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CLUBS S – Y FOR CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE, LANCASHIRE COMBINATION
AND NORTH WEST COUNTIES LEAGUE, PLEASE USE
THE NORTH WEST BUTTON.
FOR MIDLAND LEAGUE, NORTH EASTERN LEAGUE, NORTHERN LEAGUE, NORTHERN COUNTIES (EAST) LEAGUE AND YORKSHIRE LEAGUE, PLEASE USE THE NORTH EAST BUTTON.
FOR NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE (UNIBOND), PLEASE USE THE NORTH BUTTON.
FOR ALLIANCE PREMIER LEAGUE/CONFERENCE (NATIONAL) AND CONFERENCE NORTH, PLEASE USE THE CONFER. BUTTON. ST. HELENS TOWN
Better known for its successes in rugby league, the Lancashire town of St. Helens had two decent soccer clubs in the early years of organised football. The one which survived was Town, who began in the Lancashire League in 1901, but joined the Lancashire Combination in 1903, remaining there until 1914. The club rejoined the Combination in 1949 becoming champions in 1972. In 1976 the Cheshire County League was joined and, when this amalgamated with the Lancashire Combination, St. Helens Town were founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982 and remained in that competition since. Up to 1912, Town’s chief rivals were St. Helens Recreation, who were members of the Lancashire Combination from 1899 until 1913 when they suddenly disappeared.
SCARBOROUGH
Scarborough FC played in a remarkable number of leagues in their 128-year history, which has been written about in detail in two books by supporter Steve Adamson. Joining the Northern League in 1898, the club did nothing remarkable in its first spell in that league, which ended in 1910 with a switch to the Yorkshire Combination. Boro were back in the Northern League in 1914, but left for the Yorkshire League in 1926 after accusations of professionalism. The club moved on again, in 1927, to the Midland League, lifting the title in 1930. The Second World War disrupted most things and the Seasiders spent the 1945-1946 season in the Scarborough & District League, winning this by a mile, before rejoining the Midland League in 1946. In 1960 the demise of their league meant Boro joined the Northern Counties League, which two years later changed its name to the North Eastern League. The club won this in 1963, then moved to the Midland League until in 1968 Scarborough became founder members of the Northern Premier League. After 3 successes in the F.A. Trophy in the 1970s and consistently good league placings, Boro joined the Alliance Premier League (Conference) in 1979, winning this in 1987 to become the first non-league club automatically promoted to the Football League. Dreams of promotion to a higher level never became reality and in 1999 the Conference beckoned after a heart-breaking, last day, last minute relegation from Division 4. Always in financial trouble after this (if not before) the Seadogs were demoted from the Conference National to Conference North in 2006. Hamstrung by debt and an embargo on signing new players and, of course, a 10-point deduction, Boro would have been relegated back to the Northern Premier League in 2007, but the judge at Leeds High Court had other ideas and one of Northern Non-League football’s greatest-ever clubs was put to sleep. R.I.P., Boro.
SCARBOROUGH RESERVES
Boro’s second team joined the Yorkshire League in 1928 with the club’s joining up with Scarborough Penguins, but left in 1930. Scarborough Penguins had been in the Yorkshire League 1925-1928. ‘The Reserves’ rejoined the Yorkshire League in 1949 and remained members until the competition closed down. In 1982 Boro’s 2nd team were founder members of the Northern Counties (East) League and won the 1st Division (North) title in the new set-up’s first season. Unable to be promoted as they were not a first team, Scarborough Reserves stayed for one more season before resigning in 1984.
SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC
The club was set up in 2007 by the Seadog Trust and was elected to the Northern Counties (East) League Division 1. In 2009 Athletic won promotion to the League’s Premier Division. Athletic play their games at Bridlington Town’s Queensgate, 17 miles south from Scarborough down the Yorkshire coast.
SCARBOROUGH TOWN
When Scarborough FC was closed down in June 2007, the club’s Academy continued to operate, with former Boro player Mitch Cook in charge. After a series of meeting during the 2007-2008 season, it was decided to set up a new club in the town for the players who had progressed through the Academy. A number of individuals who had been involved with Scarborough FC became involved as the team made its debut in the Teesside League Division 2 in 2008. Following a successful season, in which the title was won without a league defeat, Town were elected to the Wearside League in 2009.
SELBY TOWN
Founder members of the Yorkshire League in 1920, Selby Town have the proud record of having been the only club to play in the old competition up to its closure in 1982. Four times Yorkshire League champions, Town joined the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982 and have remained in that set-up since.
