| Countries | England |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971 |
| Divisions |
|
| Number of teams | 33 17 (North Division) 16 (South Division) |
| Levels on pyramid | 11th (North and South Divisions) |
| Feeder to | |
| Promotion to | Northern Counties East League |
| Relegation to | |
| Current champions | 2010–11: Sheffield Parramore (Supreme Division) Yorkshire Main (Premier Division) |
The Central Midlands Football League is an English football league covering the northeast-central part of England. Formed in 1971 as the South Derbyshire League, changing name initially to the Derbyshire League before taking on its current name in 1983, it covers Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. Since the 2004–05 season, their principal sponsor has been Abacus Lighting.
The number of divisions has varied over time as follows
Within the English football league system, the Central Midlands League's two divisions, called the North Division and South Division, are considered part of the National League System (at Step 7), while the two reserve divisions are not. Four clubs from the previously-named Premier Division had the distinction of being the lowest-ranked clubs, and only ones outside the NLS, accepted for the 2006–07 FA Vase.
Buckingham Insurance sponsor the Supreme Division, Vipond Fire Protection the Premier Division, and "Lee's" sponsor the Reserve Premier Division and 15-team Reserve Division One.
Champions of the North Division are eligible (if they meet ground standards) for promotion to the Northern Counties East League and champions of the South Division are eligible for promotion to the East Midlands Counties League, and some clubs have progressed from the CML to the Football Conference North and Northern Premier League. A representative side from the league takes part in the FA Inter-League Cup.
Five local leagues are below the CML on the pyramid. These are the Midlands Regional Alliance, the Humber Premier League, the Nottinghamshire Senior League, the Doncaster and District Senior League, and the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League. In most cases these have multiple divisions or feeder leagues of their own.
For the 2008–09 season, eight of the leading sides left the Central Midlands League to join forces with eight clubs from the Leicestershire Senior League to form a new league at Step 6 of the National League System.
|
North Division
|
South Division
|
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–84 | Ashbourne | Derby Rolls Royce | Shepshed Charterhouse reserves |
| 1984–85 | Graham St Prims reserves | Ilkeston Town reserves | Rossington Main |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 | Huthwaite | Stanton |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–87 | Hinckley Town | Stanton | Shirebrook Construction |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | Harworth Colliery Institute | Huthwaite |
| 1988–89 | Boston | Priory Eastwood |
| 1989–90 | Hucknall Town | Mickleover Royal British Legion |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Hucknall Town | Mickleover Royal British Legion | Gedling Town |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division North | Premier Division South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | Lincoln United | Fryston Colliery Welfare | Slack & Parr |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Arnold Town | Sandicare Town |
| 1993–94 | Glapwell | Nuthall |
| 1994–95 | Heanor Town | Clipstone Welfare |
| 1995–96 | Oakham United | Killamarsh Juniors |
| 1996–97 | Heanor Town | Clipstone Welfare |
| 1997–98 | Gedling Town | Goole |
| 1998–99 | Mickleover Sports | Lincoln Moorlands |
| 1999–00 | Lincoln Moorlands | Holbrook |
| 2000–01 | Shirebrook Town | North Notts |
| 2001–02 | Shirebrook Town | Retford United |
| 2002–03 | Carlton Town | Pelican |
| 2003–04 | Retford United | Radcliffe Olympic |
| 2004–05 | Dunkirk | AFC Barnsley |
| 2005–06 | Barton Town Old Boys | Bilborough Pelican |
| 2006–07 | Bottesford Town | Hatfield Main |
| 2007–08 | Askern Welfare | Ollerton Town |
| 2008–09 | Radcliffe Olympic | Louth Town |
| 2009–10 | Louth Town | Church Warsop Miners Welfare |
| 2010–11 | Sheffield Parramore | Yorkshire Main |
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||