# Suffolk and Ipswich Football League

The Suffolk and Ipswich Football League is a football competition based in Suffolk, England. The league has a total of eight divisions; the Senior Division and Divisions 1–3 for first teams, three divisions (Leagues A, B and C) for reserve teams, and Division 4, which is for open to both first teams and reserves and is subordinate to both Division 3 and League C. The Senior Division is at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. The league was founded in 1896 as the Ipswich & District League changing its name in 1978.
The Senior Division champions may apply for promotion to the Eastern Counties League Division One. Clubs from the league to progress up the pyramid include Whitton United, Sudbury Town, Hadleigh United, Woodbridge Town, Needham Market, Walsham-le-Willows, and Debenham LC.
The league is affiliated to the Suffolk County Football Association.

## History

The Ipswich and District League was established in 1896 at the initiative of Frederick Gibbons, the secretary of St Lawrence Works. Gibbons placed an advert in the East Anglian Daily Times stating that he intended to launch a football league for Ipswich and the surrounding area. The inaugural meeting on 10 September 1896 was attended by officials from 18 clubs including Brantham Athletic, Ipswich Town and Orwell Works. Local MP Daniel Ford Goddard, who became the league's first president, promised to provide a trophy for the league, and the league commenced in October with two divisions of eight clubs. Although Ipswich Town had opted not to join, several other clubs that had not attended the initial meeting did, including Felixstowe Town, Stowmarket and Woodbridge Old St Mary's.
Divisions between the Amateur Football Association (AFA) and the Football Association (which had created a split in the Suffolk County Football Association) led to a small number of clubs leaving the league (which was affiliated to the AFA) in 1910 and setting up a rival FA Ipswich & District League. More clubs left the AFA version of the league in 1911, which ran with just twelve clubs across its two divisions. Although 21 clubs attended the league's annual general meeting in August 1912 and it was initially agreed to have ten clubs in Division One and eleven in Division Two, seven of the clubs elected to Division One walked out of the meeting. the 1912–13 season saw ten clubs compete in the AFA version of the league and 14 in the FA version, a situation that continued in 1913–14. Although the dispute between the AFA and FA were resolved in 1914, resulting in rival leagues merging to form a three-division competition, the outbreak of World War I saw the league abandoned in September 1914.
When the league resumed in 1919 it had grown to five divisions. Division One was renamed the Premier Division in 1950, with a new Division One created above the sectional Division Twos. By 1971 the league had expanded to ten divisions. In 1978 the league was renamed the Suffolk & Ipswich League and the Premier Division became the Senior Division.

## 2022–23 members
### Senior Division

Benhall St. Mary | Bildeston Rangers | Claydon | Coplestonians | East Bergholt United | Halesworth Town | Haughley United | Henley Athletic | Leiston St Margarets | Old Newton United | Ransomes Sports | Sporting 87 | Trimley Red Devils | Westerfield United | Wickham Market

### Division One

Achilles | AFC Kesgrave | Bacton United 89 | Bramford Road Old Boys | Capel Plough | Cockfield United | Grundisburgh | Somersham | Stanton | Stowupland Falcons | Tattingstone United | Wenhaston United | Woolverstone United

### Division Two

Bardwell Sport | Bramford United | Claydon Reserves | Coplestonians Reserves | Elmswell | Great Blakenham Chequers | Ipswich Athletic | Kesgrave Kestrels | Kirton Athletic | Saxmundham Sports | Sporting 87 Reserves | Stonham Aspal | Thurston

### Division Three

AFC Kesgrave Reserves | Bacton United 89 Reserves | East Bergholt United Reserves | Halesworth Town Reserves | Haughley United Reserves | Ipswich Wanderers U23s | Laxfield | Needham Market Phoenix | Occold | Ransomes Sports Reserves | Trimley Red Devils Reserves | Wickham Market Reserves

### Division Four

Capel Plough Reserves | Cockfield United Reserves | Coplestonians ‘A’ (founded by Samuel John-Gibson Copleston)| Framlingham Town ‘A’ | Gipping Gnats | Grundisburgh Reserves | Hope Church | Kesgrave Kestrels Reserves | Old Newton United Reserves | Sporting 87 ‘A’ | Unity | Walsham Le Willows 'A'

