York Football League

The York Football League is a football competition based in North Yorkshire, England, founded in 1897.[1] Currently it is known under the terms of a sponsorship agreement as the York Minster Engineering Football League. It is a member of the North Riding County Football Association, and the Premier Division sits at level 11 in the English football pyramid. The most successful York clubs in history in terms of championships won are Dringhouses, York Railway Institute, Osbaldwick and Rowntrees. Three teams which now compete at higher levels in the English football system once competed in the York Football League, these are; Pickering Town, Tadcaster Albion and Knaresborough Town.

York Football League
Founded
1897
Nation
England
Feeder To
Northern Counties East League
Divisions
Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Reserve A Reserve B Reserve C
Number of Teams
53 (15 in Premier Division) & 31 Reserve teams
Level on Pyramid
Level 11 (Premier Division)
Cups
York Senior League Cup York Junior League Cup York Reserve League Cup
Current Champions (2018–19)
Old Malton St Mary's (Premier Division) Pocklington Town 2nd (Division One) Malt Shovel (Division Two) Wheldrake (Division Three) Clifford (Division Four)
Website
Official Website
Twitter
Official Twitter feed

History

When the league was formed in the late 1800s, association football was just beginning to gather popularity in England. The Football League itself had only begun nine years before the York League, it was also founded prior to the city's now primary team York City. Upon the league's formation, nine teams entered into the league, the founding clubs were:

Acomb Bishopthorpe Easingwold

Ebor Wanderers Rowntrees Ulleskelf

York St. Clements York Trinity York Wednesday

York League side Poppleton United in 1908.

Throughout the league's history, the only club from the first ever season to continue in an unbroken existence are Rowntrees (now known as Nestlé Rowntree) until their demise at the start of the 2013–14 season.

However, Bishopthorpe United, Easingwold Town and St. Clements are at present still playing in the York League system, after refounding at various points.

Acomb and Rowntrees (along with fellow league team, York YMCA) also went on to become founding members of the Yorkshire League for the 1920–21 season.[2]

Some teams from the York League have climbed the football ladder in the past; Pickering Town played in the league before gaining promotion in 1972. They are currently in the Northern Counties East Premier Division. Also, York Railway Institute and Rowntrees have been crowned champions of the Northern Counties East League Division One during the 1980s.

Recent times

Today it has a total of four divisions (and three reserve divisions) including the York League Premier Division which sits at level 11 of the English football league system. The league title has been regularly changing with no team retaining it since 2007–08 when Huntington Rovers achieved it. A number of teams that have recently joined the league have progressed successfully though the divisions to the Premier Division (Tadcaster Magnets, F1 Racing and Sporting Knavesmire).

New teams entering for the 2017-18 season are Clifford, Elm Bank, Stillington and Wistow.

Former professional footballers with York City played in the league, including; Andy McMillan and Christian Fox at Haxby United.

The Representative team entered the 2017/18 FA Inter League Cup, reaching the final after wins over West Riding County Amateur league, Chester and the Wirral league, Staffordshire County League and Kent County League.

Member clubs 2020-21

Premier Division

Club Home ground Dringhouses Dringhouses Sports & Social Club, St Helens Road, Dringhouses Dunnington Dunnington Sports Club, Common Lane, Dunnington Easingwold Town Easingwold Town Football Club, Stillington Road, Easingwold F1 Racing York St Johns Sports Centre 3G, Millie Crux, Haxby Road, York Hemingbrough United School Road, Hemingbrough Huntington Rovers Huntington Sports Club, North Lane, Huntington Kirkbymoorside Kirkbymoorside Sports Field, New Road, Kirkbymoorside Old Malton St. Mary's Fitzwilliam Sports Club, Old Malton Road, Old Malton Poppleton United The Poppleton Centre, Main Road, Poppleton Rawcliffe Rawcliffe Recreation Ground, Rawcliffe Strensall Tigers New Earswick Sports & Social Club, New Earswick Tadcaster Magnets Magnets Sports Ground, Leeds Road, Tadcaster Thorpe United The Regen Centre, Lansing Lane, Riccal Wigginton Grasshoppers Wiggington Squash Club, Mill Lane, Wiggington

Church Fenton Easingwold Town Hemingborough Kirkbymoorside Old Malton St Marys Tadcaster Magnets Thorpe United Location of clubs participating in the 2020–21 York League Premier Division 🌍 Location of clubs (within York) participating in the 2020–21 York League Premier Division

