Essex and Suffolk Border Football League
| Country | England |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1911 |
| Divisions | Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three |
| Number of teams | 54 15 (Premier Division) 15 (Division One) 15 (Division Two) 9 (Division Three) |
| Level on pyramid | Level 11–14 |
| Feeder to | Eastern Counties League |
| Promotion to | Eastern Counties League Division One |
| Relegation to | Colchester & East Essex League |
| League cup(s) | Knock Out Cup |
| Current champions | West Bergholt (Premier Division) Hatfield Peverel (Division One) (2014–15) |
| Website | Official website |
The Essex and Suffolk Border Football League is a football competition based in England. The league has a total of four divisions headed by the Premier Division which sits at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. The top club may apply for promotion to Division One of the Eastern Counties League.
All member clubs compete in the Border League Knock-Out Cup. Despite the league's name, all the current member clubs are situated in Essex except for Bures United whose ground is in Suffolk although the village straddles the border, the majority within 15 miles of Colchester.
The league is affiliated to the Essex County FA and Suffolk County FA.
Contents
History
The Essex & Suffolk Border Football League was officially founded in 1911, although records indicate that the league originated from the amalgamation of the Colchester & District League and Colchester Borough League.[1][2] Founder members of the Border League in the inaugural 1911–12 season included Clacton Town, Colchester Town, West Bergholt and West Mersea.
Over the last 100 years the league has seen many changes in its status with many clubs progressing to a higher level. The overlying trend has been the migration of the larger clubs and their replacement by smaller clubs with more basic facilities. For much of the last 20 years the Border League has run 4 divisions which included a significant proportion of reserve teams. The league lost several members in 2005–06 when the reserve teams of the Eastern Counties League clubs left for their own competition. A year later another division was disbanded with the Border League clubs now having their own reserve competition. This leaves two divisions of clubs, with 16 clubs in the Premier Division and 14 teams in Division One. There is a high representation of village teams but a new trend has emerged with the acceptance of Barnston from Division Three of the Essex Olympian League and Newbury Forest from the Romford and District Football League in the London Borough of Redbridge.
Member clubs 2013–14 season
Premier Division
| Club | Location | 2012–13 Position |
|---|---|---|
| Alresford Colne Rangers | Alresford | 6th |
| Barnston | Barnston | 8th in Division One (promoted) |
| Coggeshall Town | Coggeshall | 2nd in Division One (promoted) |
| Dedham Old Boys | Dedham | 13th |
| Earls Colne | Earls Colne | 8th |
| Gas Recreation | Colchester | 1st |
| Great Bentley | Great Bentley | 11th |
| Harwich & Parkeston | Harwich | 5th |
| Holland | Holland-on-Sea | 4th |
| Lawford Lads | Lawford | 14th |
| Little Oakley | Little Oakley | 7th |
| Tiptree Jobserve | Tiptree | 4th in Division One (promoted) |
| Tollesbury | Tollesbury | 1st in Division One (promoted) |
| University of Essex | Wivenhoe Park, Colchester | 9th |
| West Bergholt | West Bergholt | 3rd |
| White Notley | White Notley | 10th |
| Source: Mitoo | ||
Division One
| Club | Location | 2012–13 Position |
|---|---|---|
| Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves | Alresford | 1st in Reserve Premier Division (promoted) |
| Boxted Lodgers | Boxted | 10th |
| Bradfield Rovers | Bradfield | 11th |
| Clacton United | Clacton | 9th |
| Gosfield United | Gosfield | 7th |
| Hatfield Peverel | Hatfield Peverel | 15 in Premier Division (relegated) |
| Hedinghams United | Sible Hedingham | 12th in Premier Division (demoted) |
| Kirby Athletic | Kirby Cross | 13th |
| Little Oakley Reserves | Little Oakley | 3rd in Reserve Premier Division (promoted) |
| Mersea Island | West Mersea | 12th |
| Panfield Bell | Panfield | 3rd (as combined club with Colne Engaine) |
| Rayne United | Rayne | 6th |
| West Bergholt Reserves | West Bergholt | 2nd in Reserve Premier Division (promoted) |
| Wormingford Wanderers | Wormingford | 5th |
| Source: Mitoo | ||
Division Two
- Barnston Reserves
- Boxted Lodgers Reserves
- Coggeshall Town Reserves
- Colne Engaine
- Dedham Old Boys Reserves
- Earls Colne Reserves
- Gas Recreation Reserves
- Great Bentley Reserves
- Harwich & Parkeston Reserves
- Hedinghams United Reserves
- Holland Reserves
- Tiptree Jobserve Reserves
Division Three
- Bradfield United Reserves
- Bures United
- Colne Engaine Reserves
- FC Clacton Reserves
- Gosfield United Reserves
- Hatfield Peverel Reserves
- Lawford Lads Reserves
- Mersea Island Reserves
- Team Brantham
- White Notley Reserves
Former clubs
Among the clubs that have left the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League and now compete at a higher level are:
Gallery
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Brightlingsea Regent - Clubhouse.JPG
Brightlingsea Regent
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Great Bentley FC - Changing Rooms.JPG
Great Bentley
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Hedinghams Utd - Sible Hedingham.JPG
Hedinghams United
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Holland FC - Clubhouse.jpg
Holland
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Lawford Lads.png
Lawford Lads
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Sudbury Athletic - General View.JPG
Sudbury Athletic
Recent divisional champions
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two | Division Three |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | Gas Recreation | Clacton Town Reserves | Silver End | Kirby |
| 1996–97 | Gas Recreation | Ipswich Wanderers reserves | Cavendish | Brightlingsea United reserves |
| 1997–98 | ||||
| 1998–99 | ||||
| 1999–00 | ||||
| 2000–01 | West Bergholt | Weeley Athletic | ||
| 2001–02 | AFC Sudbury reserves | Stanway Rovers reserves | Whitton United reserves | Weeley Athletic reserves |
| 2002–03 | Rowhedge | Alresford Colne Rangers | Bury Town Reserves | Bradfield Rovers |
| 2003–04 | Little Oakley | Bury Town Reserves | Hatfield Peverel | Witham Town reserves |
| 2004–05 | Gas Recreation | Hatfield Peverel | Witham Town Reserves | Gosfield United |
| 2005–06 | Gas Recreation | Witham Town Reserves | Brightlingsea Regent | Division Three disbanded |
| 2006–07 | Gas Recreation | West Suffolk College | Great Bradfords | |
| 2007–08 | Gas Recreation | White Notley | Division Two disbanded | |
| 2008–09 | West Bergholt | Holland | ||
| 2009–10 | Gas Recreation | Wormingford Wanderers | ||
| 2010–11 | Brightlingsea Regent | Lawford Lads | ||
| 2011–12 | West Bergholt | Haverhill Sports Association | ||
| 2012–13 | Gas Recreation | Tollesbury | ||
| 2013–14 | Gas Recreation | Alresford Cone Rangers Reserves | Gas Recreation Reserves | Team Brantham |
| 2014–15 | West Bergholt | Hatfield Peverel | Cinque Port |
References
External links
- REDIRECT Template:Men's football in England
