Sunbeam Motors
Walsall Senior League
Season Champions
192122Shrewsbury Town reserves
192223Sunbeam Motors

The League was inactive between 1923 and 1930.

Walsall & District League
Season Champions
193031Cannock Chase Colliery
193132Hazel Slade Rovers
193233Bilston Borough
193334Walsall Wood
193435Cannock Chase Colliery
193536Bilston Borough
193637Cannock Chase Colliery
193738Cannock Chase Colliery
193839Cannock Chase Colliery

The League was inactive from 1939 until 1945

Walsall Senior League
Season Champions
194546Walsall Wood
194647Walsall Wood
194748Bilston
194849Sutton Town
194950Walsall Trinity
Staffordshire County League (South)
Season Champions
195051Brereton Social
195152Shelfield Athletic
195253Shelfield Athletic
195354Shelfield Athletic
195455Shelfield Athletic
195556Shelfield Athletic

Division Two was added in 1956.

Season Division One Division Two
195657ArmitageRushall Olympic

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
195758Shelfield Athletic
195859Stafford Rangers reserves
195960Brereton Social
196061Rushall Olympic
196162Rushall Olympic
196263Rushall Olympic
196364Hednesford reserves

Division Two was added in 1964.

Season Division One Division Two
196465Rushall OlympicBentley Estate

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
196566Kingston
196667Oxley
196768Oxley
196869Kingswinford United

Division Two was added in 1969.

Season Division One Division Two
196970unknownBurntwood Institute
197071Kingwsinford UnitedLittle Bloxwich
197172Great Wyrley WednesdayRowley Regis
197273Staffordshire & Stoke PoliceOgley Hay
197374OldswinfordWalsall 'A'

In 1974 Division One was renamed the Premier Division and Division Two was renamed Division One.

Season Premier Division Division One
197475Willenhall Townunknown
197576Great WyrleyPenkridge Town
197677Great WyrleyHeath Hayes Cons
197778Wolverhampton UnitedBrownhills United
197879Wolverhampton Unitedunknown
197980unknownunknown
198081New WorldHednesford Progressive
198182Bloxwich Townunknown
198283unknownunknown
198384Hednesford Progressiveunknown
198485Chasetown reservesBloxwich Strollers
198586unknownunknown
198687Rushallunknown
198788Heath Hayes Cons[7]Chamberlin & Hill
198889Heath Hayes Cons[7]unknown
198990Bilston Community Collegeunknown
199091unknownAFC Thatch
199192Bilston Community CollegeCannock Town
199293Bilston Community CollegeMahal

The League was reduced to a single division in 1993.

Season Champions
199394Beechdale Social
199495Mahal
199596unknown

The League folded in 1996.

References

General

  • Robinson, Michael (2013). Non-League Football Tables 1889–2013. Soccerbooks. ISBN 978-1-86223-273-0.

Specific

  1. Robinson, p.134
  2. Robinson, p.135
  3. Robinson, p.136
  4. Robinson, p.137
  5. Robinson, p.138
  6. Robinson, p.141
  7. Honours Heath Hayes F.C.
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