SHEFFIELD
If you discount the counter-claims from other parts of the city, Sheffield FC are the oldest football club in the world – though who they had to play against remains a mystery. In 1889 the club joined the Midland League, but left after one season to join the Midland Alliance, before entering the Sheffield League in 1893 and a competition called the ‘Yorkshire League’, which had no connection with the one covered on this website, in 1898. Sheffield joined the (real) Yorkshire League in 1949 and continued there until joining the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982. In 2007 the club moved on to the Northern Premier League.
SHILDON
Under the name Shildon Athletic, the club joined the Northern League in the 1903-1904 season, taking over the place and record of Stockton St. Johns. Athletic switched to the North Eastern League in 1907 and became simply Shildon in 1923. The Northern League was re-joined in 1932, with 5 title wins following by 1940. Shildon remain members of this competition.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED
United were founder members of the Lancashire Combination in 1891, but left in 1893. Skelmersdale were also members of the Lancashire Combination 1903-1907, 1921-1924 and 1955-1968. In 1968 the club switched to the Cheshire County League, winning this twice in succession, before lifting the F.A. Amateur Cup in 1971 when the Northern Premier League was joined. In 1976, Skem left the NPL and moved back to the Lancashire Combination before switching again to the Cheshire League in 1978. When the North West Counties League was founded in 1982, Skelmersdale became founder members and were in that competition until they rejoined the Northern Premier League in 2006.
For more about Skem check out www.kevpanther.350.com/Home.htm where Skelmersdale United supporter Kev Panther is building a website about the club.
SOUTH LIVERPOOL
I understand, from the F.C.H.D. website, that there is a detailed history of ‘South’ in a book called “Gone But Not Forgotten” (Part 5, pages 46-59). The first record of the club in league action seems to be their joining of The Combination in 1898, with a switch to the Lancashire League a year later. South Liverpool first appear on our radar, however, when joining the Lancashire Combination in 1911, but this club, it seems, folded in 1921. A new South Liverpool was formed in 1935 and joined the Lancashire Combination, which was won for a third time in 1939, when a move was made to the Cheshire County League. In 1952 South returned to the Lancashire Combination, winning the title in 1966. In 1968 the Northern Premier League was joined and it was here that the club ended its days in 1991.
SOUTH SHIELDS
The story of South Shields is a complicated one. Beginning as South Shields Adelaide the club joined the North Eastern League in 1908, changing its name to a simpler form in 1910. Twice champions of this strong competition, the club was elected to Division 2 of the Football League after the Great War and were among the promotion contenders in their first few years as League members. However, in 1928 relegation to the 3rd Division (North) was followed by a move (and a change of name) to Gateshead in 1930.
A new South Shields club was set up and joined the North Eastern League in 1935, winning the title twice before the League folded in 1958. South Shields joined the Midland League in 1958 and the Northern Counties League in 1960, staying in the competition after it became the North Eastern League in 1962. In 1964 the league folded again and Shields moved to the North Regional League until becoming founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. In 1974, however, there was a second move and change of name to Gateshead.
Once again a new South Shields club was formed and this incarnation joined the Wearside League in 1976. After winning this competition twice, South Shields joined the Northern League in 1995. You will still find them there today, still playing in South Shields and not called Gateshead.
SOUTHPORT
Southport Central were founder members of the Lancashire League back in 1889. The club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1903, having been the last champions of their previous competition. In 1911 they moved to the Central League and played in the same section as a number of Football League clubs in the latter stages of the Great War, changing their name first to ‘Southport Vulcan’ and then to ‘Southport’ in 1918. Founder members of the Football League Division 3 (North) in 1921, the Sandgrounders played in the lower levels of the League for the next 50+ years. When League status was eventually lost Southport joined the Northern Premier League in 1978. Fifteen years later, the club were champions and joined the Conference in 1993 before re-joining the NPL in 2003. When a Conference North was established in 2004, Southport joined and won the title. In 2005 Conference National was joined again, but it was back to Conference North in 2007.
SPENNYMOOR UNITED
Spennymoor United joined the Northern League in 1905, spending three seasons there before moving to the North Eastern League in 1908, where the title was won in 1910. United left the competition in 1937, but re-joined in 1938 and were champions 3 times in the next 20 years. When the North Eastern League folded, Spennymoor joined the Midland League in 1958, but, when that competition folded two years later, the club joined the Northern League again in 1960. After becoming champions 6 times and finishing as runners-up three times, Spennymoor joined the Northern Counties (East) League in 1990, winning the Premier Division title three years later. The club joined the Northern Premier League in 1993 and enjoyed some success before the disastrous 2004-2005 season, towards the end of which the club folded.
