The Yorkshire Football League was the name of two football competitions. The first lasted three seasons in the late 19th century and the second lasted 62 years until merging with the Midland League in 1982 to become the Northern Counties East League.
Yorkshire League (1897–1900)
History The original league was founded in 1897, and featured ten teams, however it only lasted for two seasons and was dissolved by the end of 1900. It is generally not viewed as the same competition as that which emerged in the 1920s.
During the three years of its existence, the original Yorkshire league was won first by Sheffield United reserves and then in 1898–99 Wombwell were champions. The competition took place before many of the more well known clubs of today were formed, for example it featured a team from Leeds, which predated both Leeds City and Leeds United. The same could be said for the Huddersfield, Halifax, and Bradford sides.
Honours
League winners SeasonChampions1897–98Sheffield United reserves1898–99Wombwell1899–1900Huddersfield & Hunslet (shared)
Yorkshire League (1920–1982)
History The second Yorkshire League was formed in 1920, catering for a mixture of semi-professional and amateur local football teams. Some of the Football League clubs entered their reserve sides and third teams.
The first champions were Bradford Park Avenue reserves. They were the only reserve outfit in the league during that inaugural season, but their success in the Yorkshire League induced other bigger clubs to sign their reserves up for inclusion for the following seasons.
The league originally consisted of a single section of 13 clubs, and although numbers rose and fell, by 1935 had reached a stable membership of 20 clubs. However, the league ceased operations in 1939 on the outbreak of World War II. For the 1931–32 and 1932–33 seasons, the number of clubs competing was so small that two separate competitions were organised, with the winners of the first competition playing the winners of the second competition for the league championship.
No club dominated the league in particular before World War II, with Selby Town the only team who won successive titles in 1934–35 and 1935–36. Bradford Park Avenue reserves along with Selby Town remained the overall most successful however, with three titles each to their names. There were only six seasons where the title was not competed for, this was during part of the 1940s when, due to World War II, many of the players in football competitions all over the country were called up to fight and thus the leagues were put on hold.
After the War, the league resumed for the 1945–46 season, and within five years had enough clubs to form two divisions, entitled Division One and Division Two. This pattern continued until 1961, when a third division was formed (although that only lasted three seasons, and then lay dormant until revived for the 1970–71 season).
Stocksbridge Works became the dominant force in the Yorkshire League of the 1950s. They were founder members of Division Two and won that league in its second season, gaining promotion. In their début year in the top division they took the title. After a two-year hiatus, when Selby Town again completed a double, Stocksbridge won the Championship for four consecutive seasons, a record which stood until the league's demise. After their sustained period of success, Stocksbridge became a "yo-yo club," spending short periods in Divisions One and Two, and also dipped down to Division Three for a single season.
The league ran until 1981–82, when it merged with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League.
Honours
League winners Season1920–21Bradford Park Avenue reserves1921–22Houghton Main1922–23Bradford Park Avenue reserves1923–24Methley Perseverance1924–25Brodsworth Main1925–26Methley Perseverance1926–27Harrogate1927–28Goole Town1928–29Bradford Park Avenue reserves1929–30Bradford City reserves1930–31Leeds United "A"1931–32Huddersfield Town "A"1932–33Selby Town1933–34Huddersfield Town "A"1934–35Selby Town1935–36Selby Town1936–37Selby Town1937–38York City reserves1938–39Sheffield Wednesday "A"1939–40Competition suspended due to World War II1940–41Competition suspended due to World War II1941–42Competition suspended due to World War II1942–43Competition suspended due to World War II1943–44Competition suspended due to World War II1944–45Competition suspended due to World War II1945–46Wombwell Athletic1946–47Thorne Colliery1947–48Goole Town1948–49Sheffield United "A"
