Western League

WESTERN LEAGUE HISTORY

The Western Football League was formed in 1892. Commonly known as the Toolstation League, the League has 41 member Clubs covering Bristol, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

In the first half of the 20th Century the League enjoyed mixed fortunes, but for the past 60 or more years has been recognised as the strongest of the south western-based leagues. The establishment of a clearly defined pyramid system of promotion for clubs gave all member clubs a clear and achievable route to the Football League. It is recognised that the clubs who win promotion from the League have facilities in excess of the grading requirements, and in recent years the promoted clubs have established themselves well in the higher league.

Clubs in membership over the years have included the reserve teams of all of the Football League clubs in the area but with a change of rules brought in by The FA there are now none. The Western League Premier Division is at Step 5 with the First Division at Step 6.

Four seasons ago The Football Association took on the responsibility for match official appointing for all Contributory Leagues, which led to the League losing its Match Officials Officer. Then, within two years with the reorganisation of non league football, the First Division was re-designated as a Supply League in the refereeing structure, which meant that a Match Officials Officer was once again required to deal with that division.

Over the seasons the standard of play within the League enabled many referees to gain experience and to progress to higher levels, and local referees who became FIFA officials acknowledged that they were able to hone their skills within the Western League, to provide the opportunity to operate successfully on the international scene.

The Western League has led the way in attracting sponsorship and when Rothmans became involved in non league football as sponsors it was the Western League that they chose to support in the south. Since that groundbreaking deal the League officers have been successful in gaining financial backing from south west based businesses.

Great Mills Warehouse, then a well known DIY retail chain, became main sponsors in the early 1980’s only to step away when the company was taken over.

Screwfix Direct Ltd were in the early years of trading when they stepped in with the offer of a three year deal, which lasted for 11 years, again brought to an end because the company was taken over.

Current sponsors, Toolstation Ltd, broke the previous record for Western League sponsorship, and probably for any league at the same level, and have been supporting the league since 2005. Their sponsorship has enabled member clubs to enjoy the benefits of increased prize money, free matchballs and reduced membership fees.

Listed below are the Premier Division and First Division Champions. A list of Award Winners for all our cups and categories can be found by clicking here.

Premier Division Champions

1892-93 Warmley
1893-94 Warmley
1894-95 Hereford Thistle
1895-96 Warmley
1896-97 Warmley
1897-98 Bristol City
1898-99 Swindon Town
1899-00 Bristol Rovers
1900-01 Portsmouth
1901-02 Portsmouth
1902-03 Portsmouth
1903-04 Tottenham Hotspur
1904-05 Plymouth Argyle
1905-06 Queens Park Rangers
1906-07 West Ham United
1907-08 Millwall
1908-09 Millwall
1909-10 Treharris
1910-11 Bristol City
1911-12 Welton Rovers
1912-13 Bristol Rovers
1913-14 Cardiff City
1914-19 No Competition
1919-20 Douglas
1920-21 Bristol City
1921-22 Yeovil and Petters Utd
1922-23 Weymouth
1923-24 Lovells Athletic
1924-25 Yeovil and Petters Utd
1925-26 Bristol City
1926-27 Bristol City
1927-28 Plymouth Argyle
1928-29 Bristol Rovers
1929-30 Yeovil and Petters Utd
1930-31 Exeter City
1931-32 Plymouth Argyle
1932-33 Exeter City
1933-34 Bath City
1934-35 Yeovil and Petters Utd
1935-36 Bristol Rovers
1936-37 Bristol Rovers
1937-38 Bristol City
1938-39 Lovells Athletic
1939-40 Trowbridge Town
1940-45 No Competition
1945-46 Bristol Rovers
1946-47 Trowbridge Town
1947-48 Trowbridge Town
1948-49 Glastonbury
1949-50 Wells City
1950-51 Glastonbury
1951-52 Chippenham Town
1952-53 Barnstaple Town
1953-54 Weymouth
1954-55 Dorchester Town
1955-56 Trowbridge Town
1956-57 Poole Town
1957-58 Salisbury City
1958-59 Yeovil Town
1959-60 Torquay United
1960-61 Salisbury City
1961-62 Bristol City
1962-63 Bristol City
1963-64 Bideford
1964-65 Welton Rovers
1965-66 Welton Rovers
1966-67 Welton Rovers
1967-68 Bridgwater Town
1968-69 Taunton Town
1969-70 Glastonbury
1970-71 Bideford
1971-72 Bideford
1972-73 Devizes Town
1973-74 Welton Rovers
1974-75 Falmouth Town
1975-76 Falmouth Town
1976-77 Falmouth Town
1977-78 Falmouth Town
1978-79 Frome Town
1979-80 Barnstaple Town

