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 1892–93 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 1913–14 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 1922–23 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
1892–93Brownhills Albion
1893–94Willenhall Pickwick
1894–95Willenhall Pickwick
1895–96Bilston United
1896–97Bloxwich Strollers
Walsall & District League
Season Champions
1897–98Brownhills Albion
1898–99Willenhall Pickwick
1899–1900Wednesbury Old Athletic
1900–01Bilston United
1901–02Bilston United
1902–03Bloxwich Strollers
1903–04Darlaston
1904–05Wednesbury Old Athletic
1905–06Darlaston
1906–07Willenhall Swifts
1907–08St George's Victoria

Division Two was added in 1908.

Season Division One Division Two
1908–09Wellington St George'sPelsall Villa

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
1909–10West Cannock
1910–112nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1911–12Bloxwich Strollers
1912–13Shelfield Villa
1913–14Shelfield Villa

The League was inactive between 1914 and 1920.

Season Champions
1920–21Sunbeam Motors
Walsall Senior League
Season Champions
1921–22Shrewsbury Town reserves
1922–23Sunbeam Motors

The League was inactive between 1923 and 1930.

Walsall & District League
Season Champions
1930–31Cannock Chase Colliery
1931–32Hazel Slade Rovers
1932–33Bilston Borough
1933–34Walsall Wood
1934–35Cannock Chase Colliery
1935–36Bilston Borough
1936–37Cannock Chase Colliery
1937–38Cannock Chase Colliery
1938–39Cannock Chase Colliery

The League was inactive from 1939 until 1945

Walsall Senior League
Season Champions
1945–46Walsall Wood
1946–47Walsall Wood
1947–48Bilston
1948–49Sutton Town
1949–50Walsall Trinity
Staffordshire County League (South)
Season Champions
1950–51Brereton Social
1951–52Shelfield Athletic
1952–53Shelfield Athletic
1953–54Shelfield Athletic
1954–55Shelfield Athletic
1955–56Shelfield Athletic

Division Two was added in 1956.

Season Division One Division Two
1956–57ArmitageRushall Olympic

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
1957–58Shelfield Athletic
1958–59Stafford Rangers reserves
1959–60Brereton Social
1960–61Rushall Olympic
1961–62Rushall Olympic
1962–63Rushall Olympic
1963–64Hednesford reserves

Division Two was added in 1964.

Season Division One Division Two
1964–65Rushall OlympicBentley Estate

Division Two was abandoned after one season.

Season Champions
1965–66Kingston
1966–67Oxley
1967–68Oxley
1968–69Kingswinford United

Division Two was added in 1969.

Season Division One Division Two
1969–70unknownBurntwood Institute
1970–71Kingwsinford UnitedLittle Bloxwich
1971–72Great Wyrley WednesdayRowley Regis
1972–73Staffordshire & Stoke PoliceOgley Hay
1973–74OldswinfordWalsall 'A'

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

Season Premier Division Division One
1974–75Willenhall Townunknown
1975–76Great WyrleyPenkridge Town
1976–77Great WyrleyHeath Hayes Cons
1977–78Wolverhampton UnitedBrownhills United
1978–79Wolverhampton Unitedunknown
1979–80unknownunknown
1980–81New WorldHednesford Progressive
1981–82Bloxwich Townunknown
1982–83unknownunknown
1983–84Hednesford Progressiveunknown
1984–85Chasetown reservesBloxwich Strollers
1985–86unknownunknown
1986–87Rushallunknown
1987–88Heath Hayes Cons[7]Chamberlin & Hill
1988–89Heath Hayes Cons[7]unknown
1989–90Bilston Community Collegeunknown
1990–91unknownAFC Thatch
1991–92Bilston Community CollegeCannock Town
1992–93Bilston Community CollegeMahal

The League was reduced to a single division in 1993.

Season Champions
1993–94Beechdale Social
1994–95Mahal
1995–96unknown

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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