Division One

• Bishopthorpe United
• Brooklyn
• Cliffe
• Harrison Signs
• Haxby Town
• Malt Shovel
• Osbaldwick
• Pocklington Town 2nd
• Riccall United
• Stamford Bridge
• Tockwith

Division Two

• Bubwith White Swan
• Cawood
• Civil Service
• Clifford
• Heslington
• Pollington
• Rufforth United
• The Beagle
• Wheldrake
• Wombleton Wanderers

Division Three

• Barmby Moor
• Church Fenton
• Copmanthorpe
• Crayke United
• Duncombe Park
• Fulford United
• Garforth LG
• Helperby United
• Walnut Tree
• Wilberfoss
• York St John University

Division Four

• Bishop Wilton
• Elvington Harriers
• Howden
• Kellingley Welfare 2nd
• LNER Builders
• Marton Abbey
• Selby Olympia
• South Milford
• Sporting Knavesmire
• Thirsk Falcons Development
• York RI

Champions

Premier Division

Club	Winners	Championship seasons
Dringhouses	12	1932–33, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11
York Railway Institute	11	1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1967–68
Osbaldwick	11	1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97
Rowntrees	10	1901–02, 1930–31, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1981–82
Knaresborough	9	1902–03, 1903–04, 1904–05, 1908–09, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1934–35
Riccall United	7	1970–71, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 2014–15
Old Malton St. Mary's	5	2000–01, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19
East Yorkshire Regiment	3	1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14
Selby Olympia	3	1926–27, 1927–28, 1931–32
Pickering Town	3	1955–56, 1966–67, 1969–70
Boroughbridge	3	1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000
Market Weighton	2	1954–55, 1956–57
Haxby United	2	1982–83, 2009–10
Pocklington Town	2	2001–02, 2002–03
Huntington Rovers	2	2006–07, 2007–08
Wigginton Grasshoppers	2	2016–17, 2017–18
NER United	1	1905–06
York and Lancaster Regiment	1	1906–07
St. Paul's	1	1907–08
5th Royal Irish Lancers	1	1909–10
Green Howards	1	1910–11
Lowther United	1	1919–20
Durham Light Infantry	1	1923–24
Northumberland Fusiliers	1	1929–30
Old Priory	1	1939–40
Tadcaster Albion	1	1947–48
Cookes	1	1948–49
Holme Rovers	1	1962–63
Vickers	1	1968–69
Brayton	1	1979–80
Bishopthorpe United	1	1995–96
Hamilton Panthers	1	2008–09
Dunnington	1	2012–13

Division One

Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the second level of York League football. From 1923 until 1960 (with the exception of 1932–33, 1939–40 and 1946–47), this division was split into two groups, hence why for those years there are two champions.

1909–10 Tadcaster Albions 1910–11 Easingwold 1911–12 Lowther United 1912–13 Cawood United 1913–14 Acomb 1916–19 Suspended due to World War I 1919–20 Burton Lane Working Mens Club 1920–21 Fishergate Old Boys 1921–22 Archbishop Holgates Old Boys 1922–23 St Lawrences Working Mens Club 1923–24 St Lawrences Working Mens Club / Tadcaster Albion 1924–25 St Lawrences Working Mens Club / Selby Olympia 1925–26 Clarence C&I / Selby Olympia 1926–27 LNER Locomotive / South Bank Working Mens Club 1927–28 LNER Locomotive / Poppleton United 1928–29 LNER P'way / South Bank 1929–30 Selby East Common / Malton Bible Class 1930–31 Clarence C&I / RA & Signals 1931–32 Selby Brayton Road / Poppleton Road OB 1932–33 Tadcaster Albion] 1933–34 LNER Institute / 3rd Hussars 1934–35 Easingwold Town / Riccall United 1935–36 Market Weighton / Duncombe Park 1936–37 Fulford United / Old Malton St Mary's 1937–38 Fulford United / Acomb 1938–39 Old Priory / York Railway Institute 1939–40 Easingwold Town 1941–46 Suspended due to World War II 1946–47 New Earswick 1947–48 United Services / Poppleton Road Old Boys 1948–49 Fulford Road WMC / Market Weighton 1949–50 Fulford United / South Bank 1950–51 Cliftonville / Clifton & Rawcliffe Community Association 1951–52 Huntington Rovers / Catholic United

