Bedfordshire County Football League

The Bedfordshire County Football League (formed as the Bedford & District League in 1904), is an English football competition for clubs in and close to the county of Bedfordshire.[1] It runs with four divisions (five in the previous two seasons) and is headed by the Premier Division, which is at step 7 (or level 11) of the National League System. The top club in the league may apply for promotion to the United Counties League Division One or the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

Bedfordshire County Football League
Founded1904
Country England
Divisions6
Number of teams77
Level on pyramidLevel 11 (Premier Division)
Feeder to
Promotion to
Relegation toLuton District & South Bedfordshire League
Domestic cup(s)
  • Britannia Cup
  • Centenary Cup
  • Jubilee Cup
  • Watson Shield
Current championsCaldecote
(2023–24)
WebsiteOfficial website

The league runs separate league cups for each division – the Premier Division clubs play for the Britannia Cup, Division One clubs play for the Centenary Cup, Division Two sides compete for the Jubilee Cup, while Division Three teams play in the Watson Shield.

The league is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

Recent divisional Champions

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The overall League Champions were awarded the Jubilee Challenge Cup until 1993, when that cup was retired and replaced by the Premier Cup.[2]

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Division Four Division Five
2000–01 Caldecote Campton Cranfield United North Park Rangers Reserves Blunham Village Bedford Sports Athletic Reserves
2001–02 Caldecote Elstow Abbey Golden Lion Milton Keynes Wanderers Oakley Sports Reserves Westoning Reserves

In 2002, Divisions Three, Four and Five were merged into two new divisions, Associate Division One and Associate Division Two

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Associate D1 Associate D2
2002–03 North Park Rangers Golden Lion Flitwick Town Dunton Reserves Meltis Sports
2003–04 Elstow Abbey Turvey Biggleswade United 'A' Elstow Abbey Reserves Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves
2004–05 Caldecote Three Horseshoes Renhold Denbigh Hall S&S Bletchley Bedford Sports Athletic Reserves Woburn Reserves
2005–06 Caldecote Henlow Marston Social Caldecote Reserves Exel United

After the 2005–06 season, the league changed its name to the Bedfordshire Football League. Along with the name change, the league reorganised its five divisions by incorporating the two primarily reserve divisions (Associate Division One and Two) into the three first team divisions, ultimately creating three divisions of 16 clubs and a bottom division of 17 clubs.

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three
2006–07 Westoning Recreation Club Meltis Corinthians Westoning Recreation Club Reserves Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves
2007–08 Campton Bedford Sports Athletic Bedford College Kings
2008–09 Caldecote Westoning Recreation Club Blunham Reserves Leighton United

The league reorganised itself again in 2009, extending its name to Bedfordshire County Football League and adding a fifth division, Division Four. The Premier Division now included 16 clubs, while 14 teams competed Divisions One, Two and Three and the new Division Four comprised 13 clubs.

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Division Four
2009–10 Blunham Flitwick Town Potton Wanderers Queens Park Crescents Sharnbrook Reserves
2010–11 Blunham Bedford Hatters Lea Sports PSG Sharnbrook Reserves AFC Turvey
2011–12 Shefford Town & Campton Ickwell & Old Warden Elstow Abbey Cranfield United Reserves Bedford Park Rangers
2012–13 Caldecote Leighton United Goldington Westoning Reserves Bedford Panthers
2013–14 AFC Oakley Sports M&DH AFC Turvey AFC Oakley Sports M&DH Reserves Meltis Albion Meltis Albion Reserves

The league crowned only four divisional champions in 2015, returning to five division for the 2015–16 season.

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three
2014–15 Renhold United Cranfield United Stevington Cranfield United Reserves
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Division Four
2015–16 AFC Oakley M&DH Sundon Park Rangers Clapham Sports Wixams Mid Bedfordshire Tigers
2016–17 Flitwick Town Queens Park Crecents Riseley Sports Renhold United Reserves CS Rovers
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three
2017–18 Shefford Town & Campton Totternhoe Reserves Bedford Albion Kempston Athletic
2018–19 Shefford Town & Campton Biggleswade Reserves Elstow Abbey Pines (Luton)
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three Division Four
2019–20 Void Void Void Void Void
2020–21 Queens Park Crescents Unknown Harlington Juniors St Johns (Luton) Sharnbrook Reserves
2021–22 Biggleswade Reserves Stotfold Development Clifton Wootton Blue Cross Reserves Lea Sports PSG Saturday Reserves
2022–23 Elstow Abbey Totternhoe Reserves Harlington Juniors Ickwell & Old Warden Luton Panthers
Season Premier Division Division One Division Two North Division Two South Division Three Division Four
2023–24 Caldecote Totternhoe Reserves Ickwell & Old Warden Stopsley United Caldecote 'A' Kemspton Athletic

Member Clubs (2024–25)

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Other Bedfordshire Leagues

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Main index: Affiliated Leagues in Bedfordshire
There are a number of other leagues that are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

References

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Bibliography
  • "Bedfordshire Football League Handbook 2007–08" (PDF). Bedfordshire County Football League. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
Notes
  1. ^ Bedfordshire Football League Handbook 2007–08, p. 6
  2. ^ Bedfordshire Football League Handbook 2007–08, pp. 36–41
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