Metropolitan League
| Country |
 England |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1949 |
| First season | 1949–50 |
| Folded | 1971 |
| Divisions |
One (1949–1963, 1964–1971) Two (1963–1964) |
| Number of teams |
Lowest: 9 (1949–50) Highest: 22 (1964–65) |
| Feeder to | Southern League |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup |
| League cup(s) |
League Cup Professional Cup |
The Metropolitan League was a football league in the south-east of England.
History
The league was founded in 1949 after several clubs learnt plans for a second division of the Southern League would come to nothing shortly before the start of the season.[1] Originally named the Metropolitan & District League,[2] it was renamed the Metropolitan League in 1959.[3] The league was largely composed of professional clubs or their reserve or youth teams, and was frequently described as an unofficial lower division of the Southern League.[1] The league added a second division in 1963, but it ran for only a single season.
However, with the league reduced to only 12 clubs in 1970–71 and several of those about to leave to join the Southern League at the end of the season, the league merged with the Greater London League to form the Metropolitan–London League. This league ceased to exist in 1975 when it merged with the Spartan League to form the London Spartan League,[4] which readopted the name Spartan League in 1987.
Champions
| Season | Champions | League Cup winners | Professional Cup winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949–50 | St Neots & District[5] | St Neots & District | |
| 1950–51 | Dagenham | ||
| 1951–52 | Horsham | Tonbridge reserves | |
| 1952–53 | Tonbridge reserves | Tonbridge reserves | |
| 1953–54 | Headington United reserves | ||
| 1954–55 | Chelsea 'A' | Chelsea 'A' | |
| 1955–56 | Hastings United reserves | ||
| 1956–57 | Chelsea 'A' | Tonbridge reserves | |
| 1957–58 | Chelsea 'A' | West Ham United 'A'[6] | |
| 1958–59 | Arsenal 'A' | ||
| 1959–60 | Luton Town 'A' | West Ham United 'A' | |
| 1960–61 | Arsenal 'A' | Arsenal 'A' | Arsenal 'A' |
| 1961–62 | Dartford reserves | Arsenal 'A' | |
| 1962–63 | Arsenal 'A' | ||
| 1963–64 | Charlton Athletic 'A' | Tottenham Hotspur 'A' | |
| 1964–65 | Gillingham reserves | Tottenham Hotspur 'A' | St Neots Town[7] |
| 1965–66 | Bury Town | Arsenal 'A' | |
| 1966–67 | Tottenham Hotspur 'A' | Brentwood Town | West Ham United 'A' |
| 1967–68 | Chelmsford City reserves | Bury Town | Chelmsford City reserves |
| 1968–69 | Bury Town | West Ham United 'A' | |
| 1969–70 | Wellingborough Town | ||
| 1970–71 | Epping Town[8] | Cray Wanderers | Bedford Town reserves |
Member clubs
During its existence, 67 clubs (including reserve teams) played in the league:
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cray Wanderers in the Metropolitan League Cray Wanderers FC
- ↑ Dagenham at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ Tonbridge Reserves at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ Bracknell Town at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ St Neots & District at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ Blakeman, M (2010) The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935-2010, Volume II ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
- ↑ Awards St Neots Town FC
- ↑ Epping Town at the Football Club History Database
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