# Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League

The Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League is an English association football league founded in 1909. As of the 2024/25 season, the league consists of six divisions – Premier, One, Two and Three, then A and B. Historically the divisions named A-D were for Reserve sides of teams in the top four divisions, but 1st teams can now play at the lower levels. In 2024/25, two divisions now have this style of name. The Premier Division is (as of 2024) at level 14 in the English football league system, below the 3rd levels of the top county leagues in the area: Manchester League, Cheshire League and West Lancashire League.

## About the League

The Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League was founded in 1909. The league, as of 2016, is the biggest of the open age Saturday afternoon men's leagues in the region, having eight Saturday divisions in operation, and a few years earlier operated with nine. Clubs are from the Greater Manchester and northern Cheshire areas. The league is overseen by the local Football Association, the Manchester FA.
The league pioneered the Respect Charter in 2002. When the FA later adopted the Respect programme, the league was a pilot League for this. The launch took place at Chorltonians FC’s Police Club ground, Hough End.
One of the league’s success stories are Stalybridge Celtic, who started off as an amateur football club in the league before turning professional two years later. As of summer 2022, the most recent teams to move up to the next level are Stretford Paddock, who joined the Cheshire League, Chadderton Cott and De La Salle, who joined the Manchester League for 2022/23.
In 2017, it was a record-breaking season for the Mellor club, who collected a record 5 trophies - the first team winning the Premier Division and the Rhodes Cup, the reserve team the Div 2 title and the Wray Cup, with the club also winning the Aggregate Trophy.

## Formation of the League

In 1909, a group of men met and in their own words decided to "Promote an Amateur League of high quality for players who pay to play the genuine sport; also to encourage competition against outside Leagues of similar outlook and standing to the mutual benefit of the amateur game." These "founding fathers" of the league included W. H. Rhodes, A. H. Downes, R. W. Lambert and E. Roscoe.

## The first season

The 1909-10 season saw 11 teams join the league.
| League position | Team | Active in the league | 1909-10 Ground | Current status (2022) |
| 1 | Walkden Amateurs | 1909-1915 | Edge Fold, Walkden | Folded |
| 2 | Stalybridge Celtic | 1909-1911 | Bower Fold, Mottram Road, Stalybridge | Northern Premier League |
| 3 | Bolton Wyresdale | 1909-1910 | Bolton | Lancashire Amateur League |
| 4 | Droylsden Corinthians | 1909-1911 | Yew Tree Farm, Copperas Lane, Droylsden | Folded |
| 5 | Lymm Amateurs | 1909-1915 | Rush Green, Lymm | Folded |
| 6 | Denton Corinthians | 1909-1910 | Denton | Folded |
| 7 | Xaverian College | 1909-1910 | Victoria Park, Rusholme | Folded |
| 8 | Werneth Amateurs | 1909-1925 | Block Lane, Werneth | Folded |
| 9 | Dukinfield Astley | 1909-1911 | Bradley Hurst Farm, Dukinfield Hall, Dukinfield | Folded |
| 10 | Brooklands | 1909-1912 | Atkinson Road, Ashton-on-Mersey | Folded |
| 11 | Westinghouse | 1909-1915 | Warwick Road, Old Trafford | Folded |
The first round of matches took place on Saturday 18 September 1909:
* Brooklands v Westinghouse
* Bolton Wyresdale v Lymm Amateurs
* Werneth Amateurs v Denton Corinthians
* Dukinfield Astley v Walkden Amateurs
The league made a profit of £19 17s at the end of the opening season. The first champions, Walkden Amateurs, finished two points clear of runners-up Stalybridge Celtic. Third place Bolton Wyresdale were seven points further behind. The league table ended with 1 game unplayed - Lymm Amateurs v Denton Corinthians. The league chairman said that Denton Corinthians "had not treated the league in a very good spirit" by not fulfilling the fixture.
After the season, Denton Corinthians disbanded, while Bolton Wyresdale moved on to the Manchester Section of the Lancashire Amateur League. Two new clubs were accepted for the following season - Nuthurst (Moston) and Manchester Simmarians. A third club was later accepted - Bolton Caledonians.
The league was said to have been so successful in its initial season, that a second division was to be launched for 1910-11.