Southern Amateur Football League


The Southern Amateur League is an association football league in England affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance. It is based in and around Greater London and caters for 11–a–side men's adult teams. A feature of the league is 'multi-team football', common in AFA leagues, with clubs fielding an average of 5–6 teams each. For season 2017–18 the league has 38 member clubs running around 190 teams in 19 divisions. All clubs are strictly amateur.

Club set-up, sportsmanship and hospitality

As in other AFA leagues it is common for clubs to run several teams with some SAL clubs running up to 9 teams. This allows players of all abilities to play against teams from other clubs of a similar standard. The best players will be picked for the 1st team, the best of the remainder going into the 2nd team and so on down the club.
The SAL places emphasis on sportsmanship and hospitality, with all players expected to socialise with their opponents and the match officials after the game. Disciplinary problems and cases of violent conduct are generally perceived to be experienced less in SAL football – and AFA football in general – than in other types of football.

League set-up and Challenge Cups

The League is divided into four sections: Senior, Intermediate, Junior North and Junior South. Teams can be promoted between the Intermediate and Junior Sections but 1st teams wishing to move up to the Senior Section must do by application the League Management Committee.
As well as league competitions the SAL runs seven cup competitions. These are:
The Junior Cup and below were inaugurated for the 1995–96. The Senior and Intermediate Cups were introduced for season 2015–16. They were not previously considered necessary as 1st and 2nd teams were offered an extra 'county divisional' cup by the AFA.

Current member clubs

Three of the current members are founder members of the League while 19 have been in membership since before World War II.
ClubMain GroundFoundedJoined SAL
Actonians AssociationGunnersbury Drive, Ealing, W5 4LL19251977
AFC OldsmithsLoring Hall, 8 Water Lane, London, DA14 5EJ20092014
Alexandra ParkAlexandra Park, London, N22 7BD18981925, 1947
Alleyn Old BoysThe Edward Alleyn Club, Rear of 83–85 Burbage Road, London, SE24 9HD18881907
Bank of EnglandBank of England Sports Club, London, SW15 5JQ19081920
BroomfieldHazelwood Sports Ground, Madeira Road, Off Hedge Lane, London, N13 5ST19111958
Cambridge HeathHackney Marshes, London, E9 5PF20112017
CarshaltonCarshalton Football Club, Church Road, Carshalton, SM6 7NN18981912
City of LondonRutland Walk Sport Ground, Rutland Walk, London, SE6 4LG19312017
Civil ServiceKings House Sports Ground, Riverside Drive, Chiswick, London, W4 2SH18631907, 1928
Corinthian-CasualsVictoria Recreation Ground, Balaclava Road, Surbiton KT6 5JL19382017
Crouch End VampiresMuswell Hill Playing Fields, London, N101JP18831907, 1928
East Barnet Old GrammariansAlan Drive, Off Mays Lane, Barnet, EN5 2PU19481977
Hampstead HeathensBellingham Recreation Ground, 5 Randlesdown Road, London, SE6 3BT19752017
HSBCHSBC Sports & Social Club, Lennard Road, New Beckenham, BR3 1QW19001921
Ibis EaglesChiswick Cricket Club, Riverside Drive, London, W4 2SP20152015
Kew AssociationHam Playing Fields, Riverside Drive, Ham, Richmond TW10 7QA19061925
MertonJoseph Hood Recreation Ground, Martin Way, Merton, London, SW20 9BU19101919
NorsemenEdmonton Sports & Social Club, Church Street, Edmonton, London, N9 9HL18961908
NottsboroughKingston University Sports Ground, Tolworth Court, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 7QH19882001
NUFC OilersThe Hive, Camrose Avenue, London, HA8 6AG20122013
Old BluesKew & Ham Sports Association, Riverside Drive, Ham, Richmond, TW10 7RX20112011
Old Finchleians12 Southover, Woodside Park, N12 7JE19011998
Old GarchoniansChase Lodge Playing Fields, London, NW7 2ED20112011
Old LyoniansSouth Vale, Harrow, HA1 3PN19021924
Old OwensOld Owens Sports Ground, Coopers Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 4NE18911996
Old ParkoniansOld Parkonians Pavilion, Oakfield Playing Fields, Forest Road, Ilford, Essex, IG6 3HD19021919
Old SalesiansOld Tenisonians Sports Ground, New Malden, KT 3 6LX19231983
Old StationersOld Elizabethans Memorial Ground, Gypsy Corner, Mays Lane, Barnet, EN5 2AG19061932
Old WilsoniansHayes Hill, Hayes, BR2 7HN18881919, 2004
PolytechnicUniversity of Westminster Sports Ground, London, W4 3UH18751954
South Bank CuacoTurney Road, Dulwich, London, SE21 7JH20012001
St. James' Old BoysCopthall Playing Fields, London, NW4 1RL20142015
TansleyOld Owens Sports Ground, Northaw, Potters Bar, EN6 4NF18872017
The WarrenClub Langley, 2 Hawksbrook Lane, Beckenham, BR3 3SR20152015
Weirside RangersUdney Park, Teddington, TW11 9BG19191927
West WickhamWest Wickham Cricket & Football Club, Corkscrew Hill, West Wickham, BR4 9BA19011938
Winchmore HillWinchmore Hill Sports Club, The Paulin Ground, Fords Grove, London, N21 3ER19201928

