MIDLAND LEAGUE 1930-1950

 

Where an asterisk appears at the end of a team name, this means it is the reserve team of the named club.

 

1930-1931

 

1	Grimsby Town*	46	32	6	8	174	73	70
2	Bradford City*	46	32	6	8	141	76	70
3	Bradford Park Avenue*	46	30	4	12	138	63	64
4	Barnsley*	46	25	7	14	126	78	57
5	Nottingham Forest*	46	25	7	14	152	108	57
6	Lincoln City*	46	22	10	14	124	80	54
7	Grantham	46	21	10	15	85	85	52
8	Hull City*	46	20	11	15	105	88	51
9	Gainsborough Trinity	46	22	5	19	131	117	49
10	Mansfield Town	46	19	11	16	103	95	49
11	Scunthorpe United	46	19	11	16	98	101	49
12	Newark Town	46	18	8	20	74	89	44
13	Boston Town	46	16	11	19	79	92	43
14	Denaby United	46	17	9	20	84	104	43
15	Chesterfield*	46	17	8	21	91	111	42
16	Scarborough	46	16	9	21	93	110	41
17	Notts County*	46	17	6	23	119	121	40
18	Shirebrook	46	15	10	21	100	116	40
19	Loughborough Corinthians	46	14	8	24	80	116	36
20	Mexborough Athletic	46	13	8	25	84	129	34
21	Rotherham United*	46	14	6	26	85	145	34
22	Doncaster Rovers*	46	10	13	23	54	95	33
23	Wombwell	46	9	9	28	74	129	27
24	Frickley Colliery	46	8	9	29	64	137	25
		1104	451	202	451	2458	2458	1104

 

In the ‘Championship Play-Off’, Grimsby Town defeated Bradford City 3-0.

Shirebrook left the Midland League.  Their place was taken by York City Reserves.  Mansfield Town were elected to Football League Division 3 (South) and placed their reserve side in the Midland League.

 

1931-1932

 

1	Bradford Park Avenue*	46	36	3	7	189	63	75
2	Grimsby Town*	46	36	3	7	178	60	75
3	Nottingham Forest*	46	30	7	9	117	62	67
4	Notts County*	46	24	11	11	115	81	59
5	Bradford City*	46	20	11	15	111	93	51
6	Scarborough	46	22	7	17	81	83	51
7	York City*	46	20	8	18	99	99	48
8	Chesterfield*	46	18	9	19	100	98	45
9	Scunthorpe United	46	18	9	19	83	99	45
10	Mansfield Town*	46	16	12	18	86	86	44
11	Newark Town	46	18	8	20	85	90	44
12	Gainsborough Trinity	46	17	10	19	76	86	44
13	Loughborough Corinthians	46	18	8	20	88	113	44
14	Doncaster Rovers*	46	16	11	19	96	100	43
15	Boston Town	46	16	10	20	87	112	42
16	Mexborough Athletic	46	18	5	23	92	121	41
17	Hull City*	46	17	7	22	76	112	41
18	Barnsley*	46	14	12	20	97	108	40
19	Lincoln City*	46	15	7	24	103	112	37
20	Wombwell	46	14	9	23	81	99	37
21	Denaby United	46	10	14	22	101	127	34
22	Grantham	46	12	9	25	80	121	33
23	Frickley Colliery	46	13	7	26	86	135	33
24	Rotherham United*	46	12	7	27	59	106	31
		1104	450	204	450	2366	2366	1104

 

In the ‘Championship Play-Off’, Bradford Park Avenue beat Grimsby Town 2-1.

Nottingham Forest Reserves withdrew from the competition.

 

1932-1933

 

