Central Midlands Alliance League

The Central Midlands Alliance is an English football league covering the northeast-central part of England. Formed in 1971 as the South Derbyshire League, changing name initially to the Derbyshire League before changing to the Central Midlands League in 1983, it covers parts of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Staffordshire, although Sheffield-based teams play in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League. The league's current sponsor is Abacus Lighting. Upon merging with the Midland Regional Alliance in 2023, the current name was adopted. The number of divisions has varied over time as follows

  • 1983–84: Premier, Premier First, Senior and First
  • 1984–85 to 1985–86: Premier, Central, Senior and First
  • 1986–87 to 1987–88: Supreme, Premier, First and Second
  • 1988–89 to 1990–91: Supreme, Premier and First
  • 1991–92: Supreme, Premier North and Premier South
  • 1992–93 to 2010–11: Supreme and Premier
  • 2011–12 to 2012–13: North and South
  • 2012–13 to 2014–15: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Reserve Premier
  • 2015–16 to 2016–17: North, South, Reserve Division
  • 2017–18 to 2018–19: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Division One
  • 2018–19 to 2019–20: North, South, Division One North and South
  • 2019–20 to 2021–22: North, South, Division One North, South and Central
  • 2022–23: North, South, Division One North, East and West
  • 2023–24 onwards: North, South, Division One North, South, East and West and Division 2
Central Midlands Alliance
Founded1983
CountryEngland
Divisions
  • North Division
  • South Division
  • Division 1
    (North, South, East, West)
  • Division 2
Number of clubs92
17 (North Division)
18 (South Division)
10 (Division One North)
12 (Division One East)
12 (Division One West)
10 (Division One South)
13 (Division Two) [1]
Level on pyramid11th (North and South Divisions)
Feeder to
Promotion toNorthern Counties East League Division One
United Counties League Division One
Domestic cup(s)League Challenge Cup
Current championsRetford United (Premier North)
Clay Cross Town (Premier South)
Most championshipsHucknall Town (Three times, 1990, 1991 and 2019)
WebsitePitchero

Within the English football league system, the Central Midlands League's top two divisions, called the North Division and South Division, were considered part of the National League System (at Step 7) until 2020, when they were redesignated as NLS county feeders. Four clubs from the previously-named Premier Division had the distinction of being the lowest-ranked clubs, and only ones outside the NLS, accepted for the 2006–07 FA Vase. For the 2008–09 season, eight of the leading sides left the Central Midlands League to join forces with eight clubs from the Leicestershire Senior League to form a new league, the East Midlands Counties League, at Step 6 of the National League System. For the 2015–16 season reserve teams of clubs who play higher up the pyramid were allowed to participate in the league for the first time.

One club per season from the North and South Divisions may be promoted (subject to ground standards and a top five finish) to either the Northern Counties East League Division One or United Counties League Division One. Some clubs have progressed from the CML to the National League North and Northern Premier League. A representative side from the league takes part in the FA Inter-League Cup.

Current members

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The member clubs of the league for the 2024-25 season are as follows.

Division Two

  • Allenton United
  • Ashland Rovers Reserves
  • Ashover
  • Aston Village
  • Castle Donington Reserves
  • Little Eaton Reserves
  • Markeaton
  • Mickleover Athletic Reserves
  • Rising Stars
  • Rowsley 86 Reserves
  • Winster Darley Lions
  • Wirksworth Ivanhoe Reserves

League champions

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Season Premier Division
1983–84 Shepshed Charterhouse reserves
1984–85 Rossington Main
1985–86 Stanton
Season Supreme Division Premier Division
1986–87 Hinckley Town Stanton
1987–88 Harworth Colliery Institute Huthwaite
1988–89 Boston Priory
1989–90 Hucknall Town Mickleover Royal British Legion
1990–91 Hucknall Town Mickleover Royal British Legion
1991–92 Lincoln United North Fryston Colliery Welfare
South Slack & Parr
1992–93 Arnold Town Sandiacre Town
1993–94 Glapwell Nuthall
1994–95 Heanor Town Clipstone Welfare
1995–96 Oakham United Killamarsh Juniors
1996–97 Heanor Town Clipstone Welfare
1997–98 Gedling Town Goole AFC
1998–99 Mickleover Sports Lincoln Moorlands
1999–00 Lincoln Moorlands Holbrook
2000–01 Shirebrook Town North Notts
2001–02 Shirebrook Town Retford United
2002–03 Carlton Town Pelican
2003–04 Retford United Radcliffe Olympic
2004–05 Dunkirk AFC Barnsley
2005–06 Barton Town Old Boys Bilborough Pelican
2006–07 Bottesford Town Hatfield Main
2007–08 Askern Welfare Ollerton Town
2008–09 Radcliffe Olympic Louth Town
2009–10 Louth Town Church Warsop
2010–11 Sheffield Parramore Yorkshire Main
Season North Division South Division
2011–12 Westella & Willerby Basford United
2012–13 Dronfield Town Sutton Town
2013–14 AFC Mansfield Clifton All Whites
2014–15 Bilsthorpe Mickleover Royals
2015–16 Glapwell Selston
2016–17 F.C. Bolsover Selston
2017–18 Harworth Colliery Eastwood
2018–19 Retford Hucknall Town
2019–20 Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Season curtailed
2021–22 Newark Town Blidworth Welfare
2022–23 Retford United Clay Cross Town
2023-24 Dearne and District Pinxton

League Challenge Cup

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The league also runs the Central Midlands League Challenge Cup, which is contested by every club in the league. Since 2001 every final has been played at Alfreton Town's North Street stadium.

Finals

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Season Winner Result Runner-up Venue
2000–01 Shirebrook Town 1 – 0 Collingham North Street
2001–02 Retford United 1 – 0 Thorne Colliery North Street
2002–03 Dinnington Town 2 – 0 Dunkirk North Street
2003–04 Retford United 1 – 0 Dinnington Town North Street
2004–05 Sandiacre Town 1 – 0 Dunkirk North Street
2005–06 Dinnington Town 2 – 1 Askern Welfare North Street
2006–07 Heanor Town 5 – 3 Ollerton Town North Street
2007–08 Dunkirk 1 – 0 Blidworth Welfare North Street
2008–09 Sutton Town 2 – 0 Westella & Willerby North Street
2009–10 Newark Town 4 – 4(p) Louth Town North Street
2010–11 Yorkshire Main 2 – 2(p) Kirkby Town North Street
2011–12 Dronfield Town 5 – 2 Clifton All Whites North Street
2012–13 Clifton All Whites 1 – 0 AFC Mansfield North Street
2013–14 AFC Mansfield 2 – 1 Thorne Colliery North Street
2014–15 Hucknall Town 3 – 0 Clifton All Whites North Street
2015–16 Hucknall Rolls Leisure 2 – 1 Blidworth Welfare North Street
2016–17 Selston 2 – 0 Hucknall Town North Street
2017–18 Pinxton 4 – 3 Collingham North Street
2018–19 Pinxton 4 – 4(p) Hucknall Town North Street
2019-20 Season abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Season curtailed
2021–22 Linby Colliery Welfare 1 – 1(p) Mickleover Royal British Legion North Street
2022–23 Mickleover Royal British Legion 4 – 2 Clay Cross Town North Street[2]

[3]

2023–24 Dinnington Town 0 – 2 Doncaster City North Street

References

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  1. ^ "2023-2024 CML numbers". FA Full Time. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Buckingham Insurance League Cup 22-23". Central Midlands Football League. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Mickleover RBL 4 2 Clay Cross Town". FA Full Time. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
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