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Western Football League

{{Short description|Association football league in England}}

{{confused|Western States Football League}}

{{Infobox football league

| logo = TSL Logo1.PNG

| founded = {{start date and age|1892}}

| country = England

|other countries = Wales

| feeds = Southern League Division One South

| relegation = Dorset Premier League
Gloucestershire County League
Somerset County League
Wiltshire League
South West Peninsula League*
*Only relegated from &
promoted to Premier Division

| divisions = Premier Division
Division One

| teams = 42
20 (Premier Division)
22 (Division One)

| levels = Levels 9–10

| domest_cup = Les Phillips Cup

| season = 2023–24

| champions = Helston Athletic (Premier Division)
Portishead Town (Division One)

| website = [https://www.westernleague.co.uk 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.

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/chippenhamtownfc/ctfcnews/10442584.FOOTBALL__Chippenham_Park_to_join_Toolstation_League/ |first1=Owen |last1=Houlihan |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628015807/http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/chippenhamtownfc/ctfcnews/10442584.FOOTBALL__Chippenham_Park_to_join_Toolstation_League/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2013 |title=FOOTBALL: Chippenham Park to join Toolstation League| location=Wiltshire| work=Gazette and Herald |date=24 May 2013 |access-date=31 July 2013 }} 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

{{unsourced-section|date=June 2023}}

=Premier Division=

{{location map+ |UK England Southwest |float=right |width=500 |caption=Map showing the location of teams in Western Football League, Premier Division in 2024–25 |places=

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.342 |long=-4.786 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=A.F.C. St Austell}}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.083 |long=-4.069 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Barnstaple Town}}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.132 |long=-2.989 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Bridgwater United }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.430 |long=-2.525 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Brislington }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.395 |long=-3.502 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Brixham }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.513 |long=-3.596 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Buckland Athletic }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.423 |long=-2.837 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Clevedon Town }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.203 |long=-4.116 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Ilfracombe Town }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.383 |long=-3.924 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Ivybridge Town }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.435 |long=-2.776 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Nailsea & Tickenham }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.440 |long=-2.466 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Oldland Abbotonians }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.303 |long=-2.496 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Paulton Rovers }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.474 |long=-2.764 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Portishead Town }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.410 |long=-4.223 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Saltash United }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.187 |long=-2.559 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Shepton Mallet }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.361 |long=-4.714 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=St Blazey }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.116 |long=-2.744 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Street }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.373 |long=-4.209 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Torpoint Athletic }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=50.978 |long=-3.231 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Wellington }}

{{location map~ |UK England Southwest |lat=51.289 |long=-2.481 |mark=Green 008000 pog.svg |label_size=0 |label=Welton Rovers }}

}}

class="wikitable"

!Club

!Home 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=

class="wikitable"

!Club

!Home 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.{{Cite book |author=Bristol and District Football League|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RI_dMgEACAAJ |title=Bristol & District Football League, Established 1892. [Rules, with Fixtures and List of Clubs.] |date=1892 |language=en}} 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{{Cite news |date=13 May 2007 |title=Truro storm back to lift FA Vase |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/6652343.stm |access-date=30 June 2022}} 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=

class="wikitable sortable"
width="80"|Season

!width="200"|Division One champions (number of titles)

!width="200"|Division Two champions (number of titles)

align="center"|1892–93

|Warmley (1)

|{{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1893–94

|Warmley (2)

|Warmley Bristol Reserves (1)

align="center"|1894–95

|Hereford Thistle (1)

|Warmley Bristol Reserves (2)

=Western Football League=

class="wikitable sortable"
width="80"|Season

!width="200"|Division One champions (number of titles)

!width="200"|Division Two champions (number of titles)

align="center"|1895–96

|Warmley (3)

|Barton Hill (1)

align="center"|1896–97

|Warmley (4)

|Eastville Wanderers (1)

class="wikitable"
width="80"|Season

!width="200"|Professional Section champions (number of titles)

!width="200"|Amateur Division One champions (number of titles)

!width="200"|Amateur Division Two champions (number of titles)

align="center"|1897–98

|Bristol City (1)

|Bedminster (1)

|Hanham (1)

class="wikitable sortable"
width="80"|Season

!width="200"|Division One champions (number of titles)

!width="200"|Division Two champions (number of titles)

align="center"|1898–99

|Swindon Town (1)

|Staple Hill (1)

align="center"|1899–1900

|Bristol Rovers (1)

|Bristol East (1)

align="center"|1900–01

|Portsmouth (1)

|Bristol East (2)

align="center"|1901–02

|Portsmouth (2)

|Bristol East (3)

align="center"|1902–03

|Portsmouth (3)

