Leicester & District Mutual Sunday School Football League
The Leicester & District Mutual Sunday School Football League (or Mutual League as it came to be known) was a major junior league in Leicestershire from 1900/01 to 1997/98.
It was initally formed to cater for Sunday School and Evening Class teams in Leicester and the central Leicestershire villages. In later years it expanded to include all types of teams, and the Sunday School part was dropped from the league name after the second world war.
At it’s peak in the 1960’s the league contained as many as ten divisions, but this gradually reduced during the 1980’s and 1990’s until the final season in 1997/98 their were only two divisions and a total of 16 teams.
What do we know about this league ?
I’m missing quite a lot of information from the late 1920’s regarding the teams that played and the number of divisions that were active.
From the mid 1960’s to the mid 1970’s I’m missing the majority of division champions.
Note for these league lists I have used the following abbreviations to keep the lists more managable:
- AS – Adult School
- BC – Bible Class
- Congs – Congregational
- Noncon – Nonconformists
- PM – Prmitive Methodists
- Res – Reserves
- SS – Sunday School
- Wes – Wesleyans
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four | Division Five | Division Six | Division Seven | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900/01 | unknown | ||||||
| 1901/02 | Emmanuel | St. Andrews Res | |||||
| 1902/03 | St. Andrews | St. Marks United | |||||
| 1903/04 | De Montfort Catholics | St. Marks United | |||||
| 1904/05 | Gas & Electric | Aylestone St. James’ | |||||
| 1905/06 | Wigston PM | Knighton SS | Clarendon Park Wes | ||||
| 1906/07 | Clarendon Park Congs | St. Leonard’s Excelsior | Wigston All Saints’ | ||||
| 1907/08 | Wigston Congs | Wigston All Saints’ | St. Martins BC | All Souls SS | |||
| 1908/09 | Wigston All Saints’ | St. Martins BC | Belgrave PM | Belvoir Street Juniors | |||
| 1909/10 | Belgrave Noncon | Syston St. Peter’s | Belvoir Street SS | Evington Road Chapel | Clarendon Park Juniors | ||
| 1910/11 | Belgrave Noncon | Belvoir Street SS | Wigston All Saints’ | Syston St. Peter’s Res | Thurmaston SS Res | ||
| 1911/12 | Belvoir Street SS | South Wigston PM | Abbey Gate BC | Belgrave St. Peter’s Mission | Blaby United SS | South Wigston PM Res | |
| 1912/13 | Belvoir Street SS | Victoria Road Institute | Belgrave St. Peter’s Mission | Carey Hall | South Wigston PM Res | Friar Lane BC | Belgrave PM Res |
| 1913/14 | Belvoir Street SS | Aylestone Park AS | South Wigston PM Res | Belgrave PM | Belvoir Street Junior BC | Aylestone St. Andrew’s | Wigston Congs |
| 1914/15 | Belvoir Street SS | St. Mary’s SS | Gallowtree Gate Congs | Wigston All Saints’ Juniors | Whetstone Baptists | King Richard’s Road Wes |
The league closed down for four seasons due to the First World War.
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four | Division Five | Division Six | Division Seven | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919/20 | Belvoir Street SS | Enderby St. John’s | Syston SS | Thurmaston SS Res | St. Andrews BC | ||
| 1920/21 | Thurmaston SS | Tyro | St. John’s Divine | Friends AS | Carey Hall | Great Meeting | Anstey PM |
| 1921/22 | Thurmaston SS | Thurmaston SS Res | Whetstone Congs | Anstey PM | Humberstone Road Wes | Belvoir Street BC | Belvoir SS Juniors |
| 1922/23 | not decided | Aylestone St. James’ Res | Anstey Congs | Moat Road SS | Bishop Street SS | Belvoir SS Juniors | Northgate Street Wes SS |
| 1923/24 | Stafford’s Class | Aylestone St. James’ Res | West End BC | St. Paul’s Institute | Wigston Magna SS | Mantle Road OB Guild | West End BC Res |
| 1924/25 | Humberstone St. Mary’s | Oxford Street YMI | Kirby Muxloe SS | Wigston Congs | Rothley Church | St. Nicholas BC | St. Augustine’s |
| 1925/26 | Syston St. Peter’s | Belgrave St. Peter’s | Rothley Church | Mantle Road OB Guild | Crafton AS | Abbey Gate SS | Catherine Street PM |
| 1926/27 | Syston St. Peter’s | Mantle Road OB Guild | Robert Hall SS | Saxby SS | Anstey PM Res | Humberstone YM Guild | Andrewes Street SS |
