North Eastern League
Founded | 1906 |
---|---|
First season | 1906–07 |
Folded | 1964 |
Country | England |
Last champions | Horden Colliery Welfare A.F.C. (2nd title) |
Most championships | Middlesbrough reserves (12 titles) |
The North Eastern League was an association football league for teams in the North East of England.
The league was founded in 1906 and was initially successful, with teams defecting from the rival Northern Football Alliance to play. Although some members (such as Darlington) transferred to join the Football League Third Division North in 1921, the North Eastern League absorbed the Northern Alliance in 1925–26 and split into two divisions. The league spent nine years like this, returning to one division in 1935; clubs from the second division re-forming the Northern Football Alliance, which became a feeder to it.
As years progressed, numbers dwindled and the league initially folded in 1958 after the withdrawal of Football League clubs' reserve sides. The remaining members initially transferred to the Midland Football League before founding the Northern Counties League in 1960. The Northern Counties League was renamed the North Eastern League in 1962–63 but folded for a second time in 1964.
Champions[]
The champions of the league were as follows:[1]
- 1906–07 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1907–08 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1908–09 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1909–10 : Spennymoor United
- 1910–11 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1911–12 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1912–13 : Darlington
- 1913–14 : South Shields
- 1914–15 : South Shields
- 1915–19 : Not contested due to the First World War
- 1919–20 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1920–21 : Darlington
- 1921–22 : Carlisle United
- 1922–23 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1923–24 : South Shields Reserves
- 1924–25 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1925–26 : Newcastle United Reserves
- 1926–27 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1927–28 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1928–29 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1929–30 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1930–31 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1931–32 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1932–33 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1933–34 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1934–35 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1935–36 : Blyth Spartans
- 1936–37 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1937–38 : Horden Colliery Welfare
- 1938–39 : South Shields
- 1939–46 : Not contested due to the Second World War
- 1945–46 : Spennymoor United
- 1946–47 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1947–48 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1948–49 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1949–50 : North Shields
- 1950–51 : Stockton
- 1951–52 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1952–53 : Sunderland Reserves
- 1953–54 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1954–55 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1955–56 : Middlesbrough Reserves
- 1956–57 : Spennymoor United
- 1957–58 : South Shields
- 1960–61 : North Shields (NCL)
- 1961–62 : Consett (NCL)
- 1962–63 : Scarborough
- 1963–64 : Horden Colliery Welfare
Member clubs[]
During the league's existence, 82 clubs and reserve teams played in the league.
- Annfield Plain
- Ashington
- Ashington Reserves
- Bedlington United
- Birtley
- Blackhall Colliery Welfare
- Blyth Spartans
- Bradford City 'A'
- Bradford City Reserves
- Bradford Park Avenue Reserves
- Carlisle United
- Carlisle United Reserves
- Chester-le-Street Town
- Consett
- Craghead United
- Crook Town
- Darlington
- Darlington Reserves
- Durham City
- Durham City Reserves
- Gateshead
- Gateshead Reserves
- Hartlepools United
- Hartlepools United Reserves
- Hebburn Argyle
- Horden Colliery Welfare
- Huddersfield Town
- Jarrow
- Leadgate Park
- Leeds City 'A'
- Leeds City Reserves
- Middlesbrough Reserves
- Murton Colliery Welfare
- Newcastle East End
- Newcastle United Reserves
- North Shields
- Penrith
- Scarborough
- Shildon
- South Shields
- Spennymoor United
- Stockton
- Sunderland Reserves
- Walker Celtic
- Wallsend
- Washington Colliery
- West Stanley
- Whitley Bay Athletic
- Workington
- Workington Reserves
References[]
- ^ History of the league at RSSSF
- North Eastern League
- 1908 establishments in England
- 1964 disestablishments in England
- Defunct football leagues in England
- Reserve football leagues in England