CLUBS E – K

 

FOR CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE, LANCASHIRE COMBINATION AND NORTH WEST COUNTIES LEAGUE, PLEASE USE THE NORTH WEST BUTTON.

FOR MIDLAND LEAGUE, NORTH EASTERN LEAGUE, NORTHERN LEAGUE, NORTHERN COUNTIES (EAST) LEAGUE AND YORKSHIRE LEAGUE, PLEASE USE THE NORTH EAST BUTTON.

FOR NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE (UNIBOND), PLEASE USE THE NORTH BUTTON.

FOR ALLIANCE PREMIER LEAGUE/CONFERENCE (NATIONAL) AND CONFERENCE NORTH, PLEASE USE THE CONFER. BUTTON.

 

EMLEY

 

Emley became members of the Yorkshire League in 1969, going on to win the title 4 times before becoming founder members of the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982.  This competition was won twice during the next few years and Emley joined the Northern Premier League in 1989.  The next change was a switch to play in Wakefield in 2002 under the name ‘Wakefield & Emley’, with a modification of this to Wakefield-Emley in 2004.  The partnership does not seem to have been an ‘easy’ one, however.  In 2005 AFC Emley was set up and entered the West Yorkshire League, joining the Northern Counties (East) League in 2006, when Wakefield-Emley became simply ‘Wakefield’. 

 

A club named ‘Wakefield City’ had existed many years before all this, joining the Yorkshire League in 1920, being admitted to the Midland League in 1921 and returning to the Yorkshire League in 1922.

A number of clubs from the ‘Wakefield and the 5 towns’ area played in either the Midland League or the Yorkshire League in the 1920s/30s/40s, including teams from Castleford, Upton and Altofts, with Pontefract Collieries involved in the Northern Counties (East) League more recently.

 

FARSLEY CELTIC

 

The Villagers joined the Yorkshire League in 1949, remaining there until the amalgamation of the competition with the Midland League, which saw Farsley enter the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982.   When, in 1987, the Northern Premier League established a 1^st Division, Celtic joined.  The club was promoted to the Premier Division in 2004 and to the Conference North in 2006.  A further promotion saw Farsley Celtic spend the 2007-2008 season in Conference National, with a return to Conference North in 2008.

 

FLEETWOOD TOWN

 

The original Fleetwood Town joined the Lancashire Combination in 1910.  Despite some gaps in membership, the club remained there until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968, folding not long after this.  A new club was set up in 1977 and joined the Cheshire County League in 1978.  Four years later the Fleetwood club became founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982, switching to the Northern Premier League in 1987 before folding again in 1996.  The name Fleetwood was quick to reappear in football again, however, in the North West Counties League.  In 2005 the Northern Premier League was joined, with promotion to Conference North following in 2008.

FRICKLEY COLLIERY

 

Frickley joined the Yorkshire League in 1922, then moved to the Midland League in 1924.  The club were members of this competition, apart from the 1933-1934 season, until 1960 when the league disbanded.  Frickley moved to the Cheshire County League at this point, returning to the new version of the Midland League in 1970.  The club changed its name to Frickley Athletic when joining the Northern Premier League in 1976.  Success continued and a step up to the Alliance Premier League (Conference) was made in 1980.  In 1987, however, Frickley returned to the Northern Premier League.

 

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY

 

Founder members of the Midland League in 1889, Trinity spent the years 1896-1912 in the Football League Division 2.  Loss of League status saw the club return to the Midland League in 1912, with 3 titles won by the time the old competition disbanded in 1960.  Gainsborough had one uneventful season in the Yorkshire League 1960-1961 before joining the re-formed Midland League in 1961, with a fourth title won in 1967.  A year later, the club joined the new Northern Premier League and were members 1968-2004.  In 2004, Trinity moved into Conference North for its first season.

 

GATESHEAD

 

There was a Gateshead Town playing in the North Eastern League 1911-1915.  The Football League arrived in the Tyneside town when South Shields changed home and name in 1930.  Voted out of the League to make way for Peterborough United Gateshead joined the Northern Counties League in 1960, moving to the North Regional League two years later.  The club were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, but left in 1970.  In the years 1971-1973 Gateshead played in the Midland League, prior to folding.  A year later, however, South Shields FC moved to Gateshead and under the name ‘Gateshead United’ the town had a club in the Northern Premier League once more 1974-1977.

 

It appears that a new club was formed in1977 and playing in the NPL, which was won in 1983, so Gateshead became members of the Alliance Premier League (Conference) 1983-1985.  In the years which followed, fortunes were a little mixed.  The NPL was rejoined for years 1985-1986, 1987-1990 and 1998-2008.  The club had two spells in the ‘gap years’ (1986-1987 and 1990-1998) in the Conference.  For 2008-2009 Gateshead played in Conference North while the club’s unique history saw it promoted to Conference National in 2009.

