Anglian Combination

Anglian Combination

Country	England
Confederation	Norfolk F.A.
Founded	1964
Divisions	7
Number of teams	112 (2015-16)
Level on pyramid	Levels 11–16
Feeder to	Eastern Counties League (Division One)
Relegation to	Central and South Norfolk League Great Yarmouth & District Football League North East Norfolk League North West Norfolk League
Domestic cup(s)	Don Frost Memorial Cup Senior League Cup Junior League Cup Reserve League Cup
Current champions	Acle United (2014-15)
Most championships	Blofield United (6)
Website	Official website

The Anglian Combination Football League is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk with rules stating that clubs should be within a 50 miles radius from the centre of Norwich^[1]

It consists of 112 teams and has seven divisions – the Premier Division, Division 1 to 4 plus the two regionalised divisions, Division 5 North and South. Its top division is currently at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. An U19 Development Division has been proposed to start in the 2014–15 season depending on interest.

Each season, the best of the Anglian Combination's footballers are selected to represent the Anglian Combination in the FA Inter-League Cup, a cup competition for the FA's regional leagues.

C.N.S.O.B.U. (City of Norwich School Old Boys Union) were the first ever champions of the Anglian Combination in 1965, winning the Senior A division in the league's transitional season.

Acle United will be the reigning champions for the 2015–16 season after winning the Anglian Combination for the third time, becoming only the second club ever to win three top division titles in a row (the first being Wroxham who won four titles in a row between 1981 and 1985).

History

The league was formed in 1964, as a merger of the East Anglian League and the Norfolk & Suffolk League (established 1897) and had a transitional season in 1964–65 before settling down to a regular format for the 1965–66 season of four divisions for first teams and three for reserves. A further division for first teams was added for 1966–67, and that format remained unchanged until the previously separate reserve divisions incorporated into the main structure for the 2003–04 season. The winners of the Premier Division are also known as the Sterry Cup winners and are eligible for promotion to the Eastern Counties League.

After a league meeting of the Anglian Combination clubs on 9 February 2011, it was decided the Anglian Combination would adopt the FA's Respect programme. This included the practice of all players on the two teams and match officials shaking hands before the game.^[2]

On 25 June 2012, a proposed trial for rolling substitutions was rejected by Anglian Combination clubs at a league AGM ^[3]

To try and solve problems with decreasing youth participation, an U19 Development Division was agreed on at a league AGM on 17 June 2013 with the competition expected to start from the 2014–15 season at the earliest.

Sponsorship

From 1992–2006, the chartered accountants Lovewell Blake sponsored the league. Dolphin Autos took over sponsorship of the league from 2006–2010. Gleave & Associates sponsored the league for the 2010–11 season.

Gleave & Associates ended their sponsorship of the league after the 2010–11 following which there was a period of three seasons without sponsorship^[4] before the independent financial advisors, Almary Green, agreed to sponsor the league for the 2014–15 season^[5]

Format and regulations

No more than 80 clubs and 132 teams (first and reserve teams) are to be permitted to the league system. In theory this means that no more than 52 clubs can have both a first and reserve team competing in the league. No more than one team from a club can play in the same division. The Premier Division and Division 1 are "senior" divisions while the rest of the divisions are "junior" divisions. There is a limit of 16 teams for each division except for the Premier Division, which has a limit of 24 teams. Some divisions do get reduced in size either at the start of the season or during the season because of teams withdrawing, due to not enough players or financial problems. Their places for the next season are taken by teams elected from the feeder leagues. Teams play each other twice, home and away, in a double round robin format.

In Division 1 to Division 5, the top two clubs are promoted while the bottom two are relegated. In the Premier Division, there is no automatic promotion as clubs need to meet the FA's ground grading guide for Eastern Counties Division 1 in order to do so, as well as being in competition for promotion with champions of other feeder leagues to the Eastern Counties leagues. Only teams finishing in the top two of the Premier Division are eligible for promotion (the runners-up are eligible if the champions decide not to apply for promotion). The bottom two clubs are relegated to Division 1. In Division 6, the top two earn promotion, but there is no automatic relegation. Clubs need to be elected from the feeder leagues below, in order for relegation to occur, providing that there are no places in other divisions in the league to fill due to withdrawals. ^[6]