Representative team

The League representative team has played a programme of friendly fixtures since 1907 against other AFA affiliated leagues and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Two matches are played each season in memory of past servants to the League. The Champion Club plays against the Senior Cup winners at the beginning of each season for the Stuart Hyde Trophy, named for the former SAL and Southgate Olympic team manager. The League also plays the Amateur Football Combination for the Steve Langley Cup in honour of the former SAL, AFA and Crouch End Vampires captain. This match is part of the Argonaut Trophy competition which also involves the Arthurian League and the Hertfordshire Senior County League in which the four league representatives teams play a round-robin tournament. Since 2007 the team has played in the FA Inter-League Cup which it won at the first attempt in 2008. This earned the team the chance to represent England at the 2008 UEFA Regions Cup.

League champions and Cup winners

indicates team also won SAL Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Essex Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Middlesex Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Surrey Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Middlesex/Essex Senior Cup
indicates team also won AFA Surrey/Kent Senior Cup
indicates team also won Old Boys Senior Cup
Senior Division 1 championships
10 - West Wickham
8 - Winchmore Hill
6 - HSBC
5 - Actonians Association, Cambridge Town, Catford Wanderers, Civil Service, New Crusaders, Nottsborough
4 - Cuaco, Hastings & St Leonards, Ipswich Town
3 - Old Owens, Polytechnic
2 - Broomfield, Ealing Association, Eastbourne, Merton, National Westminster Bank, Norsemen, Old Esthameians, Old Salesians, South Bank AFC, Southgate Olympic
1 - Alexandra Park, Crouch End Vampires, Kew Association, Old Parmiterians, Old Stationers, Old Westminster Citizens, Westminster Bank

Senior Division 2 championships
7 - Barclays Bank
5 - Carshalton, East Barnet Old Grammarians, Old Parkonians
4 - Civil Service, Old Bromleians, Polytechnic
3 - Alleyn Old Boys, Broomfield, Crouch End Vampires, HSBC, Lensbury & Britannic House, Westminster Bank, Winchmore Hill
2 - Catford Wanderers, Ibis, Kew Association, Lloyds Bank, Merton, Old Salesians, Old Stationers, Winchmore Hill
1 - Brentham, Cheshunt, Cuaco, Ealing Association, Eastbourne, Hastings & St Leonards, Highgate, National Provincial Bank, National Westminster Bank, Nottsborough, NUFC Oilers, Old Esthameians, Old Garchonians, Old Lyonians, Old Parmiterians, Old Westminster Citizens, Pinner, Reigate Priory, South Bank AFC, Southgate Olympic, Toc H., Tunbridge Wells, Winchmore Hill

Senior Division 3 championships
4 - Merton
3 - Alexandra Park, Kew Association, Old Bromleians, Old Lyonians, Old Parkonians, Old Stationers, Old Westminster Citizens
2 - Aquarius, Barclays Bank, Brentham, Britannic House, Broomfield, Carshalton, Crouch End Vampires, Cuaco, East Barnet Old Grammarians, HSBC, Ibis, Lloyds Bank, National Provincial Bank, Old Esthameians, Old Latymerians, Old Salesians, Pearl Assurance
1 - Actonians Association, Alleyn Old Boys, Bank of England, Catford Wanderers, Civil Service, East Grinstead, Highgate, Norsemen, Nottsborough, NUFC Oilers, Old Garchonians, Old Parmiterians, Old Wilsonians, Polytechnic, South Bank AFC, Southgate Olympic, Thornycroft, Weirside Rangers

Senior Cup victories
3 - Polytechnic
1 - Winchmore Hill