Athenian League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Athenian League was an English amateur football league in and around London.
Contents |
[edit] History
The league was formed in 1912 with nine clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined. Clubs left and joined the league at a rate of about one a year, with a number leaving to join the Isthmian League, the strongest amateur league in the London area. Total membership remained fairly stable at between 12 and 16 clubs until 1963, when it absorbed most of the clubs from two rival leagues, the Corinthian League (whose former clubs formed the Athenian League First Division) and the Delphian League (whose former clubs formed the Athenian League Second Division). The existing division was renamed the Premier Division.
Over the following years, it lost many clubs to stronger leagues, particularly the Isthmian League and Southern League, and successive waves of Isthmian League expansion in 1973, 1977 and 1984 finally forced the league to disband.
[edit] Champions
The champion clubs were as follows:[1]
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1912-13 | Catford Southend |
| 1913-14 | Tufnell Park |
| 1914-19 | no competition due to First World War |
| 1919-20 | Luton Clarence |
| 1920-21 | St Albans City |
| 1921-22 | St Albans City |
| 1922-23 | Bromley |
| 1923-24 | Kingstonian |
| 1924-25 | Redhill |
| 1925-26 | Kingstonian |
| 1926-27 | Southall |
| 1927-28 | Sutton United |
| 1928-29 | Leyton |
| 1929-30 | Walthamstow Avenue |
| 1930-31 | Barnet |
| 1931-32 | Barnet |
| 1932-33 | Walthamstow Avenue |
| 1933-34 | Walthamstow Avenue |
| 1934-35 | Barking |
| 1935-36 | Romford |
| 1936-37 | Romford |
| 1937-38 | Walthamstow Avenue |
| 1938-39 | Walthamstow Avenue |
| 1939-45 | no competition due to Second World War |
| 1945-46 | Sutton United |
| 1946-47 | Barnet |
| 1947-48 | Barnet |
| 1948-49 | Bromley |
| 1949-50 | Tooting & Mitcham |
| 1950-51 | Bromley |
| 1951-52 | Wealdstone |
| 1952-53 | Hendon |
| 1953-54 | Finchley |
| 1954-55 | Tooting & Mitcham |
| 1955-56 | Hendon |
| 1956-57 | Hayes |
| 1957-58 | Sutton United |
| 1958-59 | Barnet |
| 1959-60 | Hounslow Town |
| 1960-61 | Hendon |
| 1961-62 | Enfield |
| 1962-63 | Enfield |
In 1963 the league expanded to three divisions
| Season | Premier Division Champion |
Division One Champion |
Division Two Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963-64 | Barnet | Leatherhead | Tilbury |
| 1964-65 | Barnet | Slough Town | Harwich & Parkeston |
| 1965-66 | Leyton | Bishop's Stortford | Croydon Amateurs |
| 1966-67 | Leyton | Hornchurch | Eastbourne United |
| 1967-68 | Slough Town | Cheshunt | Lewes |
| 1968-69 | Walton & Hersham | Tilbury | Boreham Wood |
| 1969-70 | Bishop's Stortford | Lewes | Horsham |
| 1970-71 | Dagenham | Aveley | Herne Bay |
| 1971-72 | Slough Town | Harlow Town | Staines Town |
| 1972-73 | Slough Town | Horsham | Ruislip Manor |
In 1973 the league was reduced to two divisions
| Season | Division One Champion |
Division Two Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1973-74 | Boreham Wood | Alton Town |
| 1974-75 | Letchworth Town | Egham Town |
| 1975-76 | Cheshunt | Epping Town |
| 1976-77 | Leyton-Wingate | Farnborough Town |
In 1977 the league was reduced to a single division
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1977-78 | Billericay Town |
| 1978-79 | Billericay Town |
| 1979-80 | Windsor & Eton |
| 1980-81 | Windsor & Eton |
| 1981-82 | Leyton-Wingate |
| 1982-83 | Newbury Town |
| 1983-84 | Redhill |
[edit] Clubs progressing to higher leagues
The following teams left the Athenian League to join stronger leagues. All joined the Isthmian League apart from those in italics, who joined the Southern League
