York Football League

York Football League
Founded
1897
Nation
England
Feeder To
Northern Counties East League
Divisions
Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Division Four
Number of Teams
56 (14 in Premier Division)
Levels on Pyramid
Level 11 to Level 15
Cups
York Senior Cup
Current Champions (2014–15)
Riccall United (Premier Division) F1 Racing (Division One) Sporting Knavesmire (Division Two) Kirkbymoorside (Division Three) Cawood (Division Four)
Website
Official Website
Twitter
@MinsterFootball / Official Twitter feed

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 currently sits at level 11 in the English football pyramid. It is a member of the North Riding County Football Association. 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.

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 five 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 its 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 (Terrington Glory, Tadcaster Magnets, F1 Racing).

New teams entering for the 2015-16 season are Heworth Green, Howden AFC, Malt Shovel (of Selby), New York WMC and Pollington.

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

Member clubs 2015–16

Premier Division

• Brooklyn
• Church Fenton White Horse
• Copmanthorpe
• Dringhouses
• Dunnington
• F1 Racing
• Harrison's Signs
• Huntington Rovers
• Old Malton St. Mary's
• Osbaldwick
• Riccall United
• Tadcaster Magnets
• Wigginton Grasshoppers
• York Railway Institute

Division One

• Cliffe
• Easingwold Town
• Hemingbrough United
• Heslington
• Malton & Norton
• Pocklington Town Reserves
• Poppleton United
• Rawcliffe
• Sporting Knavesmire
• Tockwith
• York St. John University

Division Two

• Barmby Moor
• Bishopthorpe United
• Fulford
• Hamilton Panthers
• Haxby United
• Kirkbymoorside
• Stamford Bridge
• Strensall
• Thorpe United

Division Three

• Bubwith White Swan
• Cawood
• Civil Service
• Huby United
• Jorvik Blades
• Moor Lane
• Rufforth United
• Selby Olympia
• South Milford
• Wilberfoss

Division Four

• AFC Crayke
• Heworth Green
• Howden Academy
• Huntington
• London & North Eastern Railway Builders
• Malt Shovel
• New York Working Mens Club
• Pollington
• Settrington
• The Raj
• Wetherby Athletic 'B'
• Wheldrake

Champions

Premier Division

Here is an incomplete list of York Football League top division winners.

1901–02 Rowntrees 1902–03 Knaresborough 1903–04 Knaresborough 1904–05 Knaresborough 1905–06 NER United 1906–07 York & Lancs Regt. 1907–08 St. Pauls 1908–09 Knaresborough 1909–10 5th Lancers 1910–11 Green Howards 1911–12 East Yorks Regiment 1912–13 East Yorks Regiment 1913–14 East Yorks Regiment 1916–19 Suspended due to World War I 1919–20 Lowther United 1923–24 Durham Light Infantry 1924–25 Knaresborough 1925–26 Knaresborough 1926–27 Olympia Cake & Oil Selby 1927–28 Olympia Cake & Oil Selby 1928–29 Knaresborough 1929–30 Northumberland Fusiliers 1930–31 Rowntrees 1931–32 Olympia Cake & Oil Selby 1932–33 Dringhouses 1933–34 Knaresborough Town 1934–35 Knaresborough Town 1935–36 York Railway Institute 1936–37 York Railway Institute 1937–38 York Railway Institute 1938–39 York Railway Institute 1939–40 Old Priory 1940–41 York Railway Institute 1941–46 Suspended due to World War II 1947–48 Tadcaster Albion

1948–49 Cookes 1949–50 York Railway Institute 1950–51 York Railway Institute 1951–52 York Railway Institute 1952–53 York Railway Institute 1953–54 York Railway Institute 1954–55 Market Weighton 1955–56 Pickering Town 1956–57 Market Weighton 1957–58 Dringhouses 1958–59 Dringhouses 1959–60 Dringhouses 1960–61 Dringhouses 1961–62 Dringhouses 1962–63 Holme Rovers 1963–64 Rowntrees 1964–65 Rowntrees 1965–66 Rowntrees 1966–67 Pickering Town 1967–68 York Railway Institute 1968–69 Vickers 1969–70 Pickering Town 1970–71 Riccall United 1971–72 Riccall United 1972–73 Rowntrees 1973–74 Riccall United 1974–75 Riccall United 1975–76 Rowntrees 1976–77 Riccall United 1977–78 Riccall United 1978–79 Rowntrees 1979–80 Brayton 1980–81 Rowntrees 1981–82 Rowntrees 1982–83 Haxby

1983–84 Osbaldwick 1984–85 Osbaldwick 1985–86 Osbaldwick 1986–87 Osbaldwick 1987–88 Osbaldwick 1988–89 Osbaldwick 1989–90 Osbaldwick 1990–91 Osbaldwick 1991–92 Osbaldwick 1992–93 Osbaldwick 1993–94 Dringhouses 1994–95 Dringhouses 1995–96 Bishopthorpe 1996–97 Osbaldwick 1997–98 Boroughbridge 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 Old Malton St. Mary's 2001–02 Pocklington Town AFC 2002–03 Pocklington Town AFC 2003–04 Dringhouses 2004–05 Dringhouses 2005–06 Dringhouses 2006–07 Huntington Rovers 2007–08 Huntington Rovers 2008–09 Hamilton Panthers 2009–10 Haxby United 2010–11 Dringhouses 2011–12 Old Malton St. Mary's 2012–13 Dunnington 2013–14 Old Malton St Mary's 2014–15 Riccall United

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 John Smith's 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 John Smith's 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 RI Reserves 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 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 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

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 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 Hammerton United 2001–02 T&L 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

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 Malton Bacon Factory 1994–95 Cawood 1995–96

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 T&L 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

References

1. BBC.co.uk
2. FCHD.co.uk

External links

• York League (Current)
• York League (Old)
• York Leeper Hare Football League @ TheFA.com
• York Press – Football News