# Central Midlands Alliance League

The Central Midlands Alliance is an English football league covering the northeast-central part of England. Formed in 1971 as the South Derbyshire League, changing name initially to the Derbyshire League before changing to the Central Midlands League in 1983, it covers parts of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Staffordshire, although Sheffield-based teams play in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League. The league's current sponsor is Abacus Lighting. Upon merging with the Midland Regional Alliance in 2023, the current name was adopted. The number of divisions has varied over time as follows
* 1983–84: Premier, Premier First, Senior and First
* 1984–85 to 1985–86: Premier, Central, Senior and First
* 1986–87 to 1987–88: Supreme, Premier, First and Second
* 1988–89 to 1990–91: Supreme, Premier and First
* 1991–92: Supreme, Premier North and Premier South
* 1992–93 to 2010–11: Supreme and Premier
* 2011–12 to 2012–13: North and South
* 2012–13 to 2014–15: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Reserve Premier
* 2015–16 to 2016–17: North, South, Reserve Division
* 2017–18 to 2018–19: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Division One
* 2018–19 to 2019–20: North, South, Division One North and South
* 2019–20 to 2021–22: North, South, Division One North, South and Central
* 2022–23: North, South, Division One North, East and West
* 2023–24 onwards: North, South, Division One North, South, East and West and Division 2
Within the English football league system, the Central Midlands League's top two divisions, called the North Division and South Division, were considered part of the National League System (at Step 7) until 2020, when they were redesignated as NLS county feeders. Four clubs from the previously-named Premier Division had the distinction of being the lowest-ranked clubs, and only ones outside the NLS, accepted for the 2006–07 FA Vase. For the 2008–09 season, eight of the leading sides left the Central Midlands League to join forces with eight clubs from the Leicestershire Senior League to form a new league, the East Midlands Counties League, at Step 6 of the National League System. For the 2015–16 season reserve teams of clubs who play higher up the pyramid were allowed to participate in the league for the first time.
One club per season from the North and South Divisions may be promoted (subject to ground standards and a top five finish) to either the Northern Counties East League Division One or United Counties League Division One. Some clubs have progressed from the CML to the National League North and Northern Premier League. A representative side from the league takes part in the FA Inter-League Cup.

## Current members

The member clubs of the league for the 2024-25 season are as follows.
Division Two
* Allenton United
* Ashland Rovers Reserves
* Ashover
* Aston Village
* Castle Donington Reserves
* Little Eaton Reserves
* Markeaton
* Mickleover Athletic Reserves
* Rising Stars
* Rowsley 86 Reserves
* Winster Darley Lions
* Wirksworth Ivanhoe Reserves

## League champions

| Season | Premier Division |
| 1983–84 | Shepshed Charterhouse reserves |
| 1984–85 | Rossington Main |
| 1985–86 | Stanton |
| Season | Supreme Division | Premier Division |
| 1986–87 | Hinckley Town | Stanton |
| 1987–88 | Harworth Colliery Institute | Huthwaite |
| 1988–89 | Boston | Priory |
| 1989–90 | Hucknall Town | Mickleover Royal British Legion |
| 1990–91 | Hucknall Town | Mickleover Royal British Legion |
| 1991–92 | Lincoln United | North Fryston Colliery Welfare South Slack & Parr |
| 1992–93 | Arnold Town | Sandiacre Town |
| 1993–94 | Glapwell | Nuthall |
| 1994–95 | Heanor Town | Clipstone Welfare |
| 1995–96 | Oakham United | Killamarsh Juniors |
| 1996–97 | Heanor Town | Clipstone Welfare |
| 1997–98 | Gedling Town | Goole AFC |
| 1998–99 | Mickleover Sports | Lincoln Moorlands |
| 1999–00 | Lincoln Moorlands | Holbrook |
| 2000–01 | Shirebrook Town | North Notts |
| 2001–02 | Shirebrook Town | Retford United |
| 2002–03 | Carlton Town | Pelican |
| 2003–04 | Retford United | Radcliffe Olympic |
| 2004–05 | Dunkirk | AFC Barnsley |
| 2005–06 | Barton Town Old Boys | Bilborough Pelican |
| 2006–07 | Bottesford Town | Hatfield Main |
| 2007–08 | Askern Welfare | Ollerton Town |
| 2008–09 | Radcliffe Olympic | Louth Town |
| 2009–10 | Louth Town | Church Warsop |
| 2010–11 | Sheffield Parramore | Yorkshire Main |
| Season | North Division | South Division |
| 2011–12 | Westella & Willerby | Basford United |
| 2012–13 | Dronfield Town | Sutton Town |
| 2013–14 | AFC Mansfield | Clifton All Whites |
| 2014–15 | Bilsthorpe | Mickleover Royals |
| 2015–16 | Glapwell | Selston |
| 2016–17 | F.C. Bolsover | Selston |
| 2017–18 | Harworth Colliery | Eastwood |
| 2018–19 | Retford | Hucknall Town |
| 2019–20 | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | Season curtailed | Season curtailed |
| 2021–22 | Newark Town | Blidworth Welfare |
| 2022–23 | Retford United | Clay Cross Town |
| 2023-24 | Dearne and District | Pinxton |

## League Challenge Cup

The league also runs the Central Midlands League Challenge Cup, which is contested by every club in the league. Since 2001 every final has been played at Alfreton Town's North Street stadium.

### Finals

| Season | Winner | Result | Runner-up | Venue |
| 2000–01 | Shirebrook Town | 1 – 0 | Collingham | North Street |
| 2001–02 | Retford United | 1 – 0 | Thorne Colliery | North Street |
| 2002–03 | Dinnington Town | 2 – 0 | Dunkirk | North Street |
| 2003–04 | Retford United | 1 – 0 | Dinnington Town | North Street |
| 2004–05 | Sandiacre Town | 1 – 0 | Dunkirk | North Street |
| 2005–06 | Dinnington Town | 2 – 1 | Askern Welfare | North Street |
| 2006–07 | Heanor Town | 5 – 3 | Ollerton Town | North Street |
| 2007–08 | Dunkirk | 1 – 0 | Blidworth Welfare | North Street |
| 2008–09 | Sutton Town | 2 – 0 | Westella & Willerby | North Street |
| 2009–10 | Newark Town | 4 – 4(p) | Louth Town | North Street |
| 2010–11 | Yorkshire Main | 2 – 2(p) | Kirkby Town | North Street |
| 2011–12 | Dronfield Town | 5 – 2 | Clifton All Whites | North Street |
| 2012–13 | Clifton All Whites | 1 – 0 | AFC Mansfield | North Street |
| 2013–14 | AFC Mansfield | 2 – 1 | Thorne Colliery | North Street |
| 2014–15 | Hucknall Town | 3 – 0 | Clifton All Whites | North Street |
| 2015–16 | Hucknall Rolls Leisure | 2 – 1 | Blidworth Welfare | North Street |
| 2016–17 | Selston | 2 – 0 | Hucknall Town | North Street |
| 2017–18 | Pinxton | 4 – 3 | Collingham | North Street |
| 2018–19 | Pinxton | 4 – 4(p) | Hucknall Town | North Street |
| 2019-20 | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic | Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | Season curtailed | Season curtailed | Season curtailed | Season curtailed |
| 2021–22 | Linby Colliery Welfare | 1 – 1(p) | Mickleover Royal British Legion | North Street |
| 2022–23 | Mickleover Royal British Legion | 4 – 2 | Clay Cross Town | North Street |
| 2023–24 | Dinnington Town | 0 – 2 | Doncaster City | North Street |