 

1980-81 Bridgwater Town
1981-82 Bideford
1982-83 Bideford
1983-84 Exmouth Town
1984-85 Saltash United
1985-86 Exmouth Town
1986-87 Saltash United
1987-88 Liskeard Athletic
1988-89 Saltash United
1989-90 Taunton Town
1990-91 Mangotsfield United
1991-92 Weston-Super-Mare
1992-93 Clevedon Town
1993-94 Tiverton Town
1994-95 Tiverton Town
1995-96 Taunton Town
1996-97 Tiverton Town
1997-98 Tiverton Town
1998-99 Taunton Town
1999-00 Taunton Town
2000-01 Taunton Town
2001-02 Bideford
2002-03 Team Bath
2003-04 Bideford
2004-05 Bideford
2005-06 Bideford
2006-07 Corsham Town
2007-08 Truro City
2008-09 Bitton
2009-10 Bideford
2010-11 Larkhall Athletic
2011-12 Merthyr Town
2012-13 Bishop Sutton
2013-14 Larkhall Athletic
2014-15 Melksham Town
2015-16 Odd Down (Bath)
2016-17 Bristol Manor Farm
2017-18 Street
2018-19 Willand Rovers
2019-20 No Competition
2020-21 No Competition
2021-22 Tavistock
2022-23 Mousehole

 

First Division Champions

1893-94 Warmley Reserves
1894-95 Warmley Reserves
1895-96 Barton Hill
1896-97 Eastville Wanderers
1897-98 Bedminster
1898-99 Staple Hill
1899-00 Bristol East
1900-01 Bristol East
1901-02 Bristol East
1902-03 Bristol Rovers
1903-04 Bristol City
1904-05 Bristol Rovers
1905-06 Bristol Rovers
1906-07 Staple Hill
1907-08 Bristol City
1909-19 No Competition
1919-20 Frome Town
1920-21 Peasedown St John
1921-22 Clandown
1922-25 Single Division
1925-26 Poole Town
1926-27 Poole Town
1927-28 Trowbridge Town
1928-29 Bath City
1929-30 Trowbridge Town
1930-31 Portland United
1931-32 Portland United
1932-33 Swindon Town
1933-34 Weymouth
1934-35 Swindon Town
1935-36 Swindon Town

 

1936-37 Weymouth
1937-38 Weymouth
1938-39 Trowbridge Town
1939-46 No Competition
1946-47 Clandown
1947-48 Salisbury City
1948-49 Chippenham United
1949-50 Barnstaple Town
1950-51 Stonehouse
1951-52 Bideford
1952-53 Chippenham Town Reserves
1953-54 Bristol Rovers Colt
1954-55 Yeovil Town
1955-56 Torquay United
1956-57 Cinderford Town
1957-58 Poole Town
1958-59 Bath City
1959-60 Welton Rovers
1960-76 Single Division
1976-77 Saltash United
1977-78 Keynsham Town
1978-79 AFC Bournemouth Reserves
1979-80 Melksham Town
1980-81 Chippenham Town
1981-82 Shepton Mallet
1982-83 Bristol Manor Farm
1983-84 Bristol City Reserves
1984-85 Portway-Bristol
1985-86 Portway-Bristol
1986-87 Swanage Town & Herston
1987-88 Welton Rovers

 

1988-89 Larkhall Athletic
1989-90 Ottery St Mary
1990-91 Minehead
1991-92 Westbury United
1992-93 Odd Down
1993-94 Barnstaple Town
1994-95 Brislington
1995-96 Bridgwater Town
1996-97 Melksham Town
1997-98 Bishop Sutton
1998-99 Minehead
1999-00 Devizes Town
2000-01 Team Bath
2001-02 Frome Town
2002-03 Torrington
2003-04 Hallen
2004-05 Willand Rovers
2005-06 Dawlish Town
2006-07 Truro City
2007-08 Wellington
2008-09 Larkhall Athletic
2009-10 Wells City
2010-11 Merthyr Town
2011-12 Cadbury Heath
2012-13 Sherborne Town
2013-14 Bradford Town
2014-15 Barnstaple Town
2015-16 Chipping Sodbury Town
2016-17 Wellington
2017-18 Westbury United
2018-19 Keynsham Town
2019-20 No Competition
2020-21 No Competition
2021-22 Sherborne Town
2022-23 Brislington