# Western Football League

The Western Football League is a football league in South West England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The league's current main sponsor is Jewson, so it is also known as the Jewson Western League for sponsorship reasons.
Recent restructuring of the English football league system has placed the two divisions, known as the Premier Division and Division One (each a maximum of twenty-two clubs) at the ninth and tenth tiers overall, known as Step 5 and Step 6 of the National League System.
The champion club get promoted to a Step 4 league, which in practice will almost certainly be the Southern League Division One South. Below the Western League are four local leagues covering smaller areas, the Gloucestershire County League, the Somerset County League, the Dorset Premier League and the Wiltshire League. The South West Peninsula League Premier Divisions East and West are also feeders to the Western League but due to having Step 6 status (the same level as the Western League Division One), they feed directly into the Western League Premier Division.

## List of 2024–25 member clubs
### Premier Division

| Club | Home ground |
| A.F.C. St Austell | Poltair Park |
| Barnstaple Town | Mill Road |
| Bridgwater United | Fairfax Park |
| Brislington | Brislington Stadium |
| Brixham | Wall Park |
| Buckland Athletic | Homers Heath |
| Clevedon Town | Hand Stadium |
| Ilfracombe Town | Marlborough Park |
| Ivybridge Town | Erme Valley |
| Nailsea & Tickenham | Fryth Way |
| Oldland Abbotonians | Aitchison Playing Field |
| Paulton Rovers | Winterfield Road |
| Portishead Town | Bristol Road |
| Saltash United | Kimberley Stadium |
| Shepton Mallet | The Playing Fields |
| St Blazey | Blaise Park |
| Street | The Tannery |
| Torpoint Athletic | The Mill |
| Wellington | The Playing Field |
| Welton Rovers | West Clewes |

### Division One

| Club | Home ground |
| AEK Boco | Greenbank Road Playing Fields |
| Avonmouth | King George V Recreation Ground |
| Bitton | Recreation Ground |
| Bradford Town | Trowbridge Road |
| Bristol Telephones | Stockwood Lane |
| Cadbury Heath | Springfield |
| Calne Town | Bremhill View |
| Cheddar | Bowdens Park |
| Cribbs Reserves | The Lawns |
| Devizes Town | Nursteed Road |
| Gillingham Town | Woodwater Lane |
| Hallen | The Hallen Centre |
| Hengrove Athletic | Norton Lane |
| Keynsham Town | Crown Field |
| Longwell Green Sports | Longwell Green Community Stadium |
| Mendip Broadwalk | Filwood Fields |
| Odd Down | Lew Hill Memorial Ground |
| Radstock Town | The Southfields Recreation Ground |
| Shirehampton | The Creek |
| Sturminster Newton United | Barnetts Field |
| Warminster Town | Weymouth Street |
| Wells City | The Athletic Ground |

## History

The league was formed in 1892 as the Bristol & District League, and became the Western League in 1895. Another Bristol & District League was later formed, which remains active at a much lower level than the Western League. In the years before World War II, many teams played in both the Southern and Western Leagues; the Western League was considered as secondary to the Southern League.
On four occasions, member clubs have lifted the FA Vase, Tiverton Town twice, Taunton Town once and most recently Truro City, who beat A.F.C. Totton in 2007 at the first final to be held at the new Wembley Stadium before a competition record crowd of 27,754. Truro City were the only one of the three to win the FA Vase while in Division One, while none are current members of the Western League, as all three have since progressed to the Southern League.

### Founder members

* Bedminster (later merged with Bristol South End to form Bristol City)
* Clevedon (later Clevedon Town)
* Clifton Association
* Eastville Rovers (later Bristol Rovers)
* Mangotsfield
* St. George (later merged with Roman Glass F.C. to form Roman Glass St George)
* Trowbridge Town
* Warmley
* Wells

## List of champions
### Bristol & District League

| Season | Division One champions (number of titles) | Division Two champions (number of titles) |
| 1892–93 | Warmley (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1893–94 | Warmley (2) | Warmley Bristol Reserves (1) |
| 1894–95 | Hereford Thistle (1) | Warmley Bristol Reserves (2) |