Oddly, this was not actually the end, though different versions exist of the story. In 2005 Northern League side Evenwood Town either changed their name or amalgamated with United. The outcome, by whatever process, was that the name Spennymoor Town appeared in Northern League fixture lists for the 2005-2006 season. STAFFORD RANGERS
After a short period in the Shropshire league 1891-1893, Stafford Rangers joined the Birmingham & District League for the next 3 seasons. Voted out of this competition in 1896, Rangers regained their place in 1900 and stayed for 12 seasons before leaving. Unable to stay away, it seems, the club rejoined in 1921 and remained as members until the Second World War. After six post-war seasons in the Birmingham Combination Stafford Rangers joined the Cheshire County League in 1952, not moving again until the Northern Premier League was joined in 1969. This was the start of a period of outstanding success for the club, which was styled ‘the Leeds United of non-league football’ because its achievements in the non-league game were comparable with those of Don Revie’s side at a higher level. NPL title and runners-up honours were taken and there were 2 successful campaigns in the F.A. Trophy (1972 and 1979), with Rangers also losing a Wembley Final in the last minute of extra time to Scarborough in 1977. Founder members of the Alliance Premier League (Conference) in 1979, Rangers never made the impact some expected at this level, but had the pleasure of depriving Barnet of the title in 1987 by winning at Underhill 2-1 – which handed the honour of being the first non-league club automatically promoted to the Football League to Northern side, Scarborough. Stafford slipped down to the Southern League in 1995, but proved good enough to earn a place in Conference North in 2004 and win promotion to Conference National in 2006. In 2008, however, the club returned to Conference North.
STALYBRIDGE CELTIC
During its first few years, the Stalybridge Celtic did not seem sure which league it wanted to play in. Starting in the Lancashire Combination in 1911, the Bower Fold side switched to the Central League a year later and the Southern league two years after that. Founder members of Division 3 (North) of the Football League in 1921, Celtic resigned after two seasons and moved to the Cheshire County League in 1923 in place of their reserves. Remarkably the club remained in that competition until it ended. In 1982, Stalybridge became members of the new North West Counties League, twice winning the title before moving to the Northern Premier League Division 1 in 1987 as founder members of that. Champions of the Premier Division in 1992, Celtic joined the Conference. A return to the Northern Premier in 1998, was followed by a further season in the Conference 2001-2002, another NPL spell 2002-2004 and acceptance into Conference North in 2004.
STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS
Stocksbridge Works Social joined the Yorkshire League in 1949 as members of the new 2nd Division. In 1951 the 2nd Division title was won followed by the first of 7 Yorkshire League titles a year later. After the last of these, in 1963, the club experienced some up-and-down years, with an emphasis unfortunately on the down side, so that when the Yorkshire League hooked up with the Midland League, Stocksbridge Works were in the old competition’s lowest section – Division 3. In the early years of the Northern Counties (East) League, 1982-1986, Stocky did no better and were in serious danger of folding. Chairman Allen Bethel and a handful of others had different ideas, however, and a merger with Upper Don Valley neighbours Oxley Park secured the club’s future under the name ‘Stocksbridge Park Steels’. With this change and a change in the size and set-up of the NCEL, the club’s fortunes took a massive turn for the better. League champions in 1994, Steels were denied entry to the Northern Premier League because of ground grading regulations, in spite of the fact that their Bracken Moor home was good enough for the World Student Games. Justice was done when the club joined the Northern Premier League in 1997, reaching the Premier Division of that competition in 2009.
WHITBY TOWN
The North Yorkshire resort of Whitby has had many football teams, the first to reach prominence being simply ‘Whitby’, which played in the Northern League 1899-1901. The next to appear was ‘Whitby United’ who replaced Scarborough in the Northern League in 1926, remaining in the competition until the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939. United were non-playing members of the league 1945-1946, changing their name to ‘Whitby Town’ in October 1945 and resuming in the Northern League at the start of the 1946-1947 season. Whitby Town won the Northern League in 1993 and in 1997, with the F.A. Vase also being taken. In 1997 the Northern Premier League was joined, with a place in the Premier Division being won a year later.
WHITLEY BAY
Whitley Bay joined the North Eastern League in 1955. When that competition folded, Bay moved to the Northern League in 1958, taking the title twice. The club made a creditable effort to survive in the mainstream of the Non-League Pyramid, joining the Northern Premier League in 1988 and reaching the Premier Division of that competition in 1991. After that, however, the strain placed on any club from the North-East in the NPL began to tell and a return was made to the Northern League in 2000, with a 3rd title being procured in 2007 and two F.A. Vase triumphs (2002 and 2009).
