Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league for London and South East England . The league is also known by its sponsored name, the Ryman League . The league was sponsored by the Vauxhall company, among others .
history
The league was founded in 1905 as a strict amateur league. The league had the largest number of FA Amateur Cup winners and was better regarded than its English counterparts such as the Northern Premier League. Professionals were admitted for the first time in the 1970s. In 1981, teams from the Isthmian League made it into the relegation to the Conference League, the fourth-highest division in England. The most successful club of the Isthmian League in the FA Cup so far was FC Canvey Island , which qualified for the FA Cup by triumphing in the FA Trophy and reached the third round there.
League enlargement
At first there was only one league with six teams. In 1922 it already had 14 members. Over the next five decades, the league grew. It was increased to a first and a second division and in 1977 a third division was added. In 1984 outside leagues joined the Isthmian League and it was divided into three leagues, with the third division being split into a north and south league. Since 2006 there have been three leagues again, each with 22 clubs participating: the Premier Division (seventh highest division), Division One North and Division One South (each eighth highest division).
Title holder
Premier Division 1905-2019
- 9 titles: Leytonstone FC
- 8 tracks: Wycombe Wanderers , Enfield FC
- 6 tracks: London Caledonians , Wimbledon FC , Sutton United
- 4 tracks: Bromley FC , Dulwich Hamlet
- 3 tracks: St. Albans City , Walthamstow Avenue , Redbridge Forest , Ilford FC
- 2 Title: FC Clapton , FC Nunhead , FC Kingstonian , Tooting & Mitcham United , FC Hendon , Yeovil Town , Hampton & Richmond Borough , Billericay Town
- 1 Title: FC Barking , Slough Town , Harrow Borough , FC Woking , Chesham United , Stevenage Borough , FC Hayes , Dagenham & Redbridge , Farnborough Town , Ebbsfleet United , Aldershot Town , FC Canvey Iceland , FC Yeading , Braintree Town , Chelmsford City , Dover Athletic , FC Dartford , FC Whitehawk , FC Wealdstone , Maidstone United , Havant & Waterlooville , Dorking Wanderers
Web links
- Official website of the Isthmian League (English)
- Football Club History Database - Isthmian League History (English)
- Archive of the Isthmian League (English)