1	Grimsby Town*	44	36	1	7	184	66	73
2	Lincoln City*	44	30	6	8	161	73	66
3	Bradford Park Avenue*	44	28	8	8	146	52	64
4	Chesterfield*	44	28	4	12	131	67	60
5	Scarborough	44	25	9	10	137	81	59
6	Bradford City*	44	24	10	10	112	63	58
7	Barnsley*	44	24	5	15	116	83	53
8	Scunthorpe United	44	23	5	16	104	100	51
9	Notts County*	44	20	10	14	104	76	50
10	Gainsborough Trinity	44	18	10	16	95	90	46
11	Denaby United	44	20	5	19	78	93	45
12	Doncaster Rovers*	44	16	12	16	83	89	44
13	Mansfield Town*	44	16	9	19	108	97	41
14	Frickley Colliery	44	16	7	21	80	118	39
15	Loughborough Corinthians	44	14	10	20	92	110	38
16	Hull City*	44	17	4	23	104	131	38
17	Grantham	44	12	11	21	91	110	35
18	Boston Town	44	15	4	25	94	109	34
19	Newark Town	44	14	4	26	92	132	32
20	York City*	44	13	4	27	74	129	30
21	Mexborough Athletic	44	11	6	27	73	139	28
22	Rotherham United*	44	9	4	31	66	153	22
23	Wombwell	44	2	2	40	32	196	6
		1012	431	150	431	2357	2357	1012

 

Frickley Colliery, Grantham, Loughborough Corinthians, Mansfield Town Reserves, Newark Town and Wombwell all resigned at the end of the season, leaving 17 clubs in the league.  Boston Town re-formed as ‘Boston United’.

 

1933-1934

 

1	Grimsby Town*	32	25	4	3	127	47	54
2	Bradford City*	32	23	3	6	107	47	49
3	Bradford Park Avenue*	32	21	2	9	90	43	44
4	Chesterfield*	32	15	4	13	66	56	34
5	Lincoln City	32	14	6	12	83	75	34
6	Hull City*	32	15	3	14	74	70	33
7	Scunthorpe United	32	14	5	13	76	73	33
8	Scarborough	32	12	8	12	57	67	32
9	Denaby United	32	11	9	12	58	76	31
10	Barnsley*	32	12	5	15	71	80	29
11	Notts County*	32	13	2	17	64	64	28
12	York City*	32	10	7	15	69	88	27
13	Doncaster Rovers*	32	10	3	17	57	58	25
14	Boston United	32	11	5	18	54	96	25
15	Gainsborough Trinity	32	10	4	18	54	79	24
16	Mexborough Athletic	32	10	2	20	53	85	22
17	Rotherham United*	32	8	4	20	46	102	20
		544	234	76	234	1206	1206	544

 

York City Reserves left the league at the end of the season, but numbers were increased to 20 clubs by the return of Frickley Colliery and Grantham, plus the election of Norwich City Reserves and Peterborough United.

 

1934-1935

 

1	Barnsley*	38	28	5	5	120	56	61
2	Norwich City*	38	22	8	8	97	36	52
3	Grimsby Town*	38	20	8	10	114	54	48
4	Bradford Park Avenue*	38	19	9	10	94	64	47
5	Boston United	38	19	8	11	85	71	46
6	Bradford City*	38	19	7	12	104	65	45
7	Notts County*	38	17	11	10	69	59	45
8	Gainsborough Trinity	38	18	8	12	80	73	44
9	Grantham	38	15	11	12	86	67	41
10	Peterborough United	38	15	10	13	81	84	40
11	Scunthorpe United	38	17	3	18	67	82	37
12	Doncaster Rovers*	38	14	8	16	64	70	36
13	Chesterfield*	38	14	7	17	77	76	35
14	Lincoln City*	38	15	5	18	83	89	35
15	Mexborough Athletic	38	14	4	20	69	96	32
16	Hull City*	38	13	5	20	73	91	31
17	Rotherham United*	38	6	13	19	65	97	25
18	Denaby united	38	8	8	22	67	104	24
19	Frickley Colliery	38	5	11	22	57	137	21
20	Scarborough	38	2	11	25	32	113	15
		760	300	160	300	1584	1584	760

 

Burton Town joined the competition.

 

1935-1936

 

1	Barnsley*	40	28	3	9	127	59	59
2	Bradford Park Avenue*	40	22	8	10	107	51	52
3	Gainsborough Trinity	40	24	4	12	92	49	52
4	Grantham	40	20	7	13	83	60	47
5	Doncaster Rovers*	40	20	6	14	73	70	46
6	Norwich City*	40	17	10	13	92	59	44
7	Boston United	40	19	4	17	64	69	42
8	Grimsby Town*	40	16	8	16	88	70	40
9	Rotherham United*	40	16	8	16	71	70	40
10	Burton Town	40	15	10	15	95	94	40
11	Scunthorpe United	40	16	8	16	73	77	40
12	Notts County*	40	14	11	15	68	69	39
13	Scarborough	40	15	9	16	61	70	39
14	Chesterfield*	40	16	5	19	99	91	37
15	Bradford City*	40	14	7	19	74	77	35
16	Denaby United	40	12	10	18	73	111	34
17	Peterborough United	40	13	8	19	52	86	34
18	Lincoln City*	40	15	5	22	85	105	33
19	Frickley Colliery	40	14	3	21	76	109	33
20	Hull City*	40	12	8	20	63	99	32
21	Mexborough Athletic	40	7	8	25	46	117	22
		840	345	150	345	1662	1662	840

