West Lancashire Football League

West Lancashire Football League
Founded
1904
Nation
England
Feeder To
North West Counties League Division Two
Divisions
Premier Division Division One Division Two
Number of Teams
43
Levels on Pyramid
Level 11 to Level 13
Cups
Richardson Cup Presidents Cup Challenge Cup
Current Champions (2007-08)
Charnock Richard (Premier Division) Tempest United (Division One) Thornton Cleveleys (Division Two) Dalton United (Richardson Cup) Millom (Presidents Cup) Thornton Cleveleys ( Challenge Cup)

The West Lancashire Football League is a football competition based in northern England, consisting of five divisions - three for first teams (Premier, One and Two), and two for reserve teams. The top division, the Premier Division, sits at step seven of the National League System and is a feeder league for the North West Counties Football League, although promotion and relegation is based upon application to the National League System Panel. Kirkham & Wesham made a successful application for promotion in 2007.

History

The league was formed in 1904, although 1905-06 was the first season. It was originally known as the Preston & District Combination, with member clubs having to be within ten miles of Preston. It became the West Lancashire League in 1908, and over the years the qualification area was gradually extended. At first it was a competition for minor non-league football clubs, but from the 1920s the membership changed with the league including several Football League club's 'A' teams. This continued through to the early 1950s. However, the creation of the Lancashire League meant that some of the Football League clubs changed their allegiance. The West Lancashire League struggled along for a few years, until 1954 when it was closed down.

The league was re-established in 1959, with a small membership of clubs from the Blackpool area. Steadily the league grew, and in 1964-65 it expanded to two divisions. The league had a rapidly changing membership, but continued to prosper, with a third senior division being formed for the 1998-99 season. The league now covers the whole of modern Lancashire, plus areas of Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and even West Yorkshire.

In past seasons the league has included former Football League club Nelson and the forerunners of current Football League side Morecambe.

Current Members

Premier Division

• AFC Darwen
• Blackpool Wren Rovers
• Charnock Richard
• Coppull United
• Dalton United
• Eagley
• Euxton Villa
• Freckleton
• Fulwood Amateurs
• Garstang
• Haslingden St. Mary's
• Lostock St. Gerards
• Poulton Town
• Stoneclough
• Tempest United
• Turton
• Vickerstown Cricket Club

Division One

• Burnley United
• Crooklands Casuals
• Crosshills
• Croston Sports
• Fleetwood Hesketh
• Hawcoat Park
• Hesketh Bank
• Mill Hill St. Peters
• Millom
• Milnthorpe Corinthians
• Norcross & Warbreck
• Slyne-with-Hest
• Thornton-Cleveleys
• Wyre Villa

Division Two

• Askam United
• BAC/EE/Springfields
• Bolton County
• Furness Cavaliers
• Furness Rovers
• GSK Ulverston Rangers
• Lancashire Constabulary
• Longridge Town
• Lytham Town
• Todmorden Borough
• Walney Island
• Whinney Hill