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (1)

align="center"|1903–04

|Tottenham Hotspur (1)

|Bristol City Reserves (1)

align="center"|1904–05

|Plymouth Argyle (1)

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (2)

align="center"|1905–06

|Queens Park Rangers (1)

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (3)

align="center"|1906–07

|West Ham United (1)

|Staple Hill (2)

align="center"|1907–08

|Millwall Athletic (1)

|Bristol City Reserves (2)

align="center"|1908–09

|Millwall Athletic (2)

|Bristol City Reserves (3)

align="center"|1909–10

|Treharris (1)

|rowspan="5" {{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1910–11

|Bristol City Reserves (1)

align="center"|1911–12

|Welton Rovers (1)

align="center"|1912–13

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (1)

align="center"|1913–14

|Cardiff City Reserves (1)

align="center"|1915–16 to 1918–19

|colspan="2" {{n/a|League suspended due to World War I}}

align="center"|1919–20

|Douglas (1)

|Frome Town (1)

align="center"|1920–21

|Bristol City Reserves (2)

|Peasedown St John (1)

align="center"|1921–22

|Yeovil & Petters United (1)

|Clandown (1)

align="center"|1922–23

|Weymouth (1)

|rowspan="3" {{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1923–24

|Lovell's Athletic (1)

align="center"|1924–25

|Yeovil & Petters United (2)

align="center"|1925–26

|Bristol City Reserves (3)

|Poole (1)

align="center"|1926–27

|Bristol City Reserves (4)

|Poole Reserves (1)

align="center"|1927–28

|Plymouth Argyle Reserves (1)

|Trowbridge Town (1)

align="center"|1928–29

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (2)

|Bath City Reserves (1)

align="center"|1929–30

|Yeovil & Petters United (3)

|Trowbridge Town (2)

align="center"|1930–31

|Exeter City Reserves (1)

|Portland United (1)

align="center"|1931–32

|Plymouth Argyle Reserves (2)

|Portland United (2)

align="center"|1932–33

|Exeter City Reserves (2)

|Swindon Town Reserves (1)

align="center"|1933–34

|Bath City (1)

|Weymouth (1)

align="center"|1934–35

|Yeovil & Petters United (4)

|Swindon Town Reserves (2)

align="center"|1935–36

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (3)

|Swindon Town Reserves (3)

align="center"|1936–37

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (4)

|Weymouth (2)

align="center"|1937–38

|Bristol City Reserves (5)

|Weymouth (3)

align="center"|1938–39

|Lovell's Athletic (2)

|Trowbridge Town (3)

align="center"|1939–40

|Trowbridge Town (1)

|{{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1940–41 to 1944–45

|colspan="2" {{n/a|League suspended due to World War II}}

align="center"|1945–46

|Bristol Rovers Reserves (5)

|{{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1946–47

|Trowbridge Town (2)

|Clandown (2)

align="center"|1947–48

|Trowbridge Town (3)

|Salisbury (1)

align="center"|1948–49

|Glastonbury (1)

|Chippenham United (1)

align="center"|1949–50

|Wells City (1)

|Barnstaple Town (1)

align="center"|1950–51

|Glastonbury (2)

|Stonehouse (1)

align="center"|1951–52

|Chippenham Town (1)

|Bideford (1)

align="center"|1952–53

|Barnstaple Town (1)

|Chippenham Town Reserves (1)

align="center"|1953–54

|Weymouth Reserves (1)

|Bristol Rovers Colts (1)

align="center"|1954–55

|Dorchester Town (1)

|Yeovil Town Reserves (1)

align="center"|1955–56

|Trowbridge Town (4)

|Torquay United Reserves (1)

align="center"|1956–57

|Poole Town (1)

|Cinderford Town (1)

align="center"|1957–58

|Salisbury (1)

|Poole Town Reserves (1)

align="center"|1958–59

|Yeovil Town Reserves (1)

|Bath City Reserves (2)

align="center"|1959–60

|Torquay United Reserves (1)

|Welton Rovers (1)

align="center"|1960–61

|Salisbury (2)

|rowspan="16" {{n/a|Division Two not active}}

align="center"|1961–62

|Bristol City 'A' (1)

align="center"|1962–63

|Bristol City 'A' (2)

align="center"|1963–64

|Bideford (1)

align="center"|1964–65

|Welton Rovers (2)

align="center"|1965–66

|Welton Rovers (3)

align="center"|1966–67

|Welton Rovers (4)

align="center"|1967–68

|Bridgwater Town (1)

align="center"|1968–69

|Taunton (1)

align="center"|1969–70

|Glastonbury (3)

align="center"|1970–71

|Bideford (2)

align="center"|1971–72

|Bideford (3)

