The Gloucestershire County Football League is a football league in England, founded in 1968. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.
It sits at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System and is a feeder to Divisions One of the Hellenic League and Western League. Clubs to move from the GCL to the Hellenic League in recent seasons are Brimscombe & Thrupp, Longlevens and Tuffley Rovers. The league has always consisted of a single division of clubs. In the 2023–24 season, 16 teams will compete in the league.
The Bristol & Suburban League, Bristol Premier Combination, and the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League feed the Gloucestershire County League.
Administration The League has a maximum size of 18 member clubs, who have to be affiliated to the Gloucestershire Football Association.
The club's ground or headquarters have to be located within the County of Gloucestershire or in those parts of the City of Bristol that were within the 1908 city boundaries.
The league is part of the National League system and clubs may apply for promotion to or from the League.
The Joint Liaison Committee, at the end of each season, confirms promotion and relegation of clubs between the leagues and is responsible for the boundary adjustments between the leagues where appropriate. The committee is drawn from the Western Football League, Gloucestershire County League, Somerset County League, South West Peninsula League and the Wiltshire League.
History The league was originally formed in 1968. Its first chairman was F.Dowling, who was ably assisted by the Hon. Secretary, L.V. James. Les James has the Leagues' Cup Competition named after him in recognition of his service to football and the league within Gloucestershire. Chairman, Mr F. Dowling, presented the championship trophy to Stonehouse, who were the first winners of the County League.
Among the clubs that left the Gloucestershire County League and which now compete, or have competed, at a higher level are:
Almondsbury Bishop's Cleeve Brimscombe & Thrupp Bitton Bristol St George (now known as Roman Glass St. George) Bristol Telephones Cadbury Heath Cinderford Town Cirencester Town Fairford Town Cribbs Friends Life (now known as Cribbs) Forest Green Rovers Lawrence Weston Hallen (now known as Hallen) Longlevens Longwell Green Sports Lydney Town Newent Town Oldland (now known as Oldland Abbotonians) Slimbridge Shortwood United Thornbury Town Tuffley Rovers Tytherington Rocks Winterbourne United Yate Town
Former members of the County League that have dropped back into local football include:
Harrow Hill joined the County League in 1982/83 and gained promotion to the Hellenic Football League in 1995/96 but have now returned to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.
Member clubs for 2026–27 season AFC Mangotsfield Bishops Cleeve Development Broadwell Amateurs Bromley Heath United Chalford Filton Athletic Frampton United Henbury & Rockleaze Longlevens Reserves Quedgeley Wanderers Ruardean Hill Rangers Stoke Gifford SGS United Tewkesbury Town Totterdown United University of Bristol Wick
List of champions Source:
1968–69 – Stonehouse Town 1969–70 – Bristol St George 1970–71 – Cadbury Heath 1971–72 – Cadbury Heath 1972–73 – Cadbury Heath 1973–74 – Cadbury Heath 1974–75 – Matson Athletic 1975–76 – Matson Athletic 1976–77 – Almondsbury Greenway 1977–78 – Almondsbury Greenway 1978–79 – Almondsbury Greenway 1979–80 – Almondsbury Greenway 1980–81 – Almondsbury Greenway 1981–82 – Shortwood United 1982–83 – Old Georgians 1983–84 – Sharpness 1984–85 – Old Georgians 1985–86 – Patchway 1986–87 – Old Georgians 1987–88 – Old Georgians 1988–89 – Lawrence Weston Hallen 1989–90 – Ellwood 1990–91 – Tuffley Rovers 1991–92 – Patchway Town 1992–93 – Hallen 1993–94 – Cadbury Heath 1994–95 – Henbury Old Boys 1995–96 – DRG 1996–97 – Old Georgians 1997–98 – Cadbury Heath 1998–99 – Cadbury Heath 1999–00 – Highridge United 2000–01 – Winterbourne United 2001–02 – Roman Glass St. George 2002–03 – Patchway Town 2003–04 – Almondsbury 2004–05 – Highridge United 2005–06 – Lydney Town 2006–07 – Roman Glass St. George 2007–08 – Hardwicke 2008–09 – Slimbridge 2009–10 – Thornbury Town 2010–11 – Brimscombe & Thrupp 2011–12 – Cribbs Friends Life 2012–13 – Longlevens 2013–14 – Longlevens 2014–15 – Cheltenham Civil Service 2015–16 – AEK Boco 2016–17 – Bristol Telephones 2017–18 – Thornbury Town 2018–19 – Lebeq United 2019–20 – Not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21 – Not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021–22 – Wick 2022–23 – Cribbs Reserves 2023–24 – Avonmouth 2024–25 – Almondsbury 2025–26 – Sharpness
References
External links Gloucestershire County League FA Full-time