Essex Alliance Football League
| File:Essex Alliance League.png | |
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Number of teams | 61 |
| Level on pyramid | 12 to 16 |
| Feeder to | Essex Olympian League |
| Promotion to | Essex Olympian League Third Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | County level: Essex Junior Cup Essex Junior Trophy London Junior Cup Amateur FA Intermediate Cup |
| League cup(s) | Fenton Cup Senior Division Cup Division 1 Cup Division 2 Cup Division 3 Cup Division 4 Cup |
| Current champions | Jolof Sports (2018-19) |
The Essex Alliance Football League is an English football league for clubs based in Essex and northeastern Greater London. The league has five divisions (Senior, Divisions One, Two, Three and Four), of which the Senior Division stands at the 12th level of the English football league system. Teams that finish in the top five of the league can apply for promotion to the Essex Olympian Football League, subject to their facilities meeting criteria and other conditions.
The League confirmed in January 2020 that it had applied to the Football Association for recognition as a Step 7 Regional Feeder League within the National League System which would effectively place it on par with neighbouring competitions of the same level. An outcome on this application is expected to be available during the first quarter of 2020.
History
The league was founded in 2014 through the merging of the Ilford & District and the Essex Business House football leagues, which both shared a common aim to support and promote local grassroots football in Essex and East London whilst bridging the gap with existing step 7 football leagues in the region.
The league permits member clubs to play on grounds in the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, Newham, Waltham Forest and Epping Forest although this is expected to widen as interest in the league grows in the coming seasons.
The league currently has a membership of 61 teams, many of whom were existing members of the aforementioned leagues and were joined by many new clubs as the league seek to buck the trend of the local Saturday football scene which had been diminishing in numbers over the past few years.[1]
Member clubs for 2019–20
| Senior Division | Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Marlin | All Real | Clapton Garage | Avondale Rangers | Brentwood United Reserves |
| Chigwell | Chingford United | Cowley Community | Barkingside A | Chigwell Mens Club |
| Chingford Athletic A | CLA Academy | Flyers | Chadwell Heath Spartans | Chingford Harriers |
| Docklands Albion | CSM London | Melbourne Sports | CM Academy | Dagenham United Reserves |
| East Ham Inter | Eastside | Old Esthameians | Custom House United | Fairlop Rangers |
| FC Baresi | Emerson Park | Puma Kings | Debden Park | Flyers Development |
| London Cranes | Forest Green | Rainham Working Mens Club | Flyers Reserves | Loughton Lions |
| Lymore Gardens | Jolof Sports Under 21s | Royal Forest | Frenford A | Lymore Gardens Reserves |
| Petrocub | London Park City | Sungate Reserves | Glendale | Newham Royals |
| Rapid Chingford | Tower Hamlets Reserves | Three Colts | Ilford Development | Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s |
| Singh Sabha Barking | Tower United | Unitey | Newham Wanderers | Ryan Reserves |
| West Essex Reserves | Wapping | Upshire Forest | St Francis | Soul Youth |
| Woodford |
Champions
| Season | Premier/Senior Division | Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Chingford Athletic | Blue Marlin | Grove United | ||
| 2015-16 | Chingford Athletic | Grove United | London ASPA | ||
| 2016-17 | Jolof Sports | Colebrook Royals | Ryan Reserves | Wapping | |
| 2017-18 | Colebrook Royals | Docklands Albion | Chingford Athletic Reserves | FC Baresi | Haver Town Reserves |
| 2018-19 | Jolof Sports | FC Baresi | Chingford Athletic Development | Haver Town Reserves | Sungate Reserves |
References
- ^ "About the league". Essex Alliance League official website. Retrieved 11 July 2015.