Shropshire County Premier Football League

Football league

Shropshire County Premier Football League

Founded| 1950
Folded| 2012
Country|  England
Divisions| Premier Division
Division One
Number of clubs| 30 (2011–12)
Level on pyramid| 13 and 14
Feeder to| West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two
Domestic cup(s)| Premier Division Cup
Division One Cup
Ron Jones Memorial Cup

SFA:
Challenge Cup
Junior Challenge Cup

Commander Ethelston Charity Cup
Last champions| Newport Town
(2011–12)

The Shropshire County Premier Football League was an English association football league based in the county of Shropshire. The league, usually known as the Shropshire County League, was founded in 1950 and in the final season had two divisions which sat at levels 13 and 14 of the English football league system. It was dissolved in May 2012 and all member clubs transferred to a new, larger Mercian Regional Football League for the 2012–13 season.[1][2]

Clubs who won this league were promoted to the West Midlands (Regional) League[3] (all champions 2008–2012 were), although on occasion teams (such as Shifnal Town in 1993) instead moved into the Midland Football Combination. The champions of the 2011–12 season – the final season for the league – were Newport Town.

Teams from the Telford Combination were sometimes promoted into the league, as Impact United did in 2008 and Ketley Bank United in 2009.[4] Teams from the Shropshire Alliance were also able to be promoted into the league, as Rock Rovers did in 2011, however the Alliance folded with its last season being 2010–11.[5]

The grounds of several teams in the league, most notably Brown Clee, were featured in David Bauckham's book Dugouts, which noted the high frequency of dugouts with lockable doors which are also used for storage, a feature seemingly unique to clubs in Shropshire.[6]

All scores of the league's Saturday afternoon games were read out on BBC Radio Shropshire, around an hour after full-time.

## 2011–12 season

[edit]

### Premier Division

[edit]

A total of 14 teams took part in the Premier Division in the 2011–12 season, an increase of two from the previous season. 2010–11 champions Haughmond had been promoted to the West Midlands (Regional) League, no team had been relegated from the Premier Division, while 3 teams had come up from Division One: Wellington Amateurs Reserves, Church Stretton Town and Whitchurch Alport Reserves.

Morda United won the Premier Division Cup, beating Ludlow 3–0 in the final.[7]

Church Stretton v Newport in the 2011–12 season, at Russell's Meadow – fixed posts around the pitch and dugouts are ground requirements for teams in the Premier Division. | Team name | Home ground | 2010–11 finish | 2010–11 season points

|
|
|

Broseley Juniors  | Birchmeadow, Cockshutt Lane, Broseley | 12th  | 22
Church Stretton Town | Russell's Meadow, Church Stretton | 10th  | 36
Dawley Villa  | Doseley Road, Dawley, Telford  | 11th  | 30
Ellesmere Rangers Reserves  | Beech Grove, Ellesmere | 8th  | 36
FC Hodnet | Hodent Social Club, Hodnet | 7th  | 41
Impact United  | Grainger Drive, Leegomery, Telford | 14th  | 5
Ketley Bank United  | Ketley Recreation Ground, Bank Way, Ketley Bank, Telford  | 2nd  | 51
Ludlow Town | The SBS Stadium, Ludlow | 6th  | 42
Morda United | Weston Road Ground, Morda | 3rd  | 45
Newport Town | Shuker Field, Barnmeadow Road, Newport | 1st  | 55
Shifnal United  | Idsall Sports Centre, Shifnal | 9th  | 36
Telford Juniors  | Doseley Road, Telford  | 5th  | 43
Wellington Amateurs Reserves  | School Grove, Oakengates, Telford  | 4th  | 44
Whitchurch Alport Reserves  | Yockings Park, Black Park Road, Whitchurch | 13th  | 18

### Division One

[edit]

With the demise of the Shropshire Alliance football league, a total of six teams transferred from the Alliance to the County League: Hopesgate United, Ludlow Town Reserves (they played in the Alliance as Ludlow Town Colts), Oswestry Lions, Prees United, Rock Rovers (2010–11 Alliance champions)[5] and Weston Rhyn. Further, a reserve team of Shawbury United were formed and joined the County League in this division, and Wrockwardine Wood Juniors were promoted from the Shropshire Minor League (they played previously as Oakengates Rangers U18) skipping the Telford Combination. Atlas changed their name to Allscott, and completed the season as the division champions.

The number of teams in Division One therefore increased from 11 in the previous season to 16. With the large number of teams in the division, the Division One Cup and the Ron Jones Memorial Cup competitions did not take place this season.

