There have been at least three competitions in Scotland known as the Central Football League.
The first was originally formed in 1896 by five clubs – Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline Athletic, Fair City Athletic, Kirkcaldy and St Johnstone. In 1897 this version was superseded by the Central Football Combination.
Champions 1896–97 Cowdenbeath 1897–98 not completed
Membership
Alloa Athletic 1897–1898 Cowdenbeath 1896–1898 Dundee 'A' 1897–98 Dunfermline Athletic 1896–1898 Fair City Athletic 1896–1897 Hearts of Beith 1897–1898 Kirkcaldy 1896–1898 Lochgelly United 1896–1898 St Johnstone 1896–97
A new Central League, based in Stirlingshire, was competed for in 1903–04 (members: Dunblane, King's Park and Strathallan) and 1904–05 (members: Alloa Athletic, Camelon, Dunblane, King's Park and Stenhousemuir). The fixtures were not completed in either season but the leaders were both awarded the championship.
Champions 1903–04 Dunblane 1904–05 King's Park
The Central League was reformed in 1909 with twelve members – Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, King's Park, Kirkcaldy United, Lochgelly United and St Johnstone. The League closed down after 1915 because of World War I and a number of clubs transferred to the new Eastern Football League.
Champions 1909–10 Bo'ness 1910–11 Dunfermline Athletic 1911–12 Dunfermline Athletic 1912–13 Alloa Athletic 1913–14 Armadale 1914–15 Armadale
Membership
Alloa Athletic 1909–1915 Arbroath 1909–1915 Armadale 1911–1915 Bathgate 1909–1914 Bo'ness 1909–1915 Broxburn 1911–1912 Broxburn Athletic 1909–1910 Broxburn United 1912–1915 Clackmannan 1914–1915 Dundee 'A' 1912–1915 Dunfermline Athletic 1909–1912 East Fife 1909–1915 Falkirk 'A' 1912–1912 Forfar Athletic 1913–1915 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1910–1911 King's Park 1909–1915 Kirkcaldy United 1909–1915 Lochgelly United 1909–1912, 1913–1914 Montrose 1914–1915 St Johnstone F.C. 1909–1911 Stenhousemuir 1909–1915
The league closed down in 1915 because of the War but when the Scottish Football League refused to re-institute the Second Division in 1919, the Central Football League was re-formed. Since this competition was independent, member clubs could attract players by paying higher wages than those allowed under the maximum wage rules that applied to Scottish League clubs.
Champions
1919–20 Bo'ness 1920–21 Bo'ness
Membership
Alloa Athletic 1919–1921 Armadale 1919–1921 Bathgate 1919–1921 Bo'ness 1919–1921 Broxburn United 1919–1921 Clackmannan 1920–1921 Cowdenbeath 1920–1921 Dundee Hibernian 1920–1921 Dunfermline Athletic 1919–1921 East Fife 1919–1921 East Stirlingshire 1919–1921 Falkirk 'A' 1919–1921 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1919–1921 King's Park 1919–1921 Lochgelly United 1920–1921 St Bernard's 1919–1921 St Johnstone 1920–1921 Stenhousemuir 1919–1921
In these two seasons, a League Cup was also organised.
League Cup winners
1919–20 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1920–21 not completed
In 1921, the Central League was absorbed by the Scottish League as the Second Division.
The Calder Shield was awarded to the league champions and after its dissolution, the trophy was competed for by the Linlithgowshire clubs in a knock-out competition.
Calder Shield winners
1921–22 Bo'ness 1922–23 Armadale 1923–24 Broxburn United 1924–1926 no competition 1926–27 unfinished
References