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 league is currently sponsored by
Lancaster-based radio station
The Bay. 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.
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
Non-League football describes football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is specifically used to d ...
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
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, plus areas of
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. C ...
, Greater Manchester,
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Mersey Estuary and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wi ...
, and even
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
.
In past seasons the league has included former Football League club
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
and the forerunners of current Football League side
Morecambe.
Current members (2021-22)
The constitution for season 2021-22 is as follows:
Premier Division
*
Blackpool Wren Rovers
*Burscough Richmond
*CMB
*Coppull United
*
Euxton Villa
*Fulwood Amateurs
*Hurst Green
*Lytham Town
*Poulton
*Slyne-with-Hest
*Southport Hesketh
*Tempest United
*Thornton Cleveleys
*
Turton
*Vickerstown
*
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a town and port on the English north west coast and near to the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies by road south-west of Carlisle and to the north of Barrow-in-Furness. It i ...
Division One
*Askam United
*Crooklands Casuals
*Croston Sports
*
Eagley
*Haslingden St Mary's
*Hawcoat Park
*Hesketh Bank
*Horwich St Mary's
*Kendal County
*Lostock St. Gerards
*Millom
*Milnthorpe Corinthians
*Stoneclough
*Ulverston Rangers
*Wyre Villa
Division Two
*Burnley United
*Carnforth Rangers
*Cartmel & District
*
Charnock Richard
Charnock Richard is a small village and civil parish in the borough of Chorley, Lancashire, in England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 1,748.
History
The village was named in the early 13th century by the local ...
Reserves
*Chipping
*
Dalton United
*Freckleton
*Furness Rovers
*Galgate
*
Garstang
Garstang is an ancient market town and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is north of the city of Preston and the same distance south of Lancaster.
In 2011, the parish had a total resident population of 4,268; ...
Reserves
*Kendal United
*Rossendale UTFM
*Storeys of Lancaster
*Walney Island
West Lancashire League Champions
Member clubs progressing to higher standard leagues
References
External links
*
League site at FA Full-Time
{{Football in England table cells
1904 establishments in England
Football leagues in England
Football in Lancashire
Football in Cumbria
Sports leagues established in 1904