Suffolk and Ipswich Football League

Suffolk and Ipswich Football League
Country England
Founded 1896
First season 1896–97
Divisions 8
Level on pyramid Levels 11–16
Feeder to Eastern Counties League
Promotion to Eastern Counties League
Division One
Relegation to Lowestoft & District League
St Edmundsbury League
Domestic cup(s) Suffolk Senior Cup Winners (Lakenhead)
Current champions Crane Sports (Senior Division)
(2014–15)
Website suffolkandipswichleague.co.uk

The Suffolk and Ipswich Football League is a football competition based in Suffolk, England. The league has a total of nine divisions; the Senior Division, divisions 1–6 and two reserve divisions. The Senior Division is at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. The league was founded in 1896 as the Ipswich & District League changing its name in 1978.[1]

The Senior Division champions may apply for promotion to the Eastern Counties League Division One. Clubs from the league to progress up the pyramid include Whitton United, Sudbury Town, Hadleigh United, Woodbridge Town, Needham Market, Walsham-le-Willows, and Debenham LC.

The champion club in the St. Edmundsbury Football League is able to seek promotion to the Suffolk and Ipswich League competition but to date few clubs have taken up this opportunity.

The league is affiliated to the Suffolk County Football Association.

History

The league was established in 1896 at the initiative of F C H Gibbons. Gibbons placed an advert in the East Anglian Daily Times stating that he intended to launch a Football League for Ipswich and the surrounding area.[2] A meeting on 10 September 1896 was attended by officials from 18 clubs:

  • Brantham Athletic
  • Churchmans
  • Great Eastern Railway
  • Higher Grade School
  • Institute Rovers

  • St Clement
  • St Helen
  • St Lawrence Works
  • St Mary Stoke
  • St Matthew
  • Stoke United
  • Trinity Old Boys
  • West End Excelsiors

The league started in October that year, but without Ipswich Town.[2] The top division was known as Division One until 1950, when it became the Premier Division. It was re–named Senior Division in 1978.

List of champions

Senior Division

  • 1979–80 Nicholians Locomotive
  • 1980–81 Ransomes
  • 1981–82 Westerfield United
  • 1982–83 Haughley United
  • 1983–84 Westerfield United
  • 1984–85 Westerfield United
  • 1985–86 Achilles
  • 1986–87 RSSC Ransomes
  • 1987–88 Achilles
  • 1988–89 Woodbridge Town
  • 1989–90 Grundisburgh
  • 1990–91 Grundisburgh
  • 1991–92 Framlingham Town
  • 1992–93 Whitton United
  • 1993–94 Grundisburgh
  • 1994–95 Whitton United
  • 1995–96 Needham Market
  • 1996–97 Haughley United
  • 1997–98 Grundisburgh
  • 1998–99 Walton United
  • 1999–00 Grundisburgh
  • 2000–01 Grundisburgh
  • 2001–02 Walsham-le-Willows
  • 2002–03 Walsham-le-Willows
  • 2003–04 East Bergholt United
  • 2004–05 East Bergholt United
  • 2005–06 East Bergholt United
  • 2006–07 Grundisburgh
  • 2007–08 Brantham Athletic
  • 2008–09 Grundisburgh
  • 2009–10 Old Newton United
  • 2010–11 Grundisburgh
  • 2011–12 Woodbridge Athletic
  • 2012–13 Ipswich Valley Rangers
  • 2013–14 Achilles
  • 2014–15 Crane Sports

2014–15 Members

Senior Division

Achilles | Bramford United | Capel Plough | Crane Sports | East Bergholt United | Felixstowe Harpers United | Framlingham Town | Grundisburgh | Haughley United | Ipswich Athletic | Ipswich Valley Rangers | Leiston St. Margaret's | Stanton | Wenhaston United | Westerfield United | Wickham Market

Division One

AFC Hoxne | Bacton United 89 | Benhall St. Mary | Claydon | Coplestonians | Henley Athletic | Ipswich Exiles | Mendlesham | Old Newton United | Ransomes Sports | Somersham | Sporting 87 | Trimley Athletic

Division Two

AFC Kesgrave & Willis | Barham Athletic | Bartons | Bildeston Rangers | Boxford Rovers | Bramford Road Old Boys | Cedars Park | Salvation Army | Sproughton Sports | Stonham Aspal | Stowupland Falcons | Trimley Red Devils | Witnesham Wasps

Intermediate A

Achilles Reserves | Caple Plough Reserves | Coplestonians Reserves | Crane Sports Reserves | East Bergholt United Reserves | Felixstowe Harpers United Reserves | Grundisburgh Reserves | Ipswich Valley Rangers Reserves | Mendlesham Reserves | Old Newton United Reserves | Sporting 87 Reserves | Wenhaston United Reserves | Westerfield United Reserves

Intermediate B

AFC Hoxne Reserves | Benhall St. Mary Reserves | Bramford United Reserves | Claydon Reserves | Coplestonians 'A' | Framlingham Town Reserves | Haughley United Reserves | Henley Athletic Reserves | Ipswich Athletic Reserves | Ipswich Exiles Reserves | Ipswich Wanderers Reserves | Trimley Athletic Reserves | Wickham Market Reserves

Intermediate C

Bacton United Reserves | Bramford Road Old Boys Reserves | Cedars Park Reserves | Debenham LC Reserves | East Bergholt United 'A' | Leiston St. Margarets Reserves | Old Newton United 'A' | Ransomes Sports Reserves | Somersham Reserves | Stonham Aspal Reserves | Stowupland Falcons Reserves | Trimley Red Devils Reserves

Division Three

Chantry Grasshoppers | Cockfield United | Coddenham Athletic | Elmswell | Halesworth Town | Saxmundham Sports | Shotley | Sizewell Associates | Sproughton United | Tacket Street Boys Brigade Old Boys | Tattingstone United | Ufford Sports

Division Four

AFC Elmsett | AFC Kesgrave & Willis Reserves | Cockfield United Reserves | Halesworth Town Reserves | Kesgrave Kestrels | Sporting 87 'A' | Stonham Aspal 'A' | Stowupland Falcons 'A' | Stradbroke United | Tattingstone United Reserves | Witnesham Wasps Reserves | Woolverstone United

Division Five

Adastral Park | AFC Titans | Bacton United 89 'A' | Cedars Park 'A' | Chantry Grasshoppers Reserves | Kesgrave Kestrels Reserves | Needham Market Phoenix | Sproughton Sports Reserves | Stage Event Security | Sutton Heath Saxons | Ufford Sports Reserves

League Cup

The league also runs a league cup, known since 1997 as the Omnico Cup for sponsorship purposes. Between 1976 and 1997 it was known as the McNeil League Knock–Out Cup, and is now known as the Bob Coleman Cup.[2]

List of winners

References

  1. ↑ KP Wood (1996). Five Score - The SIL Football Book Of The Century, p. 184. ISBN 978-0-9526272-0-3.
  2. 1 2 3 League History Suffolk & Ipswich League

External links

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