Bedfordshire County Football League

Last updated

Bedfordshire County Football League
BFL Shield.png
Founded1904
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Divisions6
Number of teams77
Level on pyramid Level 11 (Premier Division)
Feeder to
Promotion to
Relegation toLuton District & South Bedfordshire League
Domestic cup(s)
  • Britannia Cup
  • Centenary Cup
  • Jubilee Cup
  • Watson Shield
Current championsCaldecote
(2023–24)
Website Official website

The Bedfordshire County Football League (formed as the Bedford & District League in 1904), is an English football competition for clubs in and close to the county of Bedfordshire. [1] It runs with four divisions (five in the previous two seasons) and is headed by the Premier Division, which is at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. The top club in the league may apply for promotion to the United Counties League Division One or the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

Contents

The league runs separate league cups for each division – the Premier Division clubs play for the Britannia Cup, Division One clubs play for the Centenary Cup, Division Two sides compete for the Jubilee Cup, while Division Three teams play in the Watson Shield.

The league is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

Recent divisional Champions

The overall League Champions were awarded the Jubilee Challenge Cup until 1993, when that cup was retired and replaced by the Premier Cup. [2]

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision FourDivision Five
2000–01CaldecoteCamptonCranfield UnitedNorth Park Rangers ReservesBlunham VillageBedford Sports Athletic Reserves
2001–02CaldecoteElstow AbbeyGolden LionMilton Keynes WanderersOakley Sports ReservesWestoning Reserves

In 2002, Divisions Three, Four and Five were merged into two new divisions, Associate Division One and Associate Division Two

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoAssociate D1Associate D2
2002–03North Park RangersGolden LionFlitwick TownDunton ReservesMeltis Sports
2003–04Elstow AbbeyTurvey Biggleswade United 'A'Elstow Abbey ReservesIckwell & Old Warden Reserves
2004–05CaldecoteThree Horseshoes RenholdDenbigh Hall S&S BletchleyBedford Sports Athletic ReservesWoburn Reserves
2005–06CaldecoteHenlowMarston SocialCaldecote ReservesExel United

After the 2005–06 season, the league changed its name to the Bedfordshire Football League. Along with the name change, the league reorganised its five divisions by incorporating the two primarily reserve divisions (Associate Division One and Two) into the three first team divisions, ultimately creating three divisions of 16 clubs and a bottom division of 17 clubs.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three
2006–07Westoning Recreation ClubMeltis CorinthiansWestoning Recreation Club ReservesIckwell & Old Warden Reserves
2007–08CamptonBedford Sports AthleticBedford CollegeKings
2008–09CaldecoteWestoning Recreation ClubBlunham ReservesLeighton United

The league reorganised itself again in 2009, extending its name to Bedfordshire County Football League and adding a fifth division, Division Four. The Premier Division now included 16 clubs, while 14 teams competed Divisions One, Two and Three and the new Division Four comprised 13 clubs.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision Four
2009–10BlunhamFlitwick TownPotton WanderersQueens Park CrescentsSharnbrook Reserves
2010–11BlunhamBedford HattersLea Sports PSGSharnbrook ReservesAFC Turvey
2011–12 Shefford Town & Campton Ickwell & Old WardenElstow Abbey Cranfield United Reserves Bedford Park Rangers
2012–13CaldecoteLeighton UnitedGoldingtonWestoning ReservesBedford Panthers
2013–14AFC Oakley Sports M&DHAFC TurveyAFC Oakley Sports M&DH ReservesMeltis AlbionMeltis Albion Reserves

The league crowned only four divisional champions in 2015, returning to five division for the 2015–16 season.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three
2014–15Renhold United Cranfield United StevingtonCranfield United Reserves
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision Four
2015–16AFC Oakley M&DHSundon Park RangersClapham SportsWixamsMid Bedfordshire Tigers
2016–17Flitwick TownQueens Park CrecentsRiseley SportsRenhold United ReservesCS Rovers
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three
2017–18 Shefford Town & Campton Totternhoe ReservesBedford AlbionKempston Athletic
2018–19 Shefford Town & Campton Biggleswade ReservesElstow AbbeyPines (Luton)
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision Four
2019–20VoidVoidVoidVoidVoid
2020–21Queens Park CrescentsUnknownHarlington JuniorsSt Johns (Luton)Sharnbrook Reserves
2021–22 Biggleswade Reserves Stotfold DevelopmentCliftonWootton Blue Cross ReservesLea Sports PSG Saturday Reserves
2022–23Elstow Abbey Totternhoe ReservesHarlington JuniorsIckwell & Old WardenLuton Panthers
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two NorthDivision Two SouthDivision ThreeDivision Four
2023–24Caldecote Totternhoe ReservesIckwell & Old WardenStopsley UnitedCaldecote 'A'Kemspton Athletic