### Division Five

AFC Kesgrave ‘A’ | Benhall St. Mary Reserves | Bildeston Rangers Reserves | Coddenham Athletic | Debenham L.C. Reserves | East Bergholt United ‘A’ | Henley Athletic Reserves | Kirton Athletic Reserves | Leiston St Margarets Reserves | Stanton Reserves | Stowupland Falcons Reserves | Thurston Reserves | Wenhaston United Reserves | Woolverstone United Reserves

### Division Six

Bacton United 89 ‘A’ | Capel Plough 'A' | Elmswell Reserves | Eye Saints Youth | Hadleigh United Brettsiders | Kesgrave Kestrels ‘A’ | Mendlesham | Samuels | Saxmundham Sports Reserves | Somersham Reserves | Stowupland Falcons ‘A’

## List of divisional champions

| Season | Division One | Division Two | Division Two |
| 1896–97 | Stowmarket | St Matthews | St Matthews |
| 1897–98 | Stowmarket | West End Excelsiors | West End Excelsiors |
| 1898–99 | Woodbridge Old St Marys | Brantham Athletic | Brantham Athletic |
| 1899–1900 | Stowmarket | St Peters | St Peters |
| 1900–01 | Leiston | St Clements Rangers | St Clements Rangers |
| 1901–02 | Leiston | Leiston reserves | Leiston reserves |
| 1902–03 | Leiston | Westgate Ward Liberals | Westgate Ward Liberals |
| 1903–04 | 28th RGA Landguard | Woodbridge Town | Woodbridge Town |
| 1904–05 | Orwell Works | Westbourne Athletic | Westbourne Athletic |
| 1905–06 | Orwell Works | Westbourne Mills | Westbourne Mills |
| 1906–07 | Orwell Works | Stoke Athletic | Stoke Athletic |
| 1907–08 | Stowmarket | St Clements United | St Clements United |
| 1908–09 | Westbourne Mills | Woodbridge Town | Woodbridge Town |
| 1909–10 | Stowmarket | Stowmarket reserves | Stowmarket reserves |
| 1910–11 | Felixstowe Town | Stowmarket reserves | Stowmarket reserves |
| 1911–12 | Orwell Works | All Saints United | All Saints United |
| 1912–13 | Woodbridge Town (AFA) Stowmarket (FA) | Hadleigh (AFA) G Battery RHA (FA) | Hadleigh (AFA) G Battery RHA (FA) |
| 1913–14 | Walton United (AFA) Stowmarket (FA) | Stoke Athletic and YMCA jointly (AFA) Brantham Athletic (FA) | Stoke Athletic and YMCA jointly (AFA) Brantham Athletic (FA) |
| Season | Premier Division | Division Two A | Division Two B |
| 1919–20 | Bury United | Life Bridgade Old Boys | Stoke Athletic |
| 1920–21 | Walton United | Great Eastern Railway | Stoke Guild |
| 1921–22 | Stowmarket | St Marys Elms Old Boys | Woodbridge Comrades |
| 1922–23 | Harwich & Parkeston | Manganese Bronze | Woodbridge Comrades |
| 1923–24 | RAF Martlesham | Bramford Works | Clarkson Street Athletic |
| 1924–25 | RAF Felixstowe | HMS Ganges | Leiston St Margarets |
| 1925–26 | Walton United | Manningtree | Woodbridge Town |
| 1926–27 | HMS Ganges | St Johns | Kingsway Athletic |
| 1927–28 | HMS Ganges | Shotley Swifts | Kingsway Athletic |
| 1928–29 | Lowestoft Waveney Athletic | Ipswich Town reserves | Aldeburgh Town |
| 1929–30 | Newmarket Town | Parkeston Railway reserves | Stoke Institute |
| 1930–31 | Stoke Institute | Ipswich Town reserves | Orwell Works reserves |
| 1931–32 | RAF Martlesham | Barham House | Ipswich Town reserves |
| 1932–33 | Orwell Works | Needham Market | Ipswich Town reserves |
| 1933–34 | Newmarket Town | Hadleigh United | Ipswich Town reserves |
| 1934–35 | Sudbury Town | Parkeston Railway | Atlas |
| 1935–36 | Orwell Works | Parkeston Railway | Melton St Andrews |
| 1936–37 | Felixstowe Town | Manningtree Rovers | Wickham Market |
| 1937–38 | Orwell Works | Manningtree Rovers | Leiston |
| 1938–39 | Orwell Works | Stoke United | Melton St Andrews |
| 1945–46 | Achilles and HMS Ganges jointly | No Division Two | No Division Two |
| 1946–47 | Whitton United | Needham Market | Needham Market |
| 1947–48 | Whitton United | Needham Market | Bramford Road Old Boys |
| 1948–49 | Achilles | Hadleigh & District | Grundisburgh |
| 1949–50 | Waterside Works | Great Blakenham | Grundisburgh |
| Season | Premier Division | | |
| 1950–51 | Waterside Works | Grundisburgh | Grundisburgh |
| 1951–52 | Waterside Works | Great Blakenham | Great Blakenham |
| 1952–53 | Sudbury Town | Needham Market | Needham Market |
| 1953–54 | Hadleigh United | Landseer | Landseer |
| 1954–55 | Waterside Works | RAF Martlesham | RAF Martlesham |
| 1955–56 | Waterside Works | Eastern Old Boys | Eastern Old Boys |
