 Southern Amateur Football League |
|
| Sport | Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1907 |
| No. of teams | c215 (21 divisions) (3 senior divisions) |
| Country(ies) |  England |
| Most recent champion(s) | (Division 1) Nottsborough (Division 2) Broomfield |
The Southern Amateur League (SAL) is an association football league affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA). It is based in and around Greater London and was formed in 1907. The league admits only fully amateur clubs which are a mixture of 'old boys' associations from schools and colleges, business house sports clubs and private clubs. The League currently has member 33 clubs running just over 200 teams.
Contents |
Club set-up, sportsmanship and hospitality
As in many other AFA affiliated leagues, it is common for clubs to run several teams with all current SAL clubs running at least four while the biggest clubs run up to 11 teams. This allows players of all abilities to play against teams from other clubs of a similar standard. The best players will be picked for the 1st team, the best of the remainder going into the 2nd team and so on down the club.
One of the main trademarks of the league is that it expects players to socialise with their opposition and match officials after games. The levels of foul play and gamesmanship often witnessed at higher levels of the game are relatively low. In the lower teams team captains are known to substitute players who abuse opponents or referees.
League set up and Challenge Cups
The league is divided into four sections: Senior (1st teams), Intermediate (2nd teams), Junior (3rd teams) and Minor (4th teams and lower). In the Senior, Intermediate and Junior sections there are three divisions (Divisions 1, 2 and 3) each containing 11 teams. The Minor section has a London-wide Division 1 fed by North and South sections.
As well as league competitions the SAL runs five cup competitions. These are:
the Junior Cup (for teams in the Junior section),
Minor Cup (Minor Divisions 1, 2 North and 2 South),
Senior Novets Cup (Minor Divisions 3 North, 3 South and 4 South),
Intermediate Novets Cup (Minor Divisions 4 North, 5 South and 6 South),
Junior Novets Cup (Minor Divisions 5 North and 7 South).
These were inaugurated for the 1995-96. There are no cups for the 1st and 2nd teams in the league as these teams are offered an extra 'county divisional' cup by the AFA (either the Middlesex/Essex Cup or the Surrey/Kent Cup, depending on location). Because of this it is thought that interest in an extra competition would not be high enough to justify its introduction at 1st or 2nd team level.
Current member clubs
The League currently consists of 33 clubs. Three of these (Alleyn Old Boys, Civil Service and Crouch End Vampires) are founder members of the League while 19 have been in membership since before World War II.
The current member clubs are:
Representative team
The League representative team has played a programme of friendly fixtures since the 1920s against other AFA affiliated leagues and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. In recent seasons the biggest annual fixture has been the Steve Langley Trophy game against the Amateur Football Combination in memory of the former SAL and Crouch End Vampires captain who died aged 42 of cancer in 2003.
For the 2007-2008 season the team entered the FA National League System Cup for the first time, winning the competition on penalties against the Midland Football Combination (Division 1) in the final at Coventry City F.C. after a 1-1 draw. The southern semi-final saw an AFA 'derby' win over the Amateur Football Combination by 2-0 at Dulwich Hamlet.
The team travelled to Turin in October 2008 to compete in the Intermediary Round of the UEFA Regions' Cup where they missed out on qualifying for the Final tournament on goal difference having not conceded a goal during their three games..
History, highlights and the future
The Southern Amateur League was founded in 1907 and has been affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance ever since. It is proud to retain the membership to this day of three founder members - Alleyn Old Boys, Civil Service and Crouch End Vampires - and has been graced in the past by the likes of Ipswich Town (former Football League champions), Cambridge City (Southern League) and Hastings United (Isthmian League).
After World War I a Reserve Team Section was added and the league grew steadily after World War II as 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and even - for just 2 years - 9th team sections were added to meet the demand of member clubs. After the 9th team retreated into the 8th team section after the 1993-94 season the 7th team section was then swallowed-up in 1996 to form the Minor Teams Section for 7th teams and lower.
