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- For the 5th century league of Greek city-states, see Delian League.
The Athenian League was an English amateur football league in and around London.
The league was formed in 1912 with nine clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined. Clubs left and joined the league at a rate of about one a year, with a number leaving to join the Isthmian League, the strongest amateur league in the London area. Total membership remained fairly stable at between 12 and 16 clubs until 1963, when it absorbed most of the clubs from two rival leagues: the Corinthian League (which became the Athenian League First Division) and the Delphian League (which became the Athenian League Second Division). The existing division was renamed the Premier Division.
Over the following years, it lost many clubs to stronger leagues, particularly the Isthmian League and Southern League, and successive waves of Isthmian League expansion in 1973, 1977 and 1984 finally forced the league to disband.
[edit] Clubs progressing to stronger leagues
The following teams left the Athenian League to join stronger leagues:
| Year |
To the Isthmian League |
To the Southern League |
| 1921 |
Wimbledon |
|
| 1929 |
Kingstonian |
|
| 1945 |
Walthamstow Avenue, Romford |
|
| 1952 |
Bromley, Barking |
|
| 1956 |
Tooting and Mitcham United |
|
| 1958 |
|
Cambridge City |
| 1959 |
Maidstone United |
|
| 1963 |
Enfield, Sutton United, Hitchin Town, Hendon |
|
| 1964 |
Wealdstone |
|
| 1965 |
|
Barnet |
| 1971 |
Walton and Hersham, Hayes, Bishop's Stortford |
|
| 1972 |
Leatherhead |
|
| 1973 |
From the Premier Division: Slough Town, Dagenham, Tilbury, Harlow Town, Harwich and Parkeston, Aveley, Maidenhead United, Southall
From the First Division: Horsham, Staines Town, Wokingham Town, Carshalton Athletic, Chesham United, Finchley
From the Second Division: Hampton
|
|
| 1974 |
Boreham Wood, Croydon |
|
| 1975 |
Wembley, Hornchurch, Ware, Harrow Borough |
|
| 1976 |
|
Aylesbury United |
| 1977 |
From the First Division: Letchworth Garden City, Lewes, Cheshunt, Epping Town, Rainham Town, Egham Town, Epsom and Ewell, Worthing
From the Second Division: Farnborough Town, Tring Town, Molesey, Hemel Hempstead, Feltham, Eastbourne United, Camberley Town, Willesden
|
Addlestone, Hounslow |
| 1979 |
Billericay Town |
|
| 1980 |
Dorking Town |
|
| 1981 |
Windsor and Eton, Basildon United |
Welling United |
| 1982 |
Uxbridge |
Woodford Town |
| 1983 |
Newbury Town, Grays Athletic |
|
| 1984 |
Chalfont St Peter, Whyteleafe, Flackwell Heath, Harefield United, Banstead Athletic, Marlow, Ruislip Manor, Kingsbury Town, Wolverton Town, Chertsey Town, Berkhamsted Town, Haringey Borough, Camberley Town |
[edit] References