align="center"|1972–73

|Devizes Town (1)

align="center"|1973–74

|Welton Rovers (5)

align="center"|1974–75

|Falmouth Town (1)

align="center"|1975–76

|Falmouth Town (2)

align="center"|1976–77

|Falmouth Town (3)

|Saltash United (1)

align="center"|1977–78

|Falmouth Town (4)

|Keynsham Town (1)

align="center"|1978–79

|Frome Town (1)

|Bournemouth Reserves (1)

align="center"|1979–80

|Barnstaple Town (2)

|Melksham Town (1)

align="center"|1980–81

|Bridgwater Town (2)

|Chippenham Town (1)

align="center"|1981–82

|Bideford (4)

|Shepton Mallet Town (1)

align="center"|1982–83

|Bideford (5)

|Bristol Manor Farm (1)

align="center"|1983–84

|Exmouth Town (1)

|Bristol City Reserves (4)

align="center"|1984–85

|Saltash United (1)

|Portway Bristol (1)

align="center"|1985–86

|Exmouth Town (2)

|Portway Bristol (2)

align="center"|1986–87

|Saltash United (2)

|Swanage Town & Herston (1)

align="center"|1987–88

|Liskeard Athletic (1)

|Welton Rovers (2)

align="center"|1988–89

|Saltash United (3)

|Larkhall Athletic (1)

align="center"|1989–90

|Taunton Town (2)

|Ottery St Mary (1)

align="center"|1990–91

|Mangotsfield United (1)

|Minehead (1)

align="center"|1991–92

|Weston-super-Mare (1)

|Westbury United (1)

align="center"|1992–93

|Clevedon Town (1)

|Odd Down (1)

align="center"|1993–94

|Tiverton Town (1)

|Barnstaple Town (2)

align="center"|1994–95

|Tiverton Town (2)

|Brislington (1)

align="center"|1995–96

|Taunton Town (3)

|Bridgwater Town (1)

align="center"|1996–97

|Tiverton Town (3)

|Melksham Town (2)

align="center"|1997–98

|Tiverton Town (4)

|Bishop Sutton (1)

align="center"|1998–99

|Taunton Town (4)

|Minehead (2)

align="center"|1999–2000

|Taunton Town (5)

|Devizes Town (1)

align="center"|2000–01

|Taunton Town (6)

|Team Bath (1)

align="center"|2001–02

|Bideford (6)

|Frome Town (2)

align="center"|2002–03

|Team Bath (1)

|Torrington (1)

align="center"|2003–04

|Bideford (7)

|Hallen (1)

align="center"|2004–05

|Bideford (8)

|Willand Rovers (1)

align="center"|2005–06

|Bideford (9)

|Dawlish Town (1)

align="center"|2006–07

|Corsham Town (1)

|Truro City (1)

align="center"|2007–08

|Truro City (1)

|Wellington (1)

align="center"|2008–09

|Bitton (1)

|Larkhall Athletic (2)

align="center"|2009–10

|Bideford (10)

|Wells City (1)

align="center"|2010–11

|Larkhall Athletic (1)

|Merthyr Town (1)

align="center"|2011–12

|Merthyr Town (1)

|Cadbury Heath (1)

align="center"|2012–13

|Bishop Sutton (1)

|Sherborne Town (1)

align="center"|2013–14

|Larkhall Athletic (2)

|Bradford Town (1)

align="center"|2014–15

|Melksham Town (1)

|Barnstaple Town (3)

align="center"|2015–16

|Odd Down (1)

|Chipping Sodbury Town (1)

align="center"|2016–17

|Bristol Manor Farm (1)

|Wellington (2)

align="center"|2017–18

|Street (1)

|Westbury United (2)

align="center"|2018–19

|Willand Rovers (1)

|Keynsham Town (2)

align="center"|2019–20

|colspan="2" {{n/a|League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic}}

align="center"|2020–21

|colspan="2" {{n/a|League curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic}}

align="center"|2021–22

|Tavistock (1)

|Sherborne Town (2)

align="center"|2022–23

|Mousehole (1)

|Brislington (2)

align="center"|2023–24

|Helston Athletic (1)

|Portishead Town (1)

Teams promoted to Southern League (since 1946)

File:Levels 9–10 Football League areas in England.svg

Year

!Team

!Position

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

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.toolstationleague.com/ Official Site]
  • [http://football.mitoo.co.uk/FixtResMonth.cfm?TblName=Matches&DivisionID=1718&LeagueCode=SDWFL2008&MonthNo=4 Western League – Fixtures, Results and Tables]

{{Western League}}

{{Football in England table cells}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1892 establishments in England

9

Category:Football leagues in Wales

Category:Sports leagues established in 1892