Originally formed as the "Bristol & District League" in 1892, the Western
League is currently a two-division league sitting at Steps 5 and 6 of the
National League System.
The league changed name to the Western League in 1895, and over the next 20 years
went through a number of different structures, including between 1900 and 1909
having among the membership the first team of Southern League Clubs such as
Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Fulham.
In recent years, Western League clubs have been very successful in the F.A. Vase.
Tiverton Town won the competition twice, with Taunton Town and Truro City winning once
and Chippenham Town making a Wembley final.
Divisional Champions
The Bristol & District League was formed in 1892 with a single division of 9 clubs
| Season | Champions |
|---|
| 1892-93 |
Warmley |
After just one season, the league split into two Divisions. In 1895, the league changed name to
the Western League
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1893-94 |
Warmley |
Warmley reserves |
| 1894-95 |
Hereford Thistle |
Warmley reserves |
| 1895-96 |
Warmley |
Barton Hill |
| 1896-97 |
Warmley |
Eastville Wanderers |
In 1897, the Professional clubs were split off into a separate section, with the Amateur
clubs then split into Divisions One and Two
| Season | Professional Division | Amateur Division One | Amateur Division Two |
|---|
| 1897-98 |
Bristol City |
Bedminster |
Hanham |
In 1898, the structure was simplified into just Divisions One and Two, with more and more clubs
already playing in the Southern League joining Division One to create additional fixtures.
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1898-99 |
Swindon Town |
Staple Hill |
| 1899-00 |
Bristol Rovers |
Bristol East |
| 1900-01 |
Portsmouth |
Bristol East |
| 1901-02 |
Portsmouth |
Bristol East |
| 1902-03 |
Portsmouth |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
| 1903-04 |
Tottenham Hotspur |
Bristol City reserves |
| 1904-05 |
Plymouth Argyle |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
| 1905-06 |
Queens Park Rangers |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
In 1906, Division One was split into "A" and "B" sections
| Season | Division One "A" | Division One "B" | Division Two |
|---|
| 1906-07 |
Fulham |
West Ham United |
Staple Hill |
| 1907-08 |
Southampton |
Millwall |
Bristol City reserves |
| 1908-09 |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
Millwall |
Bristol City reserves |
With the Southern League clubs leaving, the league ran just one division from 1909
| Season | Champions |
|---|
| 1909-10 |
Treharris |
| 1910-11 |
Bristol City reserves |
| 1911-12 |
Welton Rovers |
| 1912-13 |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
| 1913-14 |
Cardiff City reserves |
| 1914-19 |
Competition suspended during World War I |
The league resumed after World War I in 1919 with two divisions
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1919-20 |
Douglas |
Frome Town |
| 1920-21 |
Bristol City reserves |
Peasedown St John |
| 1921-22 |
Yeovil & Petters United |
Clandown |
The league contracted to a single section in 1922
| Season | Champions |
|---|
| 1922-23 |
Weymouth |
| 1923-24 |
Lovells Athletic |
| 1924-25 |
Yeovil & Petters United |
Division Two was added again in 1925. Division One consisted of mainly professional
clubs (including reserve sides of Football League clubs), while Division Two
was formed of semi-professional and amateur clubs, with no regular promotion and
relegation between the two divisions.
