The Staffordshire County League (South) was an English football league that existed from 1892 until 1996 and catered for clubs in the South Staffordshire area. It was also known at various times as the Walsall & District Junior League, Walsall & District League, and Walsall Senior League.
History The league was formed as the Walsall & District Junior League in May 1892 following a meeting of representatives of various local clubs at the People's Coffee House in Walsall. The nine founder members were Bloxwich Strollers, Brownhills Albion, Cannock Town, Cotterill's (Darlaston), Lichfield Leomansley, Tettenhall Wood, Walsall Rangers, Wolverhampton Presbyterians and Wolverhampton St Chad's, but Lichfield Leomansley and Walsall Rangers withdrew during the 1892–93 season and their playing records were removed. Brownhills Albion won the inaugural championship, losing only one of their twelve matches.Robinson, p.134 In 1897 the league dropped the word "Junior" from its title, as its member clubs were felt to be of a higher standard than the name suggested. A new Walsall & District Junior League was formed the following year for lesser clubs.Robinson, p.135 As with many other leagues in this era, clubs left the league and new clubs joined almost every season, with the league fluctuating in size every year. In 1908 a Second Division was added, but it lasted for only one season.Robinson, p.136 The league then began to decline in size until in the 1913–14 season only five teams competed, and one of those resigned after only three matches. After that season, the league shut down for the duration of the First World War.Robinson, p.137
The league resumed in 1920 with 15 member clubs, including the reserve teams of a number of more senior clubs, and a year later was renamed the Walsall Senior League. Following the 1922–23 season, however, a number of clubs resigned to join the Birmingham Combination and the league closed down once again, owing to insufficient numbers. It resumed play in 1930, once again as the Walsall & District League, but once again gradually declined in size, as clubs found it hard to continue during the difficult economic conditions of the 1930s. The league once again shut down during the Second World War.Robinson, p.138
After the war the league once again adopted the Walsall Senior League name, but in 1950 adopted its final name of the Staffordshire County League (South). In the early 1950s the competition was dominated by Shelfield Athletic, who won the league for five consecutive seasons.Robinson, p.141 A Second Division was again added in 1956, but once again it only lasted for one season.
Champions Walsall & District Junior League SeasonChampions1892–93Brownhills Albion1893–94Willenhall Pickwick1894–95Willenhall Pickwick1895–96Bilston United1896–97Bloxwich Strollers
Walsall & District League SeasonChampions1897–98Brownhills Albion1898–99Willenhall Pickwick1899–1900Wednesbury Old Athletic1900–01Bilston United1901–02Bilston United1902–03Bloxwich Strollers1903–04Darlaston1904–05Wednesbury Old Athletic1905–06Darlaston1906–07Willenhall Swifts1907–08St George's Victoria
Division Two was added in 1908.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1908–09Wellington St George'sPelsall Villa
Division Two was abandoned after one season.
SeasonChampions1909–10West Cannock1910–112nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment1911–12Bloxwich Strollers1912–13Shelfield Villa1913–14Shelfield Villa
The League was inactive between 1914 and 1920.
SeasonChampions1920–21Sunbeam Motors
Walsall Senior League
SeasonChampions1921–22Shrewsbury Town reserves1922–23Sunbeam Motors
The League was inactive between 1923 and 1930.
Walsall & District League
SeasonChampions1930–31Cannock Chase Colliery1931–32Hazel Slade Rovers1932–33Bilston Borough1933–34Walsall Wood1934–35Cannock Chase Colliery1935–36Bilston Borough1936–37Cannock Chase Colliery1937–38Cannock Chase Colliery1938–39Cannock Chase Colliery
The League was inactive from 1939 until 1945
Walsall Senior League
SeasonChampions1945–46Walsall Wood1946–47Walsall Wood1947–48Bilston1948–49Sutton Town1949–50Walsall Trinity
Staffordshire County League (South)
SeasonChampions1950–51Brereton Social1951–52Shelfield Athletic1952–53Shelfield Athletic1953–54Shelfield Athletic1954–55Shelfield Athletic1955–56Shelfield Athletic
Division Two was added in 1956.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1956–57ArmitageRushall Olympic
Division Two was abandoned after one season.
SeasonChampions1957–58Shelfield Athletic1958–59Stafford Rangers reserves1959–60Brereton Social1960–61Rushall Olympic1961–62Rushall Olympic1962–63Rushall Olympic1963–64Hednesford reserves
Division Two was added in 1964.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1964–65Rushall OlympicBentley Estate
Division Two was abandoned after one season.
SeasonChampions1965–66Kingston1966–67Oxley1967–68Oxley1968–69Kingswinford United
Division Two was added in 1969.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1969–70unknownBurntwood Institute1970–71Kingwsinford UnitedLittle Bloxwich1971–72Great Wyrley WednesdayRowley Regis1972–73Staffordshire & Stoke PoliceOgley Hay1973–74OldswinfordWalsall 'A'
In 1974 Division One was renamed the Premier Division and Division Two was renamed Division One.
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One1974–75Willenhall Townunknown1975–76Great WyrleyPenkridge Town1976–77Great WyrleyHeath Hayes Cons1977–78Wolverhampton UnitedBrownhills United1978–79Wolverhampton Unitedunknown1979–80unknownunknown1980–81New WorldHednesford Progressive1981–82unknownBloxwich Town1982–83unknownunknown1983–84Hednesford Progressiveunknown1984–85Chasetown reservesBloxwich Strollers1985–86unknownunknown1986–87Rushallunknown1987–88Heath Hayes ConsHonours Heath Hayes F.C.Chamberlin & Hill1988–89Heath Hayes Consunknown1989–90Bilston Community Collegeunknown1990–91unknownAFC Thatch1991–92Bilston Community CollegeCannock Town1992–93Bilston Community CollegeMahal
The League was reduced to a single division in 1993.
SeasonChampions1993–94Beechdale Social1994–95Mahal1995–96unknown
The League folded in 1996.
References General
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