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Western League

Western League logo

Originally formed as the "Bristol & District League" in 1892, the Western League is currently a two-division league sitting at Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System.

 

The league changed name to the Western League in 1895, and over the next 20 years went through a number of different structures, including between 1900 and 1909 having among the membership the first team of Southern League Clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Fulham.

 

In recent years, Western League clubs have been very successful in the F.A. Vase. Tiverton Town won the competition twice, with Taunton Town and Truro City winning once and Chippenham Town making a Wembley final.

 

Sponsors of the Western League

 

Divisional Champions

The Bristol & District League was formed in 1892 with a single division of 9 clubs
SeasonChampions
1892-93 Warmley
 
After just one season, the league split into two Divisions. In 1895, the league changed name to the Western League
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1893-94 Warmley Warmley reserves
1894-95 Hereford Thistle Warmley reserves
1895-96 Warmley Barton Hill
1896-97 Warmley Eastville Wanderers
 
In 1897, the Professional clubs were split off into a separate section, with the Amateur clubs then split into Divisions One and Two
SeasonProfessional DivisionAmateur Division OneAmateur Division Two
1897-98 Bristol City Bedminster Hanham
 
In 1898, the structure was simplified into just Divisions One and Two, with more and more clubs already playing in the Southern League joining Division One to create additional fixtures.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1898-99 Swindon Town Staple Hill
1899-00 Bristol Rovers Bristol East
1900-01 Portsmouth Bristol East
1901-02 Portsmouth Bristol East
1902-03 Portsmouth Bristol Rovers reserves
1903-04 Tottenham Hotspur Bristol City reserves
1904-05 Plymouth Argyle Bristol Rovers reserves
1905-06 Queens Park Rangers Bristol Rovers reserves
 
In 1906, Division One was split into "A" and "B" sections
SeasonDivision One "A"Division One "B"Division Two
1906-07 Fulham West Ham United Staple Hill
1907-08 Southampton Millwall Bristol City reserves
1908-09 Brighton & Hove Albion Millwall Bristol City reserves
 
With the Southern League clubs leaving, the league ran just one division from 1909
SeasonChampions
1909-10 Treharris
1910-11 Bristol City reserves
1911-12 Welton Rovers
1912-13 Bristol Rovers reserves
1913-14 Cardiff City reserves
1914-19 Competition suspended during World War I
 
The league resumed after World War I in 1919 with two divisions
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1919-20 Douglas Frome Town
1920-21 Bristol City reserves Peasedown St John
1921-22 Yeovil & Petters United Clandown
 
The league contracted to a single section in 1922
SeasonChampions
1922-23 Weymouth
1923-24 Lovells Athletic
1924-25 Yeovil & Petters United
 
Division Two was added again in 1925. Division One consisted of mainly professional clubs (including reserve sides of Football League clubs), while Division Two was formed of semi-professional and amateur clubs, with no regular promotion and relegation between the two divisions.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1925-26 Bristol City reserves Poole
1926-27 Bristol City reserves Poole reserves
1927-28 Plymouth Argyle reserves Trowbridge Town
1928-29 Bristol Rovers reserves Bath City reserves
1929-30 Yeovil & Petters United Trowbridge Town
1930-31 Exeter City reserves Portland United
1931-32 Plymouth Argyle reserves Portland United
1932-33 Exeter City reserves Swindon Town reserves
1933-34 Bath City Weymouth
1934-35 Yeovil & Petters United Swindon Town reserves
1935-36 Bristol Rovers reserves Swindon Town reserves
1936-37 Bristol Rovers reserves Weymouth
1937-38 Bristol City reserves Weymouth
1938-39 Lovells Athletic Trowbridge Town
 
The league reverted to a single section in 1939, and lay dormant from 1940 to 1945 during World War II
SeasonChampions
1939-40 Trowbridge Town
1940-45 Competition suspended
1945-46 Bristol Rovers reserves
 
