The York Football League is a football competition based in North Yorkshire, England, founded in 1897. Currently it is known under the terms of a sponsorship agreement as the York Minster Engineering Football League. It is affiliated to the North Riding County Football Association, and the Premier Division sits at level 11 in the English football pyramid.
The most successful York clubs in history in terms of championships won are Dringhouses, York Railway Institute, Osbaldwick and Rowntrees. Three teams which now compete at higher levels in the English football system once competed in the York Football League: Pickering Town, Tadcaster Albion and Knaresborough Town.
History
When the league was formed in the late 1800s, association football was just beginning to gather popularity in England. The Football League itself had only begun nine years before the York League; it was also founded prior to the city's now primary team York City. Upon the league's formation, nine teams entered into the league, the founding clubs were:
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Throughout the league's history, the only club from the first-ever season to continue in an unbroken existence is Rowntrees (now known as Nestlé Rowntree) until its demise at the start of the 2013âÂÂ14 season.
However, Bishopthorpe United, Easingwold Town and St. Clements are at present still playing in the York League system, after refounding at various points.
Acomb and Rowntrees (along with fellow league team York YMCA) also went on to become founding members of the Yorkshire League for the 1920âÂÂ21 season.
Some teams from the York League have climbed the football ladder in the past. Pickering Town played in the league before gaining promotion in 1972. They are currently in the Northern Counties East Premier Division. Also, York Railway Institute and Rowntrees were crowned champions of the Northern Counties East League Division One during the 1980s.
Recent times
Today it has a total of seven divisions (four for first teams and three for reserve teams) including the York League Premier Division which sits at level 11 of the English football league system. The league title has been regularly changing with no team retaining it since 2007âÂÂ08 when Huntington Rovers achieved it. A number of teams that have recently joined the league have progressed successfully though the divisions to the Premier Division (Tadcaster Magnets, F1 Racing and Sporting Knavesmire).
New teams entering for the 2017âÂÂ18 season were Clifford, Elm Bank, Stillington and Wistow and that season saw the league enter a Representative team into the FA Inter League Cup, reaching the final after wins over West Riding County Amateur league, Chester and the Wirral league, Staffordshire County League and Kent County League.
Former professional footballers with York City played in the league, including Andy McMillan and Christian Fox at Haxby United.
Member clubs
2024-25 Premier Division
- Dringhouses
- Dunnington
- Haxby Towm
- Howden
- Kirkbymoorside
- Malt Shovel (Selby)
- Old Malton St Mary's
- Osbaldwick
- Poppleton United
- Rawcliffe
- Tadcaster Magnets
- Tockwith
- Wigginton Grasshoppers
2022-23
Premier Division
- Dringhouses
- Dunnington
- Easingwold Town AFC
- Huntington Rovers
- Kirkbymoorside
- Malt Shovel (Selby)
- Old Malton St Mary's
- Osbaldwick
- Poppleton United
- Rawcliffe
- Tadcaster Magnets
- Thorpe United
- Wigginton Grasshoppers
Division One
Bishopthorpe White Rose | Cawood | Duncombe Park | Haxby Town | Hemingbrough United | Pocklington Town 2nd | Pollington | Rufforth United | Strensall Tigers | Tockwith AFC
Division Two
Bubwith White Swan | Civil Service (York) | Cliffe | Clifford | Garforth LG | Helperby United | Heslington | Howden AFC | Stamford Bridge AFC | Walnut Tree | Wheldrake
Division Three
Church Fenton | Copmanthorpe | Ebor Wanderers | Elvington Harriers | Fulford | Hamilton Panthers | South Milford | Sporting Knavesmire | Wilberfoss AFC | York St John University YSJ (Sat)
Division Four
Barmby Moor | Bishop Wilton | Hensall Hawks Open Age | Knottingley Albion Junior York League | London NE Railway Builders | Marton Abbey | Selby Olympia | The Beagle | York Railway Institute | York Shamrocks
Champions
Premier Division
Division One
Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the second level of York League football. From 1923 until 1960 (with the exception of 1932âÂÂ33, 1939âÂÂ40 and 1946âÂÂ47), this division was split into two groups, hence why for those years there are two champions.
