South Western Football League
Encyclopedia
The South Western Football League was an English
association football
league composed of clubs from Cornwall
and the far western part of Devon
. It consisted of a single division at the eleventh overall tier of the English football league system
, the seventh and lowest "Step" of the official National League System
. The East Cornwall League
and Cornwall Combination
ranked below the South Western on the overall pyramid, and in turn have feeder leagues of their own.
Champions of the South Western League, whose last principal sponsor was the Carlsberg beer brand via St. Austell Brewery, were eligible for promotion to the lower division of the Western League
, but the difficulties Cornish teams have travelling further afield have discouraged applications for promotion. Truro City
took this step in 2006. The lowest-ranked clubs in the 2004-05 FA Cup
all came from the South Western League, no other clubs from leagues at that pyramid level having been accepted. Among them were St. Blazey, whose record for longest unbeaten streak in league football anywhere in the United Kingdom
(75 games) stood until it was broken by AFC Wimbledon
in 2004.
The league was formed in 1951 but foundation dates of the member clubs range from the 1880s to 1980s. The league disbanded in 2007, with a merger with the Devon County League
to form a new competition covering the whole of Devon and Cornwall called the South West Peninsula League
. The new competition's top division will be at Step 6 of the National League System, feeding directly into the Premier Division of the Western League
.
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...
association football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
league composed of clubs from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and the far western part of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. It consisted of a single division at the eleventh overall tier of the 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...
, the seventh and lowest "Step" of the official 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 East Cornwall League
East Cornwall League
The East Cornwall League is a football competition based in Cornwall and west Devon, England, in the United Kingdom. This league sits at level 12 of the English football league system...
and Cornwall Combination
Cornwall Combination
The Cornwall Combination League is a football competition based in the Western half of Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom, formed in 1959....
ranked below the South Western on the overall pyramid, and in turn have feeder leagues of their own.
Champions of the South Western League, whose last principal sponsor was the Carlsberg beer brand via St. Austell Brewery, were eligible for promotion to the lower division of 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...
, but the difficulties Cornish teams have travelling further afield have discouraged applications for promotion. Truro City
Truro City F.C.
Truro City F.C. are an English professional football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Conference South following five promotions in six seasons. They were founding members of the South Western League in 1951 and won the title five times in their history...
took this step in 2006. The lowest-ranked clubs in the 2004-05 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
all came from the South Western League, no other clubs from leagues at that pyramid level having been accepted. Among them were St. Blazey, whose record for longest unbeaten streak in league football anywhere in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(75 games) stood until it was broken by AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
in 2004.
The league was formed in 1951 but foundation dates of the member clubs range from the 1880s to 1980s. The league disbanded in 2007, with a merger with the Devon County League
Devon County Football League
The Devon County Football League was a football competition based in England. It consisted of 20 clubs and sat at step 7 of the National League System....
to form a new competition covering the whole of Devon and Cornwall called the South West Peninsula League
South West Peninsula League
The South West Peninsula League is a league of football clubs in England, which was formed in 2007 from the merger of the Devon County League and the South Western League...
. The new competition's top division will be at Step 6 of the National League System, feeding directly into the Premier Division of 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...
.
Recent champions
- 1978-79 - Liskeard AthleticLiskeard Athletic F.C.Liskeard Athletic Football Club is an English association football club based in Liskeard, Cornwall. Founded in 1946, they joined the South Western League in 1966, which they won twice. The club elected to join the Western League in 1979, and won promotion from the First Division a year later...
- 1979-80 - NewquayNewquay F.C.Newquay F.C. is a football club based in Newquay, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, nicknamed "The Peppermints". They were the founding members of the South Western League in 1951, and remained there until 2007 when they joined the South West Peninsula League Division One West...
- 1980-81 - St Blazey
- 1981-82 - NewquayNewquay F.C.Newquay F.C. is a football club based in Newquay, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, nicknamed "The Peppermints". They were the founding members of the South Western League in 1951, and remained there until 2007 when they joined the South West Peninsula League Division One West...
- 1982-83 - St Blazey
- 1983-84 - NewquayNewquay F.C.Newquay F.C. is a football club based in Newquay, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, nicknamed "The Peppermints". They were the founding members of the South Western League in 1951, and remained there until 2007 when they joined the South West Peninsula League Division One West...
- 1984-85 - Bugle
- 1985-86 - Falmouth Town
- 1986-87 - Falmouth Town
- 1987-88 - NewquayNewquay F.C.Newquay F.C. is a football club based in Newquay, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, nicknamed "The Peppermints". They were the founding members of the South Western League in 1951, and remained there until 2007 when they joined the South West Peninsula League Division One West...
- 1988-89 - Falmouth Town
- 1989-90 - Falmouth Town
- 1990-91 - Bodmin TownBodmin Town F.C.Bodmin Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bodmin, Cornwall.Founded in 1889, the club played at a number of venues before moving to Priory Park in 1948. Having originally played in a white kit, the club adopted its current colours of black and amber in 1925...
- 1991-92 - Falmouth Town
- 1992-93 - Truro CityTruro City F.C.Truro City F.C. are an English professional football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Conference South following five promotions in six seasons. They were founding members of the South Western League in 1951 and won the title five times in their history...
- 1993-94 - Bodmin TownBodmin Town F.C.Bodmin Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bodmin, Cornwall.Founded in 1889, the club played at a number of venues before moving to Priory Park in 1948. Having originally played in a white kit, the club adopted its current colours of black and amber in 1925...
- 1994-95 - LauncestonLaunceston F.C.Launceston F.C. are a football club based in Launceston, Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom.They joined the South Western League in 1958, left in 1961, rejoined for another four-season spell in 1966, and again in 1978 - this time they retained membership until 2007 when they joined the newly...
- 1995-96 - Truro CityTruro City F.C.Truro City F.C. are an English professional football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Conference South following five promotions in six seasons. They were founding members of the South Western League in 1951 and won the title five times in their history...
- 1996-97 - Falmouth Town
- 1997-98 - Truro CityTruro City F.C.Truro City F.C. are an English professional football club based in Truro, Cornwall. They currently play in the Conference South following five promotions in six seasons. They were founding members of the South Western League in 1951 and won the title five times in their history...
- 1998-99 - St Blazey
- 1999-00 - Falmouth Town
- 2000-01 - St Blazey
- 2001-02 - St Blazey
- 2002-03 - St Blazey
- 2003-04 - St Blazey
- 2004-05 - St Blazey
- 2005-06 - Bodmin TownBodmin Town F.C.Bodmin Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bodmin, Cornwall.Founded in 1889, the club played at a number of venues before moving to Priory Park in 1948. Having originally played in a white kit, the club adopted its current colours of black and amber in 1925...
- 2006-07 - St Blazey