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United Counties League

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The United Counties League is a Step 5/6 league. The catchment area used to cover Northamptonshire and adjacent counties, but in recent years has migrated somehat northwards; separate divisions for reserve teams are also organised.

 

The league was formed in 1895 as the "Northampton Junior League", dropping the word Junior a year later before adopting its present title in 1934.

 

In recent years, UCL clubs have rarely reached the F.A. Cup First Round proper; Buckingham Town in 1984-85 being the most recent. Others to make that stage since World War II include Holbeach United (1982-83), St Neots Town (1966-67) and Wellingborough Town (1965-66).

 

Under the current structure of the National League System, the United Counties League operates at Steps 5 & 6, meaning the clubs are at level 9 and 10 overall.

 

Sponsors of the United Counties League

 

Divisional Champions

 

In 1911, the league contracted to a single section

Season Champions
1911-12 Stamford Town
1912-13 Luton Clarence
1913-14 Wolverton Town
1914-15 Northampton Town reserves
1915-19 League dormant for World War I
1919-20 Peterborough Brotherhood
1920-21 Desborough Town
1921-22 Higham Town
1922-23 Higham Town
1923-24 Desborough Town
1924-25 Desborough Town
 

In 1925, the league split into two divisions

Season Division One Division Two
1925-26 Northampton Town reserves Walgrave Amber
1926-27 Rushden Town Rushden Town reserves
1927-28 Desborough Town Rushden Town reserves
1928-29 Northampton Town reserves Desborough Town reserves
1929-30 Rushden Town Rushden Town reserves
1930-31 Bedford Town Irchester United
1931-32 Rushden Town Irchester United
1932-33 Bedford Town Kettering Town reserves
 

In 1933, the league contracted to a single section

Season Champions
1933-34 Bedford Town
 

In 1934, the league changed name to United Counties League

Season Champions
1934-35 Rushden Town
1935-36 Rushden Town
1936-37 Rushden Town
1937-38 Rushden Town
1938-39 Kettering Town
1939-40 Bedford Town
1940-41 Kettering Town
1941-45 League dormant during World War II
1945-46 Bedford Avenue
1946-47 Wisbech Town
1947-48 Wisbech Town
1948-49 Desborough Town
1949-50 Wisbech Town
 

In 1950, the league split into two divisions

Season Division One Division Two
1950-51 Corby Town Corby Town reserves
1951-52 Corby Town Symingtons reserves
1952-53 Bedford Town reserves Rothwell Town
1953-54 March Town United Rothwell Town
1954-55 Spalding United British Timken Duston reserves
1955-56 Kettering Town reserves Kempston Rovers
 

In 1956, Division Two was dropped and the league reverted to a single section.

Season Champions
1956-57 St Neots Town reserves
1957-58 Kempston Rovers
1958-59 Dunstable Town reserves
1959-60 Dunstable Town reserves
1960-61 Shefford Town
 

In 1961, the league split into two divisions

Season Division One Division Two
1961-62 Wisbech Town reserves Bedford Avenue
1962-63 Wellingborough Town British Timken Athletic
1963-64 Rushden Town Wellingborough Town reserves
1964-65 Wellingborough Town Kettering Town "A"
1965-66 Boston United Wellingborough Town reserves
1966-67 Desborough Town Irthlingborough Diamonds
1967-68 St Neots Town Wootton Blue Cross
1968-69 Bourne Town Bletchley Town reserves
1969-70 Bourne Town Wootton Blue Cross
 

In 1970, a third division was added

Season Division One Division Two Division Three
1970-71 Irthlingborough Diamonds Long Buckby Deanshanger Athletic
1971-72 Bourne Town Long Buckby Deanshanger Athletic
 

In 1972, the divisions were renamed

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two
1972-73 Rushden Town Olney Town Belsize
1973-74 Kempston Rovers Stewart & Lloyds Corby Woodford United
1974-75 Spalding United Stewart & Lloyds Corby Geddington Montrose
1975-76 Stamford Geddington Montrose Wootton Blue Cross reserves
1976-77 Irthlingborough Diamonds Eynesbury Rovers Stewart & Lloyds Corby reserves
1977-78 Stamford O N Chenecks Northampton Spencer reserves
1978-79 Irthlingborough Diamonds Milton Keynes Borough British Timken Duston
1979-80 Stamford O N Chenecks Cottingham
 

In 1980, Division Two was discontinued, with separate reserve sections being organised instread

Season Premier Division Division One
1980-81 Stamford Stevenage Borough
1981-82 Stamford Newport Pagnell Town
1982-83 Irthlingborough Diamonds Raunds Town
1983-84 Buckingham Town Brackley Town
1984-85 Arlesey Town Northampton Spencer
1985-86 Buckingham Town Kempston Rovers
1986-87 Potton United Baker Perkins
1987-88 Spalding United British Timken Duston
1988-89 Potton United Ramsey Town
1989-90 Holbeach United Daventry Town
1990-91 Bourne Town Daventry Town
1991-92 Northampton Spencer Harrowby United
1992-93 Rothwell Town Ford Sports Daventry
1993-94 Rothwell Town Northampton Vanaid
1994-95 Boston Town St Neots Town
1995-96 Raunds Town Ford Sports Daventry
1996-97 Stamford Yaxley
1997-98 Stamford Higham Town
1998-99 Spalding United Bugbrooke St Michaels
1999-00 Ford Sports Daventry Cottingham
2000-01 Boston Town Daventry Town
2001-02 Ford Sports Daventry Newport Pagnell Town
2002-03 Holbeach United Northampton Sileby Rangers
2003-04 Spalding United Potton United
2004-05 Cogenhoe United Northampton Sileby Rangers
2005-06 Woodford United Sleaford Town
2006-07 Deeping Rangers Wellingborough Whitworths
2007-08 Stotfold Daventry Town
2008-09 Stewart & Lloyds Corby Peterborough Northern Star
2009-10 Daventry Town Irchester United
2010-11 St Neots Town A F C Kempston Rovers
2011-12 Long Buckby Huntingdon Town
2012-13 Holbeach United Northampton Sileby Rangers
2013-14 Spalding United Oadby Town
2014-15 AFC Rushden & Diamonds Northampton Spencer
2015-16 AFC Kempston Rovers Peterborough Sports
2016-17 Peterborough Sports Daventry Town
2017-18 Yaxley Pinchbeck United
2018-19 Daventry Town Lutterworth Town
2019-20 Season declared null and void
 

The F.C.H.D. has the complete final table information for this league, compiled from contemporary sources. A full set of tables was most recently published in the book "The League Tables of the United Counties League 1895-2006" by Bob Perkins

 

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Please acknowledge the F.C.H.D. when using this information elsewhere