Hellenic Football League Explained

Hellenic Football League
Founded:1953
Country:England
Feeds:Southern League
Promotion:Southern League Division One Central or South
Divisions:2 (first teams)
4 (reserve teams)
3 (veteran teams)
Teams:40 (plus reserve and veteran teams)
Levels:Levels 9–10, 12
Domest Cup:FA Cup
FA Vase
League:
Challenge Cup
Supplementary Cup
Floodlit Challenge Cup
Premier Division Benevolent Challenge Cup
Division 1 Benevolent Challenge Cup
Season:2022–23
Champions:Premier: Cribbs
One: Pershore Town
Current:2024–25 Hellenic Football League

The Hellenic Football League, currently known as the uhlsport Hellenic Football League for sponsorship reasons, is an English men's football league covering an area including the English counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Herefordshire, southern Warwickshire, northern Wiltshire and southern Worcestershire. There were also teams from Berkshire southern Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Hampshire and Northamptonshire, Surrey until the 2020–21 season.

History

The league was established in 1953. In the 2000–01 season, the Hellenic League absorbed the Chiltonian League. The league now has a Premier Division and Division One as part of the National League System. The league also runs Division Two East, Division Two West, Division Two North and Division Two South below the National League System. In the 2006–07 season the Hellenic League absorbed the Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Veterans League with three Divisions now under the Hellenic Veterans League title.

Starting with the 2004–05 re-organisation the Hellenic League became a step 5 and 6 league in the National League System. Premier Division clubs play at Step 5 level, which offers progression to the Southern Football League Division One (Step 4) for Premier Division winners who have the required ground status.

Hellenic League Division One teams play at Step 6 level, promotion to the Step 5 Premier Division can be gained by clubs finishing in the top two of Division One dependent on required ground facilities as specified by The Football Association. Acceptance to HL Division One is offered to teams playing in the various Step 7 county leagues of the related Hellenic League area.

38 teams play in the Hellenic Premier and Division One. 18 teams play at Veterans level (players aged 35 or over).

Champions

The league started with only a Premier Division, before Division One was added in 1956.

SeasonPremier Division[1] Division One[2]
1953–54Didcot Town
1954–55Witney Town
1955–56Headington United 'A'
1956–57Abingdon TownLuton Town Colts
1957–58Witney TownAylesbury Town Corinthians
1958–59Abingdon TownThatcham
1959–60Abingdon TownHazells
1960–61Bicester TownChipping Norton Town
1961–62Thame UnitedBotley United
1962–63Yiewsley reservesAmersham Town
1963–64Amersham TownHenley Town
1964–65Witney TownThatcham
1965–66Witney TownPrinces Risborough Town
1966–67Witney TownPinehurst
1967–68HazellsHenley Town
1968–69Wallingford TownOxford City reserves
1969–70Thame UnitedClanfield
1970–71Witney TownHungerford Town

For the 1971–72 season, Division One was split into Division One A and B.

The following season, Division One A and B were merged and a Division Two was created.

The following season, Division One and Division Two were merged.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One
1973–74Moreton TownCirencester Town
1974–75Thatcham TownMaidenhead Town
1975–76BurnhamAbingdon Town
1976–77Moreton TownDidcot Town
1977–78Chipping Norton TownBicester Town
1978–79Newbury TownNorthwood
1979–80Bicester TownHazells
1980–81Newbury TownWantage Town
1981–82Forest Green RoversLambourn Sports
1982–83Moreton TownRayners Lane
1983–84Almondsbury GreenwayMorris Motors
1984–85Shortwood UnitedPegasus Juniors
1985–86SharpnessViking Sports
1986–87Abingdon TownBishops Cleeve
1987–88Yate TownCheltenham Town reserves
1988–89Yate TownAlmondsbury Picksons
1989–90NewportCarterton Town
1990–91Milton UnitedCinderford Town
1991–92Shortwood UnitedWollen Sports
1992–93Wollen SportsTuffley Rovers
1993–94Moreton TownCarterton Town
1994–95Cinderford TownEndsleigh
1995–96Cirencester TownPurton
1996–97Brackley TownArdley United
1997–98Swindon SupermarineArdley United
1998–99BurnhamPegasus Juniors
1999–2000Banbury UnitedCheltenham Saracens