| 1927/28 | unknown | ||||||
| 1928/29 | unknown | ||||||
| 1929/30 | unknown | ||||||
| 1930/31 | Belgrave St. Peter’s | Crafton AS | Cosby United SS | Syston St. Peter’s Res | Cathedral | South Wigston CC Res | |
| 1931/32 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| 1932/33 | Belgrave St. Peter’s | Wigston COB | Rearsby St. Michael’s | St. Paul’s Institute | Melbourne Hall SS | Emmanuel Church | |
| 1933/34 | Belgrave St. Peter’s | Cosby United SS | Birstall St. James’ | Aylestone Old Scholars | Emmanuel Church | Bishop Street SS | |
| 1934/35 | Anstey PM | Markfield Congs | Melbourne Hall SS | Syston Baptists | St. Andrews Church | ||
| 1935/36 | Syston St. Peter’s | South Wigston CoC | Thurmaston St. Michael’s | Trinity Methodists | Narborough Congs | ||
| 1936/37 | Syston St. Peter’s | Barlestone BC | Leicester YMCA | unknown | unknown | ||
| 1937/38 | Syston St. Peter’s | Aylestone Old Scholars | Belvoir Street SS | St. Annes | Wigston COB Res | ||
| 1938/39 | Wigston COB | Desford St. Martin’s | Unity BC | North Evington Free Church | Hastings | ||
| 1939/40 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
During the Second World War the Mutual League ran a joint competition with the Leicester City League called the Leicester City & Mutual Football Combination. This ran for five seasons until the Mutual League started up again for the 1945/46 season.
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four | Division Five | Division Six | Division Seven | Division Eight | Division Nine | Division Ten | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945/46 | Gateway Old Boys | |||||||||
| 1946/47 | Syston St. Peter’s | Aylestone United | Wigston COB Res | |||||||
| 194748 | Wigston COB | Knighton Athletic | Leicester Forest East | YMCA Youth Club | ||||||
| 1948/49 | Knighton Athletic | Leicester Nomads | unknown | Cosby United Res | Old Fosse Boys | |||||
| 1949/50 | Cosby United | Leicester YMCA | Cosby United Res | King Richard’s Road WMC | Belgrave Liberal | unknown | ||||
| 1950/51 | Wigston COB | unknown | unknown | Braunstone Imperial | Brookfield Swifts | unknown | unknown | |||
| 1951/52 | Wigston COB | King Richard’s Road WMC | Brookfield Swifts | Huncote United | Braunstone East | Friar Lane Old Boys | Humberstone St. Mary’s | |||
| 1952/53 | Wigston COB | Belgrave Liberal | Glen Hills SC | Braunstone East | Barkby Swifts | Wigston Fields Res | Braunstone Imperial Res | Midland Athletic | ||
| 1953/54 | King Richard’s Road WMC | Wigston Fields | Braunstone East | Braunstone Imperial Res | Parkside | Saffron Works | Hillcroft | Royce Institiute | Midland Athletic Res | |
| 1954/55 | Old Fosse Boys | Braunstone East | Braunstone Imperial Res | Hillcroft | West End United | Syston BL | Electricity Sports Res | Saffro Works Res | ||
| 1955/56 | Old Fosse Boys | Braunstone Imperial Res | Thurmaston PWMC | Stoney Stanton | Leymont United | Petronians | Bell United | Glen Hills SC Res | ||
| 1956/57 | Wigston COB | Thurmaston PWMC | Stoney Stanton | Petronians | Birstall Social Club | Bell United | Leicester YMCA | Thurmaston PWMC Res | Groby Ex-Service | |
| 1957/58 | Belgrave Liberal | Midland Athletic | Braunstone Amateurs | Brookfield Swifts | Ex-Cell-O | Glenfield United Res | Groby Ex-Service | Royce Institute Res | Leicester YMCA ‘A’ | |
| 1958/59 | Braunstone Imperial | Desford | Brookfield Swifts | Haynes Athletic | Electricity Sports | Ravenhurst Casuals | Thrussington | Wigston Fields Junior | Petronians Res | |
| 1959/60 | Midland Athletic | Ex-Cell-O | unknown | unknown | unknown | Queniborough Amateurs | Wigston Fields ‘B’ | unknown | unknown | Syston Imperial |
| 1960/61 | Hillcroft | unknown | unknown | unknown | Burlington Victoria | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1961/62 | Belgrave Liberal | Leicester YMCA | Wigston Fields ‘A’ | Syston Imperial | Clareonians Athletic | New Parks BCOB | White Stars | Kingsway | Countesthorpe Youth Club | Aylestone Casuals |
