The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.
In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. (which later reformed as West Ham United). One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was Francis Payne, club secretary of Thames Ironworks F.C. in 1897. The league started with three divisions, the 3rd Grenadier Guards winning the inaugural championship.
The league fluctuated between having a single division and reaching four divisions. Before World War I, most of the senior London Football League clubs fielded a reserve side in the London League.
In 1964, the London League ceased to exist, merging with the Aetolian League to form the Greater London League, which then further merged in 1971 with the Metropolitan League to form the Metropolitan–London League. This later merged into the Spartan League, which in turn merged into the modern Spartan South Midlands League.
Champions
London League Division One 1896–1897 – 3rd Grenadier Guards 1897–1898 – Thames Ironworks 1898–1899 – Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 1899–1901 – Millwall Athletic Reserves 1901–1902 – West Ham United 1902–1903 – Tottenham Hotspur 1903–1904 – Woolwich Arsenal Reserves 1904–1905 – Southall 1908–1909 – Brentford Reserves
London League Division Two 1896–1897 – Bromley 1897–1898 – Barnet 1898–1899 – Monsteds Athletic F.C. 1899–1900 – Fulham 1900–1901 – Airdrieonians 1901–1902 – East Greenwich Gas Works F.C. 1902–1903 – Brentford Reserves 1903–1904 – Catford Southend 1904–1905 – Clapton Orient Reserves 1911–1912 – Peel Institute
London League Premier Division 1901–1902 – West Ham United 1902–1903 – Tottenham Hotspur 1903–1904 – Millwall 1908–1909 – West Ham United
London League Division One A 1909–1910 – Barking
In 1920, a third division, known as Division Two was added
YearPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two1920–21Barking TownSterling AthleticWall End United1921–22Grays AthleticBarking Town reservesWall End United1922–23Custom HouseMillwall UnitedHendon Town1923–24LeytonS T D AthleticSavoy Hotel
In 1924, Division Two was disbanded
YearPremier DivisionDivision One1924–25LeytonBromley reserves1925–26LeytonBromley reserves1926–27Grays AthleticCallender Athletic1927–28Epsom TownBeckenham1928–29Mitcham WanderersHolland Athletic1929–30Grays AthleticPark Royal1930–31ChelmsfordPark Royal1931–32Park RoyalChelmsford reserves1932–33Park RoyalLeavesden Mental Hospital1933–34Park RoyalEton Manor1934–35Park RoyalNorthmet1935–36Leavesden Mental HospitalFord Sports1936–37FinchleyBriggs Motor Bodies1937–38Eton ManorNorthmet1938–39Dagenham TownBriggs Motor Bodies
In 1939, the league was suspended due to the outbreak of the Second World War. On the resumption of football after the war, nineteen clubs played in the London League, split into Western and Eastern Divisions. Eastern Division champions Woolwich Polytechnic beat Western Champions Edgware Town 2–1 in a play-off final at the Crittall ground, Braintree on 4 May 1946.
YearEastern DivisionWestern Division1945–46Woolwich PolytechnicEdgware Town
In 1946, the divisions were re-organised, and a new structure of a Premier Division and a Division One was formed
YearPremier DivisionDivision One1946–47Chelmsford City reservesDagenham British Legion
Within 12 months, enough clubs had joined to form a new Division Two YearPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two1947–48Chelmsford City reservesCheshuntWest Thurrock Athletic1948–49Guildford City reservesCheshuntVickers1949–50CheshuntVickersBata Sports1950–51Dartford reservesAveleyWoodford Town reserves1951–52West Thurrock AthleticLondon TransportPitsea United1952–53Eton ManorStorey AthleticWapping Sports
In 1953, Division Two was disbanded
YearPremier DivisionDivision One1953–54Eton ManorLondon Transport1954–55AveleyWapping Sports1955–56Eton ManorBata Sports
In 1956, Division One was disbanded, leaving only a single Senior section
YearChampions1956–57Cray Wanderers1957–58Cray Wanderers1958–59Tilbury1959–60Tilbury1960–61Tilbury1961–62Tilbury1962–63Chingford
In 1963, an increase in the number of clubs led to a reversion to two divisions.
