User:The Menace/sandbox
| Founded | 1920 |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Divisions | 3 (first teams) 2 (reserve teams) |
| Number of teams | 53 (plus reserve and under 21 teams) |
| Level on pyramid | Levels 9–11 |
| Promotion to | Isthmian League Division One South |
| Relegation to | Brighton, Hove & District League East Sussex League Mid-Sussex League West Sussex League |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Vase Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup |
| League cup(s) | Peter Bentley Cup Division One Challenge Cup Division Two Challenge Cup |
| Current champions | Littlehampton Town (2014/15) |
| Most championships | Peacehaven & Telscombe (8) |
| Website | Official |
| Current: 2015–16 Southern Combination Football League | |
The Southern Combination Football League is an English football league covering East Sussex, West Sussex and south-eastern Surrey.
Formed in 1920 as the Sussex County Football League,[1][2] the league now has six divisions – three for first teams and three for reserve sides. The first team divisions – One, Two and Three, sit at Levels 9, 10 and 11 of the English football league system, below the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and the Southern League. The reserve divisions are not part of the league system. The league changed its name to the Southern Combination Football League for the start of the 2015–16 season.
History[edit]
The league was formed in 1920 as one division, with an initial 12 clubs with Worthing winning the first league title. By 1939 the league had increased to 14 teams, but the outbreak of World War II forced the abandonment of the competition.[2] The league resumed in 1945, with 17 teams accross two divisions, with Haywards Heath winning the Eastern Division and Worthing winning the Western Division. The following season the league had reformed back to a one division with 14 teams structure.
1952 saw the formation of Division Two, with Wigmore Athletic winning the Divisions inaugural season. The 1972/73 season saw the introduction of the reserve section, with Southwick becoming the first champions, by 1977/78 this had increased to two divisions, Burgess Hill Town winning the East Division and overall reserve section champions, over Southwick who'd won the West Division. The league formed the Youth Division for the 1983/84 season, with Crowborough the champions, this was soon followed by an additional division creating the East and West divisions the following season. A fourth youth division was added in 1995/96 creating the North Division.
Division Three was created for the 1983/84 season, which was given intermediate status with the aim to provide clubs playing local football a route into senior football, East Preston, formally of the West Sussex League becomign the first winners of this division. The formation of the third division has enabled clubs like St Leonards (formally STAMCO) and Eastbourne Borough (formally Langney Sports) to climb the league pyramid.
Champions[edit]
1920–39[edit]
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1920–21 | Worthing |
| 1921–22 | Worthing |
| 1922–23 | Vernon Athletic |
| 1923–24 | Corps of Signals |
| 1924–25 | Corps of Signals |
| 1925–26 | Southwick |
| 1926–27 | Worthing |
| 1927–28 | Southwick |
| 1928–29 | Worthing |
| 1929–30 | Southwick |
| 1930–31 | Worthing |
| 1931–32 | Horsham |
| 1932–33 | Horsham |
| 1933–34 | Worthing |
| 1934–35 | Horsham |
| 1935–36 | Horsham |
| 1936–37 | Horsham |
| 1937–38 | Horsham |
| 1938–39 | Worthing |
1945–46[edit]
| Season | Eastern | Western |
|---|---|---|
| 1945–46 | Haywards Heath | Worthing |
1946–52[edit]
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1946–47 | Horsham |
| 1947–48 | Southwick |
| 1948–49 | Bognor Regis |
| 1949–50 | Haywards Heath |
| 1950–51 | Haywards Heath |
| 1951–52 | Shoreham |
1952–83[edit]
The 1962-63 season was abandoned due to extreme weather conditions throughout the winter, a series of emergency competitions was played instead. [2]
1983–Present[edit]
- ^ "About the Sussex County Football League". Sussex County Football League. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b c "Sussex County Football League". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 4 August 2015.