A number of teams use grounds of higher-league clubs, especially the reserve sides; shown here is Park Hall, home ground of TNS. | Team name | Home ground | 2010–11 finish | 2010–11 season points

|
|
|

Allscott | Allscott Sports & Social, Allscott | 1st  | 71
Bishops Castle Town | Community College, Bishop's Castle | 9th  | 41
Brown Clee  | Hall Meadow, Cleobury North | 10th  | 36
Clee Hill United  | Cleobury Mortimer Leisure Centre, Cleobury Mortimer | 16th  | 15
Hanwood United Reserves  | Hanwood Recreation Ground, Hanwood | 4th  | 57
Hopesgate United  | Minsterley Playing Field, Minsterley | 14th  | 23
Ludlow Town Reserves  | The SBS Stadium, Ludlow | 15th  | 18
Meole Brace  | Church Road, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury  | 12th  | 31
Oakengates Athletic | Hadley Learning Centre, Telford | 3rd  | 61
Oswestry Lions  | The Venue, Park Hall, Oswestry | 8th  | 50
Prees United  | Prees Cricket and Recreation Club, Brades Road, Prees | 7th  | 51
Rock Rovers  | Sports Village, Sundorne, Shrewsbury  | 6th  | 53
Shawbury United Reserves  | Springfield Recreation Ground, Sutton Farm, Shrewsbury†  | 11th  | 35
Weston Rhyn  | Weston Rhyn Playing Fields, Weston Rhyn | 2nd  | 63
Wrockwardine Wood Juniors  | Oakengates Leisure Centre, New Road, Wrockwardine Wood | 13th  | 28
Wroxeter Rovers  | Unison Sports Club, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury | 5th  | 53

†Began the season playing at RAF Shawbury's "Dawsons Rough" pitch, but moved to Springfield in October 2011.[8]

## 2010–11 season

[edit]

### Premier Division

[edit]

Haughmond were the Shropshire County Premier Football League Champions 2010–11 (the side came 2nd in the previous season), and the side also won the Ron Jones Memorial Cup.[9] By chance the final match of the season took place between the teams at first and second place (Haughmond and Ellesmere Rangers Reserves) and decided the League Champion. Ludlow Town came third in the league, while Dawley Villa finished bottom with just 9 points. FC Hodnet won the Premier Division Cup, beating Haughmond in the final.[10]

Ludlow Town joined the County League this season, having voluntarily dropped three levels from the West Midlands (Regional) League's Premier Division, because of financial difficulties.

| Team name | Home ground | 2010–11 finish | 2010–11 season points

|
|
|

Broseley Juniors  | Birchmeadow, Cockshutt Lane, Broseley | 8th  | 23
Dawley Villa  | Doseley Road, Dawley, Telford  | 12th  | 9
Ellesmere Rangers Reserves  | Beech Grove, Ellesmere | 2nd  | 49
FC Hodnet | Hodent Social Club, Hodnet | 5th  | 39
Haughmond | Sports Village, Sundorne, Shrewsbury | 1st | 53
Impact United  | Grainger Drive, Leegomery, Telford | 9th  | 17
Ketley Bank United  | Ketley Recreation Ground, Bank Way, Ketley Bank, Telford  | 7th  | 29
Ludlow Town | The SBS Stadium, Ludlow | 3rd  | 44
Morda United  | Weston Road Ground, Morda | 11th  | 16
Newport Town | Shuker Field, Barnmeadow Road, Newport | 4th  | 41
Shifnal United  | Idsall Sports Centre, Shifnal | 6th  | 34
Telford Juniors  | Doseley Road, Telford  | 10th  | 16

### Division One

[edit]

Wellington Amateurs Reserves were the Division One 2010–11 season champions, while Church Stretton Town came second, and Clee Hill United finished bottom with just 7 points. Wellington also won the Division One Cup, beating Bishop's Castle in the final.[11]

| Team name | Home ground | 2010–11 finish | 2010–11 season points

|
|
|

Atlas  | Allscott Sports & Social, Allscott | 5th  | 31
Bishop's Castle Town  | Community College, Bishop's Castle | 7th  | 30
Brown Clee  | Hall Meadow, Cleobury North | 9th  | 24
Church Stretton Town | Russell's Meadow, Church Stretton | 2nd  | 37
Clee Hill United  | Cleobury Mortimer Leisure Centre, Cleobury Mortimer | 11th  | 7
Hanwood United Reserves  | Hanwood Recreation Ground, Hanwood | 8th  | 24
Meole Brace  | Church Road, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury  | 10th  | 14
Oakengates Athletic | Hadley Learning Centre, Telford | 6th  | 30
Wellington Amateurs Reserves | School Grove, Oakengates, Telford  | 1st | 45
Whitchurch Alport Reserves  | Yockings Park, Black Park Road, Whitchurch | 3rd  | 32
Wroxeter Rovers  | Unison Sports Club, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury | 4th  | 31