| 1962/63 | Hillcroft | Wigston Fields ‘A’ | Barlestone St. Giles | New Parks BCOB | Olympic | Standard Engineering | Countesthorpe United | Syston Imperial Res | Mowmacre BCOB | Countesthorpe United Res |
| 1963/64 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1964/65 | Hillcroft | New Parks BCOB | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1965/66 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| 1966/67 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| 1967/68 | Friar Lane Old Boys | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| 1968/69 | Friar Lane Old Boys | Friar Lane Old Boys Res | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | Friar Lane Old Boys ‘A’ | |
| 1969/70 | Hillcroft | unknown | unknown | Syston BCOB | Old Lancastrians | Roundhill Community College | unknown | unknown | Oadby Juniors | |
| 1970/71 | Friar Lane Old Boys Res | unknown | unknown | Friar Lane Old Boys ‘A’ | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | |
| 1971/72 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | ||
| 1972/73 | unknown | Oadby 67 | unknown | Queniborough | New Parks Social | Oadby 67 Res | unknown | Highfield Rangers | ||
| 1973/74 | Birstall United Social | unknown | unknown | unknown | Barsby & District | unknown | unknown | unknown | ||
| 1974/75 | unknown | unknown | unknown | Highfield Rangers | unknown | unknown | Queniborough Amateurs Res | unknown | ||
| 1975/76 | unknown | Queniborough | Black Rose | unknown | Queniborough Res | Roundhill Community College | County Hall Res | unknown | ||
| 1976/77 | Towers United | County Hall | Bethel | Barsby & District | Metal Box | Magna 73 Res | Kingfisher Youth Res | |||
| 1977/78 | Towers United | Blaby 74 | Roundhill Community College | South Wigston WMC | Spencers United | Blaby 74 Res | BSC Gunners |
For the start of the 1978/79 season the divisions were renamed with the top division becoming the Premier Division.
| Premier Division | Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four | Division Five | Division Six | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978/79 | Highfield Rangers | South Wigston WMC | Needham Rangers | Metal Box | Blaby 74 Res | Melody Mills | Pex Res |
| 1979/80 | Highfield Rangers | Imperial | Highfield Rangers Res | Manny Bernstein Res | Highfield Dynamo | Buckminster Covenanters | |
| 1980/81 | Imperial | Netherhall Tenants | Highfield Dynamo | Kingfisher Youth | Spencers United Res | ||
| 1981/82 | Highfield Rangers | Bethel | Melody Mills | Leicester Rail WMC | San Antonio | ||
| 1982/83 | Highfield Rangers | Highfield Rangers Res | Pex | Groby Pool | Kingfisher Youth | ||
| 1983/84 | Highfield Rangers | Highfield Rangers Res | Neston Town | Highfield Rangers ‘A’ | RS Original | ||
| 1984/85 | Highfield Rangers | Highfield Rangers Res | St. Martins Records | Anstey WMC | Valley Rangers | ||
| 1985/86 | Brookside | FC Rima | Leicester YMCA ‘A’ | Norman & Underwood | |||
| 1986/87 | FC Nirvana | Birstall Old Boys | Buckminster Rangers | Saffron United | |||
| 1987/88 | FC Rima | Monsell WMC | King Richard’s Road WMC | Huncote S&S ‘A’ | |||
| 1988/89 | Highfield Workshops | Spring Grove | Fisher Sporting | Spitfires UK | |||
| 1989/90 | Highfield Rangers ‘A’ | Preci-Spark | Midland ’89 | ||||
| 1990/91 | Highfield Rangers ‘A’ | Albion United | Leicester Saints | ||||
| 1991/92 | Spring Grove | Aylestone 91 | Birstall Old Boys | ||||
| 1992/93 | King Richard’s Road WMC | Needham Rangers | Desford Bucks Res | ||||
| 1993/94 | Scraptoft United | Brookside | AA Sports | ||||
| 1994/95 | Brookside | Birstall Old Boys | Hinckley Central | ||||
| 1995/96 | Wellington Victoria 86 | Sportsmans 82 | Saffron Athletic | ||||
| 1996/97 | Wellington Victoria 86 | Birstall Old Boys | |||||
| 1997/98 | Parva Wayfarers | Midland Co-Op |
The league ceased having a competition for mens adult football, with most of the teams moving to the Leicester City League the following season. The Leicester & District Mutual League continued with the youth football section and is still active with teams competing in many different age group competitions.