PROPOSED NEW LEAGUE

Melton Mowbray Mercury and Oakham and Uppingham News, Thursday 4th May 1911.

Just as the 1910-11 football season closes, attention has been called to a proposal to form a new League for junior clubs of the town and district. The new combination, if it becomes established, is to be called the “North Leicestershire Minor League” and the idea is to accept for membership those clubs who, while not quite up to the standard of the Loughborough and District League, and not eligible for the Sunday School League, an account of being unconnected, as a club, with any specific religious organisation, desire to participate in affiliated League warfare.

There are quite a number of clubs within a stone’s throw of Loughborough, so to speak, who play games with each other, with nothing to show in the shape of a chart with a champion club and incidentally a wooden-spoonist club at the end of the season. Among the clubs who, it is anticipated, will apply for admission to the League at once are: East Leake Amateurs, Shepshed United, Shepshed Imperial, Quorn Emmanuel, Loughborough Arundel, Loughborough Clerks Reserves, and clubs from Barrow, Mountsorrel etc. It has also been suggested that Whitwick and Coalville clubs shall be included, but it would seem that journeys to these places would be rather expensive for junior clubs from, say, Mountsorrel and Barrow. Long journeys quickly empty small coffers, and when funds begin to fail football clubs sometimes break up.

It must not be imagined that clubs can play in a League on the same expense as they play friendly matches, and therefore it seems to me the wisest course is to keep the area covered by a junior league as small as possible, without impairing the general strength and usefulness of the organisation. Applications for membership should be sent to Mr. R. Bryers, “Herald” Office, Loughborough, who is acting as hon. secretary, pro. tem., as early as possible, so that further information respecting meetings, etc., may be sent to the clubs. Mr. W. Cockain, who has taken a keen interest in young footballers for a number of years, has consented to act as chairman of hte proposed League, and as a tangible expression of his interest, and with his generosity, has promised to present the first season’s champions with a set of silver medals. Under the guidance of such an experienced footballer as Mr. Cockain, the success of the movement should be assured.