- 1909âÂÂ10 Tadcaster Albion
- 1910âÂÂ11 Easingwold
- 1911âÂÂ12 Lowther United
- 1912âÂÂ13 Cawood United
- 1913âÂÂ14 Acomb
- 1916âÂÂ19 Suspended due to World War I
- 1919âÂÂ20 Burton Lane Working Mens Club
- 1920âÂÂ21 Fishergate Old Boys
- 1921âÂÂ22 Archbishop Holgates Old Boys
- 1922âÂÂ23 St Lawrences Working Mens Club
- 1923âÂÂ24 St Lawrences Working Mens Club / Tadcaster Albion
- 1924âÂÂ25 St Lawrences Working Mens Club / Selby Olympia
- 1925âÂÂ26 Clarence C&I / Selby Olympia
- 1926âÂÂ27 LNER Locomotive / South Bank Working Mens Club
- 1927âÂÂ28 LNER Locomotive / Poppleton United
- 1928âÂÂ29 LNER P'way / South Bank
- 1929âÂÂ30 Selby East Common / Malton Bible Class
- 1930âÂÂ31 Clarence C&I / RA & Signals
- 1931âÂÂ32 Selby Brayton Road / Poppleton Road OB
- 1932âÂÂ33 Tadcaster Albion]
- 1933âÂÂ34 LNER Institute / 3rd Hussars
- 1934âÂÂ35 Easingwold Town / Riccall United
- 1935âÂÂ36 Market Weighton / Duncombe Park
- 1936âÂÂ37 Fulford United / Old Malton St Mary's
- 1937âÂÂ38 Fulford United / Acomb
- 1938âÂÂ39 Old Priory / York Railway Institute
- 1939âÂÂ40 Easingwold Town
- 1941âÂÂ46 Suspended due to World War II
- 1946âÂÂ47 New Earswick
- 1947âÂÂ48 United Services / Poppleton Road Old Boys
- 1948âÂÂ49 Fulford Road WMC / Market Weighton
- 1949âÂÂ50 Fulford United / South Bank
- 1950âÂÂ51 Cliftonville / Clifton & Rawcliffe Community Association
- 1951âÂÂ52 Huntington Rovers / Catholic United
- 1952âÂÂ53 BR Nomads / Knaresborough
- 1953âÂÂ54 Pickering Town / Catholic United
- 1954âÂÂ55 Riccall United / Haxby
- 1955âÂÂ56 Duncombe Park / Ardua
- 1956âÂÂ57 Olympia Mills (Selby) / South Bank
- 1957âÂÂ58 Old Malton St. Mary's / Rowntrees
- 1958âÂÂ59 Cawood / Dunnington
- 1959âÂÂ60 Fulford United / Holme Rovers
- 1960âÂÂ61 South Bank / Cookes
- 1961âÂÂ62 Selby Shipyards / Civil Service
- 1962âÂÂ63 Easingwold Town / NMU
- 1963âÂÂ64 Olympia Mills (Selby) / British Sugar
- 1964âÂÂ65 Huntington Rovers
- 1965âÂÂ66 Fulford United
- 1966âÂÂ67 NMU
- 1967âÂÂ68 Vickers
- 1968âÂÂ69 Wilberfoss Athletic
- 1969âÂÂ70 Riccall United
- 1970âÂÂ71 Old Malton St. Mary's
- 1971âÂÂ72 Amotherby & Swinton
- 1972âÂÂ73 New Earswick
- 1973âÂÂ74 British Sugar
- 1974âÂÂ75 Sheriff Hutton
- 1975âÂÂ76 Pickering Town
- 1976âÂÂ77 Rangers
- 1977âÂÂ78 Melbourne
- 1978âÂÂ79 Brayton
- 1979âÂÂ80 Post Office
- 1980âÂÂ81 York Railway Institute
- 1981âÂÂ82 Huntington Rovers
- 1982âÂÂ83 Dringhouses
- 1983âÂÂ84 St John's College
- 1984âÂÂ85 Cliftonville
- 1985âÂÂ86 Huntington Rovers
- 1986âÂÂ87 Griffin
- 1987âÂÂ88 Olympia Mills
- 1988âÂÂ89 Riccall United
- 1989âÂÂ90 Westlers United
- 1990âÂÂ91 New Earswick
- 1991âÂÂ92 General Accident
- 1992âÂÂ93 Wigginton Grasshoppers
- 1993âÂÂ94 Boroughbridge
- 1994âÂÂ95 New Earswick
- 1995âÂÂ96 Rufforth United
- 1996âÂÂ97 Pocklington SC
- 1997âÂÂ98 General Accident
- 1998âÂÂ99 York Sugar
- 1999âÂÂ2000 Wigginton Grasshoppers
- 2000âÂÂ01 Riccall United
- 2001âÂÂ02 Malton Bacon Factory
- 2002âÂÂ03 Wigginton Black Horse
- 2003âÂÂ04 Thorpe United
- 2004âÂÂ05 Nestlé Rowntree
- 2005âÂÂ06 Heslington
- 2006âÂÂ07 Haxby United
- 2007âÂÂ08 Wilberfoss
- 2008âÂÂ09 Riccall United
- 2009âÂÂ10 York Railway Institute
- 2010âÂÂ11 Wigginton Grasshoppers
- 2011âÂÂ12 Terrington Glory
- 2012âÂÂ13 Aviva
- 2013âÂÂ14 Tadcaster Magnets
- 2014âÂÂ15 F1 Racing
- 2015âÂÂ16 Malton & Norton
- 2016âÂÂ17 Poppleton United
- 2017âÂÂ18 Thorpe United
- 2018âÂÂ19 Pocklington Town 2nd
Division Two
Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the third level of York League football. The most common structure for the league was where it was split into two groups at the same level, hence the reason for two champions in some seasons. At times there were even three groups under the same league at this level.