1952–53 BR Nomads / Knaresborough 1953–54 Pickering Town / Catholic United 1954–55 Riccall United / Haxby 1955–56 Duncombe Park / Ardua 1956–57 Olympia Mills (Selby) / South Bank 1957–58 Old Malton St. Mary's / Rowntrees 1958–59 Cawood / Dunnington 1959–60 Fulford United / Holme Rovers 1960–61 South Bank / Cookes 1961–62 Selby Shipyards / Civil Service 1962–63 Easingwold Town / NMU 1963–64 Olympia Mills (Selby) / British Sugar 1964–65 Huntington Rovers 1965–66 Fulford United 1966–67 NMU 1967–68 Vickers 1968–69 Wilberfoss Athletic 1969–70 Riccall United 1970–71 Old Malton St. Mary's 1971–72 Amotherby & Swinton 1972–73 New Earswick 1973–74 British Sugar 1974–75 Sheriff Hutton 1975–76 Pickering Town 1976–77 Rangers 1977–78 Melbourne 1978–79 Brayton 1979–80 Post Office 1980–81 York Railway Institute 1981–82 Huntington Rovers 1982–83 Dringhouses 1983–84 St John's College 1984–85 Cliftonville 1985–86 Huntington Rovers

1986–87 Griffin 1987–88 Olympia Mills 1988–89 Riccall United 1989–90 Westlers United 1990–91 New Earswick 1991–92 General Accident 1992–93 Wigginton Grasshoppers 1993–94 Boroughbridge 1994–95 New Earswick 1995–96 Rufforth United 1996–97 Pocklington SC 1997–98 General Accident 1998–99 York Sugar 1999–2000 Wigginton Grasshoppers 2000–01 Riccall United 2001–02 Malton Bacon Factory 2002–03 Wigginton Black Horse 2003–04 Thorpe United 2004–05 Nestlé Rowntree 2005–06 Heslington 2006–07 Haxby United 2007–08 Wilberfoss 2008–09 Riccall United 2009–10 York Railway Institute 2010–11 Wigginton Grasshoppers 2011–12 Terrington Glory 2012–13 Aviva 2013–14 Tadcaster Magnets 2014–15 F1 Racing 2015–16 Malton & Norton 2016–17 Poppleton United 2017–18 Thorpe United 2018–19 Pocklington Town 2nd

Division Two

Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the third level of York League football. The most common structure for the league was where it was split into two groups at the same level, hence the reason for two champions in some seasons. At times there were even three groups under the same league at this level.

1909–10 Escrick Park 1910–11 Melbourne A S 1911–12 Clifton Church Institute 1912–13 Bishopthorpe 1913–14 South Bank 1914–19 Suspended due to World War I 1919–20 Central Mission 1920–21 Huntington 1921–22 Poppleton United 1922–23 Model School Old Boys 1923–24 Clarence C&I / LMS Railway 1924–25 Poppleton Road Old Boys / Fulford United 1925–26 Acomb AS / Church Fenton 1926–27 Acomb AS / Tadcaster United 1927–28 LNER P'way / RA Signals 1928–29 Huntington Rovers / St Georges Wesleyans 1929–30 Stamford Bridge 1930–31 Huntington Rovers / Poppleton Road Working Mens Club 1931–32 Acomb Carr Lane / Riccall United 1932–33 Stamford Bridge / St. Maurice's 1933–34 Heslington / Eborcraft 1934–35 Crescent Working Mens Club / RAOC 1935–36 Haxby Fellowship / Acomb 1936–37 Pocklington 1937–38 Clifton Colliery Institute 1938–39 Poppleton United / Cawood 1939–46 Suspended due to World War II 1946–47 Fulford Road WMC / Pocklington US 1947–48 Huntington Rovers / RAF Rufforth 1948–49 Cliftonville Youth Club / C&W Nomads / INL 1949–50 Clifton & Rawcliffe Community Association / South Bank / NMU 1950–51 Pavilion Rangers / Poppleton SF / Groves United 1951–52 Heslington / Knaresborough / Escrick Park

