New soccer league for Leicester

Leicester Evening Mail, Monday 3rd March 1958.

A new league has emerged in Leicester football. It is to be known as the Leicester and District League, and will consist, in the main, of the reserve sides of Senior League clubs.

Twelve clubs were represented at a weekend preliminary meeting, presided over by the County FA secretary, Cyril Williamson.

The new project met with general approval, and the inaugural meeting will be held at the Adult School, Churchgate, Leicester, on Thursday March 20th.

“The clubs had told me of their feelings, and asked me to preside at their first meeting,” said Mr Williamson. “There is no doubt of their keenness to bring such a league into being.”

City and Mutual

Among the clubs concerned are Anstey Nomads, Oadby Town, Wellington Victoria, Enderby Town, Syston St. Peter’s, Cosby United, Wigston Fields and Dainite Sports (Market Harborough).

Earlier this season the Leicestershire Senior League held several meetings to discuss the possiblity of forming a reserve division, but this plan fell through.

Formation of a new competition will hit the Leicester City and Mutual Leagues, in which practically all the clubs are represented by their reserves.

Private grounds

Ron Swann, secretary of Wigston Fields, tells me he has yet to make his report to the committee, but his personal view is that the new league will be a welcome development. “This opinion is shared by all the delegates at the first meeting,” he added.

He pointed out that the Wigston Fields second team, in the Mutual League, had played all but three of their 22 matches. The District League would probably offer at least 30 fixtures.

Another advantage would be the use of privately-owned grounds, not subject to the restrictions on park pitches, while in the new competition there would be no limit on the quota of first team men.