 

Mexborough Athletic and Norwich City Reserves dropped out of the Midland League, the size of which was increased to 22 clubs by the return of Mansfield Town Reserves, Newark Town and Nottingham Forest Reserves.

 

1936-1937

 

1	Barnsley*	42	27	7	8	121	68	61
2	Bradford Park Avenue*	42	26	8	8	124	62	60
3	Grimsby Town*	42	23	7	12	108	61	53
4	Chesterfield*	42	23	4	15	117	79	50
5	Bradford City*	42	23	4	15	104	75	50
6	Doncaster Rovers*	42	21	8	13	84	63	50
7	Nottingham Forest*	42	23	3	16	109	67	49
8	Gainsborough Trinity	42	22	5	15	110	82	49
9	Grantham	42	19	7	16	91	72	45
10	Boston United	42	19	7	16	85	76	45
11	Rotherham United*	42	20	5	17	94	94	45
12	Hull City*	42	19	6	17	64	62	44
13	Burton Town	42	17	8	17	75	89	42
14	Scunthorpe United	42	19	3	20	77	86	41
15	Notts County*	42	17	5	20	92	106	39
16	Peterborough United	42	16	6	20	75	97	38
17	Lincoln City*	42	16	4	22	77	85	36
18	Newark Town	42	15	4	23	80	97	34
19	Mansfield Town*	42	11	9	22	57	100	31
20	Denaby United	42	12	4	26	73	134	28
21	Scarborough	42	10	6	26	55	99	26
22	Frickley Colliery	42	3	2	37	39	157	8
		924	401	122	401	1911	1911	924

 

Chesterfield Reserves left at the end of the season and were replaced by Shrewsbury Town.

 

1937-1938

 

1	Shrewsbury Town	42	25	9	8	111	50	59
2	Grantham	42	25	6	11	89	63	56
3	Scarborough	42	23	7	12	70	46	53
4	Doncaster Rovers*	42	21	9	12	80	48	51
5	Grimsby Town*	42	22	5	15	87	57	49
6	Scunthorpe United	42	22	5	15	109	78	49
7	Lincoln City*	42	22	5	15	107	90	49
8	Barnsley*	42	19	10	13	93	59	48
9	Boston United	42	20	8	14	79	74	48
10	Frickley Colliery	42	19	8	15	77	79	46
11	Burton Town	42	18	8	16	74	66	44
12	Notts County*	42	16	9	17	70	72	41
13	Nottingham Forest*	42	16	8	18	90	81	40
14	Bradford Park Avenue*	42	16	7	19	95	72	39
15	Mansfield Town*	42	18	3	21	69	67	39
16	Gainsborough Trinity	42	16	7	19	90	109	39
17	Hull City*	42	17	4	21	73	83	38
18	Bradford City*	42	16	6	20	81	105	38
19	Peterborough United	42	7	13	22	67	105	27
20	Newark Town	42	10	7	25	57	106	27
21	Rotherham United*	42	10	7	25	51	107	27
22	Denaby United	42	6	5	31	57	159	17
		924	384	156	384	1776	1776	924

 

There were no further changes.