| 1956–57 | Hadleigh United | Christchurch Athletic | Christchurch Athletic |
| 1957–58 | Felixstowe Town | Orwell Works | Orwell Works |
| 1958–59 | Waterside Works | Ipswich Lads Club | Ipswich Lads Club |
| 1959–60 | Electric Supply | Grundisburgh | Grundisburgh |
| 1960–61 | Orwell Works | Ranelagh Road Old Boys | Ranelagh Road Old Boys |
| 1961–62 | Orwell Works | Ranelagh Road Old Boys | Ranelagh Road Old Boys |
| 1962–63 | Waterside Works | Heath Row | Heath Row |
| 1963–64 | Waterside Works | Melton United | Melton United |
| 1964–65 | Felixstowe Town | Priory Heath Old Boys | Priory Heath Old Boys |
| 1965–66 | Whitton United | Westerfield United | Westerfield United |
| 1966–67 | Electric Supply | Priory Heath Old Boys | Priory Heath Old Boys |
| 1967–68 | Whitton United | Wetheringsett | Wetheringsett |
| 1968–69 | Electric Supply | Rushmere Athetic | Rushmere Athetic |
| 1969–70 | ICI Paints | Nicholians | Nicholians |
| 1970–71 | Heath Row | Woodbridge Town | Woodbridge Town |
| 1971–72 | Nicholians | Bull Motors | Bull Motors |
| 1972–73 | Hadleigh United | Bull Motors | Bull Motors |
| 1973–74 | Nicholians Locomotive | Alan Road | Alan Road |
| 1974–75 | Crane Sports | Stutton | Stutton |
| 1975–76 | Nicholians | Wickham Market | Wickham Market |
| 1976–77 | Hadleigh United | Haughley United | Haughley United |
| 1977–78 | Bull Motors | Caribbeans | Caribbeans |
| Season | Senior Division | Division One | Division One |
| 1978–79 | Hadleigh United | Murrayside | Murrayside |
| 1979–80 | Nicholians Locomotive | Coplestonians | Coplestonians |
| 1980–81 | Ransomes | Bramford Road Old Boys | Bramford Road Old Boys |
| 1981–82 | Westerfield United | Old Newton United | Old Newton United |
| 1982–83 | Haughley United | Halesworth Town | Halesworth Town |
| 1983–84 | Westerfield United | Leiston | Leiston |
| 1984–85 | Westerfield United | BT Research | BT Research |
| 1985–86 | Achilles | Murrayside | Murrayside |
| 1986–87 | RSSC Ransomes | Woodbridge Town | Woodbridge Town |
| 1987–88 | Achilles | YMCA Fonnereau Athletic | YMCA Fonnereau Athletic |
| 1988–89 | Woodbridge Town | Halesworth Town | Halesworth Town |
| 1989–90 | Grundisburgh | Walsham-le-Willows | Walsham-le-Willows |
| 1990–91 | Grundisburgh | Melton St Audrys | Melton St Audrys |
| 1991–92 | Framlingham Town | Westerfield United | Westerfield United |
| 1992–93 | Whitton United | Achilles | Achilles |
| 1993–94 | Grundisburgh | Nicholians | Nicholians |
| 1994–95 | Whitton United | Walsham-le-Willows | Walsham-le-Willows |
| 1995–96 | Needham Market | | |
| 1996–97 | Haughley United | | |
| 1997–98 | Grundisburgh | | |
| 1998–99 | Walton United | | |
| 1999–2000 | Grundisburgh | | |
| 2000–01 | Grundisburgh | | |
| 2001–02 | Walsham-le-Willows | | |
| 2002–03 | Walsham-le-Willows | Cockfield United | Cockfield United |
| 2003–04 | East Bergholt United | AFC Debenham | AFC Debenham |
| 2004–05 | East Bergholt United | Stonham Aspal | Stonham Aspal |
| 2005–06 | East Bergholt United | Coplestonians | Coplestonians |
| 2006–07 | Grundisburgh | Stonham Aspal | Stonham Aspal |
| 2007–08 | Brantham Athletic | Woodbridge Athletic | Woodbridge Athletic |
| 2008–09 | Grundisburgh | Old Newton United | Old Newton United |
| 2009–10 | Old Newton United | Haughley United | Haughley United |
| 2010–11 | Grundisburgh | Leiston St Margarets | Leiston St Margarets |
| 2011–12 | Woodbridge Athletic | Coplestonians | Coplestonians |
| 2012–13 | Ipswich Valley Rangers | Westerfield United | Westerfield United |
| 2013–14 | Achilles | Bramford United | Bramford United |
| 2014–15 | Crane Sports | Ipswich Athletic | Ipswich Athletic |
| 2015–16 | Crane Sports | Ransomes Sports | Ransomes Sports |
| 2016–17 | Henley Athletic | Benhall St Mary | Benhall St Mary |
| 2017–18 | Achilles | Claydon | Claydon |
| 2018–19 | Crane Sports | Old Newton United | Old Newton United |
| 2019–20 | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic | League abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | Henley Athletic | Sporting 87 | Sporting 87 |
| 2022–23 | Henley Athletic | Stowupland Falcons | Stowupland Falcons |
| 2023–24 | Henley Athletic | Thurston | Thurston |

