Central Alliance
| Country |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1911 |
| First season | 1911–12 |
| Folded | 1985 |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup |
The Central Alliance was a football league in England, covering the East Midlands.
History
The league was established in 1911 with twelve clubs, most of which had previously been members of the Notts & Derbyshire League; Derby County Reserves, Grantham, Grantham Avenue, Ilkeston United, Long Eaton St Helens, Mansfield Mechanics, Mansfield Town, Nottingham Forest Reserves, Peterborough GN Loco, Sutton Junction, Sutton Town and Walsall Reserves.[1]
Following the outbreak of World War I the league was played in two series in 1915–16, with the nine clubs playing each other once; however, three clubs dropped out before the second series, and the remaining six only played nine or ten matches before the league was abandoned.[1] It restarted in 1919–20.[1] However, at the end of the 1924–25 season the league was dissolved, with five clubs joining the Midland League, three joining the Derbyshire Senior League and one joining the Leicestershire Senior League.[1]
In 1947 the league was re-established with 14 clubs.[2] By 1950 it had expanded to the extent that a second division was added.[2] A third division was added in 1956, with Division One split into North and South sections, above Division Two.[2] This system remained in place until 1961 when several clubs moved to the reformed Midland League, and the league reverted to two divisions,[2] a Premier Division and Division One. The following season Division One was divided into A and B sections.[3] However, the two were combined for the 1963–64 season.[3]
In 1985 it merged with the East Midlands Regional League to form the Midlands Regional Alliance.
Divisional champions
| Season | Champions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–12 | Derby County Reserves | ||
| 1912–13 | Long Eaton St Helens | ||
| 1913–14 | Shirebrook | ||
| 1914–15 | Notts County Reserves | ||
| League abandoned during World War I | |||
| 1919–20 | Mansfield Town | ||
| 1920–21 | Leicester City Reserves | ||
| 1921–22 | Leicester City Reserves | ||
| 1922–23 | Leicester City Reserves | ||
| 1923–24 | Alfreton Town | ||
| 1924–25 | Grantham | ||
| Competition abolished | |||
| 1947–48 | Nottingham Forest 'A' | ||
| 1948–49 | Whitwick Colliery | ||
| 1949–50 | Linby Colliery | ||
| Season | Division One | Division Two | |
| 1950–51 | Sutton Town | ||
| 1951–52 | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1952–53 | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1953–54 | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1954–55 | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1952–53 | Ransome & Marles | Creswell Colliery Reserves | |
| Season | Division One North | Division One South | Division Two |
| 1956–57 | Heanor Town | Skegness Town | Heanor Town Reserves |
| 1957–58 | Heanor Town | Skegness Town | Sutton Town Reserves |
| 1958–59 | Belper Town | Long Eaton United | Heanor Town Reserves |
| 1959–60 | Matlock Town | Bourne Town | Matlock Town Reserves |
| 1960–61 | Matlock Town | Skegness Town Reserves | Ransome & Marles |
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | |
| 1961–62 | Boston United | Ilkeston Town Reserves | |
| Season | Premier Division | Division One A | Division One B |
| 1962–63 | Arnold St Mary's | Long Eaton United Reserves | Arnold St Mary's Reserves |
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | |
| 1963–64 | Eastwood Town | Derby County 'A' | |
| 1964–65 | Gresley Rovers | Creswell Colliery | |
| 1965–66 | Boston Reserves | Grantham St John's | |
| 1966–67 | Gresley Rovers | Meadows Old Boys | |
| 1967–68 | Derby Roe Farm Athletic | ||
| 1968–69 | Littleover Old Boys | St Helens United | |
| 1969–70 | Radcliffe Olympic | Clifton All Whites Reserves | |
| 1970–71 | Graham Street Prims | Hucknall Miners Association | |
| 1971–72 | Heage United | ||
| 1972–73 | Hucknall Miners Association | Greenwood | |
| 1973–74 | Derby Roe Farm Athletic Reserves | Ruddington Village | |
| 1974–75 | Fairham | New Villa | |
| 1975–76 | Attenborough | Birnam Sports | |
| 1976–77 | |||
| 1977–78 | Derby Carriage & Wagon | ||
| 1978–79 | |||
| 1979–80 | Priory | ||
| 1980–81 | Radcliffe Olympic | ||
| 1981–82 | Slack & Parr | ||
| 1984–85 | |||
| 1983–84 | |||
| 1984–85 | |||
References
- 1 2 3 4 The Central Alliance 1911-1925 Non-League Matters
- 1 2 3 4 The Central Alliance 1947-1962 Non-League Matters
- 1 2 The Central Alliance 1962-1976 Non-League Matters