Hellenic Football League
The Hellenic Football League, currently known as the uhlsport Hellenic Football League for sponsorship reasons, is an English men's football league covering an area including the English counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Herefordshire, southern Warwickshire, northern Wiltshire and southern Worcestershire. There were also teams from Berkshire southern Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Hampshire and Northamptonshire, Surrey until the 2020–21 season.
 | |
| Founded | 1953 |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Divisions | 2 (first teams) 4 (reserve teams) 3 (veteran teams) |
| Number of teams | 40 (plus reserve and veteran teams) |
| Level on pyramid | Levels 9–10, 12 |
| Feeder to | Southern League |
| Promotion to | Southern League Division One Central or South |
| Relegation to |
|
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Vase League: Challenge Cup Supplementary Cup Floodlit Challenge Cup Premier Division Benevolent Challenge Cup Division 1 Benevolent Challenge Cup |
| Current champions | Premier: Cribbs One: Pershore Town (2022–23) |
| Website | www |
| Current: 2023–24 Hellenic Football League | |
History
The league was established in 1953. In the 2000–01 season, the Hellenic League absorbed the Chiltonian League. The league now has a Premier Division and Division One as part of the National League System. The league also runs Division Two East, Division Two West, Division Two North and Division Two South below the National League System. In the 2006–07 season the Hellenic League absorbed the Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Veterans League with three Divisions now under the Hellenic Veterans League title.
Starting with the 2004–05 re-organisation the Hellenic League became a step 5 and 6 league in the National League System. Premier Division clubs play at Step 5 level, which offers progression to the Southern Football League Division One (Step 4) for Premier Division winners who have the required ground status.
Hellenic League Division One teams play at Step 6 level, promotion to the Step 5 Premier Division can be gained by clubs finishing in the top two of Division One dependent on required ground facilities as specified by The Football Association. Acceptance to HL Division One is offered to teams playing in the various Step 7 county leagues of the related Hellenic League area.
38 teams play in the Hellenic Premier and Division One. 18 teams play at Veterans level (players aged 35 or over).
Champions
The league started with only a Premier Division, before Division One was added in 1956.
| Season | Premier Division[1] | Division One[2] |
|---|---|---|
| 1953–54 | Didcot Town | |
| 1954–55 | Witney Town | |
| 1955–56 | Headington United reserves | |
| 1956–57 | Abingdon Town | Luton Town Colts |
| 1957–58 | Witney Town | Aylesbury Town Corinthians |
| 1958–59 | Abingdon Town | Thatcham |
| 1959–60 | Abingdon Town | Hazells |
| 1960–61 | Bicester Town | Chipping Norton Town |
| 1961–62 | Thame United | Botley United |
| 1962–63 | Yiewsley reserves | Amersham Town |
| 1963–64 | Amersham Town | Henley Town |
| 1964–65 | Witney Town | Thatcham |
| 1965–66 | Witney Town | Princes Risborough Town |
| 1966–67 | Witney Town | Pinehurst |
| 1967–68 | Hazells | Henley Town |
| 1968–69 | Wallingford Town | Oxford City reserves |
| 1969–70 | Thame United | Clanfield |
| 1970–71 | Witney Town | Hungerford Town |
For the 1971–72 season, Division One was split into Division One A and B.
| Season | Premier Division[1] | Division One A[2] | Division One B[2] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–72 | Witney Town | Fairford Town | Chipping Norton Town |
The following season, Division One A and B were merged and a Division Two was created.
| Season | Premier Division[1] | Division One[2] | Division Two[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–73 | Witney Town | Thatcham | Walcot |
The following season, Division One and Division Two were merged.
In 2000, the league absorbed the Chiltonian League and Division One was regionalised into East and West.
In 2021, Division One East and West were merged again.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Bishop's Cleeve | Studley |
| 2022–23 | Cribbs | Pershore Town |
Cup winners
The Hellenic League football cups are the Supplementary Cup, the Challenge Cup and the Floodlit Cup.[4]
References
- "Uhlsport Hellenic Football League | Premier Division Honours". Uhlsport Hellenic Football League. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- "Uhlsport Hellenic Football League | League Division One Honours". Uhlsport Hellenic Football League. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- "Hellenic League | Divisional Champions".
- "Cup Winners". Uhlsport Hellenic Football League. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.