Metropolitan League

Metropolitan League
Founded 1949
First season 1949–50
Folded 1971
Country  England
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
Amateur 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
1949–50St Neots & District[5]St Neots & District
1950–51Dagenham
1951–52Horsham Tonbridge reserves
1952–53Tonbridge reserves Tonbridge reserves
1953–54Headington United reserves
1954–55Chelsea 'A' Chelsea 'A'
1955–56Hastings United reserves
1956–57Chelsea 'A' Tonbridge reserves
1957–58Chelsea 'A'West Ham United 'A'[6]
1958–59Arsenal 'A'
1959–60Luton Town 'A' West Ham United 'A'
1960–61Arsenal 'A'Arsenal 'A'Arsenal 'A'
1961–62Dartford reserves Arsenal 'A'
1962–63Arsenal 'A'
1963–64Charlton Athletic 'A'Tottenham Hotspur 'A'
1964–65Gillingham reservesTottenham Hotspur 'A'St Neots Town[7]
1965–66Bury TownArsenal 'A'
1966–67Tottenham Hotspur 'A'Brentwood TownWest Ham United 'A'
1967–68Chelmsford City reservesBury TownChelmsford City reserves
1968–69Bury Town West Ham United 'A'
1969–70Wellingborough Town
1970–71Epping Town[8]Cray WanderersBedford Town reserves

Member clubs

During its existence, 67 clubs (including reserve teams) played in the league:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Cray Wanderers in the Metropolitan League Cray Wanderers FC
  2. ↑ Dagenham at the Football Club History Database
  3. ↑ Tonbridge Reserves at the Football Club History Database
  4. ↑ Bracknell Town at the Football Club History Database
  5. ↑ St Neots & District at the Football Club History Database
  6. ↑ Blakeman, M (2010) The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935-2010, Volume II ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
  7. ↑ Awards St Neots Town FC
  8. ↑ Epping Town at the Football Club History Database
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