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1949–50Goole Town reservesRetford Town reserves1950–51Sheffield Wednesday "A"Stocksbridge Works1951–52Stocksbridge WorksFarsley Celtic1952–53Selby TownHuddersfield Town "A"1953–54Selby TownRawmarsh Welfare1954–55Stocksbridge WorksHull City "A"1955–56Stocksbridge WorksRawmarsh Welfare1956–57Stocksbridge WorksRetford Town1957–58Stocksbridge WorksEast End Park WMC1958–59Retford TownYorkshire Amateur1959–60Farsley CelticGrimethorpe Miners Welfare1960–61Sheffield Wednesday "A"Hallam
SeasonDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three1961–62Stocksbridge WorksBridlington TrinityFarsley Celtic reserves1962–63Stocksbridge WorksWombwell Sporting AssociationFarsley Celtic reserves1963–64Bridlington TrinityRawmarsh WelfareKeighley Central
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1964–65Wombwell Sporting AssociationStocksbridge Works1965–66Wombwell Sporting AssociationNorton Woodseats1966–67Bridlington TrinityHull Brunswick1967–68Bridlington TrinityLincoln United1968–69Farsley CelticRawmarsh Welfare1969–70Rawmarsh WelfareDinnington Athletic
SeasonDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three1970–71Lincoln UnitedNorth Ferriby UnitedStocksbridge Works1971–72Winterton RangersBarton TownLeeds Ashley Road1972–73Mexborough TownLeeds & Carnegie CollegeHall Road Rangers1973–74Lincoln UnitedThackleyPickering Town1974–75Ossett AlbionBridlington TownStocksbridge Works1975–76EmleyGuiseleyRawmarsh Welfare1976–77Winterton RangersSheffieldBentley Victoria Welfare1977–78EmleyKiveton ParkYorkshire Amateur1978–79Winterton RangersOssett AlbionYork Railway Institute1979–80EmleyBarton TownHall Road Rangers1980–81Leeds Ashley RoadOssett AlbionBradley Rangers1981–82EmleyHarrogate TownPontefract Collieries
League Cup finals SeasonWinnerResultRunner-upVenue1932–33Yorkshire Amateur4–2Huddersfield Town 'A'Victoria Pleasure Grounds1933–34Goole Town4–2Thorne CollieryVictoria Pleasure Grounds1934–35Halifax Town reserves4–0South Kirkby CollieryThe Shay1935–36Competition not completed1936–37Leeds United 'A'2–1Selby TownVictoria Pleasure Grounds1937–38Selby Town3–1Thorne CollieryVictoria Pleasure Grounds1938–39Barnsley 'A'2–1Leeds United 'A'Victoria Pleasure Grounds1939–40Competition suspended due to World War II1940–41Competition suspended due to World War II1941–42Competition suspended due to World War II1942–43Competition suspended due to World War II1943–44Competition suspended due to World War II1944–45Competition suspended due to World War II1945–46Wombwell Athletic6–1Goole TownJames Street1946–47York City reserves4–0Leeds United 'A'Boothferry Park1947–48South Kirkby Colliery2–1Halifax Town reservesVictoria Pleasure Grounds1948–49Goole Town reserves1–0Sheffield United 'A'Boothferry Park1949–50Scarborough reserves3–0Scunthorpe & Lindsey United reservesBoothferry Park1950–51Sheffield Wednesday 'A'3–0Farsley CelticHillsborough1951–52Goole Town reserves1–0Farsley CelticFlaxley Road1952–53Goole Town reserves3–1SheffieldFlaxley Road1953–54Selby Town2–1Ossett TownVictoria Pleasure Grounds1954–55Selby Town2–0Retford TownBramall Lane1955–56Salts (Saltaire)3–1Halifax Town reservesHirst Lane1956–57Sheffield Wednesday 'A'4–1Barnsley 'A'Hillsborough1957–58Salts (Saltaire)3–0Ossett TownThrostle Nest1958–59Sheffield United 'A'2–0Ossett TownSkelton Road1959–60Bridlington Town3–0Sheffield Wednesday 'A'Athletic Ground1960–61Bridlington Town1–0Ossett AlbionVictoria Pleasure Grounds1961–62Stocksbidge Works3–1Harrogate TownSkelton Road1962–63Selby Town2–0Ossett AlbionElland Road1963–64Farsley Celtic5–3Harrogate Railway Athletic1964–65Bridlington Trinity4–2Scarborough reserves1965–66Bridlington Town2–1HallamTickhill Square1966–67Farsley Celtic3–0Bridlington Trinity1967–68Bridlington Trinity2–1Hull Brunswick1968–69Rawmarsh Welfare1–0Farsley Celtic1969–70Emley2–0Rawmarsh Welfare1970–71Lincoln United3–1Mexborough Town1971–72Denaby United1–0Barton TownBelle Vue1972–73Mexborough Town2–1Hatfield Main1973–74Redfearn National Glass3–0Barton Town1974–75North Ferriby United2–0Lincoln United1975–76Ossett Albion2–0Scarborough reserves1976–77Ossett Albion3–1Emley1977–78Sheffield4–1Maltby Miners Welfare1978–79Emley1–0Winterton RangersWestfield Lane1979–80Guiseley1–0Emley1980–81Winterton Rangers2–0EmleyTickhill Square1981–82Emley2–0Frecheville CommunityWoolley Colliery Road
Former member clubs
References