### Western Football League

| Season | Division One champions (number of titles) | Division Two champions (number of titles) |
| 1895–96 | Warmley (3) | Barton Hill (1) |
| 1896–97 | Warmley (4) | Eastville Wanderers (1) |
| Season | Professional Section champions (number of titles) | Amateur Division One champions (number of titles) | Amateur Division Two champions (number of titles) |
| 1897–98 | Bristol City (1) | Bedminster (1) | Hanham (1) |
| Season | Division One champions (number of titles) | Division Two champions (number of titles) |
| 1898–99 | Swindon Town (1) | Staple Hill (1) |
| 1899–1900 | Bristol Rovers (1) | Bristol East (1) |
| 1900–01 | Portsmouth (1) | Bristol East (2) |
| 1901–02 | Portsmouth (2) | Bristol East (3) |
| 1902–03 | Portsmouth (3) | Bristol Rovers Reserves (1) |
| 1903–04 | Tottenham Hotspur (1) | Bristol City Reserves (1) |
| 1904–05 | Plymouth Argyle (1) | Bristol Rovers Reserves (2) |
| 1905–06 | Queens Park Rangers (1) | Bristol Rovers Reserves (3) |
| 1906–07 | West Ham United (1) | Staple Hill (2) |
| 1907–08 | Millwall Athletic (1) | Bristol City Reserves (2) |
| 1908–09 | Millwall Athletic (2) | Bristol City Reserves (3) |
| 1909–10 | Treharris (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1910–11 | Bristol City Reserves (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1911–12 | Welton Rovers (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1912–13 | Bristol Rovers Reserves (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1913–14 | Cardiff City Reserves (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1915–16 to 1918–19 | League suspended due to World War I | League suspended due to World War I |
| 1919–20 | Douglas (1) | Frome Town (1) |
| 1920–21 | Bristol City Reserves (2) | Peasedown St John (1) |
| 1921–22 | Yeovil & Petters United (1) | Clandown (1) |
| 1922–23 | Weymouth (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1923–24 | Lovell's Athletic (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1924–25 | Yeovil & Petters United (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1925–26 | Bristol City Reserves (3) | Poole (1) |
| 1926–27 | Bristol City Reserves (4) | Poole Reserves (1) |
| 1927–28 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves (1) | Trowbridge Town (1) |
| 1928–29 | Bristol Rovers Reserves (2) | Bath City Reserves (1) |
| 1929–30 | Yeovil & Petters United (3) | Trowbridge Town (2) |
| 1930–31 | Exeter City Reserves (1) | Portland United (1) |
| 1931–32 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves (2) | Portland United (2) |
| 1932–33 | Exeter City Reserves (2) | Swindon Town Reserves (1) |
| 1933–34 | Bath City (1) | Weymouth (1) |
| 1934–35 | Yeovil & Petters United (4) | Swindon Town Reserves (2) |
| 1935–36 | Bristol Rovers Reserves (3) | Swindon Town Reserves (3) |
| 1936–37 | Bristol Rovers Reserves (4) | Weymouth (2) |
| 1937–38 | Bristol City Reserves (5) | Weymouth (3) |
| 1938–39 | Lovell's Athletic (2) | Trowbridge Town (3) |
| 1939–40 | Trowbridge Town (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1940–41 to 1944–45 | League suspended due to World War II | League suspended due to World War II |
| 1945–46 | Bristol Rovers Reserves (5) | Division Two not active |
| 1946–47 | Trowbridge Town (2) | Clandown (2) |
| 1947–48 | Trowbridge Town (3) | Salisbury (1) |
| 1948–49 | Glastonbury (1) | Chippenham United (1) |
| 1949–50 | Wells City (1) | Barnstaple Town (1) |
| 1950–51 | Glastonbury (2) | Stonehouse (1) |
| 1951–52 | Chippenham Town (1) | Bideford (1) |
| 1952–53 | Barnstaple Town (1) | Chippenham Town Reserves (1) |
| 1953–54 | Weymouth Reserves (1) | Bristol Rovers Colts (1) |
| 1954–55 | Dorchester Town (1) | Yeovil Town Reserves (1) |
| 1955–56 | Trowbridge Town (4) | Torquay United Reserves (1) |
| 1956–57 | Poole Town (1) | Cinderford Town (1) |
| 1957–58 | Salisbury (1) | Poole Town Reserves (1) |
| 1958–59 | Yeovil Town Reserves (1) | Bath City Reserves (2) |
| 1959–60 | Torquay United Reserves (1) | Welton Rovers (1) |
| 1960–61 | Salisbury (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1961–62 | Bristol City 'A' (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1962–63 | Bristol City 'A' (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1963–64 | Bideford (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1964–65 | Welton Rovers (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1965–66 | Welton Rovers (3) | Division Two not active |
| 1966–67 | Welton Rovers (4) | Division Two not active |
| 1967–68 | Bridgwater Town (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1968–69 | Taunton (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1969–70 | Glastonbury (3) | Division Two not active |
| 1970–71 | Bideford (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1971–72 | Bideford (3) | Division Two not active |
| 1972–73 | Devizes Town (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1973–74 | Welton Rovers (5) | Division Two not active |
| 1974–75 | Falmouth Town (1) | Division Two not active |
| 1975–76 | Falmouth Town (2) | Division Two not active |
| 1976–77 | Falmouth Town (3) | Saltash United (1) |
| 1977–78 | Falmouth Town (4) | Keynsham Town (1) |
| 1978–79 | Frome Town (1) | Bournemouth Reserves (1) |
| 1979–80 | Barnstaple Town (2) | Melksham Town (1) |
| 1980–81 | Bridgwater Town (2) | Chippenham Town (1) |
| 1981–82 | Bideford (4) | Shepton Mallet Town (1) |
| 1982–83 | Bideford (5) | Bristol Manor Farm (1) |
| 1983–84 | Exmouth Town (1) | Bristol City Reserves (4) |
| 1984–85 | Saltash United (1) | Portway Bristol (1) |
| 1985–86 | Exmouth Town (2) | Portway Bristol (2) |
| 1986–87 | Saltash United (2) | Swanage Town & Herston (1) |
| 1987–88 | Liskeard Athletic (1) | Welton Rovers (2) |
| 1988–89 | Saltash United (3) | Larkhall Athletic (1) |
| 1989–90 | Taunton Town (2) | Ottery St Mary (1) |
| 1990–91 | Mangotsfield United (1) | Minehead (1) |
| 1991–92 | Weston-super-Mare (1) | Westbury United (1) |
| 1992–93 | Clevedon Town (1) | Odd Down (1) |
| 1993–94 | Tiverton Town (1) | Barnstaple Town (2) |
| 1994–95 | Tiverton Town (2) | Brislington (1) |
| 1995–96 | Taunton Town (3) | Bridgwater Town (1) |
| 1996–97 | Tiverton Town (3) | Melksham Town (2) |
| 1997–98 | Tiverton Town (4) | Bishop Sutton (1) |
| 1998–99 | Taunton Town (4) | Minehead (2) |
| 1999–2000 | Taunton Town (5) | Devizes Town (1) |
| 2000–01 | Taunton Town (6) | Team Bath (1) |
| 2001–02 | Bideford (6) | Frome Town (2) |
| 2002–03 | Team Bath (1) | Torrington (1) |
| 2003–04 | Bideford (7) | Hallen (1) |
| 2004–05 | Bideford (8) | Willand Rovers (1) |
| 2005–06 | Bideford (9) | Dawlish Town (1) |
| 2006–07 | Corsham Town (1) | Truro City (1) |
| 2007–08 | Truro City (1) | Wellington (1) |
| 2008–09 | Bitton (1) | Larkhall Athletic (2) |
| 2009–10 | Bideford (10) | Wells City (1) |
| 2010–11 | Larkhall Athletic (1) | Merthyr Town (1) |
| 2011–12 | Merthyr Town (1) | Cadbury Heath (1) |
| 2012–13 | Bishop Sutton (1) | Sherborne Town (1) |
| 2013–14 | Larkhall Athletic (2) | Bradford Town (1) |
| 2014–15 | Melksham Town (1) | Barnstaple Town (3) |
| 2015–16 | Odd Down (1) | Chipping Sodbury Town (1) |
| 2016–17 | Bristol Manor Farm (1) | Wellington (2) |
| 2017–18 | Street (1) | Westbury United (2) |
| 2018–19 | Willand Rovers (1) | Keynsham Town (2) |
| 2019–20 | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | League curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic | League curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | Tavistock (1) | Sherborne Town (2) |
| 2022–23 | Mousehole (1) | Brislington (2) |
| 2023–24 | Helston Athletic (1) | Portishead Town (1) |

