Dorset Premier Football League
Encyclopedia
The Dorset Premier Football League is a football league based in Dorset
, England
, which sits at Step 7 of the National League System
, or level 11 of the overall English football league system
.
under the name Dorset Football Combination League when a number of senior clubs within the county became disillusioned at being dictated to by junior and minor clubs.
The objective of the league on its formation was to increase the standard of football and competition throughout Dorset and neighbouring counties, an ideal that still holds today.
At present the league is operating with 18 clubs, covering the entire county of Dorset
, ranging from Bridport
in the west and Swanage
in the south plus Westland Sports
from Yeovil
.
The inaugural season saw 12 clubs in membership with Swanage Town lifting the Championship and the 15th Training Battalion R.A.S.C. finishing as runners up. The following season the top two places were reversed.
In the first 5 seasons, Swanage Town won the Championship four times and finished in runners up spot on one other occasion.
Parley Sports have also reached the final of the Combination Cup 21 times, lifting the trophy on 11 occasions, and have also won the league title on 12 occasions as well as finishing in the runners-up place 9 times. On one occasion they won the Combination League 5 times in a row from 1962
to 1966
.
In 1991
the Dorset Football Combination League accepted an invitation to become a feeder to the Wessex League
, thus giving its member clubs the opportunity to progress through the National League System
. The league has now been placed at Step 7 of the National League System
, standing parallel to the Hampshire Premier League. Clubs promoting from the DPL usually join the 2nd level of the Wessex League. However, the conclusion of the 2005-06
season saw Sherborne Town
move to the Western League
Division One. Bridport
, who maintain a reserve team in the DPL, also play in the Western League. The bottom club may be relegated to the Dorset Senior League
, which is a level 12 league of the English football pyramid.
The 2002-03
season saw the League change its name to the Dorset Premier Football League. It was felt that this more reflected the League's status.
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which sits at Step 7 of the National League System
National League System
The National League System comprises the seven levels of the English football league system immediately below the level of the Premier League and The Football League. It contains 91 league competitions and more than 1,600 clubs. It comes under the jurisdiction of The Football Association...
, or level 11 of the overall English football league system
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
.
History
The league was formed in 19571957 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1957 throughout the world.-Events:* February 8 – The Confederation of African Football is founded at a meeting in Khartoum, Sudan....
under the name Dorset Football Combination League when a number of senior clubs within the county became disillusioned at being dictated to by junior and minor clubs.
The objective of the league on its formation was to increase the standard of football and competition throughout Dorset and neighbouring counties, an ideal that still holds today.
At present the league is operating with 18 clubs, covering the entire county of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, ranging from Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
in the west and Swanage
Swanage
Swanage is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is situated at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck, approximately 10 km south of Poole and 40 km east of Dorchester. The parish has a population of 10,124 . Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks,...
in the south plus Westland Sports
Westland Sports F.C.
Westland Sports Football Club is a football club based in Yeovil, Somerset, England founded in 1939. The second world war prevented regular competitive football, but by 1946, the club was fielding two sides, one Yeovil and District League team, and one youth side. In 1964/65 the club withdrew from...
from Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
.
The inaugural season saw 12 clubs in membership with Swanage Town lifting the Championship and the 15th Training Battalion R.A.S.C. finishing as runners up. The following season the top two places were reversed.
In the first 5 seasons, Swanage Town won the Championship four times and finished in runners up spot on one other occasion.
Parley Sports have also reached the final of the Combination Cup 21 times, lifting the trophy on 11 occasions, and have also won the league title on 12 occasions as well as finishing in the runners-up place 9 times. On one occasion they won the Combination League 5 times in a row from 1962
1962 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1962 throughout the world.-Events:*Copa Libertadores 1962: Won by Santos FC after defeating Peñarol on an aggregate score of 3-0.-Winners club national championship:...
to 1966
1966 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1966 throughout the world.-Events:*Copa Libertadores 1966: Won by Peñarol after defeating River Plate on an aggregate score of 4-2.*Real Madrid won the European Cup defeating Partizan 2-1....
.