1952–53 Cookes / RAF Church Fenton / Gleneagles 1953–54 Fulford Road Working Mens Club / South Bank Reserves 1954–55 Duncombe Park / Crayke 1955–56 Wilberfoss Athletic / Haxby Reserves 1956–57 Cliftonville Reserves / Mail Coach United 1957–58 Yard Staff Reserves / LNER Builders 1958–59 Easingwold Town / Crayke 1959–60 Armstrong / Hammerton United 1960–61 Selby St. Mary's / NMU 1961–62 Heworth / Haxby Reserves 1962–63 Unicrux / Strensall 1963–64 Ampleforth / Escrick Brick & Tile Works 1964–65 Fulford United 1965–66 Newton-on-Ouse 1966–67 Wilberfoss Athletic 1967–68 Heworth 1968–69 Stillington 1969–70 Old Malton St. Mary's 1970–71 FC Melrose 1971–72 Post Office 1972–73 Pocklington Social Club 1973–74 Sheriff Hutton 1974–75 St John's College 1975–76 Moor Lane Youth Club 1976–77 Cawood 1977–78 Kingsway 1978–79 Water Lane Youth Club 1979–80 St John's College 1980–81 Chapelfields Youth Club 1981–82 Dringhouses 1982–83 Fulford United 1983–84 Olympia Mills (Selby) 1984–85 Selby Town Reserves 1985–86 Old Malton St Mary's

1986–87 Bishopthorpe United 1987–88 Westlers United 1988–89 Stamford Bridge 1989–90 General Accident 1990–91 Black a Moor 1991–92 Old Malton St Mary's 1992–93 York Sugar 1993–94 Fulford United 1994–95 Kartiers 1995–96 Malton Bacon Factory 1996–97 Copmanthorpe 1997–98 York Sugar 1998–99 Thorpe United 1999–2000 South Bank 2000–01 Hammerton United 2001–02 Tate & Lyle Selby 2002–03 Hamilton Panthers 2003–04 Easingwold Town 2004–05 Heslington 2005–06 Poppleton United 2006–07 Osbaldwick 2007–08 York Railway Institute 2008–09 Hemingbrough United 2009–10 St. Clements 2010–11 Terrington Glory 2011–12 Church Fenton White Horse 2012–13 Tadcaster Magnets 2013–14 F1 Racing 2014–15 Sporting Knavesmire 2015–16 Thorpe United 2016–17 Wilberfoss 2017–18 Haxby Town 2018–19 Malt Shovel

Division Three

Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the fourth level of York League football in all forms.

1920–21 Poppleton United 1921–22 Phoenix Working Mens Club 1922–23 Manor School Old Boys 1923–36 not competed 1936–37 Riccall United 1937–38 Church Fenton 1938–65 not competed 1965–66 Cross Keys 1966–67 Fulford Road Working Mens Club 1967–68 Bishop Wilton 1968–69 Amotherby & Swinton 1969–70 FC Melrose 1970–71 New Earswick 1971–72 Cravens 1972–73 Sheriff Hutton 1973–74 Crown Hotel 1974–75 Moor Lane Youth Club 1975–76 Cawood 1976–77 Kingsway 1977–78 Chapelfields Youth Club

1978–79 Osbaldwick 1979–80 Aruda 1980–81 Ebor 1981–82 Olympia Mills (Selby) 1982–83 Selby Town Reserves 1983–84 Hemingbrough United 1984–85 Melbourne 1985–86 Poppleton United 1986–87 Westlers United 1987–88 Rangers 1988–89 Black a Moor 1989–90 Ben Johnsons 1990–91 Selby RSSC 1991–92 Post Office 1992–93 Whitemoor 1993–94 Kartiers 1994–95 Malton Bacon Factory 1995–96 Cawood 1996–97 Hamilton Panthers 1997–98 Thorpe United

1998–99 Stillington 1999–2000 Hammerton United 2000–01 Tate & Lyle Selby 2001–02 LNER Builders 2002–03 Wilberfoss 2003–04 Tockwith 2004–05 Sheriff Hutton 2005–06 Huby United 2006–07 St. Clements 2007–08 Heworth 2008–09 Terrington Glory 2009–10 Strensall 2010–11 Cliffe 2011–12 Tadcaster Magnets 2012–13 F1 Racing 2013–14 Sporting Knavesmire 2014–15 Kirkbymoorside 2015–16 Wilberfoss 2016–17 Heworth Green 2017–18 Malt Shovel 2018–19 Wheldrake

References

1. BBC.co.uk
2. Football Club History Database

External links

• York League (Current)
• York League (Old)
• York Minster Engineering League @ TheFA.com
• York Press – Football News