Essex and Suffolk Border Football League


The Essex and Suffolk Border Football League is a football competition based in England. The league has a total of four divisions headed by the Premier Division which sits at step 7 of the National League System. The top club may apply for promotion to Division One of the Eastern Counties League.
All member clubs compete in the Border League Knock-Out Cup. The league is affiliated to the Essex County FA and Suffolk County FA.

History

The league was officially founded in 1911, although the league includes records of the Colchester Borough League and Colchester & District League in its history. Founder members of the Border League in the inaugural 1911–12 season included Clacton Town, Colchester Town, West Bergholt and West Mersea.
Over the last 100 years the league has seen many changes in its status with many clubs progressing to a higher level. The overlying trend has been the migration of the larger clubs and their replacement by smaller clubs with more basic facilities. For much of the last 20 years the Border League has run 4 divisions which included a significant proportion of reserve teams. The league lost several members in 2005–06 when the reserve teams of the Eastern Counties League clubs left for their own competition. There is a high representation of village teams but a new trend has emerged with the acceptance of Barnston from Division Three of the Essex Olympian League and Newbury Forest from the Romford and District Football League in the London Borough of Redbridge.

Member clubs 2018–19

The league has 60 teams spread over four divisions for the 2018–19 season:

Former clubs

Among the clubs that have left the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League to compete at a higher level are:
SeasonSenior DivisionDivision II
1894–95Colchester TownColchester United
1895–96Colchester United
1896–97Colchester Casuals
1897–98Colchester Albions
1898–99Royal Irish FusiliersColchester Albions
1899–1900New Town Athletic
1900–01Colchester CrownNew Town Athletic
1901–02Colchester CrownSt Leonards
1902–03Colchester CrownColchester Rovers
1903–042nd Bn. Bedfordshire RegimentManningtree United
1904–052nd Bn. Norfolk RegimentAlbion Rovers
1905–062nd Bn. K.O.S.B.Albion Rovers
1906–074th K.R.R.C.Colchester Athletic
1907–08Colchester TownColchester Excelsiors

SeasonSenior DivisionDivision II Division II Division II
1919–20Haverhill Rovers
1920–21Harwich & ParkestonColchester St NicholasWivenhoe TownHeybridge
1921–22Harwich & ParkestonPaxmans AthleticBrightlingseaMaldon St Mary's
1922–23Harwich & ParkestonSeveralls AthleticWivenhoe TownCrittall Athletic
1923–24Colchester Town2nd Bn. Royal Scots ReservesColchester JuniorsCrittall Athletic
1924–252nd Bn. Royal Scots2nd Bn. Royal Scots ReservesFrinton Town11th Field Brigade R.A.

SeasonSenior DivisionDivision I Division II Division III
1928–29Harwich & Parkeston4th Div. Royal Corps SignalsGreat BentleyClacton Athletic

SeasonSenior DivisionDivision I Division II Division III
1932–33Harwich & Parkeston2nd Bn. K.S.L.I.Parkside Rangers1st Colchester Scouts
1933–34Harwich & Parkeston–2nd Bn. K.S.L.I. ReservesColchester Old Scouts
1934–351st Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers–Clacton Athletic5th Inniskilling D.G. Reserves
1935–36Critall Athletic–Walton TownFrinton Juniors
1936–37Critall Athletic–Great Bentley9th Company R.A.M.C.
1937–38Critall Athletic–Parkeston Railway7th Field Company R.E.

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision One
1946–47Colchester CasualsBrightlingsea United
1947–48Haverhill RoversGreat Bentley
1948–49Sudbury TownClacton Hotspurs
1949–50Sudbury TownHalstead Town 'A'
1950–51Stowmarket TownM.C.E.
1951–52Sudbury TownHalstead Town Reserves
1952–53Sudbury TownStowmarket Town Reserves
1953–54Sudbury TownClacton Hotspurs
1954–55Long MelfordClacton Hotspurs
1955–56Long MelfordClacton Hotspurs
1956–57Long MelfordParkeston Railway
1957–58Halstead TownWoods Athletic
1958–59Long MelfordClacton Hotspurs
1959–60Critalls AthleticHalstead Town Reserves
1960–61Long MelfordBrightlingsea United
1961–62Marconi AthleticLexden Wanderers
1962–63Haverhill RoversCoggeshall Town
1963–64Haverhill RoversHaverhill Rovers Reserves
1964–65Witham TownLexden Wanderers

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two
1967–68Coggeshall TownSilver EndTiptree United Reserves
1968–69Halstead TownEastern GasParkeston Railway
1969–70Coggeshall TownSudbury Town ReservesEastern Gas Reserves
1970–71Witham TownLexden WanderersWest End United
1971–72Eastern GasParkeston RailwayWivenhoe Rangers

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two
1977–78Halstead TownFelixstowe Town ReservesClacton Town Reserves

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision Two
2005–06Gas RecreationWitham Town ReservesBrightlingsea Regent
2006–07Gas RecreationWest Suffolk CollegeGreat Bradfords

SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision Three
2013–14Gas RecreationAlresford Cone Rangers ReservesGas Recreation ReservesTeam Brantham