In 1991
1991 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1991 throughout the world.- Events :*UEFA Champions League 1991: FK Red Star wins 5-3 on penalties over Olympique de Marseille after 0-0 draw....
the Dorset Football Combination League accepted an invitation to become a feeder to the Wessex League
Wessex League
The Wessex League is an English association football league formed in 1986, with its premier division currently at the fifth step of the National League System, or the ninth tier of the overall English football league system...
, thus giving its member clubs the opportunity to progress through the National League System
National League System
The National League System comprises the seven levels of the English football league system immediately below the level of the Premier League and The Football League. It contains 91 league competitions and more than 1,600 clubs. It comes under the jurisdiction of The Football Association...
. The league has now been placed at Step 7 of the National League System
National League System
The National League System comprises the seven levels of the English football league system immediately below the level of the Premier League and The Football League. It contains 91 league competitions and more than 1,600 clubs. It comes under the jurisdiction of The Football Association...
, standing parallel to the Hampshire Premier League. Clubs promoting from the DPL usually join the 2nd level of the Wessex League. However, the conclusion of the 2005-06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season saw Sherborne Town
Sherborne Town F.C.
Sherborne Town F.C. are a football club based Sherborne, Dorset, England, who play in the Western Football League Premier Division.-History:Sherborne Town is a semi-professional football club. Founded in 1894, they played their matches at Marston Road. Following the opening of the Terrace playing...
move to the Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
Division One. Bridport
Bridport F.C.
Bridport Football Club is a football club based in Bridport, Dorset, England. They currently play in the Western League Premier Division.-History:...
, who maintain a reserve team in the DPL, also play in the Western League. The bottom club may be relegated to the Dorset Senior League
Dorset Senior League
The Dorset Senior League is a football competition based in England. It is a feeder to the Dorset Premier Football League, which is a level 11 league of the English football league system. Thus, the Dorset Senior League is a level 12 league. The bottom club may be relegated to the Dorset League...
, which is a level 12 league of the English football pyramid.
The 2002-03
2002-03 in English football
The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
season saw the League change its name to the Dorset Premier Football League. It was felt that this more reflected the League's status.
Recent champions
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | Portland United Portland United F.C. Portland United Football Club is a football club based on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The club was established in 1921 and joined the Western League Division Two in 1925. In the 2001-02 season, they reached the Second Round of the FA Vase... |
| 1999-00 | Portland United Portland United F.C. Portland United Football Club is a football club based on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The club was established in 1921 and joined the Western League Division Two in 1925. In the 2001-02 season, they reached the Second Round of the FA Vase... |
| 2000-01 | Hamworthy Recreation |
| 2001-02 | Hamworthy Recreation |
| 2002-03 | Hamworthy United Hamworthy United F.C. Hamworthy United F.C. are a football club based in Hamworthy, a suburb of Poole, England. They were formed as a merger between Hamworthy and Trinidad Old Boys in 1970. In the 2003-04 season, they reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase. They reached the Second Round Qualifying of the FA Cup in season... |
| 2003-04 | Hamworthy United Hamworthy United F.C. Hamworthy United F.C. are a football club based in Hamworthy, a suburb of Poole, England. They were formed as a merger between Hamworthy and Trinidad Old Boys in 1970. In the 2003-04 season, they reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase. They reached the Second Round Qualifying of the FA Cup in season... |
| 2004-05 | Hamworthy Recreation |
| 2005-06 | Holt United |
| 2006-07 | Westland Sports Westland Sports F.C. Westland Sports Football Club is a football club based in Yeovil, Somerset, England founded in 1939. The second world war prevented regular competitive football, but by 1946, the club was fielding two sides, one Yeovil and District League team, and one youth side. In 1964/65 the club withdrew from... |
| 2007-08 | Portland United Portland United F.C. Portland United Football Club is a football club based on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The club was established in 1921 and joined the Western League Division Two in 1925. In the 2001-02 season, they reached the Second Round of the FA Vase... |
| 2008-09 | Portland United Portland United F.C. Portland United Football Club is a football club based on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The club was established in 1921 and joined the Western League Division Two in 1925. In the 2001-02 season, they reached the Second Round of the FA Vase... |
| 2009-10 | Hamworthy Recreation |
| 2010-11 | Hamworthy Recreation |