The Shropshire Premier League was an English association football league based in the county of Shropshire. It was formed as the Mercian Regional Football League for the 2012–13 season, with all member clubs of the dissolved Shropshire County Premier Football League (except for Newport Town who were promoted) transferring membership across.[1][2] Several teams from the Telford Combination, which also folded at the end of the 2011–12 season, also became members of the Mercian League and joined either Division One or Two.
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2020 |
| Country |  England |
| Divisions | Premier Division |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 13 |
| Feeder to | West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two |
| Domestic cup(s) | Premier Division Cup Division One Cup SFA: Challenge Cup Junior Challenge Cup |
| Last champions | Oakengates Athletic (2017–18) |
| Website | [1] |
The league sits at the same levels of the English football league system as the previous Shropshire County and Telford Combination leagues did (levels 13, 14 and 15). It does not, however, form part of the National League System.
Due to the revised English FA rule permitting clubs to play outside of their County the league has lost a number of clubs in recent years, with clubs citing frustrations with the league's hierarchy and also promised plans to improve upon the level it features amongst the FA pyramid being deciding factors. Clubs such as Church Stretton, Rock Rovers, AFC Bridgnorth Reserves (Development) all left for the West Midlands Regional League Div 2. Newport Town Reserves and Market Drayton Tigers joined Staffordshire County Div 2, with Ludlow Town Colts and Clee Hill United opting to join the Herefordshire league. In these years the league also lost established members such as Hodnet, Shifnal and Childs Ercall due to them folding. The league now just features one division of 11 teams, soon to become 10 due to Donnington folding midway through the 2018-19 season.
Member clubs 2019–20
editIn the 2018-19 season, the Premier Division consisted of 11 teams.
Premier Division
edit| Club | Home ground |
|---|---|
| Stoke Heath | Warrant Road, Market Drayton |
| Gobowen Celtic | Gobowen Playing Fields, Gobowen, Shropshire |
| Madeley Sports | Phoenix Sports Centre, Dawley |
| Donnington | HLC, Hadley, Telford |
| Brown Clee | Hall Meadow, Cleobury North |
| Oakengates Rangers | Ketley Recreation Ground, Bank Way, Ketley Bank, Telford |
| Prees United | Prees Cricket and Recreation Club, Brades Road, Prees |
| Albrighton FC | Loak Road, Albrighton |
| Shrewsbury Juniors | Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sundorne, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury |
| St. Martins Village | Overton Road Playing Fields, Oswestry |
| Wrockwardine Wood | New Road, Wrockwardine Wood, Telford |
League champions
editThe following teams have won the Premier Division, gaining promotion to West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two.
| Season | Premier Division | Runners-Up | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | AFC Ludlow | Telford Juniors | Madeley Sports | Childs Ercall |
| 2013–14 | Oakengates Athletic | Church Stretton | Childs Ercall | AFC Broseley |
| 2014–15 | Telford Juniors | FC Hodnet | AFC Broseley | Stoke Heath |
| 2015–16 | F.C. Oswestry Town | Allscott Heath | Stoke Heath | Madeley Sports Reserves |
| 2016-17 | Oakengates Athletic | Church Stretton | Shrewsbury Juniors | |
| 2017–18 | Oakengates Athletic | Shrewsbury Juniors | St Martins Village |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ FA Full Time Dissolution of the Shropshire County Premier Football League
- ^ Shropshire Star Big shake-up of Shropshire football league system (10 March 2012)
External links
edit- Official league tables and statistics FA Full-time