 

GLOSSOP NORTH END

 

Glossop North End started in The Combination in 1894, switching to the Midland League in 1896, from where election to the Football League was secured in 1898.  Promoted to Division 1 at the first attempt the club dropped the ‘North End’ part of their name as they were now (in theory) the equals of Preston North End.  The smallest town ever to have 1^st Division football, Glossop had just one ‘season in the Sun’ before slipping back to Division 2, where they stayed until 1915 when the club left the Football League.  Glossop spent the 1919-1920 season in the Lancashire Combination, but then ‘floated off the screen’ until re-joining in 1957.  Another disappearing act followed in 1966, but the club was back again in 1977 when joining the Cheshire League.  Glossop became founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982, changing back to the name ‘Glossop North End’ 10 years later.  The club reached the Final of the F.A. Vase in 2009.

 

GOOLE AFC

 

After the collapse of Goole Town, AFC was set up and joined the Central Midlands League in 1997.  The Northern Counties (East) League was joined in 1999, with a further step up, to the Northern Premier League in 2005.

 

GOOLE TOWN

 

Goole Town joined the Midland League in 1912, but left in 1915 because of the ‘War close-down’.  The club next appear when joining the Yorkshire League in 1924.  After World War Two Goole upgraded to the Midland League in 1948, remaining members until the competition wound up in 1960.  A year later, in 1961 Town joined the new Midland League, remaining members until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968.  After a long association with this competition, Goole went down to the Northern Counties (East) League in 1995 and folded a year later.

 

GRANTHAM

 

The first major Grantham club appears to have been Grantham Rovers, who played in the Midland League 1891-1897.  Next up were Grantham Avenue, another Midland League member 1905-1908.  After this there was Grantham FC, who joined the Midland League in 1925, missed the 1933-1934 season, then re-joined in 1934.  The club then remained in the competition until 1959, joining the new version of the Midland League in 1961 and winning the title three times by 1972, when a switch was made to the Southern League.  In 1979, with the setting up of the Alliance Premier League, Grantham were one of a number of Southern League sides which switched to the Northern Premier League.  The club returned to the Southern League in 1985, changed its name to Grantham Town in 1987 and eventually found itself back in the Northern Premier League in 2006.

 

GREAT HARWOOD

 

Great Harwood joined the Lancashire Combination in 1908.  The club did not reappear straight after World War Two, but re-joined in 1946, becoming champions and earning promotion to the Northern Premier League in 1969 where they remained until 1978, possibly folding and re-forming at this stage.

Great Harwood Town first appeared as members of the Lancashire Combination in 1979, the club becoming founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982.  Town moved to the Northern Premier League in 1992, before returning to the North West Counties League in 1999.  In 2006 the club folded.

 

GUISBOROUGH TOWN

 

Guisborough Town were champions of the Northern Alliance in 1980 as well as runners-up in the F.A. Vase.  The club joined the Midland League in 1980 and became founder members of the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982.  A switch was made to the Northern League in 1985, however, and the club is a member of that competition’s Division 2 at the moment.

 

There is another Guisborough Town, formerly Guisborough Black Swan, currently playing in the Wearside League, which was joined from the Teesside League in 2006, becoming Guisborough Town HC in 2008.  And, for those who don’t like the simple life, there is a club named Guisborough Town BS playing in the Teesside League Division 2, the league table for which can be found on the Wearside League 2009-2010 page.  A club named ‘Guisborough Priory’ played in the Wearside League 1993-1995 – this team does not seem to have called itself ‘Town’.

GUISELEY

 

The club joined the Yorkshire League in 1968 and became a founder member of the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982.  Guiseley joined the Northern Premier League in 1991 and are currently members of the league’s Premier Division.  F.A. Vase winners in 1991, Guiseley were semi-finalists in that competition in 1990 and reached the F.A. Trophy semi-final in 1994.

 

HALIFAX TOWN

 

Halifax Town joined the Midland League in 1912, but were on their way to the Football League in 1921 in the new 3^rd Division (North).  Junior sides at the club made various appearances in the Yorkshire and Midland Leagues after this.  It was not until many years later that first-team non-league action returned to The Shay, with relegation to the Conference in 1993.  Back in the Football League five years later Town were relegated again to the Conference in 2002.  Financial problems mounted up after this, which lead to the creation of FC Halifax Town in 2008 and a place in the Northern Premier League.

 

HALLAM

 

The second oldest club in the World, Hallam joined the Yorkshire League in 1952.  Thirty years later the club became founder members, in 1982, of the Northern Counties (East) League, in which they still play today.