YearPremier DivisionDivision One1963–64Epping TownCAV Athletic
Member clubs
1st Grenadier Guards (1903–04) 21st Lancers (1905–06) 2nd Grenadier Guards (1897–98, 1913–14) 2nd Life Guards (1897–98) 3rd Grenadier Guards (1896–1898) Acton Reserves (1933–1935) Acton United and Aldine (1907–08) Algernon Athletic (1921–1924) Amersham Town (1961–62) Arlesey Town (1958–1960) Arsenal (1901–1904) Arsenal Reserves (1900–1915) Artillery College (1921–22) Aveley (1949–1957) Aveley Reserves (1951–52) Aylesford Paper Mills (1951–1954) Aylesford Paper Mills Reserves (1951–1953) Baldock Town (1959–1963) Barking (1909–1923) Barking Reserves (1913–1926) Barking Woodville (1896–1898) Barking Woodville Reserves (1896–97) Barkingside (1950–1964) Barkingside Reserves (1963–64) Barnet (1897–1900) Barnet Avenue (1905–1907) Barnet Alston (1904–1912) Barnet Reserves (1923–1926) Basildon Town (1955–1959) Bata Sports (1949–1956) Bata Sports Reserves (1950–1953) Beckenham Town (1923–1935, 1951–1961) Beckenham Town Reserves (1923–24, 1929–30, 1951–1953) Bedford Town Reserves (1946–1951) Belvedere (1920–1922) Bexleyheath Labour (1920–21) Bexleyheath Town (1924–1926) Blackwall and Thames Ironworks (1920–1922) Bletchley United (1959–1961) Boleyn Castle (1903–04) Bostall Athletic (1925–1927) Bostall Heath (1921–1939) Branbys Ironworks (1911–1913) Brentford (1896–1904) Brentford Reserves (1900–1913) Brentwood & Warley Reserves (1947–1951) Brentwood Mental Hospital (1926–1931) Briggs Sports Reserves (1935–1951) Brimsdown (1907–1910) British Legion (1923–24) Brittania (1946–47) Bromley (1896–1901) Bromley Old Boys (1921–22) Bromley Reserves (1924–1926) Bronze Athletic (1909–1914) Brymay Athletic (1920–1923) Burberry (1922–23) Bush Hill Park (1922–1924) Callender Athletic Canvey Island Carshalton Athletic Catford Southend Catford Southend Reserves CAV Athletic Chadwell Heath Chalfont National Chalfont St Peter Charlton Albion Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic Reserves Chelmsford Chelmsford City Reserves Chelsea Reserves Cheshunt Cheshunt Reserves Childs Hill Imperial Chingford Chingford Reserves Chingford Town Reserves Chingford United Chiswick Town Chiswick Town Reserves City of Westminster Clapham Reserves Clapton Orient Clapton Orient Reserves Commercial Athletic Commercial Gas Covent Garden Cray Wanderers Crittall Athletic Crittall Athletic Reserves Crouch End Crouch End Reserves Croydon Common Reserves Crystal Palace Reserves Custom House Custom House Reserves CWS Silvertown Dagenham British Legion Dagenham British Legion Reserves Dagenham Cables Dagenham Park Dagenham Town Dagenham Town Reserves Dartford Reserves De Havilland De Havilland Vampires Depot RHA Deptford Invicta Deptford Town Derrick Wanderers Downshall Earlsfield Town East Greenwich Gas East Ham United Edgware Town Edmonton Edmonton Borough Edmonton Borough Reserves Ekco Ekco Reserves Eltham Enfield Enfield Cables Enfield Reserves Epping Town Epping Town Reserves Epsom Epsom Reserves Epsom Town Epsom Town Reserves Erith & Belvedere Erith & Belvedere Reserves Eton Manor Eton Manor 'A' Eton Manor Reserves Eton Mission Excelsior Felstead Finchley Finchley Reserves Ford Sports Ford Sports Reserves Forest Swifts Fulham Fulham 'A' Fulham Reserves Fulham St Andrew's Gnome Athletic Gravesend & Northfleet Reserves Grays Athletic Grays Athletic Reserves Grays Town Great Northern Railway Great Western Railway Guildford City Reserves Guildhall Gwynnes Athletic Hammersmith Athletic Hampstead Town Hampstead Town Reserves Hanwell Hanwell Town Harlesden Town Harlow Town Harold Hill Harris Lebus Harris Lebus Reserves Harrow Athletic Harrow United Harrow Weald Harrow Weald Reserves Hastings United Reserves Hatfield Town Hatfield Town Reserves Hayesco Sports Hays Wharf Hendon Hendon Reserves Hendon Town