There are some interesting rules in the Anglian Combination. Unlike professional leagues, no team or goalkeeper is allowed to wear black or very dark shirts. This is because referees kits in this division are all black compared to professional leagues in which referees wear different coloured kits where appropriate. Another rule of interest is that matches can be less than 90 minutes but no less than 70 minutes, although this rule only comes into play if the two team captains and referee agree prior to kick-off and it is common sense for the match to be shorter than 90 minutes. A typical reason that this rule comes into play is for evening kick-offs due to a lack of natural light if the ground of the home team doesn't have floodlights. Similarly half-time intervals can be less than 10–15 minutes with the consent of the referee.

FA Charter Standard

The Anglian Combination is looking to become a designated FA Charter Standard League. Member clubs have until the end of the 2014–15 season to become an FA Charter Standard club or they face expulsion from the league. New member clubs have one season to achieve Charter Standard status.

Transfers

Players are allowed to move clubs at any point during the season. However each player is only permitted one move during the season. Once they move, they cannot move again until after the season's end.

Players

• Any team shall not have more than three players who have played in a more senior cup competition in two of the three consecutive games immediately prior to a league game.
• Players must be at least 16 years old to play an Anglian Combination game.

Premier Division ground grading

Clubs in the Premier Division are subject to the FA's Ground Grading regulations where they are subject to the regulations of Grade H Clubs that fail to comply to the regulations by a certain deadline could face expulsion to Division 1 at the end of the season. Every Premier Division club in the 2011–12 competition met the deadline of 31 March 2012 except North Walsham Town. They were given a deadline of 25 June 2012 to raise the funds and complete the work needed to meet regulations. Otherwise North Walsham Town would have been demoted to Division 1.^[7] However after finding the funds and getting the necessary upgrades done in time, they stayed in the Premier Division for the 2012–13 season (although they were relegated at the end of the 2012–13 season).

U19 Development Division

Over the years, the Anglian Combination has had problems with retaining players who have come from U16 Youth football with the numbers going on to play in the Anglian Combination dwindling. A big reason for this has been the gap between youth and adult football in terms of physicality where young 15- to 16-year-old players suddenly come up against adult players, some of whom are big and physical and have been around the adult scene for years. To try and bridge the gap, an U19 Development Division was voted for at the Anglian Combination AGM on 17 June 2013.^[8] To further help youth players, three over age players will be able to play in the starting eleven to pass on vital experience for these youngsters. There will be a maximum of 12 teams in the division^[9] The 2014–15 season will be the earliest the U19 competition will start.

Clubs for 2015–16 season

• Premier Division (Sterry Cup)

Acle United | Blofield United | Caister | Cromer Town | Dersingham Rovers | Harleston Town | Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves | Long Stratton | Mattishall | Mulbarton Wanderers | Norwich CEYMS | Reepham Town | Scole United | Spixworth | St. Andrews | Wroxham Reserves

• Division One (East Anglian Division 1 Cup)

Aylsham | Beccles Town | Bradenham Wanderers | Bungay Town | Foulsham | Hellesdon | Hempnall | Hindringham | Holt United | Loddon United | North Walsham Town | Poringland Wanderers | Sheringham | Stalham Town | Waveney | Wymondham Town

• Division Two (Allerton Cup)

Acle United Reserves | Attleborough Town | Blofield United Reserves | Caister Reserves | East Harling | Easton | Horsford United | Hoveton Wherrymen | Martham | Mundford | Norwich CEYMS Reserves | Sprowston Athletic | Thetford Rovers | University of East Anglia | Wells Town | Yelverton

• Division Three (East Anglian Division 2 Cup)

Beccles Caxton | Brandon Town | Buxton | Costessey Sports | Downham Town Reserves | Fakenham Town Reserves | Freethorpe | Hemsby | Loddon United Reserves | Long Stratton Reserves | Mattishall Reserves | Redgate Rangers | South Walsham | Sprowston Wanderers | Swaffham Town Reserves | Watton United

• Division Four (George Hunt Cup)

Bungay Town Reserves | Dersingham Rovers Reserves | Earsham | Feltwell United | Gayton United | Hingham Athletic | Horsford United Reserves | North Walsham Town Reserves | Reepham Town Reserves | Sheringham Reserves | Sprowston Athletic Reserves | St. Andrews Reserves | Stalham Town Reserves | Thorpe Village | Wymondham Town Reserves