- 1909âÂÂ10 Escrick Park
- 1910âÂÂ11 Melbourne A S
- 1911âÂÂ12 Clifton Church Institute
- 1912âÂÂ13 Bishopthorpe
- 1913âÂÂ14 South Bank
- 1914âÂÂ19 Suspended due to World War I
- 1919âÂÂ20 Central Mission
- 1920âÂÂ21 Huntington
- 1921âÂÂ22 Poppleton United
- 1922âÂÂ23 Model School Old Boys
- 1923âÂÂ24 Clarence C&I / LMS Railway
- 1924âÂÂ25 Poppleton Road Old Boys / Fulford United
- 1925âÂÂ26 Acomb AS / Church Fenton
- 1926âÂÂ27 Acomb AS / Tadcaster United
- 1927âÂÂ28 LNER P'way / RA Signals
- 1928âÂÂ29 Huntington Rovers / St Georges Wesleyans
- 1929âÂÂ30 Stamford Bridge
- 1930âÂÂ31 Huntington Rovers / Poppleton Road Working Mens Club
- 1931âÂÂ32 Acomb Carr Lane / Riccall United
- 1932âÂÂ33 Stamford Bridge / St. Maurice's
- 1933âÂÂ34 Heslington / Eborcraft
- 1934âÂÂ35 Crescent Working Mens Club / RAOC
- 1935âÂÂ36 Haxby Fellowship / Acomb
- 1936âÂÂ37 Pocklington
- 1937âÂÂ38 Clifton Colliery Institute
- 1938âÂÂ39 Poppleton United / Cawood
- 1939âÂÂ46 Suspended due to World War II
- 1946âÂÂ47 Fulford Road WMC / Pocklington US
- 1947âÂÂ48 Huntington Rovers / RAF Rufforth
- 1948âÂÂ49 Cliftonville Youth Club / C&W Nomads / INL
- 1949âÂÂ50 Clifton & Rawcliffe Community Association / South Bank / NMU
- 1950âÂÂ51 Pavilion Rangers / Poppleton SF / Groves United
- 1951âÂÂ52 Heslington / Knaresborough / Escrick Park
- 1952âÂÂ53 Cookes / RAF Church Fenton / Gleneagles
- 1953âÂÂ54 Fulford Road Working Mens Club / South Bank Reserves
- 1954âÂÂ55 Duncombe Park / Crayke
- 1955âÂÂ56 Wilberfoss Athletic / Haxby Reserves
- 1956âÂÂ57 Cliftonville Reserves / Mail Coach United
- 1957âÂÂ58 Yard Staff Reserves / LNER Builders
- 1958âÂÂ59 Easingwold Town / Crayke
- 1959âÂÂ60 Armstrong / Hammerton United
- 1960âÂÂ61 Selby St. Mary's / NMU
- 1961âÂÂ62 Heworth / Haxby Reserves
- 1962âÂÂ63 Unicrux / Strensall
- 1963âÂÂ64 Ampleforth / Escrick Brick & Tile Works
- 1964âÂÂ65 Fulford United
- 1965âÂÂ66 Newton-on-Ouse
- 1966âÂÂ67 Wilberfoss Athletic
- 1967âÂÂ68 Heworth
- 1968âÂÂ69 Stillington
- 1969âÂÂ70 Old Malton St. Mary's
- 1970âÂÂ71 FC Melrose
- 1971âÂÂ72 Post Office
- 1972âÂÂ73 Pocklington Social Club
- 1973âÂÂ74 Sheriff Hutton
- 1974âÂÂ75 St John's College
- 1975âÂÂ76 Moor Lane Youth Club
- 1976âÂÂ77 Cawood
- 1977âÂÂ78 Kingsway
- 1978âÂÂ79 Water Lane Youth Club
- 1979âÂÂ80 St John's College
- 1980âÂÂ81 Chapelfields Youth Club
- 1981âÂÂ82 Dringhouses
- 1982âÂÂ83 Fulford United
- 1983âÂÂ84 Olympia Mills (Selby)
- 1984âÂÂ85 Selby Town Reserves
- 1985âÂÂ86 Old Malton St Mary's
- 1986âÂÂ87 Bishopthorpe United
- 1987âÂÂ88 Westlers United
- 1988âÂÂ89 Stamford Bridge