A two-division format was re-established in 1946
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1946-47 Trowbridge Town Clandown
1947-48 Trowbridge Town Salisbury
1948-49 Glastonbury Chippenham United
 
A Third Division was added in 1949
SeasonDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three
1949-50 Wells City Barnstaple Town Bideford
 
After only one season, Division Three was dropped
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two
1950-51 Glastonbury Stonehouse
1951-52 Chippenham Town Bideford
1952-53 Barnstaple Town Chippenham Town reserves
1953-54 Weymouth reserves Bristol Rovers Colts
1954-55 Dorchester Town Yeovil Town reserves
1955-56 Trowbridge Town Torquay United reserves
1956-57 Poole Town Cinderford Town
1957-58 Salisbury Poole Town reserves
1958-59 Yeovil Town reserves Bath City reserves
1959-60 Torquay United reserves Welton Rovers
 
In 1960, Division Two was disbanded and the league contracted to a single division
SeasonChampions
1960-61 Salisbury
1961-62 Bristol City reserves
1962-63 Bristol City reserves
1963-64 Bideford
1964-65 Welton Rovers
1965-66 Welton Rovers
1966-67 Welton Rovers
1967-68 Bridgwater Town
1968-69 Taunton Town
1969-70 Glastonbury
1970-71 Bideford
1971-72 Bideford
1972-73 Devizes Town
1973-74 Welton Rovers
1974-75 Falmouth Town
1975-76 Falmouth Town
 
Division One was added in 1976
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One
1976-77 Falmouth Town Saltash United
1977-78 Falmouth Town Keynsham Town
1978-79 Frome Town A F C Bournemouth reserves
1979-80 Barnstaple Town Melksham Town
1980-81 Bridgwater Town Chippenham Town
1981-82 Bideford Shepton Mallet Town
1982-83 Bideford Bristol Manor Farm
1983-84 Exmouth Town Bristol City reserves
1984-85 Saltash United Portway Bristol
1985-86 Exmouth Town Portway Bristol
1986-87 Saltash United Swanage Town & Herston
1987-88 Liskeard Athletic Welton Rovers
1988-89 Saltash United Larkhall Athletic
1989-90 Taunton Town Ottery St Mary
1990-91 Mangotsfield United Minehead
1991-92 Weston super Mare Westbury United
1992-93 Clevedon Town Odd Down
1993-94 Tiverton Town Barnstaple Town
1994-95 Tiverton Town Brislington
1995-96 Taunton Town Bridgwater Town
1996-97 Tiverton Town Melksham Town
1997-98 Tiverton Town Bishop Sutton
1998-99 Taunton Town Minehead Town
1999-00 Taunton Town Devizes Town
2000-01 Taunton Town Team Bath
2001-02 Bideford Frome Town
2002-03 Team Bath Torrington
2003-04 Bideford Hallen
2004-05 Bideford Willand Rovers
2005-06 Bideford Dawlish Town
2006-07 Corsham Town Truro City
2007-08 Truro City Wellington
2008-09 Bitton Larkhall Athletic
2009-10 Bideford Wells City
2010-11 Larkhall Athletic Merthyr Town
2011-12 Merthyr Town Cadbury Heath
2012-13 Bishop Sutton Sherborne Town
2013-14 Larkhall Athletic Bradford Town
2014-15 Melksham Town Barnstaple Town
2015-16 Odd Down Chipping Sodbury Town
2016-17 Bristol Manor Farm Wellington
2017-18 Street Westbury United
2018-19 Willand Rovers Keynsham Town
2019-20 Season declared null and void
2020-21 Season declared null and void
 

The F.C.H.D. has the complete final table information for this league. Early tables were originally published in an AFS Publication from the mid-1980s, with later ones being compiled from contemporary sources. Since then, the full set of tables were published in a Centenary Book (View From The Terraces) and the sequel (Another View From The Terraces), but some of the tables do not balance.

 

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Please acknowledge the F.C.H.D. when using this information elsewhere