 

1938-1939

 

1	Scunthorpe United	42	28	8	6	133	57	64
2	Barnsley*	42	27	4	11	130	73	58
3	Shrewsbury Town	42	25	5	12	125	65	55
4	Nottingham Forest*	42	21	13	8	102	70	55
5	Grimsby Town*	42	23	6	13	120	74	52
6	Burton Town	42	22	6	14	115	75	50
7	Bradford City*	42	20	7	15	107	77	47
8	Boston United	42	21	5	16	95	90	47
9	Scarborough	42	18	10	14	79	81	46
10	Peterborough United	42	20	4	18	99	77	44
11	Rotherham United*	42	17	9	16	76	83	43
12	Lincoln City*	42	18	5	19	93	90	41
13	Doncaster Rovers*	42	18	4	20	95	87	40
14	Grantham	42	17	6	19	103	118	40
15	Gainsborough Trinity	42	18	3	21	102	92	39
16	Bradford Park Avenue*	42	18	3	21	91	83	39
17	Frickley Colliery	42	19	1	22	96	111	39
18	Hull City*	42	15	3	24	76	90	33
19	Mansfield Town*	42	11	7	24	80	112	29
20	Notts County*	42	11	6	25	60	121	28
21	Newark Town	42	11	5	26	82	149	27
22	Denaby United	42	2	4	36	34	218	8
		924	400	124	400	2093	2093	924

 

It is not yet clear what happened at the end of the season because of the outbreak of the Second World War the following September.

 

1939-1940

 

The Midland League season began as normal late in August, but the competition was suspended on September 3^rd.  Burton Town, Scarborough, Shrewsbury Town and all Football League reserve sides stopped playing altogether, but the remaining eight clubs played in two successive competitions, the second of which was abandoned.  Peterborough United, winners of the second ‘league’ defeated Scunthorpe United, winners of the first ‘league’, 3-2, in an unofficial ‘championship’ decider, though some records state that the first competition was regarded as ‘the championship’.

 

First competition (Championship)

 

1	Scunthorpe United	14	9	3	2	53	27	21
2	Peterborough United	14	8	3	3	49	29	19
3	Frickley Colliery	13	7	2	4	45	30	16
4	Newark Town	14	6	2	6	45	51	14
5	Boston United	14	6	2	6	28	39	14
6	Denaby United	14	4	4	6	30	39	12
7	Grantham	14	3	3	8	28	43	9
8	Gainsborough Trinity	13	2	1	10	25	45	5
		110	45	20	45	303	303	110

 

The fixture between Gainsborough Trinity and Frickley Colliery was not played.

 

Second competition (Abandoned)

 

1	Peterborough United	14	11	2	1	56	24	24
2	Scunthorpe United	13	10	1	2	49	18	21
3	Denaby United	12	5	2	5	24	23	12
4	Newark Town	12	5	0	7	29	22	10
5	Boston United	10	5	0	5	21	30	10
6	Frickley Colliery	9	1	3	5	20	24	5
7	Grantham	8	1	0	7	6	40	2
8	Gainsborough Trinity	6	0	0	6	7	31	0
		84	38	8	38	212	212	84

 

After the end of World War II the Midland League resumed though Bradford City Reserves, Hull City Reserves and Scarborough were not ready to play, while Burton Town and Newark Town did not reappear either.  The remaining 17 clubs from pre-war were joined in a 19-team competition by newcomers Ollerton Colliery and Ransome & Marles of Newark for the first post-war season.

 

1945-1946

 

1	Shrewsbury Town	36	26	6	4	133	43	58
2	Ransome & Marles	36	26	5	5	90	39	57
3	Barnsley*	36	23	6	7	91	50	52
4	Rotherham United*	36	15	11	10	85	62	41
5	Grantham	36	18	5	13	91	69	41
6	Scunthorpe United	36	17	6	13	82	65	40
7	Frickley Colliery	36	16	6	14	83	75	38
8	Boston United	36	16	6	14	76	80	38
9	Peterborough United	36	17	3	16	63	74	37
10	Grimsby Town*	35	15	4	16	59	64	34
11	Doncaster Rovers*	36	13	8	15	65	88	34
12	Gainsborough Trinity	36	15	3	18	100	95	33
13	Lincoln City*	36	12	6	18	81	101	30
14	Denaby United	36	10	9	17	70	94	29
15	Bradford Park Avenue*	36	8	10	18	83	116	26
16	Nottingham Forest*	35	9	7	19	76	81	25
17	Ollerton Colliery	36	10	4	22	71	114	24
18	Notts County*	36	6	11	19	59	110	23
19	Mansfield Town*	36	7	8	21	66	104	22
		682	279	124	279	1524	1524	682

 

The Grimsby Town-Nottingham Forest fixture was not played.

Bradford City Reserves, Hull City Reserves and Scarborough rejoined the competition restoring league membership to 22 clubs.