Western Football League

Last updated
Western Football League
TSL Logo1.PNG
Founded1892;132 years ago (1892)
CountryEngland
Other club(s) fromWales
DivisionsPremier Division
Division One
Number of teams42
20 (Premier Division)
22 (Division One)
Level on pyramid Levels 9–10
Feeder to Southern League Division One South
Relegation to Dorset Premier League
Gloucestershire County League
Somerset County League
Wiltshire League
South West Peninsula League*
*Only relegated from &
promoted to Premier Division
Domestic cup(s)Les Phillips Cup
Current champions Helston Athletic (Premier Division)
Portishead Town (Division One)
(2023–24)
Website Official
Current: 2024–25 season

The Western Football League is a football league in South West England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The league's current main sponsor is Jewson, so it is also known as the Jewson Western League for sponsorship reasons.

Contents

Recent restructuring of the English football league system has placed the two divisions, known as the Premier Division and Division One (each a maximum of twenty-two clubs) at the ninth and tenth tiers overall, known as Step 5 and Step 6 of the National League System.

The champion club get promoted to a Step 4 league, which in practice will almost certainly be the Southern League Division One South. Below the Western League are four local leagues covering smaller areas, the Gloucestershire County League, the Somerset County League, the Dorset Premier League and the Wiltshire League. [1] The South West Peninsula League Premier Divisions East and West are also feeders to the Western League but due to having Step 6 status (the same level as the Western League Division One), they feed directly into the Western League Premier Division.

List of 2024–25 member clubs

Premier Division

England southwest location map.svg
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A.F.C. St Austell
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Barnstaple Town
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Bridgwater United
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Brislington
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Brixham
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Buckland Athletic
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Clevedon Town
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Ilfracombe Town
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Ivybridge Town
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Nailsea & Tickenham
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Oldland Abbotonians
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Paulton Rovers
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Portishead Town
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Saltash United
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Shepton Mallet
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St Blazey
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Street
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Torpoint Athletic
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Wellington
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Welton Rovers
Map showing the location of teams in Western Football League, Premier Division in 2024–25
ClubHome ground
A.F.C. St Austell Poltair Park
Barnstaple Town Mill Road
Bridgwater United Fairfax Park
Brislington Brislington Stadium
Brixham Wall Park
Buckland Athletic Homers Heath
Clevedon Town Hand Stadium
Ilfracombe Town Marlborough Park
Ivybridge Town Erme Valley
Nailsea & Tickenham Fryth Way
Oldland Abbotonians Aitchison Playing Field
Paulton Rovers Winterfield Road
Portishead Town Bristol Road
Saltash United Kimberley Stadium
Shepton Mallet The Playing Fields
St Blazey Blaise Park
Street The Tannery
Torpoint Athletic The Mill
Wellington The Playing Field
Welton Rovers West Clewes

Division One

ClubHome ground
AEK Boco Greenbank Road Playing Fields
Avonmouth King George V Recreation Ground
Bitton Recreation Ground
Bradford Town Trowbridge Road
Bristol Telephones Stockwood Lane
Cadbury Heath Springfield
Calne Town Bremhill View
Cheddar Bowdens Park
Cribbs Reserves The Lawns
Devizes Town Nursteed Road
Gillingham Town Woodwater Lane
Hallen The Hallen Centre
Hengrove Athletic Norton Lane
Keynsham Town Crown Field
Longwell Green Sports Longwell Green Community Stadium
Mendip Broadwalk Filwood Fields
Odd Down Lew Hill Memorial Ground
Radstock Town The Southfields Recreation Ground
Shirehampton The Creek
Sturminster Newton United Barnetts Field
Warminster Town Weymouth Street
Wells City The Athletic Ground

History

The league was formed in 1892 as the Bristol & District League, and became the Western League in 1895. [2] Another Bristol & District League was later formed, which remains active at a much lower level than the Western League. In the years before World War II, many teams played in both the Southern and Western Leagues; the Western League was considered as secondary to the Southern League.

On four occasions, member clubs have lifted the FA Vase, Tiverton Town twice, Taunton Town once and most recently Truro City, who beat A.F.C. Totton in 2007 [3] at the first final to be held at the new Wembley Stadium before a competition record crowd of 27,754. Truro City were the only one of the three to win the FA Vase while in Division One, while none are current members of the Western League, as all three have since progressed to the Southern League.