## Teams promoted to Southern League (since 1946)

| Year | Team | Position |
| 1949 | Weymouth | 3rd |
| 1957 | Poole Town | 1st |
| 1958 | Trowbridge Town | 5th |
| 1968 | Salisbury | 2nd |
| 1971 | Andover | 2nd |
| 1972 | Bideford | 1st |
| 1972 | Minehead | 2nd |
| 1972 | Dorchester Town | 7th |
| 1977 | Taunton Town | 9th |
| 1982 | Bridgwater Town | 3rd |
| 1992 | Weston-super-Mare | 1st |
| 1993 | Clevedon Town | 1st |
| 1999 | Tiverton Town | 2nd |
| 2000 | Mangotsfield United | 2nd |
| 2001 | Chippenham Town | 2nd |
| 2002 | Taunton Town | 2nd |
| 2003 | Team Bath | 1st |
| 2004 | Paulton Rovers | 2nd |
| 2007 | Bridgwater Town | 2nd |
| 2008 | Truro City | 1st |
| 2009 | Frome Town | 2nd |
| 2010 | Bideford | 1st |
| 2012 | Merthyr Town | 1st |
| 2014 | Larkhall Athletic | 1st |
| 2015 | Slimbridge | 3rd |
| 2016 | Barnstaple Town | 2nd |
| 2017 | Bristol Manor Farm | 1st |
| 2018 | Street | 1st |
| 2018 | Melksham Town | 2nd |
| 2019 | Willand Rovers | 1st |
| 2021 | Plymouth Parkway | 1st |
| 2022 | Tavistock | 1st |
| 2022 | Exmouth Town | 2nd |
| 2023 | Mousehole | 1st |
| 2024 | Helston Athletic | 1st |
| 2024 | Falmouth Town | 2nd |