West Lancashire League Champions

Season	(as Preston & District Combination)
1905-06	Coppull Central
1906-07	Great Harwood
1907-08	Southport Park Villa
Season	(as West Lancashire League)
1908-09	Leyland
1909-10	Longridge
1910-11	Horwich RMI
1911-12	Higher Walton Albion
1912-13	Hamilton Central
1913-14	Horwich RMI
1914-15	Leyland
1919-20	Leyland
1920-21	Leyland Motors
1921-22	Croston
1922-23	Accrington Stanley Reserves
1923-24	Croston
1924-25	Fleetwood Reserves
1925-26	Lancaster Town Reserves
1926-27	Breightmet United
1927-28	Burnley 'A'
1928-29	Lancaster Town Reserves
1929-30	Chorley Reserves
1930-31	Bolton Wanderers 'A'
1931-32	Westhoughton
1932-33	Chorley Reserves
1933-34	Calderstones
1934-35	Whittingham CMH
1935-36	Bolton Wanderers 'A'
1936-37	Whittingham CMH
1937-38	Bolton Wanderers 'A'
1938-39	Burnley 'A'
1946-47	Blackpool 'A'
1947-48	Morecambe Reserves
1948-49	Blackpool 'A'
1949-50	Burnley 'A'
1950-51	Blackburn Rovers 'A'
1951-52	Blackburn Rovers 'A'
1952-53	Blackburn Rovers 'A'
1953-54	Preston North End 'A'
1959-60	Fleetwood Reserves
1960-61	Blackpool Mechanics
1961-62	Blackpool Mechanics
1962-63	Vickers Sports
1963-64	Lancashire Constabulary
Season	Division One	Division Two
1964-65	Lancashire Constabulary	Heyhouses
1965-66	Vickers Sports	Layton Institute Reserves
1966-67	Layton Institute	Lytham St Annes YMCA
1967-68	Penwortham Hill Rovers	Norcross & Warbreck
1968-69	Great Harwood Reserves	Longridge United
1969-70	Wren Rovers	Wigan Technical College
1970-71	Wren Rovers	Colne Dynamoes
1971-72	Colne Dynamoes	Padiham
1972-73	Colne Dynamoes	Trimpell
1973-74	Colne Dynamoes	Colne British Legion
1974-75	Colne Dynamoes	Corinthians
1975-76	Springfields	Dalton United
1976-77	Blackpool Rangers	Padiham
1977-78	Springfields	Harwood Wellington
1978-79	Blackpool Rangers	Penwortham Hill Rovers
1979-80	Freckleton	Squires Gate
1980-81	Freckleton	Haslingden
1981-82	Freckleton	Barnoldswick Park Rovers
1982-83	Blackpool Rangers	ICI Thornton
1983-84	Dalton United	Colne Dynamoes Reserves
1984-85	Dalton United	Anchor Cables
1985-86	BAC Preston	Kirkham Town
1986-87	Holker Old Boys	Royal Ordnance
1987-88	BAC Preston	Turton
1988-89	BAC Preston	Wyre Villa
1989-90	Colne Dynamoes Reserves	Burnley Bank Hall
1990-91	BAC Preston	Eagley
1991-92	Burnley Bank Hall	ICI Thornton
1992-93	Vickers Sports Club	Leyland DAF
1993-94	Burnley United	Lancashire Constabulary
1994-95	Fulwood Amateurs	Wyre Villa
1995-96	Springfields	Lansil
1996-97	Wyre Villa	Fleetwood Hesketh
1997-98	Charnock Richard	Vickers Sports Club
Season	Premier Division	Division One	Division Two
1998-99	Fulwood Amateurs	Barnoldswick United	Blackpool Wren Rovers
1999-00	Kirkham & Wesham	Padiham	Burnley Belvedere
2000-01	Kirkham & Wesham	Blackpool Wren Rovers	Crooklands Casuals
2001-02	Kirkham & Wesham	Milnthorpe Corinthians	Coppull United
2002-03	Charnock Richard	Coppull United	Lytham St Annes
2003-04	Kirkham & Wesham	Hesketh Bank	Crosshills
2004-05	Kirkham & Wesham	Lytham St Annes	Haslingden St Mary's
2005-06	Kirkham & Wesham	Haslingden St Mary's	Trimpell
2006-07	Kirkham & Wesham	Poulton Town	Vickerstown CC
2007-08	Garstang	Stoneclough	Crooklands Casuals
2008-09	Charnock Richard	Tempest United	Thornton Cleveleys

Member clubs progressing to higher standard leagues

Club	Left League	Comments
Blackpool Mechanics	1962	Left to join the Lancashire Combination. Currently play in North West Counties League Division One and now known as AFC Blackpool.
Blackpool Wren Rovers	1972	Left to join the Lancashire Combination, and later played in the North West Counties League. Now back playing in the West Lancashire League.
Colne Dynamoes	1975	Left to join the Lancashire Combination, and later played in the North West Counties League and the Northern Premier League. Folded in 1990.
Holker Old Boys	1991	Left to join the North West Counties League. Currently play in North West Counties League Division One.
Squires Gate	1991	Left to join the North West Counties League. Currently play in North West Counties League Premier Division.
Nelson	1992	Returned to the North West Counties League. Currently play in North West Counties League Premier Division.
Padiham	2000	Returned to the North West Counties League. Currently play in North West Counties League Premier Division.
Kirkham & Wesham	2007	Left to join the North West Counties League. Currently play in Northern Premier League First Division North, and now known as AFC Fylde.
Barnoldswick Town	2009	Left to join the North West Counties League. Currently play in North West Counties League Division One.