The York Football League is a football competition based in North Yorkshire, England, founded in 1897.[1] Currently it is known under the terms of a sponsorship agreement as the York Minster Engineering Football League. It is affiliated to the North Riding County Football Association, and the Premier Division sits at level 11 in the English football pyramid.
The most successful York clubs in history in terms of championships won are Dringhouses, York Railway Institute, Osbaldwick and Rowntrees. Three teams which now compete at higher levels in the English football system once competed in the York Football League: Pickering Town, Tadcaster Albion and Knaresborough Town.
History
When the league was formed in the late 1800s, association football was just beginning to gather popularity in England. The Football League itself had only begun nine years before the York League; it was also founded prior to the city's now primary team York City. Upon the league's formation, nine teams entered into the league, the founding clubs were:
Throughout the league's history, the only club from the first-ever season to continue in an unbroken existence is Rowntrees (now known as Nestlé Rowntree) until its demise at the start of the 2013–14 season.
However, Bishopthorpe United, Easingwold Town and St. Clements are at present still playing in the York League system, after refounding at various points.
Acomb and Rowntrees (along with fellow league team York YMCA) also went on to become founding members of the Yorkshire League for the 1920–21 season.[2]
Some teams from the York League have climbed the football ladder in the past. Pickering Town played in the league before gaining promotion in 1972. They are currently in the Northern Counties East Premier Division. Also, York Railway Institute and Rowntrees were crowned champions of the Northern Counties East League Division One during the 1980s.
Recent times
Today it has a total of seven divisions (four for first teams and three for reserve teams) including the York League Premier Division which sits at level 11 of the English football league system. The league title has been regularly changing with no team retaining it since 2007–08 when Huntington Rovers achieved it. A number of teams that have recently joined the league have progressed successfully though the divisions to the Premier Division (Tadcaster Magnets, F1 Racing and Sporting Knavesmire).
New teams entering for the 2017–18 season were Clifford, Elm Bank, Stillington and Wistow and that season saw the league enter a Representative team into the FA Inter League Cup, reaching the final after wins over West Riding County Amateur league, Chester and the Wirral league, Staffordshire County League and Kent County League.
Former professional footballers with York City played in the league, including Andy McMillan and Christian Fox at Haxby United.
Member clubs
2023-24 Premier Division
Cawood (promoted from Division One)
Dringhouses
Dunnington
Huntington Rovers
Kirkbymoorside
Malt Shovel (Selby)
Old Malton St Mary's
Osbaldwick
Poppleton United
Rawcliffe
Tadcaster Magnets
Thorpe United
Tockwith (promoted from Division One)
Wigginton Grasshoppers
2022-23
Premier Division
Dringhouses
Dunnington
Easingwold Town AFC
Huntington Rovers
Kirkbymoorside
Malt Shovel (Selby)
Old Malton St Mary's
Osbaldwick
Poppleton United
Rawcliffe
Tadcaster Magnets
Thorpe United
Wigginton Grasshoppers
Division One
Bishopthorpe White Rose | Cawood | Duncombe Park | Haxby Town | Hemingbrough United | Pocklington Town 2nd | Pollington | Rufforth United | Strensall Tigers | Tockwith AFC
Division Two
Bubwith White Swan | Civil Service (York) | Cliffe | Clifford | Garforth LG | Helperby United | Heslington | Howden AFC | Stamford Bridge AFC | Walnut Tree | Wheldrake
Division Three
Church Fenton | Copmanthorpe | Ebor Wanderers | Elvington Harriers | Fulford | Hamilton Panthers | South Milford | Sporting Knavesmire | Wilberfoss AFC | York St John University YSJ (Sat)
Division Four
Barmby Moor | Bishop Wilton | Hensall Hawks Open Age | Knottingley Albion Junior York League | London NE Railway Builders | Marton Abbey | Selby Olympia | The Beagle | York Railway Institute | York Shamrocks
Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the second level of York League football.
From 1923 until 1960 (with the exception of 1932–33, 1939–40 and 1946–47), this division was split into two groups, hence why for those years there are two champions.
1950–51 Cliftonville / Clifton & Rawcliffe Community Association
1951–52 Huntington Rovers / Catholic United
1952–53 BR Nomads / Knaresborough
1953–54 Pickering Town / Catholic United
1954–55 Riccall United / Haxby
1955–56 Duncombe Park / Ardua
1956–57 Olympia Mills (Selby) / South Bank
1957–58 Old Malton St. Mary's / Rowntrees
1958–59 Cawood / Dunnington
1959–60 Fulford United / Holme Rovers
1960–61 South Bank / Cookes
1961–62 Selby Shipyards / Civil Service
1962–63 Easingwold Town / NMU
1963–64 Olympia Mills (Selby) / British Sugar
1964–65 Huntington Rovers
1965–66 Fulford United
1966–67 NMU
1967–68 Vickers
1968–69 Wilberfoss Athletic
1969–70 Riccall United
1970–71 Old Malton St. Mary's
1971–72 Amotherby & Swinton
1972–73 New Earswick
1973–74 British Sugar
1974–75 Sheriff Hutton
1975–76 Pickering Town
1976–77 Rangers
1977–78 Melbourne
1978–79 Brayton
1979–80 Post Office
1980–81 York Railway Institute
1981–82 Huntington Rovers
1982–83 Dringhouses
1983–84 St John's College
1984–85 Cliftonville
1985–86 Huntington Rovers
1986–87 Griffin
1987–88 Olympia Mills
1988–89 Riccall United
1989–90 Westlers United
1990–91 New Earswick
1991–92 General Accident
1992–93 Wigginton Grasshoppers
1993–94 Boroughbridge
1994–95 New Earswick
1995–96 Rufforth United
1996–97 Pocklington SC
1997–98 General Accident
1998–99 York Sugar
1999–2000 Wigginton Grasshoppers
2000–01 Riccall United
2001–02 Malton Bacon Factory
2002–03 Wigginton Black Horse
2003–04 Thorpe United
2004–05 Nestlé Rowntree
2005–06 Heslington
2006–07 Haxby United
2007–08 Wilberfoss
2008–09 Riccall United
2009–10 York Railway Institute
2010–11 Wigginton Grasshoppers
2011–12 Terrington Glory
2012–13 Aviva
2013–14 Tadcaster Magnets
2014–15 F1 Racing
2015–16 Malton & Norton
2016–17 Poppleton United
2017–18 Thorpe United
2018–19 Pocklington Town 2nd
Division Two
Below is an incomplete list of previous champions at the third level of York League football. The most common structure for the league was where it was split into two groups at the same level, hence the reason for two champions in some seasons. At times there were even three groups under the same league at this level.