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1925-26 |
Bristol City reserves |
Poole |
| 1926-27 |
Bristol City reserves |
Poole reserves |
| 1927-28 |
Plymouth Argyle reserves |
Trowbridge Town |
| 1928-29 |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
Bath City reserves |
| 1929-30 |
Yeovil & Petters United |
Trowbridge Town |
| 1930-31 |
Exeter City reserves |
Portland United |
| 1931-32 |
Plymouth Argyle reserves |
Portland United |
| 1932-33 |
Exeter City reserves |
Swindon Town reserves |
| 1933-34 |
Bath City |
Weymouth |
| 1934-35 |
Yeovil & Petters United |
Swindon Town reserves |
| 1935-36 |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
Swindon Town reserves |
| 1936-37 |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
Weymouth |
| 1937-38 |
Bristol City reserves |
Weymouth |
| 1938-39 |
Lovells Athletic |
Trowbridge Town |
The league reverted to a single section in 1939, and lay dormant from 1940
to 1945 during World War II
| Season | Champions |
|---|
| 1939-40 |
Trowbridge Town |
| 1940-45 |
Competition suspended |
| 1945-46 |
Bristol Rovers reserves |
A two-division format was re-established in 1946
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1946-47 |
Trowbridge Town |
Clandown |
| 1947-48 |
Trowbridge Town |
Salisbury |
| 1948-49 |
Glastonbury |
Chippenham United |
A Third Division was added in 1949
| Season | Division One | Division Two | Division Three |
|---|
| 1949-50 |
Wells City |
Barnstaple Town |
Bideford |
After only one season, Division Three was dropped
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|
| 1950-51 |
Glastonbury |
Stonehouse |
| 1951-52 |
Chippenham Town |
Bideford |
| 1952-53 |
Barnstaple Town |
Chippenham Town reserves |
| 1953-54 |
Weymouth reserves |
Bristol Rovers Colts |
| 1954-55 |
Dorchester Town |
Yeovil Town reserves |
| 1955-56 |
Trowbridge Town |
Torquay United reserves |
| 1956-57 |
Poole Town |
Cinderford Town |
| 1957-58 |
Salisbury |
Poole Town reserves |
| 1958-59 |
Yeovil Town reserves |
Bath City reserves |
| 1959-60 |
Torquay United reserves |
Welton Rovers |
In 1960, Division Two was disbanded and the league contracted to a single division
Division One was added in 1976
| Season | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|
| 1976-77 |
Falmouth Town |
Saltash United |
| 1977-78 |
Falmouth Town |
Keynsham Town |
| 1978-79 |
Frome Town |
A F C Bournemouth reserves |
| 1979-80 |
Barnstaple Town |
Melksham Town |
| 1980-81 |
Bridgwater Town |
Chippenham Town |
| 1981-82 |
Bideford |
Shepton Mallet Town |
| 1982-83 |
Bideford |
Bristol Manor Farm |
| 1983-84 |
Exmouth Town |
Bristol City reserves |
| 1984-85 |
Saltash United |
Portway Bristol |
| 1985-86 |
Exmouth Town |
Portway Bristol |
| 1986-87 |
Saltash United |
Swanage Town & Herston |
| 1987-88 |
Liskeard Athletic |
Welton Rovers |
| 1988-89 |
Saltash United |
Larkhall Athletic |
| 1989-90 |
Taunton Town |
Ottery St Mary |
| 1990-91 |
Mangotsfield United |
Minehead |
| 1991-92 |
Weston super Mare |
Westbury United |
| 1992-93 |
Clevedon Town |
Odd Down |
| 1993-94 |
Tiverton Town |
Barnstaple Town |
| 1994-95 |
Tiverton Town |
Brislington |
| 1995-96 |
Taunton Town |
Bridgwater Town |
| 1996-97 |
Tiverton Town |
Melksham Town |
| 1997-98 |
Tiverton Town |
Bishop Sutton |
| 1998-99 |
Taunton Town |
Minehead Town |
| 1999-00 |
Taunton Town |
Devizes Town |
| 2000-01 |
Taunton Town |
Team Bath |
| 2001-02 |
Bideford |
Frome Town |
| 2002-03 |
Team Bath |
Torrington |
| 2003-04 |
Bideford |
Hallen |
| 2004-05 |
Bideford |
Willand Rovers |
| 2005-06 |
Bideford |
Dawlish Town |
| 2006-07 |
Corsham Town |
Truro City |
| 2007-08 |
Truro City |
Wellington |
| 2008-09 |
Bitton |
Larkhall Athletic |
| 2009-10 |
Bideford |
Wells City |
| 2010-11 |
Larkhall Athletic |
Merthyr Town |
| 2011-12 |
Merthyr Town |
Cadbury Heath |
| 2012-13 |
Bishop Sutton |
Sherborne Town |
| 2013-14 |
Larkhall Athletic |
Bradford Town |
| 2014-15 |
Melksham Town |
Barnstaple Town |
| 2015-16 |
Odd Down |
Chipping Sodbury Town |
| 2016-17 |
Bristol Manor Farm |
Wellington |
| 2017-18 |
Street |
Westbury United |
| 2018-19 |
Willand Rovers |
Keynsham Town |
| 2019-20 |
Season declared null and void |
| 2020-21 |
Season declared null and void |
The F.C.H.D. has the complete final table information for this league. Early tables
were originally published in an AFS Publication from the mid-1980s, with later ones
being compiled from contemporary sources. Since then, the full set of tables were
published in a Centenary Book (View From The Terraces) and the sequel
(Another View From The Terraces), but some of the tables do not balance.
Please acknowledge the F.C.H.D. when using this information elsewhere
