Central Football League

There have been at least three competitions in Scotland known as the Central Football League

The first was originally formed in 1896 by five clubs - Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline Athletic, Fair City Athletic, Kirkcaldy and St Johnstone. In 1897 this version was superseded by the Central Football Combination.

Champions

• 1896–97 Cowdenbeath
• 1897–98 not completed

Membership

• Alloa Athletic 1897–1898
• Cowdenbeath 1896–1898
• Dundee 'A' 1897–98
• Dunfermline Athletic 1896–1898
• Fair City Athletic 1896–1897
• Hearts of Beith 1897–1898
• Kirkcaldy 1896–1898
• Lochgelly United 1896–1898
• St Johnstone 1896–97

The Central League was reformed in 1909 with twelve members - Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, King's Park, Kirkcaldy United, Lochgelly United and St Johnstone. The League closed down after 1915 because of World War I and a number of clubs transferred to the new Eastern Football League.

Champions

• 1909–10 Bo'ness
• 1910–11 Dunfermline Athletic
• 1911–12 Dunfermline Athletic
• 1912–13 Alloa Athletic
• 1913–14 Armadale
• 1914–15 Armadale

Membership

• Alloa Athletic 1909–1915
• Arbroath 1909–1915
• Armadale 1911–1915
• Bathgate 1909–1914
• Bo'ness 1909–1915
• Broxburn 1911–1912
• Broxburn Athletic 1909–1910
• Broxburn United 1912–1915
• Clackmannan 1914–1915
• Dundee 'A' 1912–1915
• Dunfermline Athletic 1909–1912
• East Fife 1909–1915
• Falkirk 'A' 1912–1912
• Forfar Athletic 1913–1915
• Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1910–1911
• King's Park 1909–1915
• Kirkcaldy United 1909–1915
• Lochgelly United 1909–1912, 1913–1914
• Montrose 1914–1915
• St Johnstone F.C. 1909–1911
• Stenhousemuir 1909–1915

The league closed down in 1915 because of the War but when the Scottish Football League refused to re-institute the Second Division in 1919, the Central Football League was re-formed. Since this competition was independent, member clubs could attract players by paying higher wages than those allowed under the maximum wage rules that applied to Scottish League clubs.^[1]

Champions

• 1919–20 Bo'ness
• 1920–21 Bo'ness

Membership

• Alloa Athletic 1919–1921
• Armadale 1919–1921
• Bathgate 1919–1921
• Bo'ness 1919–1921
• Broxburn United 1919–1921
• Clackmannan 1920–1921
• Cowdenbeath 1920–1921
• Dundee Hibernian 1920–1921
• Dunfermline Athletic 1919–1921
• East Fife 1919–1921
• East Stirlingshire 1919–1921
• Falkirk 'A' 1919–1921
• Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1919–1921
• King's Park 1919–1921
• Lochgelly United 1920–1921
• St Bernard's 1919–1921
• St Johnstone 1920–1921
• Stenhousemuir 1919–1921

In 1921, the Central League was absorbed by the Scottish League as the Second Division.

References