## League Cup

The league also runs a league cup, known as the Bob Coleman Cup. It has previously been known as the Omnico Cup and the McNeil League Knock–Out Cup/

### List of winners

* 1976–77 Hadleigh United
* 1977–78 Needham Market
* 1978–79 Woodbridge Town
* 1979–80 Needham Market
* 1980–81 Hadleigh United
* 1981–82 Hadleigh United
* 1982–83 Ransomes
* 1983–84 Westerfield United
* 1984–85 Westerfield United
* 1985–86 Haughley United
* 1986–87 Hadleigh United
* 1987–88 Achilles
* 1988–89 Grundisburgh
* 1989–90 Framlingham Town
* 1990–91 Grundisburgh
* 1991–92 Framlingham Town
* 1992–93 Grundisburgh
* 1993–94 Whitton United
* 1994–95 Stanton
* 1995–96 Haughley United
* 1996–97 Brantham & Stutton United
* 1997–98 Grundisburgh
* 1998–99 Walsham-le-Willows
* 1999–2000 Walsham-le-Willows
* 2000–01 Grundisburgh
* 2001–02 Walsham-le-Willows
* 2002–03 Old Newton United
* 2003–04 East Bergholt United
* 2004–05 Crane Sports
* 2005–06 Ransomes Sports
* 2006–07 Melton St Audrys
* 2007–08 Grundisburgh
* 2008–09 Ransomes Sports
* 2009–10 Ransomes Sports
* 2010–11 Crane Sports
* 2011–12 Haughley United
* 2012–13 Crane Sports
* 2013–14 Grundisburgh
* 2014–15 Ipswich Athletic
* 2015–16 Achilles F.C.
* 2016–17 Benhall St Mary
* 2017–18 Crane Sports
* 2018–19 Henley Athletic