The East Midlands Counties Football League was an English football league that operated from 2008 to 2021, covering the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands. The league had one division, which stood at the tenth level of the football pyramid.
 | |
| Founded | 20086768h |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2021 |
| Country | England |
| Number of teams | 20 |
| Level on pyramid | 10 |
| Promotion to | Midland League Premier Division Northern Counties East League Premier Division United Counties League Premier Division |
| Relegation to | Central Midlands League South Division Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | National FA Cup FA Vase League League Cup |
| Last champions | Selston F.C. (2018–19) |
History
editThe league was formed in 2008, drawing clubs from the Northern Counties East League (2), Central Midlands League (8) and Leicestershire Senior League (8) to create a division at level 10 of the English football league system.
On 15 May 2008 The FA Leagues Committee placed the new league at Step 6 in the National League System.[1] Eighteen clubs were invited to form the new league;
- From the Central Midlands League: Blackwell Miners Welfare, Dunkirk, Gedling Miners Welfare, Graham Street Prims, Greenwood Meadows, Heanor Town, Holbrook Miners Welfare, Radford;
- From the Leicestershire Senior League: Bardon Hill, Barrow Town, Ellistown, Hinckley Downes, Holwell Sports, Ibstock United, Kirby Muxloe SC, St. Andrews;
- From the Northern Counties East League: Borrowash Victoria, Gedling Town
The league provided a pathway for successful clubs to higher grade football, with clubs moving up to the Midland League Premier Division, Northern Counties East League Premier Division and United Counties League Premier Division - each at level 9 of the system.
It was not until 2017 that clubs were relegated from the competition, into the Central Midlands League and Leicestershire Senior League.
The competition had several feeder leagues at level 11 of the pyramid:
- Central Midlands League South Division
- Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division
- Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division
Clubs were also liable to be transferred to other leagues if the FA deemed it geographically suitable to do so.
The East Midlands Counties League was disbanded at the end of the 2020–21 season, most of its remaining clubs were assigned to the Northern Counties East and United Counties leagues' Step 6 divisions, as part of reorganising the National League System where the United Counties League added an additional Step 5 division.[2][3]
Final clubs (2020–21)
edit| Club | Home ground |
|---|---|
| Barrow Town | Riverside Park |
| Belper United | Christchurch Meadow |
| Borrowash Victoria | Asterdale Bowl |
| Clifton All Whites | Norman Archer Memorial Ground |
| Clipstone | Lido Ground |
| Dunkirk | Ron Steel Sports Ground |
| Eastwood | Coronation Park |
| Gedling Miners Welfare | Plains Social Club |
| Graham Street Prims | Asterdale Sports Ground |
| Heanor Town | Town Ground |
| Hucknall Town | Watnall Road |
| Ingles | Dovecote Stadium |
| Kimberley Miners Welfare | The Stag Ground |
| Ollerton Town | Walesby Lane Sports Ground |
| Radford | Selhurst Street |
| Rainworth Miners Welfare | Welfare Ground |
| Sherwood Colliery | Debdale Park |
| Shirebrook Town | Langwith Road |
| Teversal | Teversal Grange Sports and Social Centre |
| West Bridgford | Regatta Way Sports Ground |
Honours
editChampions
edit| Season | |
|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Kirby Muxloe |
| 2009–10 | Dunkirk |
| 2010–11 | Gresley |
| 2011–12 | Heanor Town |
| 2012–13 | Basford United |
| 2013–14 | Thurnby Nirvana |
| 2014–15 | Bardon Hill |
| 2015–16 | St Andrews |
| 2016–17 | West Bridgford |
| 2017-18 | Dunkirk |
| 2018-19 | Selston |
| 2019-20 | None, seasons abandoned ** |
| 2020–21 |
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to or from the competition.[4] The next season was also abandoned on 24 February 2021 but promotion proceeded after a one-year postponement.[3][5]
Promoted
edit| Season | Club | Position | Promoted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Kirby Muxloe | 1st | Midland Alliance |
| 2009–10 | Dunkirk | 1st | Midland Alliance |
| 2010–11 | Gresley | 1st | Midland Alliance |
| 2011–12 | Heanor Town | 1st | Northern Counties East League Premier Division |
| 2012–13 | Basford United | 1st | Northern Counties East League Premier Division |
| 2013–14 | Thurnby Nirvana | 1st | United Counties League Premier Division |
| 2014–15 | Bardon Hill | 1st | Midland League Premier Division |
| 2015–16 | St Andrews | 1st | Midland League Premier Division |
| 2016–17 | South Normanton Athletic | 2nd | Midland League Premier Division |
| 2017–18 | Dunkirk | 1st | Midland League Premier Division |
| 2018–19 | Selston Newark Flowserve |
1st 2nd |
Midland League Premier Division |
| 2019–20 | no promotion, season abandoned** | ||
| 2020–21 | Eastwood Heanor Town Sherwood Colliery |
Top 3* | Eastwood, Heanor: United Countied League Premier Division North Sherwood: Northern Counties East League Premier Division |
- * Based on points-per-game averages obtained by adding the accumulated number of games played between 2019 and 2021, and dividing it by total number of points.
- ** As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to or from the competition.[4]
League Cup
editThe league also ran the East Midlands Counties League Cup, which was contested by every club in the league.
Finals
edit| Season | Winner | Result | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Borrowash Victoria | 1 – 0 | Holbrook Miners Welfare | Welby Road, Holwell Sports F.C. |
| 2009–10 | Gedling Town | 2 - 1* | Dunkirk | Borrowash Road, Borrowash Victoria F.C. |
| 2010–11 | Thurnby Nirvana | 4 - 2 | Holbrook Sports | Moat Ground, Gresley F.C. |
| 2011–12 | Borrowash Victoria | 1 - 0 | Radcliffe Olympic | Riverside Park, Barrow Town F.C. |
| 2012–13 | Basford United | 2 - 0 | Graham Street Prims | Borrowash Road, Borrowash Victoria F.C. |
| 2013–14 | Graham Street Prims | 4 - 2 | Sutton Town AFC | Bardon Close, Bardon Hill F.C. |
| 2014–15 | South Normanton Athletic | 1 - 1* (5-4)(p) | Radcliffe Olympic | Plains Road, Gedling Miners Welfare F.C. |
| 2015–16 | Aylestone Park | 2 - 1 | South Normanton Athletic | Riverside Park, Barrow Town F.C. |
| 2016–17 | Dunkirk | 2 - 1 | Ashby Ivanhoe | Cropston Road, Anstey Nomads F.C. |
| 2017–18 | Radford | 6 - 0 | Anstey Nomads | Coronation Park, Eastwood C.F.C. |
| 2018–19 | Newark Flowserve | 0 - 0* (4-1)(p) | Clifton All Whites | Lido Ground, Clipstone F.C. |
| 2019–20 | Competition abandoned** | |||
| 2020–21 | Not held | |||
- * Result after extra-time
- ** As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged.[4]
References
edit- ^ National League structure The FA, 15 May 2008
- ^ "National League System club allocations - Steps 5/6, Season 2021-22" (PDF). The Football Association. May 2021.
- ^ a b "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "FA Update On Steps 3-6". 20 May 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.