After the 2002-03 season the league regionalised its lower sections. The 4th, 5th, 6th and Minor Teams sections were merged into one new Minor section with North and South divisions feeding a London-wide Division 1. The change appears to have had a positive effect as numbers of teams have been rising steadily ever since.
League champions, Senior Section
| Season | Section 'A' | Section 'B' |
|---|---|---|
| 1907-1908 | New Crusaders | Reigate Priory (s) |
| 1908-1909 | New Crusaders (a) | Norsemen |
| 1909-1910 | New Crusaders | Tunbridge Wells |
| 1910-1911 | New Crusaders | Alleyn Old Boys |
| 1911-1912 | Civil Service | L.C.W. & Parr's Bank |
| 1912-1913 | New Crusaders | Crouch End Vampires |
| 1913-1914 | Civil Service | Carshalton |
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1919-1920 | Merton | Aquarius |
| 1920-1921 | Cambridge Town | Cheshunt |
| 1921-1922 | Ipswich Town | L.J.C. & Midland Bank |
| 1922-1923 | Eastbourne | Old Parkonians (e) |
| 1923-1924 | Westminster Bank | Barclays Bank |
| 1924-1925 | Midland Bank | Old Lyonians |
| 1925-1926 | Eastbourne | Toc H. |
| 1926-1927 | Ealing Association (a) | Merton |
| 1927-1928 | Cambridge Town | Hastings & St. Leonards |
| Season- | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928-1929 | Cambridge Town | Kew Association (s) | Britannic House |
| 1929-1930 | Ipswich Town | Merton (s) | Civil Service (a) |
| 1930-1931 | Cambridge Town (a) | Civil Service | Catford Wanderers |
| 1931-1932 | Cambridge Town | Catford Wanderers | East Grinstead |
| 1932-1933 | Ipswich Town | Lloyds Bank | Cuaco |
| 1933-1934 | Ipswich Town | Westminster Bank | Alexandra Park |
| 1934-1935 | Hastings & St. Leonards | Cuaco | Thornycroft |
| 1935-1936 | Hastings & St. Leonards | Aquarius | Highgate (e) |
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2A | Division 2B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936-1937 | Hastings & St. Leonards | Highgate | Ealing Association |
| 1937-1938 | Civil Service | Norsemen | Lensbury & Britannic House |
| 1938-1939 | Hastings & St. Leonards | National Provincial Bank | Eastbourne |
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1945-1946 | Merton | Old Parkonians |
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2A | Division 2B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-1947 | Ealing Association | Westminster Bank | Winchmore Hill |
| 1947-1948 | Winchmore Hill | Barclays Bank | Alexandra Park |
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948-1949 | Winchmore Hill | Brentham | National Provincial Bank |
| 1949-1950 | Catford Wanderers | Crouch End Vampires | Old Latymerians |
| 1950-1951 | Catford Wanderers | Midland Bank | Aquarius |
| 1951-1952 | Winchmore Hill | Civil Service | Cuaco |
| 1952-1953 | Catford Wanderers | Pinner | Old Stationers |
| 1953-1954 | Alexandra Park | Lensbury & Britannic House | Old Lyonians |
| 1954-1955 | Winchmore Hill | Carshalton | Aquarius |
| 1955-1956 | Winchmore Hill | Barclays Bank | Polytechnic |
| 1956-1957 | Cuaco | Lensbury & Britannic House | Ibis |
| 1957-1958 | Old Westminster Citizens | Old Stationers (o) | Merton |
| 1958-1959 | Cuaco (a) | Polytechnic | Broomfield |
| 1959-1960 | Cuaco | Broomfield | Crouch End Vampires |
| 1960-1961 | Broomfield | Borough Polytechnic | National Provincial Bank |
| 1961-1962 | Cuaco (a) | Polytechnic | Kew Association |
| 1963-1964 | Midland Bank | West Wickham | Old Parkonians |