Member Clubs (2024–25)

Other Bedfordshire Leagues

Main index: Affiliated Leagues in Bedfordshire
There are a number of other leagues that are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunstable Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Dunstable, England

Dunstable Town Football Club is a football club based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. Affiliated with the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at Creasey Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemel Hempstead Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Hemel Hempstead, England

Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Hertfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the National League South and play at Vauxhall Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlesey Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Arlesey Town Football Club is a football club based in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at New Lamb Meadow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barton Rovers F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Barton Rovers Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire, England. The club are currently members of the Southern League Division One Central and play at Sharpenhoe Road. They are affiliated to the Bedfordshire Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgware & Kingsbury F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Edgware & Kingsbury Football Club is a football club from Edgware, London Borough of Barnet, England. Originally established in 1939, the club was dissolved at the end of the 2007–08 season but reformed in 2014. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division North and play at Silver Jubilee Park in Kingsbury, about three miles from the club's original ground, the White Lion in Edgware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biggleswade Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Biggleswade Town Football Club is a football club based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Langford Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biggleswade United F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Biggleswade United Football Club is a football club based in Biggleswade, England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at Second Meadow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langford F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Langford Football Club is a football club based in Langford, Bedfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One and play at Forde Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stotfold F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Stotfold Football Club is a football club based at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. They play in the Southern League Division One Central. The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wootton Blue Cross F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Wootton Blue Cross Football Club is a football club based in Wootton, near Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. In the 2002–03 season, they reached the 4th round of the FA Vase. They are currently members of the Bedfordshire County League Division One and play home games at Weston Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ampthill Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Ampthill Town Football Club is a football club based in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England. The club are currently members of Spartan South Midlands League Division One and play at Ampthill Park. They are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Bedford F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Real Bedford Football Club is a football club in Bedford, England, established in 2002 as a merger of Bedford United and US Valerio. They are members of the Southern League Division One Central and play at McMullen Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranfield United F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Cranfield United Football Club is a football club based in Cranfield, near Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association. They are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kempston Rovers F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Kempston Rovers Football Club is a football club based in Kempston, Bedfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at Hillgrounds Leisure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFC Dunstable</span> Association football club in England

AFC Dunstable are a football club based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. The club are members of Division One Central of the Southern League, and are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association. They play at Creasey Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawley Green F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Crawley Green Football Club is a football club based in Crawley Green, an area of Luton, Bedfordshire England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at the Brache.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loxwood F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Loxwood Football Club is a football club based in Loxwood, West Sussex, England. Nicknamed "The Magpies" and affiliated to the Surrey County FA, they are currently members of the Southern Combination Premier Division and play at the Recreation Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baldock Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Baldock Town Football Club is a football club based in Baldock, Hertfordshire, England. Having originally been established in 1905, the current version of the club was established in 2003. They are currently members of Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and groundshare with Arlesey Town at their Hitchin Road ground.

This is an outline of Sport in Bedfordshire, a county in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shefford Town & Campton F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Shefford Town & Campton Football Club is an English football club based in the town of Shefford, Bedfordshire. The team plays its home matches at Shefford Sports Club on Hitchin Road in Shefford and at Campton Playing Fields, Rectory Road in Campton. The club is competing at the 9th tier of the English football league system in the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division. The club also has a reserve side competing in the Premier Division,an U23s team competing in Division 4 and an Development Team in Division 2 all in the Bedfordshire County Football League.

References

Bibliography
Notes
  1. Bedfordshire Football League Handbook 2007–08, p. 6
  2. Bedfordshire Football League Handbook 2007–08, pp. 36–41