## League champions

[edit]

| Season | Champions[12]

|

1950–51 | Lilleshall Miners
1951–52 | Donnington Wood
1952–53 | Donnington Wood
1953–54 | Donnington Wood
1954–55 | Sankeys Wellington
1955–56 | Market Drayton Town
1956–57 | Sentinel
1957–58 | Donnington Wood
1958–59 | Sankeys Wellington
1959–60 | Sankeys Wellington
1960–61 | Donnington Wood
1961–62 | Oswestry Villa
1962–63 | Oswestry Villa
1963–64 | Donnington Wood
1964–65 | Donnington Wood
1965–66 | Sankeys Wellington
1966–67 | Snailbeach White Star
1967–68 | Donnington Wood
1968–69 | Snailbeach White Star
1969–70 | Roden Rovers
1970–71 | Belle Vue Old Boys

| Season | Champions[12]

|

1971–72 | Donnington Wood
1972–73 | Snailbeach White Star
1973–74 | Donnington Wood
1974–75 | Donnington Wood
1975–76 | Shifnal Town
1976–77 | Broseley Athletic
1977–78 | Broseley Athletic
1978–79 | Oakengates Town
1979–80 | Snailbeach White Star
1980–81 | Snailbeach White Star
1981–82 | Snailbeach White Star
1982–83 | Wellington Amateurs
1983–84 | Broseley Athletic
1984–85 | Morda United
1985–86 | Morda United
1986–87 | Morda United
1987–88 | Champion Jockey
1988–89 | Wellington Amateurs
1989–90 | Shifnal Town
1990–91 | Albrighton United
1991–92 | Little Drayton

| Season | Champions[12]

|

1992–93 | Shifnal Town
1993–94 | Meole Brace
1994–95 | Tibberton United
1995–96 | Oakengates Town
1996–97 | Star Aluminium
1997–98 | Shawbury United
1998–99 | Shawbury United
1999–2000 | Belvidere
2000–01 | unknown
2001–02 | Belle Vue Old Boys
2002–03 | Hanwood United
2003–04 | Ellesmere Rangers
2004–05 | Broseley Juniors
2005–06 | Hanwood United
2006–07 | Hanwood United
2007–08 | Hanwood United
2008–09 | Wem Town
2009–10 | St Martins
2010–11 | Haughmond
2011–12 | Newport Town

## Shropshire Alliance

[edit]

The Shropshire Alliance's logo

The Shropshire Alliance was a football league for Shropshire-based teams that ran from the mid-1970s to 2011. It was formed by the merger of the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire Leagues, which were formed in the late 1940s. At its height it comprised three divisions, but the number of teams fell and by the end of the 2010–11 season only 8 teams remained. It was decided in 2011 to fold the league, and 6 of the member teams came over to the Shropshire County League (one of which, Rock Rovers, were the final season's champions and would have been promoted to the County League in any case). The 2010–11 season was therefore the final season.[5] Being a feeder to the County League, the Shropshire Alliance was effectively at level 15 of the English football pyramid.

## See also

[edit]

* Mercian Regional Football League
* Shropshire Football Association
* Shropshire#Football

## References

[edit]

1. ^ FA Full Time Dissolution of the Shropshire County Premier Football League
2. ^ Shropshire Star Big shake-up of Shropshire football league system (10 March 2012)
3. ^ History page on the WMRL's website[usurped]
4. ^ Shropshire Star
5. ^ a b c Shropshire Star Sadness as football league wound up (6 July 2011)
6. ^ Bauckham, David (2006). Dugouts. New Holland. ISBN 1-84537-478-9.
7. ^ The FA (Full-Time League Websites) Morda United 3 – 0 Ludlow Town
8. ^ Shawbury United Reserves Latest News – 13 October 2011
9. ^ BBC News Haughmond win Shropshire Premier League
10. ^ The FA (Full-Time League Websites) Haughmond 1 – 2 FC Hodnet
11. ^ The FA (Full-Time League Websites) Bishops Castle Town 1 – 2 Wellington Amateurs Reserves
12. ^ a b c Official website

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