| 1964-1965 | Old Stationers | Catford Wanderers | Pearl Assurance |
| 1965-1966 | Southgate Olympic | Ibis | Old Westminster Citizens |
| 1966-1967 | Norsemen | Winchmore Hill | Barclays Bank |
| 1967-1968 | Winchmore Hill | Civil Service | Old Bromleians |
| 1968-1969 | Civil Service | Barclays Bank | Kew Association |
| 1969-1970 | Midland Bank | Kew Association | Pearl Assurance |
| 1970-1971 | Civil Service | Ibis | Old Bromleians (o) |
| 1971-1972 | Southgate Olympic | Barclays Bank | Old Esthameians (o) |
| 1972-1973 | Midland Bank | Old Westminster Citizens | Brentham |
| 1973-1974 | Midland Bank | Norsemen | Carshalton |
| 1974-1975 | Catford Wanderers | Old Bromleians (o) | Old Esthameians |
| 1975-1976 | Midland Bank | Barclays Bank | Merton |
| 1976-1977 | Kew Association | Carshalton | South Bank Polytechnic |
| 1977-1978 | West Wickham | Barclays Bank | East Barnet Old Grammarians (m) |
| 1978-1979 | Catford Wanderers | East Barnet Old Grammarians (o) | Old Westminster Citizens |
| 1979-1980 | West Wickham | Southgate Olympic | Old Bromleians |
| 1980-1981 | Old Esthameians (o) | Old Bromleians | Britannic House |
| 1981-1982 | West Wickham | Old Parkonians | Old Stationers |
| 1982-1983 | Crouch End Vampires | Lensbury | Barclays Bank |
| 1983-1984 | Winchmore Hill | Old Stationers | Old Salesians |
| 1984-1985 | West Wickham | Old Salesians (a, o) | Old Actonians Association |
| 1985-1986 | National Westminster Bank | Old Actonians Association (m) | Ibis |
| 1986-1987 | West Wickham | Old Parkonians (e, o) | Brentham |
| 1987-1988 | West Wickham | Old Actonians Association | Merton |
| 1988-1989 | West Wickham | Midland Bank | East Barnet Old Grammarians |
| 1989-1990 | West Wickham | Carshalton | Southgate Olympic |
| 1990-1991 | West Wickham | Old Bromleians | Alexandra Park |
| 1991-1992 | Old Actonians Association | Crouch End Vampires | Lensbury |
| 1992-1993 | National Westminster Bank | Lensbury | Old Latymerians |
| 1993-1994 | South Bank Polytechnic | East Barnet Old Grammarians | Old Parmiterians |
| 1994-1995 | South Bank AFC | Carshalton | Old Lyonians |
| 1995-1996 | Old Actonians Association (a) | Old Parmiterians | Old Salesians |
| 1996-1997 | Old Parmiterians | Lloyds Bank | Midland Bank |
| 1997-1998 | Norsemen | National Westminster Bank (s) | Old Stationers |
| 1998-1999 | Old Actonians Association (m) | Old Bromleians | Alleyn Old Boys |
| 1999-2000 | Old Actonians Association (m) | Alleyn Old Boys | Broomfield |
| 2000-2001 | Old Actonians Association | Broomfield | Old Lyonians |
| 2001-2002 | Old Owens | Old Salesians | Nottsborough |
| 2002-2003 | Old Salesians | Winchmore Hill (a) | Bank of England |
| 2003-2004 | Old Esthameians | Nottsborough | Kew Association |
| 2004-2005 | Broomfield (me) | East Barnet Old Grammarians | Old Wilsonians |
| 2005-2006 | Old Owens (o) | Alleyn Old Boys | Merton |
| 2006-2007 | Nottsborough | Polytechnic >(me) | South Bank Cuaco |
| 2007-2008 | West Wickham (sk) | Old Esthameians | Old Parkonians |
| 2008-2009 | Nottsborough (a) | Broomfield | Lloyds TSB Bank |
(a) indicates team also won AFA Senior Cup
(e) indicates team also won AFA Essex Senior Cup
(m) indicates team also won AFA Middlesex Senior Cup
(s) indicates team also won AFA Surrey Senior Cup
(me) indicates team also won AFA Middlesex/Essex Senior Cup
(sk) indicates team also won AFA Surrey/Kent Senior Cup
(o) indicates team also won Old Boys Senior Cup
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