East Midlands Counties Football League

10th level association football league in England
Football league
East Midlands Counties Football League
Founded2008
Folded2021
CountryEngland
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid10
Promotion toMidland League Premier Division
Northern Counties East League Premier Division
United Counties League Premier Division
Relegation toCentral Midlands League South Division
Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division
Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division
Domestic cup(s)National
FA Cup
FA Vase
League
League Cup
Last championsSelston F.C.
(2018–19)

The East Midlands Counties Football League was an English football league that operated from 2008 to 2021, covering the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands. The league had one division, which stood at the tenth level of the football pyramid.

History

The league was formed in 2008, drawing clubs from the Northern Counties East League (2), Central Midlands League (8) and Leicestershire Senior League (8) to create a division at level 10 of the English football league system.

On 15 May 2008 The FA Leagues Committee placed the new league at Step 6 in the National League System.[1] Eighteen clubs were invited to form the new league;

The league provided a pathway for successful clubs to higher grade football, with clubs moving up to the Midland League Premier Division, Northern Counties East League Premier Division and United Counties League Premier Division - each at level 9 of the system.

It was not until 2017 that clubs were relegated from the competition, into the Central Midlands League and Leicestershire Senior League.

The competition had several feeder leagues at level 11 of the pyramid:

Clubs were also liable to be transferred to other leagues if the FA deemed it geographically suitable to do so.

The East Midlands Counties League was disbanded at the end of the 2020–21 season, most of its remaining clubs were assigned to the Northern Counties East and United Counties leagues' Step 6 divisions, as part of reorganising the National League System where the United Counties League added an additional Step 5 division.[2][3]

Final clubs (2020–21)

Club Home ground
Barrow Town Riverside Park
Belper United Christchurch Meadow
Borrowash Victoria Asterdale Bowl
Clifton All Whites Norman Archer Memorial Ground
Clipstone Lido Ground
Dunkirk Ron Steel Sports Ground
Eastwood Coronation Park
Gedling Miners Welfare Plains Social Club
Graham Street Prims Asterdale Sports Ground
Heanor Town Town Ground
Hucknall Town Watnall Road
Ingles Dovecote Stadium
Kimberley Miners Welfare The Stag Ground
Ollerton Town Walesby Lane Sports Ground
Radford Selhurst Street
Rainworth Miners Welfare Welfare Ground
Sherwood Colliery Debdale Park
Shirebrook Town Langwith Road
Teversal Teversal Grange Sports and Social Centre
West Bridgford Regatta Way Sports Ground

Honours

Champions

Season
2008–09 Kirby Muxloe
2009–10 Dunkirk
2010–11 Gresley
2011–12 Heanor Town
2012–13 Basford United
2013–14 Thurnby Nirvana
2014–15 Bardon Hill
2015–16 St Andrews
2016–17 West Bridgford
2017-18 Dunkirk
2018-19 Selston
2019-20 None, seasons abandoned **
2020–21
  • As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to or from the competition.[4] The next season was also abandoned on 24 February 2021 but promotion proceeded after a one-year postponement.[3][5]

Season Club Position Promoted to
2008–09 Kirby Muxloe 1st Midland Alliance
2009–10 Dunkirk 1st Midland Alliance
2010–11 Gresley 1st Midland Alliance
2011–12 Heanor Town 1st Northern Counties East League Premier Division
2012–13 Basford United 1st Northern Counties East League Premier Division
2013–14 Thurnby Nirvana 1st United Counties League Premier Division
2014–15 Bardon Hill 1st Midland League Premier Division
2015–16 St Andrews 1st Midland League Premier Division
2016–17 South Normanton Athletic 2nd Midland League Premier Division
2017–18 Dunkirk 1st Midland League Premier Division
2018–19 Selston
Newark Flowserve		 1st
2nd		 Midland League Premier Division
2019–20 no promotion, season abandoned**
2020–21 Eastwood
Heanor Town
Sherwood Colliery
 Top 3* Eastwood, Heanor:
United Countied League Premier Division North
Sherwood: Northern Counties East League Premier Division
  • * Based on points-per-game averages obtained by adding the accumulated number of games played between 2019 and 2021, and dividing it by total number of points.
  • ** As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to or from the competition.[4]

League Cup

The league also ran the East Midlands Counties League Cup, which was contested by every club in the league.

Finals

Season Winner Result Runner-up Venue
2008–09 Borrowash Victoria 1 – 0 Holbrook Miners Welfare Welby Road, Holwell Sports F.C.
2009–10 Gedling Town 2 - 1* Dunkirk Borrowash Road, Borrowash Victoria F.C.
2010–11 Thurnby Nirvana 4 - 2 Holbrook Sports Moat Ground, Gresley F.C.
2011–12 Borrowash Victoria 1 - 0 Radcliffe Olympic Riverside Park, Barrow Town F.C.
2012–13 Basford United 2 - 0 Graham Street Prims Borrowash Road, Borrowash Victoria F.C.
2013–14 Graham Street Prims 4 - 2 Sutton Town AFC Bardon Close, Bardon Hill F.C.
2014–15 South Normanton Athletic 1 - 1* (5-4)(p) Radcliffe Olympic Plains Road, Gedling Miners Welfare F.C.
2015–16 Aylestone Park 2 - 1 South Normanton Athletic Riverside Park, Barrow Town F.C.
2016–17 Dunkirk 2 - 1 Ashby Ivanhoe Cropston Road, Anstey Nomads F.C.
2017–18 Radford 6 - 0 Anstey Nomads Coronation Park, Eastwood C.F.C.
2018–19 Newark Flowserve 0 - 0* (4-1)(p) Clifton All Whites Lido Ground, Clipstone F.C.
2019–20 Competition abandoned**
2020–21 Not held
  • * Result after extra-time
  • ** As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged.[4]

References

  1. ^ National League structure The FA, 15 May 2008
  2. ^ "National League System club allocations - Steps 5/6, Season 2021-22" (PDF). The Football Association. May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  5. ^ "FA Update On Steps 3-6". 20 May 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  • v
  • t
  • e
East Midlands Counties League
2020–21 clubs
Seasons