In 2000, the league absorbed the Chiltonian League and Division One was regionalised into East and West.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One
EastWest
2000–01Swindon SupermarineHenley TownGloucester United
2001–02North LeighFinchampsteadHook Norton
2002–03North LeighQuarry NomadsSlimbridge
2003–04Brackley TownWantage TownPurton
2004–05Highworth TownEton WickShrivenham
2005–06Didcot TownHounslow BoroughWinterbourne United
2006–07SlimbridgeBisley SportsLydney Town
2007–08North LeighChalfont WaspsWinterbourne United
2008–09Hungerford TownBinfieldHardwickes
2009–10Almondsbury TownThame UnitedSlimbridge
2010–11Wantage TownHolyportHeadington Amateurs
2011–12Oxford City NomadsNewburyTytherington Rocks
2012–13MarlowRayners LaneBrimscombe & Thrupp
2013–14Wantage TownMilton UnitedTytherington Rocks
2014–15Flackwell HeathWokingham & EmmbrookLonglevens
2015–16KidlingtonPenn & Tylers GreenCarterton
2016–17Thame UnitedPenn & Tylers GreenFairford Town
2017–18Thatcham TownVirginia WaterArdley United
2018–19Wantage TownBurnhamEasington Sports
2019–20Competition abandoned (coronavirus pandemic)
2020–21Season abandoned (coronavirus pandemic)

In 2021, Division One East and West were merged again.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One
2021–22Bishop's CleeveStudley
2022–23CribbsPershore Town
2023–24Worcester CityHartpury University

Cup winners

The Hellenic League football cups are the Supplementary Cup, the Challenge Cup and the Floodlit Cup.[4]

SeasonFloodlit CupSupplementary CupChallenge Cup
1994–95Cinderford Town
1995–96Bicester Town
1996–97Abingdon United
1997–98Swindon Supermarine
1998–99BurnhamHighworth TownTuffley Rovers
1999–2000Swindon SupermarineCarterton TownSwindon Supermarine
2000–01Swindon SupermarineCancelled Carterton Town
2001–02Gloucester UnitedPurtonFairford Town
2002–03Tuffley RoversDidcot TownYate Town
2003–04SlimbridgeBrackley TownDidcot Town
2004–05Almondsbury TownHungerford TownDidcot Town
2005–06Slimbridge[5] [6] Badshot LeaDidcot Town
2006–07Wantage TownArdley UnitedHungerford Town
2007–08KidlingtonShortwood UnitedHungerford Town
2008–09Marlow UnitedCancelled Almondsbury Town
2009–10Shortwood UnitedCancelled Ardley United
2010–11HolyportKidlingtonHolyport
2011–12BinfieldReading TownHighworth Town
2012–13Ardley UnitedHeadington AmateursOxford City Nomads
2013–14Brimscombe & ThruppBrimscombe & ThruppAscot United
2014–15North Leigh UnitedHook NortonArdley United
2015–16Ascot UnitedFairford TownFlackwell Heath
2016–17Lydney TownArdley UnitedBracknell Town
2017–18BinfieldHolyportBracknell Town
2018–19Ardley UnitedThornbury TownAscot United
2019–20Cancelled
2020–21Not heldAbingdon UnitedKidlington Reserves
2021–22Not heldPershore TownCribbs
2022–23Mangotsfield UnitedFeckenhamPershore Town

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Uhlsport Hellenic Football League | Premier Division Honours . Uhlsport Hellenic Football League . 16 August 2012.
  2. Web site: Uhlsport Hellenic Football League | League Division One Honours . Uhlsport Hellenic Football League . 16 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120720074748/http://www.hellenicleague.co.uk/stats/first_honours.html . 20 July 2012 . dead .
  3. Web site: Hellenic League | Divisional Champions.
  4. Web site: Cup Winners . Uhlsport Hellenic Football League . 16 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120720072700/http://www.hellenicleague.co.uk/stats/cup.html . 20 July 2012 . dead .
  5. Web site: Hellenic League Statistics Season 2005–06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100729203609/http://www.hellenicleague.co.uk/stats/0506stats.html . 29 July 2010 . Hellenic League.
  6. Web site: Club Honours . 2024-02-24 . Slimbridge AFC.