Founder members

List of champions

Bristol & District League

SeasonDivision One champions (number of titles)Division Two champions (number of titles)
1892–93 Warmley (1)Division Two not active
1893–94 Warmley (2) Warmley Bristol Reserves (1)
1894–95 Hereford Thistle (1) Warmley Bristol Reserves (2)

Western Football League

SeasonDivision One champions (number of titles)Division Two champions (number of titles)
1895–96 Warmley (3)Barton Hill (1)
1896–97 Warmley (4)Eastville Wanderers (1)
SeasonProfessional Section champions (number of titles)Amateur Division One champions (number of titles)Amateur Division Two champions (number of titles)
1897–98 Bristol City (1) Bedminster (1)Hanham (1)
SeasonDivision One champions (number of titles)Division Two champions (number of titles)
1898–99 Swindon Town (1) Staple Hill (1)
1899–1900 Bristol Rovers (1)Bristol East (1)
1900–01 Portsmouth (1)Bristol East (2)
1901–02 Portsmouth (2)Bristol East (3)
1902–03 Portsmouth (3) Bristol Rovers Reserves (1)
1903–04 Tottenham Hotspur (1) Bristol City Reserves (1)
1904–05 Plymouth Argyle (1) Bristol Rovers Reserves (2)
1905–06 Queens Park Rangers (1) Bristol Rovers Reserves (3)
1906–07 West Ham United (1) Staple Hill (2)
1907–08 Millwall Athletic (1) Bristol City Reserves (2)
1908–09 Millwall Athletic (2) Bristol City Reserves (3)
1909–10 Treharris (1)Division Two not active
1910–11 Bristol City Reserves (1)
1911–12 Welton Rovers (1)
1912–13 Bristol Rovers Reserves (1)
1913–14 Cardiff City Reserves (1)
1915–16 to 1918–19League suspended due to World War I
1919–20 Douglas (1) Frome Town (1)
1920–21 Bristol City Reserves (2) Peasedown St John (1)
1921–22 Yeovil & Petters United (1) Clandown (1)
1922–23 Weymouth (1)Division Two not active
1923–24 Lovell's Athletic (1)
1924–25 Yeovil & Petters United (2)
1925–26 Bristol City Reserves (3) Poole (1)
1926–27 Bristol City Reserves (4) Poole Reserves (1)
1927–28 Plymouth Argyle Reserves (1) Trowbridge Town (1)
1928–29 Bristol Rovers Reserves (2) Bath City Reserves (1)
1929–30 Yeovil & Petters United (3) Trowbridge Town (2)
1930–31 Exeter City Reserves (1) Portland United (1)
1931–32 Plymouth Argyle Reserves (2) Portland United (2)
1932–33 Exeter City Reserves (2) Swindon Town Reserves (1)
1933–34 Bath City (1) Weymouth (1)
1934–35 Yeovil & Petters United (4) Swindon Town Reserves (2)
1935–36 Bristol Rovers Reserves (3) Swindon Town Reserves (3)
1936–37 Bristol Rovers Reserves (4) Weymouth (2)
1937–38 Bristol City Reserves (5) Weymouth (3)
1938–39 Lovell's Athletic (2) Trowbridge Town (3)
1939–40 Trowbridge Town (1)Division Two not active
1940–41 to 1944–45League suspended due to World War II
1945–46 Bristol Rovers Reserves (5)Division Two not active
1946–47 Trowbridge Town (2) Clandown (2)
1947–48 Trowbridge Town (3) Salisbury (1)
1948–49 Glastonbury (1) Chippenham United (1)
1949–50 Wells City (1) Barnstaple Town (1)
1950–51 Glastonbury (2) Stonehouse (1)
1951–52 Chippenham Town (1) Bideford (1)
1952–53 Barnstaple Town (1) Chippenham Town Reserves (1)
1953–54 Weymouth Reserves (1) Bristol Rovers Colts (1)
1954–55 Dorchester Town (1) Yeovil Town Reserves (1)
1955–56 Trowbridge Town (4) Torquay United Reserves (1)
1956–57 Poole Town (1) Cinderford Town (1)
1957–58 Salisbury (1) Poole Town Reserves (1)
1958–59 Yeovil Town Reserves (1) Bath City Reserves (2)
1959–60 Torquay United Reserves (1) Welton Rovers (1)
1960–61 Salisbury (2)Division Two not active
1961–62 Bristol City 'A' (1)
1962–63 Bristol City 'A' (2)
1963–64 Bideford (1)
1964–65 Welton Rovers (2)
1965–66 Welton Rovers (3)
1966–67 Welton Rovers (4)
1967–68 Bridgwater Town (1)
1968–69 Taunton (1)
1969–70 Glastonbury (3)
1970–71 Bideford (2)
1971–72 Bideford (3)
1972–73 Devizes Town (1)
1973–74 Welton Rovers (5)
1974–75 Falmouth Town (1)
1975–76 Falmouth Town (2)
1976–77 Falmouth Town (3) Saltash United (1)
1977–78 Falmouth Town (4) Keynsham Town (1)
1978–79 Frome Town (1) Bournemouth Reserves (1)
1979–80 Barnstaple Town (2) Melksham Town (1)
1980–81 Bridgwater Town (2) Chippenham Town (1)
1981–82 Bideford (4) Shepton Mallet Town (1)
1982–83 Bideford (5) Bristol Manor Farm (1)
1983–84 Exmouth Town (1) Bristol City Reserves (4)
1984–85 Saltash United (1) Portway Bristol (1)
1985–86 Exmouth Town (2) Portway Bristol (2)
1986–87 Saltash United (2) Swanage Town & Herston (1)
1987–88 Liskeard Athletic (1) Welton Rovers (2)
1988–89 Saltash United (3) Larkhall Athletic (1)
1989–90 Taunton Town (2) Ottery St Mary (1)
1990–91 Mangotsfield United (1) Minehead (1)
1991–92 Weston-super-Mare (1) Westbury United (1)
1992–93 Clevedon Town (1) Odd Down (1)
1993–94 Tiverton Town (1) Barnstaple Town (2)
1994–95 Tiverton Town (2) Brislington (1)
1995–96 Taunton Town (3) Bridgwater Town (1)
1996–97 Tiverton Town (3) Melksham Town (2)
1997–98 Tiverton Town (4) Bishop Sutton (1)
1998–99 Taunton Town (4) Minehead (2)
1999–2000 Taunton Town (5) Devizes Town (1)
2000–01 Taunton Town (6) Team Bath (1)
2001–02 Bideford (6) Frome Town (2)
2002–03 Team Bath (1) Torrington (1)
2003–04 Bideford (7) Hallen (1)
2004–05 Bideford (8) Willand Rovers (1)
2005–06 Bideford (9) Dawlish Town (1)
2006–07 Corsham Town (1) Truro City (1)
2007–08 Truro City (1) Wellington (1)
2008–09 Bitton (1) Larkhall Athletic (2)
2009–10 Bideford (10) Wells City (1)
2010–11 Larkhall Athletic (1) Merthyr Town (1)
2011–12 Merthyr Town (1) Cadbury Heath (1)
2012–13 Bishop Sutton (1) Sherborne Town (1)
2013–14 Larkhall Athletic (2) Bradford Town (1)
2014–15 Melksham Town (1) Barnstaple Town (3)
2015–16 Odd Down (1) Chipping Sodbury Town (1)
2016–17 Bristol Manor Farm (1) Wellington (2)
2017–18 Street (1) Westbury United (2)
2018–19 Willand Rovers (1) Keynsham Town (2)
2019–20 League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 League curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 Tavistock (1) Sherborne Town (2)
2022–23 Mousehole (1) Brislington (2)
2023–24 Helston Athletic (1) Portishead Town (1)

