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Central Alliance

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Central Alliance
Founded1911
First season1911–12
Folded1985
CountryEngland
Domestic cup(s)FA Cup

The Central Alliance was a football league in England, covering the East Midlands.

History

[edit]

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]

The league lost all but four of its Premier Division clubs to the new East Midlands Regional League in 1967. The two leagues subsequently merged to form the Midlands Regional Alliance in 1985.

Divisional champions

[edit]
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
1955–56 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 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
1982–83
1983–84
1984–85

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d The Central Alliance 1911–1925 Non-League Matters
  2. ^ a b c d The Central Alliance 1947–1962 Non-League Matters
  3. ^ a b The Central Alliance 1962–1976 Non-League Matters