Hinckley & District Football League / South Leicestershire Football League

One of the group of Junior leagues to be formed for the 1895/96 season. Originally this was proposed to be called the South Leicestershire Football League but the name was changed to the Hinckley & District Football League before the start of the first season.

The league ran as the South Leicestershire Football League until the end of the 1971/72 season when it merged with the Market Harborough & District Football League to form the Hinckley & Harborough Alliance Football League.

What do we know about this league ?

Up until the First World War I have the format of the league and pretty much all the teams that entered. There are quite a few gaps during the 1920’s where I’m unsure which divisions make up the league, or if there was any league football at all. The 1940’s are a bit better for information, but in the 1950’s and 1960’s I’m again missing key information on the format of this league.

Division OneDivision TwoDivision Three
1895/96Barwell Swifts
1896/97Stockingford
1897/98Burbage United
1898/99Burbage UnitedStoney Stanton Rising Star Reserves
1899/00Burbage UnitedEarl Shilton Victor Reserves
1900/01Stoney Stanton Rising StarBarwell Albion
1901/02Earl Shilton VictorEarl Shilton Victor Reserves
1902/03Earl Shilton VictorEarl Shilton Victor Reserves
1903/04Earl Shilton VictorEarl Shilton Victor Reserves
1904/05Earl Shilton VictorHinckley Great Meeting
1905/06Earl Shilton VictorSapcote United
1906/07Earl Shilton VictorBurbage United Reserves
1907/08Earl Shilton AlbionHinckley Church Institute
1908/09Earl Shilton VictorCroft Rising Star
1909/10Earl Shilton AlbionEarl Shilton Town
1910/11Stoney Stanton SwiftsBroughton Astley
1911/12Burbage UnitedOsbaston United
1912/13Stoney Stanton SwiftsEarl Shilton Victor Reserves
1913/14Earl Shilton VictorNewbold Verdon
1914/15Earl Shilton VictorBarwell St. Mary’sBarlestone St. Giles

The outbreak of the First World War caused the league to be suspended for three seasons.

Division OneDivision TwoDivision Three
1918/19Stoney Stanton Rising Starunknown
1919/20Stoney Stanton CombinationStoke GoldingBarlestone St. Giles Reserves
1920/21Barlestone St. GilesStoney Stanton Combination ReservesNewbold Verdon Swifts Reserves
1921/22Barwell United ReservesNewbold AthleticCroft Rising Star Reserves
1922/23Earl Shilton AlbionEarl Shilton Adult SchoolDadlington
1923/24Barlestone Rising StarDesford RoversBarlestone Rising Star Reserves

The league changed it’s name to the South Leicestershire Football League at the start of the 1924/25 season.

Division OneDivision Two
1924/25Barlestone Rising StarBarlestone Rising Star Reserves
1925/26unknown
1926/27Market Bosworth Townunknown
1927/28Barlestone RoversPeckleton Rovers Reserves
1928/29Barlestone RoversDesford Rovers
1929/30Croft Granite InstituteStoke Golding United
1930/31Hinckley Holywell AmateursOsbaston Rovers
1931/32Hinckley Holywell AmateursNicholls & Wileman
1932/33unknown
1933/34Croft Granite Club & Institute
1934/35Burbage All BlacksNewbold Verdon Jubilee
1935/36Newbold Verdon JubileeCarlton United
1936/37Newbold Verdon JubileeNewbold Verdon Jubilee Reserves
1937/38Dadlington UnitedEarl Shilton Rovers Reserves
1938/39Dadlington UnitedBurbage Methodists
1939/40Barwell Athleticunknown

The outbreak of the Second World War caused the league to be suspended for four seasons.

Division OneDivision Two
1944/45unknown
1945/46BurbageBarwell Athletic Reserves
1946/47Burbageunknown
1947/48BurbageLeics & Warks Electricity Power Co.
1948/49BurbageNewbold Verdon Dragon
1949/50Barwell Athletic ReservesSharnford YMCA
1950/51Earl Shilton AlbionSutton Cheney St. James
1951/52Newbold Verdon DragonPeckleton United
1952/53Burbage Old BoysEarl Shilton Albion Reserves
1953/54Hinckley Wharf DistrictClaybrooke
1954/55Hinckley Wharf DistrictSharnford YMCA
1955/56Hinckley Wharf DistrictHinckley Wharf District Reserves
1956/57Burgess Products ReservesHinckley YMCA
1957/58Stoke GoldingMarket Bosworth
1958/59Stoke GoldingStoke Golding Reserves
1959/60Hinckley Tech CollegeSharnford Youth Centre
1960/61Braunstone Victoriaunknown
1961/62unknownunknown
1962/63Wolvey AmateursHinckley Casuals Reserves
1963/64Braunstone AthleticBraunstone Athletic Reserves
1964/65Braunstone Victoriaunknown
1965/66Braunstone VictoriaClaybrooke
1966/67unknown
1967/68Desford Colliery Reserves
1968/69unknown
1969/70Desford Colliery Reserves
1970/71WillowbankWigston COB Reserves
1971/72Barton-in-the-BeansThurmaston PWMC Reserves

At the end of the 1971/72 season the South Leicestershire Football League merged with the Market Harborough & District Football League to form the Hinckley & Harborough Alliance.