- 1989âÂÂ90 General Accident
- 1990âÂÂ91 Black a Moor
- 1991âÂÂ92 Old Malton St Mary's
- 1992âÂÂ93 York Sugar
- 1993âÂÂ94 Fulford United
- 1994âÂÂ95 Kartiers
- 1995âÂÂ96 Malton Bacon Factory
- 1996âÂÂ97 Copmanthorpe
- 1997âÂÂ98 York Sugar
- 1998âÂÂ99 Thorpe United
- 1999âÂÂ2000 South Bank
- 2000âÂÂ01 Hammerton United
- 2001âÂÂ02 Tate & Lyle Selby
- 2002âÂÂ03 Hamilton Panthers
- 2003âÂÂ04 Easingwold Town
- 2004âÂÂ05 Heslington
- 2005âÂÂ06 Poppleton United
- 2006âÂÂ07 Osbaldwick
- 2007âÂÂ08 York Railway Institute
- 2008âÂÂ09 Hemingbrough United
- 2009âÂÂ10 St. Clements
- 2010âÂÂ11 Terrington Glory
- 2011âÂÂ12 Church Fenton White Horse
- 2012âÂÂ13 Tadcaster Magnets
- 2013âÂÂ14 F1 Racing
- 2014âÂÂ15 Sporting Knavesmire
- 2015âÂÂ16 Thorpe United
- 2016âÂÂ17 Wilberfoss
- 2017âÂÂ18 Haxby Town
- 2018âÂÂ19 Malt Shovel
Division Three
Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the fourth level of York League football in all forms.
- 1920âÂÂ21 Poppleton United
- 1921âÂÂ22 Phoenix Working Mens Club
- 1922âÂÂ23 Manor School Old Boys
- 1923âÂÂ36 not competed
- 1936âÂÂ37 Riccall United
- 1937âÂÂ38 Church Fenton
- 1938âÂÂ65 not competed
- 1965âÂÂ66 Cross Keys
- 1966âÂÂ67 Fulford Road Working Mens Club
- 1967âÂÂ68 Bishop Wilton
- 1968âÂÂ69 Amotherby & Swinton
- 1969âÂÂ70 FC Melrose
- 1970âÂÂ71 New Earswick
- 1971âÂÂ72 Cravens
- 1972âÂÂ73 Sheriff Hutton
- 1973âÂÂ74 Crown Hotel
- 1974âÂÂ75 Moor Lane Youth Club
- 1975âÂÂ76 Cawood
- 1976âÂÂ77 Kingsway
- 1977âÂÂ78 Chapelfields Youth Club
- 1978âÂÂ79 Osbaldwick
- 1979âÂÂ80 Aruda
- 1980âÂÂ81 Ebor
- 1981âÂÂ82 Olympia Mills (Selby)
- 1982âÂÂ83 Selby Town Reserves
- 1983âÂÂ84 Hemingbrough United
- 1984âÂÂ85 Melbourne
- 1985âÂÂ86 Poppleton United
- 1986âÂÂ87 Westlers United
- 1987âÂÂ88 Rangers
- 1988âÂÂ89 Black a Moor
- 1989âÂÂ90 Ben Johnsons
- 1990âÂÂ91 Selby RSSC
- 1991âÂÂ92 Post Office
- 1992âÂÂ93 Whitemoor
- 1993âÂÂ94 Kartiers
- 1994âÂÂ95 Malton Bacon Factory
- 1995âÂÂ96 Cawood
- 1996âÂÂ97 Hamilton Panthers
- 1997âÂÂ98 Thorpe United
- 1998âÂÂ99 Stillington
- 1999âÂÂ2000 Hammerton United
- 2000âÂÂ01 Tate & Lyle Selby
- 2001âÂÂ02 LNER Builders
- 2002âÂÂ03 Wilberfoss
- 2003âÂÂ04 Tockwith
- 2004âÂÂ05 Sheriff Hutton
- 2005âÂÂ06 Huby United
- 2006âÂÂ07 St. Clements
- 2007âÂÂ08 Heworth
- 2008âÂÂ09 Terrington Glory
- 2009âÂÂ10 Strensall
- 2010âÂÂ11 Cliffe
- 2011âÂÂ12 Tadcaster Magnets
- 2012âÂÂ13 F1 Racing
- 2013âÂÂ14 Sporting Knavesmire
- 2014âÂÂ15 Kirkbymoorside
- 2015âÂÂ16 Wilberfoss
- 2016âÂÂ17 Heworth Green
- 2017âÂÂ18 Malt Shovel
- 2018âÂÂ19 Wheldrake
References
External links