Teams promoted to Southern League (since 1946)

The area covered by the Western League is coloured in dark green. Levels 9-10 Football League areas in England.svg
The area covered by the Western League is coloured in dark green.
YearTeamPosition
1949 Weymouth 3rd
1957 Poole Town 1st
1958 Trowbridge Town 5th
1968 Salisbury 2nd
1971 Andover 2nd
1972 Bideford 1st
1972 Minehead 2nd
1972 Dorchester Town 7th
1977 Taunton Town 9th
1982 Bridgwater Town 3rd
1992 Weston-super-Mare 1st
1993 Clevedon Town 1st
1999 Tiverton Town 2nd
2000 Mangotsfield United 2nd
2001 Chippenham Town 2nd
2002 Taunton Town 2nd
2003 Team Bath 1st
2004 Paulton Rovers 2nd
2007 Bridgwater Town 2nd
2008 Truro City 1st
2009 Frome Town 2nd
2010 Bideford 1st
2012 Merthyr Town 1st
2014 Larkhall Athletic 1st
2015 Slimbridge 3rd
2016 Barnstaple Town 2nd
2017 Bristol Manor Farm 1st
2018 Street 1st
2018 Melksham Town 2nd
2019 Willand Rovers 1st
2021 Plymouth Parkway 1st
2022 Tavistock 1st
2022 Exmouth Town 2nd
2023 Mousehole 1st
2024 Helston Athletic 1st
2024 Falmouth Town 2nd

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References

  1. Houlihan, Owen (24 May 2013). "FOOTBALL: Chippenham Park to join Toolstation League". Gazette and Herald. Wiltshire. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  2. Bristol and District Football League (1892). Bristol & District Football League, Established 1892. [Rules, with Fixtures and List of Clubs.].
  3. "Truro storm back to lift FA Vase". 13 May 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2022.