The North Eastern League was an association football league for teams in the North East of England.
The league was founded in 1906 and was initially successful, with teams defecting from the rival Northern Football Alliance to play. Although some members (such as Darlington) transferred to join the Football League Third Division North in 1921, the North Eastern League absorbed the Northern Alliance in 1925–26 and split into two divisions. The league spent nine years like this, returning to one division in 1935; clubs from the second division re-forming the Northern Football Alliance, which became a feeder to it.
As years progressed, numbers dwindled and the league initially folded in 1958 after the withdrawal of Football League clubs' reserve sides. The remaining members initially transferred to the Midland Football League before founding the Northern Counties League in 1960. The Northern Counties League was renamed the North Eastern League in 1962–63 but folded for a second time in 1964.
Champions The champions of the league were as follows:History of the league at RSSSF
1906–07 : Newcastle United Reserves 1907–08 : Newcastle United Reserves 1908–09 : Newcastle United Reserves 1909–10 : Spennymoor United 1910–11 : Newcastle United Reserves 1911–12 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1912–13 : Darlington 1913–14 : South Shields 1914–15 : South Shields 1915–19 : Not contested due to the First World War 1919–20 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1920–21 : Darlington 1921–22 : Carlisle United 1922–23 : Newcastle United Reserves 1923–24 : South Shields Reserves 1924–25 : Sunderland Reserves 1925–26 : Newcastle United Reserves 1926–27 : Sunderland Reserves 1927–28 : Sunderland Reserves 1928–29 : Sunderland Reserves 1929–30 : Sunderland Reserves 1930–31 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1931–32 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1932–33 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1933–34 : Sunderland Reserves 1934–35 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1935–36 : Blyth Spartans 1936–37 : Sunderland Reserves 1937–38 : Horden Colliery Welfare 1938–39 : South Shields 1939–46 : Not contested due to the Second World War 1945–46 : Spennymoor United 1946–47 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1947–48 : Sunderland Reserves 1948–49 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1949–50 : North Shields 1950–51 : Stockton 1951–52 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1952–53 : Sunderland Reserves 1953–54 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1954–55 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1955–56 : Middlesbrough Reserves 1956–57 : Spennymoor United 1957–58 : South Shields 1960–61 : North Shields (NCL) 1961–62 : Consett (NCL) 1962–63 : Scarborough 1963–64 : Horden Colliery Welfare
Member clubs During the league's existence, 82 clubs and reserve teams played in the league.
Annfield Plain Ashington Ashington Reserves Bedlington United Birtley Blackhall Colliery Welfare Blyth Spartans Bradford City 'A' Bradford City Reserves Bradford Park Avenue Reserves Carlisle United Carlisle United Reserves Chester-le-Street Town Chilton Colliery Athletic Chopwell Institute Consett Craghead United Crawcrook Albion Crook Town Darlington Darlington Reserves Dipton United Durham City Durham City Reserves Eden Colliery Welfare Eppleton Colliery Welfare Felling Colliery Gateshead Gateshead Reserves Gateshead Town Hartlepools United Hartlepools United Reserves Hebburn Argyle Hexham Town High Fell Horden Colliery Welfare Houghton Rovers Huddersfield Town Jarrow Leadgate Park Leeds City 'A' Leeds City Reserves Mickley Middlesbrough Reserves Murton Colliery Welfare Newbiggin West End Newburn Newcastle City Newcastle East End Newcastle United Reserves North Shields Ouston Rovers Pegswood United Penrith Preston Stanley Redcar Albion Scarborough Scotswood Seaham Harbour Seaham White Star Seaton Delaval Shildon South Shields Spen Black & White Spennymoor United St Peters Albion Stakeford Albion Stockton Sunderland Reserves Sunderland Rovers Throckley Welfare Usworth Colliery Walker Celtic Wallsend Washington Colliery West Stanley West Wylam Colliery Welfare White-le-Head Rangers Whitley Bay Athletic Wingate Albion Workington Workington Reserves
References