The Spartan South Midlands Football League is an English football league covering Hertfordshire, northwest Greater London, central Buckinghamshire and southern Bedfordshire. It is a feeder to the Southern Football League or the Isthmian League, and consists of five divisions – three for first teams (Premier Division, Division One and Division Two), and two for reserve teams (Reserve Division One and Reserve Division Two).
The Premier Division is at step 5 (or level 9) and Division One at step 6 (level 10) of the National League System (NLS) respectively. Division Two, at level 11, and the reserve divisions are not part of the NLS.
History The Spartan South Midlands Football League was formed in 1997 following the merger of the Spartan League and the South Midlands League. The inaugural 1997–98 season operated as a transitional structure and consisted of five divisions: Premier Division North, Premier Division South, Senior Division, Division One North and Division One South. These divisions were populated by clubs from the two predecessor competitions.Football Club History Database, Spartan South Midlands League 1997–98.
At the end of the first season, the two Premier Divisions were merged to form a single Premier Division for the 1998–99 campaign.Football Club History Database, Spartan South Midlands League 1998–99. The two Division One sections were also discontinued after 1997–98, with the league operating a single Division One from 1998–99 onwards.
Further restructuring took place in 2001. The Senior Division, which had served as the league's second tier since the merger, was renamed Division One, while the existing Division One was redesignated Division Two. This created a three‑division structure—Premier Division, Division One and Division Two—that has remained in place since.Football Club History Database, Spartan South Midlands League 2001–02.
Current Spartan South Midlands League members
Premier Division AFC Welwyn Arlesey Town Aylesbury Vale Dynamos Baldock Town Biggleswade United Cockfosters Colney Heath Crawley Green Dunstable Town Enfield Haringey Borough Harlow Town Harpenden Town Kempston Rovers Kings Langley Potton United Risborough Rangers Sawbridgeworth Town Tring Athletic Winslow United Wormley Rovers
Division One Ampthill Town Buckingham Cranfield United Desborough Town Eaton Socon Huntingdon Town Irchester United Langford Leighton Town Reserves Letchworth Garden City Eagles London Colney Long Buckby Moulton Raunds Town Rothwell Corinthians Royston Town Reserves Rushden & Higham United Stotfold FC Reserves Wellingborough Whitworth
Division Two AFC Caddington Aston Clinton Bovingdon Codicote Eynesbury United Huntingdon Town U23's MK College Academy Milton Keynes Irish reserves New Bradwell St Peter Newport Pagnell Town reserves Old Bradwell United Padbury Village Pitstone & Ivinghoe Sarratt Stony Stratford Town The 61 Totternhoe Tring Corinthians
Divisional champions
1997–98 For the league's first "transitional" season, the members of the amalgamating leagues were split into three tiers, "Premier", "Senior" and "Division One". The top and bottom tier were split geographically into North and South Sections.
SeasonPremier NorthPremier SouthSeniorOne NorthOne South1997–98Brache SpartaBrook HouseNew Bradwell St PeterLuton Old BoysOld Roan
1998–2001 In 1998, the geographic sections were abolished, and a simple three-tier structure with promotion and relegation between the divisions was introduced. SeasonPremierSeniorDivision One1998–99BarkingsideHolmer GreenBridger Packaging1999–00Arlesey TownTring AthleticDunstable Town2000–01Beaconsfield SYCOBLetchworthPitstone & Ivinghoe
2001–date In 2001, the Senior Division and Division One were renamed Divisions One and Two respectively. SeasonPremierDivision OneDivision Two2001–02London ColneyGreenacresMursley United2002–03Dunstable TownPitstone & IvinghoeBuckingham Athletic2003–04Beaconsfield SYCOBHaywood UnitedOld Dunstablians2004–05Potters Bar TownOxhey JetsCrawley Green Sports2005–06Oxford CityColney HeathAston Clinton2006–07Edgware TownBrimsdown RoversAFC Dunstable2007–08Beaconsfield SYCOBKentish TownKings Langley2008–09Biggleswade TownRoyston TownThe 61 F.C. (Luton)2009–10AylesburyHolmer GreenBerkhamsted2010–11Chalfont St. PeterBerkhamstedPadbury United2011–12Royston TownLondon ColneyAston Clinton2012–13Dunstable TownLondon LionsKent Athletic2013–14Hanwell TownSun Postal SportsHale Leys United2014–15Kings LangleyWelwyn Garden CityHale Leys United2015–16AFC DunstableEdgware TownKent Athletic2016–17London ColneyBiggleswadeThame Rangers2017–18Welwyn Garden CitySouthallPark View2018–19BiggleswadeHarefield United Bovingdon2019–20Season abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic2020–21Season curtailed due to the local lockdowns2021–22New SalamisStotfold Old Bradwell United2022–23Leighton TownReal BedfordOld Bradwell United2023–24Real BedfordNorthampton ON ChenecksAFC Welwyn2024–25Milton Keynes IrishAFC WelwynNew Bradwell St Peter2025–26Haringey BoroughEverett RoversSarratt
References
External links SSMFL at Full Time SSMFL at Non-League Matters