• Division Five North

Aylsham Reserves | Bradenham Wanderers Reserves | Costessey Sports Reserves | Cromer Town Reserves | Easton Reserves | Hellesdon Reserves | Hindringham Reserves | Martham Reserves | Mundford Reserves | Necton | Plumstead Rangers | South Walsham Reserves | Spixworth Reserves | University of East Anglia Reserves | Wells Town Reserves

• Division Five South

Attleborough Town Reserves | Beccles Town Reserves | Corton Seltic | East Harling Reserves | Freethorpe Reserves | Gorleston F.C. Reserves | Great Yarmouth Town Reserves | Harleston Town Reserves | Hempnall Reserves | Mulbarton Wanderers Reserves | Newton Flotman | Poringland Wanderers Reserves | Scole United Reserves | Thetford Rovers Reserves | Thetford Town Reserves | Waveney Reserves

• Withdrawals

The following teams started the season but have withdrawn during the season:

Foulsham Reserves (Division 5 North) | Redgrave Rangers (Division 4)

Anglian Combination winners

The Sterry Cup which is handed to the winners of the Anglian Combination.

1964–65

For the league's first "transitional" season, the members of the amalgamating leagues were split into three tiers, "Senior", "Junior" and "Reserves". Each of these three tiers was split into two parallel divisions, designated simply "A" and "B".

1965–2003

After the initial transitional season, the first teams in the league were split into four divisions, based on their finishing positions in the 1964–65 season. These became the Premier Division, Divisions 1, 2 and 3. A Division 4 was added for the 1966–67 season. Reserve sides were similarly split into three divisions, Reserve Divisions 1, 2 and 3.

2003–2015

In 2003 the league was re-organised, reducing the number of divisions from eight to seven. The reserve divisions were included within the main structure of the league, allowing the reserve teams the possibility of promotion to the divisions containing other clubs' first teams.

2015-present

To try and tackle the issue of travel costs for players and clubs at lower levels of the league, the Anglian Combination's bottom two divisions have been regionalised into Division 5 North and South for the 2015-16 season. This means that Division 6 will cease to exist. Travel costs are one of a number of reasons why teams fold in the lower divisions of the league and it is hoped that the re-structuring will help slow and maybe even reverse the negative trend. Generally the A47 road from King's Lynn to Great Yarmouth is the cut off point for determining whether clubs in Division 5 are placed in the North or South division

Premier Division league titles by club

Cup competitions

In addition to the league, clubs take part in the following cup competitions:

• Don Frost Memorial Cup

Single match between the winners of the Senior League (Mummery) Cup and the winners of the Premier Division from the previous season.

• Senior League Cup

Cup competition for all clubs in the Premier Division and Division 1. The two teams drawn together for each tie play one match with extra-time then penalties separating the sides.

• Junior League Cup

Cup competition for any side competing in Divisions 2,3,4,5 and 6 plus the reserve sides of Eastern Counties League clubs competing in the Norfolk or Suffolk county cups. The two teams drawn together for each tie play one match with extra-time then penalties separating the sides.

• Reserve League Cup

Cup competition for any of the reserve sides in Divisions 2,3,4,5 and 6.

• Norfolk Senior Cup

Norfolk's premier cup competition with all teams from Norfolk that play in the Premier Division, Division 1 and any Norfolk sides that compete in the Eastern Counties League.

• Norfolk Junior County Cup

Main cup competition for junior sides from Norfolk that compete in Divisions 2,3,4,5 and 6 of the league as well as sides from the lower leagues.

• Suffolk Senior County Cup

Open to teams from Suffolk that play in the Premier Division and Division 1 as well as Suffolk teams playing in the Eastern Counties League.

• Suffolk Junior County Cup

Cup competition for teams from Suffolk in Divisions 2,3,4,5 and 6 as well as reserve sides of clubs that are in the Eastern Counties League that are competing in the Suffolk Senior Cup.

References

External links

• Official League website
• Online League Documents and Rules
• Diss Express – local newspaper website covering several of the league's teams
• FA Full Time Anglian Combination League Tables and results