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Wigan Athletic was founded in after the collapse of Football League side Wigan Borough and joined the Cheshire County League in 1932. The Latics joined the Lancashire Combination in 1947, remaining there until re-joining the Cheshire League in 1961. Founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, Wigan were elected to the Football League in 1978. As a non-league club, Wigan won the Cheshire League and the Lancashire Combination 4 times each and the Northern Premier League twice. In 1973 the team reached the Final of the F.A. Trophy at Wembley, but lost after extra time to Scarborough 1-2. The club’s reserve side played in the Lancashire Combination, while a team named Wigan Rovers also featured in North West soccer circles in the shadow of Athletic. More recently, Wigan Robin Park have joined the North West Counties League.
WILLINGTON
A club called Willington Athletic played in the Northern Alliance in the 1890s and were champions at the end of the 1899-1900 season. Whether this team was connected or not with Willington, who joined the Northern League in 1911, has proved impossible to verify. Once in the Northern League, Willington were champions three times by 1930 and enjoyed an F.A. Amateur Cup triumph at Wembley in 1950. Northern League runners-up in 1958 and 1976, the club has fallen onto harder times in recent years, dropping to the Wearside League in 2005.
WITTON ALBION
Based in Northwich, Albion started in The Combination in 1901, joining the Lancashire Combination Division 2 in 1912 and earning promotion in 1914. After the 1st World War, Witton were founder members of the Cheshire County League in 1920, winning the title 3 times after World War 2. In 1979 the Northern Premier League was joined. After becoming NPL champions, Albion were promoted to the Conference in 1991, before returning to the Northern Premier League in 1994.
WORKINGTON
Workington FC joined the Lancashire League in 1901, moving to the Lancashire Combination Division 2 in 1904. In 1910 the club switched to the North Eastern League, replacing its own reserve side. At the end of the season the first Workington club disbanded (1911). Re-formed in 1921, Workington joined the North Eastern League of which they were members until 1951 when the first-team was elected to the Football League. The Reds failed to be re-elected to Division 4 in 1977 and joined the Northern Premier League. A series of barren years followed and the club slipped down to the North West Counties League in 1998. Recovery began almost at once with a return to the Northern Premier League in 1999 and a place won in Conference North in 2005.
WORKSOP TOWN
Founder members of the Sheffield League in 1892, the Tigers joined the Midland League for the 1896-1897 season and rejoined in 1900. Apart from a season spent in the Yorkshire League 1935-1936, Town stayed in the Midland League until 1960. When the Midland League re-formed in 1961 Town signed up again, winning the title for a second time in 1966. One season was spent in the new Northern Premier League 1968-1969, before a swift return to the Midland League and another title won in 1973. Back in the Northern Premier League in 1974, Worksop fared rather better than a few years earlier and were founder members of Conference North in 2004. In 2007 the Northern Premier League was rejoined, however.
WREXHAM
About 1880, Wrexham Town changed its name to ‘Wrexham’ and the club played in a competition known as The Combination from 1890 to 1905, being champions 4 times. A switch was then made to the Birmingham & District League, though honours were largely restricted to winning the Welsh Cup – something which had been done 12 times by the time the Red Dragons were admitted to the new 3rd Division (North) of the Football League in 1921. After spells in both The Combination and the Birmingham & District League the club’s reserve side joined the Cheshire County League in 1945 and stayed in that competition until 1968, after the Welsh National league was joined. The Welsh Cup was won for the 23rd time in 1995, with success achieved since in the F.A.W. Premier Cup 5 times by 2004 and the Football League Trophy in 2005. Then came relegation to the Conference in 2008.
YORK CITY
The original York City joined the Northern League in 1908, but left for the Yorkshire Combination in 1910. In 1912 the club moved to the Midland League, before folding in 1917. After the Great War a new club was formed and joined the Midland League in 1922. City were elected to the Football League in 1929 and remained there until they were relegated to the Conference in 2004. Non-League followers had seen the club’s reserve side in the Yorkshire League 1923-31, 1934-1938 and 1966-1968 + in the Midland League 1931-1934 and 1947-1958.
YORKSHIRE AMATEUR
Yorkshire Amateur were founder members of the Yorkshire League in 1920, but left the competition in 1924. Amateur returned in 1930 and stayed in the Yorkshire League until 1982 when an amalgamation with the Midland League saw a new competition formed called the Northern Counties (East) League. Honours collected in the old Yorkshire League were the winning of the ‘2nd competition’ in 1932, the 2nd Division in 1959 and the 3rd Division in 1978. Yorkshire Amateur have remained in the NCEL since 1982. | |||||||||