Suffolk and Ipswich Football League

The Suffolk and Ipswich Football League is a football competition based in Suffolk, England. The league has a total of nine divisions; the Senior Division, divisions 1-6 and two reserve divisions. The Senior Division is at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System.

The Senior Division champions may apply for promotion to the Eastern Counties League Division One. Clubs from the league to progress up the pyramid include Whitton United, Sudbury Town, Hadleigh United, Woodbridge Town, Needham Market, Walsham-le-Willows, and Debenham LC.

History

The league was established in 1896 at the initiative of F C H Gibbons. Gibbons placed an advert in the East Anglian Daily Times stating that he intended to launch a Football League for Ipswich and the surrounding area. [http://www.suffolkandipswichleague.co.uk/league.asp League History] Suffolk & Ipswich League] A meeting on 10 September 1896 was attended by officials from 18 clubs:
*Brantham Athletic
*Churchmans
*Great Eastern Railway
*Higher Grade School
*Institute Rovers
*Ipswich Rugby
*Ipswich Town
*Orwell Works
*Prettys Athletic
*Primitive Methodists
*St Clement
*St Helen
*St Lawrence Works
*St Mary Stoke
*St Matthew
*Stoke United
*Trinity Old Boys
*West End Excelsiors

The league started in October that year, but without Ipswich Town. The top division was known as Division One until 1950, when it became the Premier Division. It was re-named Senior Division in 1978.

List of champions

enior Division

*1945-46 Achilles and HMS Ganges (joint winners)
*1946-47 Whitton United
*1947-48 Whitton United
*1948-49 Achillles
*1949-50 Waterside Works
*1950-51 Waterside Works
*1951-52 Waterside Works
*1952-53 Sudbury Town
*1953-54 Hadleigh United
*1954-55 Waterside Works
*1955-56 Waterside Works
*1956-57 Hadleigh United
*1957-58 Felixstowe Town
*1958-59 Waterside Works
*1959-60 Electric Supply
*1960-61 Orwell Works
*1961-62 Orwell Works
*1962-63 Waterside Works
*1963-64 Waterside Works
*1964-65 Felixstowe Town
*1965-66 Whitton United
*1966-67 Electric Supply
*1967-68 Whitton United
*1968-69 Electric Supply
*1969-70 ICI Paints
*1970-71 Heath Row
*1971-72 Nicholians
*1972-73 Hadleigh United
*1973-74 Nicholians Locomotive
*1974-75 Crane Sports
*1975-76 Nicholians
*1976-77 Hadleigh United
*1977-78 Bull Motors
*1978-79 Hadleigh United
*1979-80 Nicholians Locomotive
*1980-81 Ransomes
*1981-82 Westerfield United
*1982-83 Haughley United
*1983-84 Westerfield United
*1984-85 Westerfield United
*1985-86 Achilles
*1986-87 RSSC Ransomes
*1987-88 Achilles
*1988-89 Woodbridge Town
*1989-90 Grundisburgh
*1990-91 Grundisburgh
*1991-92 Framlingham Town
*1992-93 Whitton United
*1993-94 Grundisburgh
*1994-95 Whitton United
*1995-96 Needham Market
*1996-97 Haughley United
*1997-98 Grundisburgh
*1998-99 Walton United
*1999-00 Grundisburgh
*2000-01 Grundisburgh
*2001-02 Walsham-le-Willows
*2002-03 Walsham-le-Willows
*2003-04 East Bergholt United
*2004-05 East Bergholt United
*2005-06 East Bergholt United
*2006-07 Grundisburgh
*2007-08 Brantham Athletic

2008-09 Members

enior Division

Capel Plough | Coplestonians | Crane Sports | East Bergholt United | Felixstowe United | Framlingham Town | Grundisburgh | Ipswich Athletic | Leiston St. Margaret's | Melton St. Audry's | Ransomes Sports | St. John's | Stonham Aspal | Stowupland Falcons | Westerfield United | Woodbridge Athletic

Division One

Achilles | Bramford Road Old Boys | B.T. Trimley | Claydon | Cockfield United | Haughley United | Mendlesham | Old Newton United | St. Edmunds | Stanton | Thurston | Wickham Market | Wenhaston United | Willis

Division Two

AFC Hoxne | Bacton United | Bildeston Rangers | Bramford United | Elmswell | Halesworth Town | Ipswich Exiles | Parkside United | Salvation Army | Saxmundham Sports | Sizewell Associates | Sporting 87 | Stradbroke United

Division Three

AFC Crowley | Albion Mills | Coplestonians 'A' | Henley Athletic | Ipswich Postals | Ipswich United | John Bull United | Martlesham Athletic | Saint Clement's Hospital | Somersham | Waterside | Woolverstone United

Division Four

Albion Mills Reserves | Benhall St. Mary | Bramford United Reserves | Coddenham | Great Blakenham | Ipswich Exiles Reserves | Saxmundham Sports Reserves | Sizewell Associates Reserves | Sproughton Sports | Stonham Aspal 'A' | Tacket Street B.B.O.B. | Ufford Sports | Walsham-le-Willows 'A'

Division Five

AFC Hoxne Reserves | Aldeburgh Town | Bacton United Reserves | Bildeston Rangers Reserves | Bramford Road Old Boys Reserves | Halesworth Town Reserves | Henley Athletic Reserves | Salvation Army Reserves | Sporting 87 Reserves | Stowupland Falcons 'A' | Stradbroke United Reserves | Tattingstone United | Woolverstone United Reserves

Division Six

AFC Titans | Benhall St. Mary Reserves | Coddenham Reserves | Dennington United | East Bergholt United 'A' | Elmswell Reserves | Needham Market Veterans | Old Newton United 'A' | Shotley | Somersham Reserves | Sproughton Sports Reserves | Saint Clement's Hospital Reserves | Tacket Street B.B.O.B. Reserves

League Cup

The league also runs a league cup, known since 1997 as the Omnico Cup for sponsorship purposes. Between 1976 and 1997 it was known as the McNeil League Knock-Out Cup.

List of winners

*1976-77 Hadleigh United
*1977-78 Needham Market
*1978-79 Woodbridge Town
*1979-80 Needham Market
*1980-81 Hadleigh United
*1981-82 Hadleigh United
*1982-83 Ransomes
*1983-84 Westerfield United
*1984-85 Westerfield United
*1985-86 Haughley United
*1986-87 Hadleigh United
*1987-88 Achilles
*1988-89 Grundisburgh
*1989-90 Framlingham Town
*1990-91 Grundisburgh
*1991-92 Framlingham Town
*1992-93 Grundisburgh
*1993-94 Whitton United
*1994-95 Stanton
*1995-96 Haughley United
*1996-97 Brantham & Sutton United
*1997-98 Grundisburgh
*1998-99 Walsham-le-Willows
*1999-00 Walsham-le-Willows
*2000-01 Grundisburgh
*2001-02 Walsham-le-Willows
*2002-03 Old Newton United
*2003-04 East Bergholt United
*2004-05 Crane Sports
*2005-06 Ransomes Sports
*2006-07 Melton St Audrys
*2007-08 Grundisburgh

References

External links

* [http://www.suffolkandipswichleague.co.uk/ Official league website]