Claim: The Sheffield Association League, founded in 1897, replaced one of the first-ever league competitions and cemented itself as South Yorkshire's premiere league competition for non-league clubs.
Evidence: Sheffield Association League 1897 The league was founded in 1897 to fill the void left by the disbandment of the Sheffield & District Football League, which had run from 1889 to 1895. The league was founded in time for the 1889/90 season, being one of the first ever league competitions. It soon established itself as the foremost league competition for non-league clubs in the south of Yorkshire.