Hermes Hermes Reserves Highfield HMSO Press Holland Athletic Hotel Cecil Hounslow Ideal Wanderers Ilford Ilford Electrical Ilford Reserves Imperial Islington Town Jurgens (Purfleet) Jurgens (Purfleet) Reserves Kilburn Kingston Lathol Athletic Lea Bridge Gas Leavesden Leavesden Hospital Leyton Leyton Reserves Livesey United London Generals London Labour London Telecoms London Transport London Transport Buses London Transport Reserves London Welsh Lower Clapton Lower Clapton Imperial Merton Town Metrogas Metrogas Reserves Metropolitan Police Reserves Metropolitan Railway Millwall Millwall Reserves Millwall United Mitcham Wanderers Mitcham Wanderers Reserves Monsteads Athletic Neasden New Barnet New Malden North Woolwich North Woolwich Invicta Northern Polytechnic Northern Polytechnic Reserves Northmet Norwood Association Novocastrians Nunhead Reserves Old Aloysians Old Charlton Old Ignatians Old Tottonians Orient (old) Orpington Page Green Old Boys Park Royal Park Royal Reserves Parkhill (Chingford) Pearl Assurance Peel Institute Perrycobow Perrycobow Reserves Pinner Pitsea United PO Telecoms Ponders End United Port of London Authority Port of London Authority Police Post Office Engineers Post Office Engineers Reserves Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers Reserves RAF Kidbrooke Rainham Town Rainham Town Reserves Ravenscourt Amateurs Redhill RFA Record Office RNVR Roehampton ROF Sports Rolenmill Romford Romford Reserves Romford Town Royal Naval Depot (Chatham) Royal Ordnance Factories Ruislip Manor Ruislip Manor Reserves Savoy Hotel Seven Kings Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Bush Reserves Siemens Sports Slade Green Athletic Slade Green Athletic Reserves Snaresbrook United South West Ham Southall Southall Reserves Southern United Standard Telephones Stanley Stanmore Stansted STD Athletic Sterling Athletic Stonebridge Park Stones Athletic Storey Athletic Storey Athletic Reserves Streatham Town Streatham Town Reserves Summerstown Summerstown Reserves Tate Institute Telcon Athletic Temple Mills Tilbury Tilbury Reserves Tillings Athletic Tonbridge Reserves Tooting and Mitcham United Tooting and Mitcham United Reserves Tooting Town Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Reserves Transport Workers Tufnell Park (1907–1914) Tunbridge Wells Rangers (1963–64) UGBM Sports (1929–1952) Ulysses Ulysses Reserves University Uxbridge Uxbridge Reserves Vampires Van Den Bergh Venner Sports Vickers Armstrong Vickers Armstrong Reserves Wall End United (1920–1923) Waltham (1906–1910) Walthamstow Avenue (1901–02) Walthamstow Borough (1926–27) Walthamstow Grange (1906–1930) Walthamstow Holborn (1898–1900)
Walthamstow Town Reserves (1923–24) Walton & Hersham Reserves (1945–46) Walton-on-Thames (1937–1939) Walton-on-Thames Reserves (1938–1939) Wandgas Athletic (1936–1939) Wandsworth (1900–1903) Wandsworth United (1937–1939) Wapping Sports (1950–56) Waterlows (1920–21) Watney Sports (1929–30) Wealdstone (1911–1922) Welwyn Garden City (1951–1955) Welwyn Garden City Reserves (1951–52) West Croydon (1896–98) West Ham United (1896–1898, 1899–1900, 1901–1904) West Ham United Reserves (1900–1915) West Hampstead (1897–1899, 1904–05, 1907–1910) West London Old Boys (1910–1914) West Norwood (1900–01, 1910–1913, 1923–24, 1936–37) West Thurrock Athletic (1947–1964) West Thurrock Athletic Reserves (1952–53) Whyteleafe Albion (1929–1931) Willesden (1957–1959) Willesden Green (1899–1900) Willesden Town (1898–99) Willesden Town Reserves (1904–05) Wingate (1952–1962) Wingate Reserves (1952–53) Wood Green Town (1909–1913) Woodford (1909–10) Woodford Town (1945–1951) Woodford Town Reserves (1946–1951) Woolwich (1913–14, 1927–28) Woolwich Ordnance (1919–1921) Woolwich Polytechnic (1901–1905, 1924–1964) Wren Athletic (1922–1924)
References