 

HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC

 

RA joined the Yorkshire League in 1955.  The club pulled out in 1973 but was re-admitted in 1980 and became a founder member of the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982.  Mixed fortunes followed but the club moved up to the Northern Premier League in 2006.

 

HARROGATE TOWN

 

Probably having no connection with the Harrogate club which played in the Yorkshire League in the 1920s, Town joined the competition in 1957.  Entering the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982, Harrogate Town rose to the Northern Premier League in 1987 and became members of Conference North in 2004.

 

HEANOR TOWN

 

Heanor Town had a number of spells in the Midland League – 1894-1897, 1898-1900 and 1926-1928, before joining the new Midland League in 1961.  Leaving in 1972, Heanor returned in 1974 and went into the Northern Counties (East) League with the rest of their section in 1982.  There were troubles in the NCEL because of the Miners’ Strike in the mid-1980s and Heanor Town were one of many clubs from the southern part of the region to leave the competition, which they did in 1986.

 

HINCKLEY UNITED

 

The club was formed by a merger between Hinckley Athletic and Hinckley Town, who had played in the Midland League 1900-1904.  The merger took place in 1997 and the club played in the Southern League until the setting up of Conference North in 2004.  As one of the most northerly Southern League clubs had to go with this.

 

HORDEN COLLIERY WELFARE

 

We know that Horden Athletic were a successful Wearside League side in the early years of the 20^th century, but the details of how the league finished in the seasons in question have yet to come to light.  Horden were in the North Eastern League from 1935, moving into the Midland League in 1958 when the old competition was wound up.  The folding of the Midland League led to Horden joining the Northern Counties League in 1960, this competition taking the name the North Eastern League 1962-1964.  It seems likely that Horden moved next to the Wearside League, but records for that competition have not been found for seasons 1964 to 1975 when the club joined the Northern League.  There was a ‘Horden Athletic’ in the Wearside League 1997-1999, but this was a separate entity.

 

HYDE UNITED

 

The club joined the Cheshire County League in 1930, becoming champions in 1955 and 1956.  United were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, but re-joined the Cheshire League in 1970, only to return to the NPL in 1982.  Three times runners-up in this competition, Hyde United were Northern Premier League champions in 2005 and joined Conference North.

 

ILKESTON TOWN

 

Ilkeston joined the Midland League 1894, but were expelled during the 1902-1903 season.  The club re-joined the Midland League in 1925, only to leave in 1928.  A third entry into the Midland League, in its new form, occurred in 1961, with the title being won in 1968.  Town left for the Southern League in1971, but were back 2 years later, re-joining the Midland League in 1973.  Founder members of the Northern Counties (East) League in 1982, Ilkeston were on the move again in 1986 when they joined the Central Midlands League.  Next stop proved to be the West Midlands (Regional) League 1990-1994, before a further Southern League adventure 1994- 2004.  Ilkeston joined the Northern Premier League in 2004, finished runners-up in the Premier Division in 2009 and emerged successful from the play-offs and were promoted to Conference North.

 

JARROW

 

Jarrow Croft joined the North Eastern League in 1910, changing their name to Jarrow two years later.  The club remained in this competition until 1915, re-joining after the end of the Great War in 1919.  Jarrow played in the North Eastern League through to 1939.  Exactly what happened after this is something of a mystery, but the name ‘Jarrow’ reappeared in Division 2 of the Wearside League in 1991 and the club has maintained its membership of this association since then.

 

JARROW ROOFING BOLDON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

 

Also joining the Wearside League in 1991, Jarrow Roofing BCA moved up to the Northern League in 1996 and play in Division 2 of that competition this season.

 

KENDAL TOWN

 

Under the name ‘Netherfield’ the club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1945, winning the title in 1949 and 1965.  Netherfield were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, but times were hard in the next few years and they joined the North West Counties League in 1983.  The NPL was re-joined in 1987 and the next change was one of name, to ‘Netherfield Kendal’ in 1998.  Two years later, the name was changed again and the club became ‘Kendal Town’.  Things have improved since then and the club is one of the front-runners in the Premier Division.

 

KING’S LYNN

 

King’s Lynn were runners-up in the F.A. Amateur Cup in 1901.  Having played in both the Eastern Counties and the United Counties Leagues, the Linnets joined the Midland League for seasons 1954-1958.  The club spent the next few years in the Southern League, but had a brief spell in the Northern Premier League 1980-1983, reappearing as ‘a Northern club’ after joining Conference North in 2008.  It was back to the NPL in 2009, but there seems to be serious douby about whether the club can avoid being closed down at time of writing this.