Template:Short description
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The Essex and Suffolk Border Football League is a football competition in England. The league has a total of four divisions headed by the Premier Division which sits at step 7 (or level 11) 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,[1] although the league includes records of the Colchester Borough League (founded 1893) and Colchester & District League (founded 1903) in its history.[1] 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 2024–25
The league has 71 teams spread over five divisions for the 2025–26 season:
Premier Division
- AFC Pegasus Colchester
- Alresford Colne Rangers
- Belle Vue Social Club
- Cressing United
- Dedham Old Boys
- Earls Colne
- East Thurrock Community
- Gas Recreation
- Great Bentley
- Hatfield Peverel
- Springfield
- Sudbury Sports
- Thorpe Athletic
- Tiptree Heath
- White Notley
|
Division One
- Clacton Regent
- Dovercourt Rovers
- Earls Colne Reserves
- Frinton & Walton
- Gosfield United
- Great Bentley Reserves
- Hatfield Peverel Reserves
- Hedinghams United
- Lawford Lads
- Little Oakley Reserves
- Prettygate
- Roman Rovers
- Tavern
- The Rodings
|
Division Two
- Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves
- Boxford Rovers
- Bradfield Rovers
- Cavendish
- Cressing United Reserves
- Dedham Old Boys Reserves
- Gas Recreation Reserves
- Great Bradfords
- Silver End United
- Springfield Reserves
- West Bergholt
- White Notley Reserves
- Wormingford Wanderers
|
Division Three
- Boxted Lodgers
- Brooklands
- Elmstead Market
- Great Bentley "A"
- Harwich & Parkeston "A"
- Mersea Island
- Oyster
- Roman Rovers Reserves
- Silver End United Reserves
- Stillwaters
- Tendring Borough
- Tiptree Heath Reserves
- Tiptree Jobserve
- Wivenhoe United
|
Division Four
- Bradfield Rovers Reserves
- Elmstead Market Reserves
- Frinton & Walton Reserves
- Hedinghams United Reserves
- Kelvedon Social
- Lawford Lads Reserves
- Prettygate Reserves
- Ramsey & Mistley
- Rayne
- Roman Rovers "A"
- Tendring Borough Reserves
- Tendring District
- Tollesbury
- West Bergholt Reserves
- Wormingford Wanderers
|
Former clubs
Among the clubs that have left the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League to compete at a higher level are:
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List of champions
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
| 1893–94 |
St Peter's Institute
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division II (Junior)
|
| 1894–95 |
Colchester Town |
Colchester United
|
| 1895–96 |
|
Colchester United
|
| 1896–97 |
|
Colchester Casuals
|
| 1897–98 |
|
Colchester Albions
|
| 1898–99 |
Royal Irish Fusiliers |
Colchester Albions
|
| 1899–1900 |
|
New Town Athletic
|
| 1900–01 |
Colchester Crown |
New Town Athletic
|
| 1901–02 |
Colchester Crown |
St Leonards
|
| 1902–03 |
Colchester Crown |
Colchester Rovers
|
| 1903–04 |
2nd Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment |
Manningtree United
|
| 1904–05 |
2nd Bn. Norfolk Regiment |
Albion Rovers
|
| 1905–06 |
2nd Bn. K.O.S.B. |
Albion Rovers
|
| 1906–07 |
4th K.R.R.C. |
Colchester Athletic
|
| 1907–08 |
Colchester Town |
Colchester Excelsiors
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division II (Junior)
|
Division II (Section B)
|
| 1908–09 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
Colchester Athletic |
Brightlingsea Town
|
| 1909–10 |
2nd Bn. Scottish Rifles |
Clacton Town |
Coggeshall
|
| 1910–11 |
2nd Bn. Scottish Rifles |
Colchester Athletic |
Coggeshall
|
| 1911–12 |
1st Bn. East Lancs Regiment |
1st Bn. East Lancs Regiment Reserves |
Colchester St Nicholas
|
| 1912–13 |
Colchester Town |
Maldon Town |
1st Bn. East Lancs III
|
| 1913–14 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
1st Bn. Hampshire Reserves |
Colchester Junior Athletic
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division II (Junior)
|
Division II (Section B)
|
| 1925–26 |
2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regiment |
11th Field Brigade R.A. |
Wimpole Road Wesleyans
|
| 1926–27 |
2nd. Bn. Rifle Brigade |
Severalls Athletic |
Colchester Town 'A'
|
| 1927–28 |
2nd. Bn. Rifle Brigade |
Wimpole Road Wesleyans |
Stanway Rovers
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division I (Junior)
|
Division II (Junior)
|
Division III
|
| 1928–29 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
4th Div. Royal Corps Signals |
Great Bentley |
Clacton Athletic
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division I (Junior)
|
Division II (Junior)
|
| 1929–30 |
2nd. Bn. Rifle Brigade |
4th Div. Royal Corps Signals |
Paxmans Athletic
|
| 1930–31 |
4th Div. Royal Corps Signals |
Heybridge |
Clacton Rovers
|
| 1931–32 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
– |
Great Bentley
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division I (Junior)
|
Division II (Junior)
|
Division III
|
| 1932–33 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
2nd Bn. K.S.L.I. |
Parkside Rangers |
1st Colchester Scouts
|
| 1933–34 |
Harwich & Parkeston |
– |
2nd Bn. K.S.L.I. Reserves |
Colchester Old Scouts
|
| 1934–35 |
1st Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers |
– |
Clacton Athletic |
5th Inniskilling D.G. Reserves
|
| 1935–36 |
Critall Athletic |
– |
Walton Town |
Frinton Juniors
|
| 1936–37 |
Critall Athletic |
– |
Great Bentley |
9th Company R.A.M.C.
|
| 1937–38 |
Critall Athletic |
– |
Parkeston Railway |
7th Field Company R.E.
|
| Season
|
Senior Division
|
Division I (Junior)
|
Division II (Junior)
|
| 1938–39 |
Hoffman Athletic |
Butlin's Athletic |
9 Company R.A.M.C
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
| 2013–14 |
Gas Recreation |
Alresford Cone Rangers Reserves |
Gas Recreation Reserves |
Team Brantham
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
| 2014–15 |
West Bergholt |
Hatfield Peverel |
Cinque Port
|
| 2015–16 |
Coggeshall Town |
Wormingford Wanderers |
Cressing United
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
| 2016–17 |
Little Oakley |
Dedham Old Boys |
Great Bentley |
Flitch United
|
| 2017–18 |
Gas Recreation |
Great Bentley |
Tiptree Heath |
Colne Athletic
|
| 2018–19 |
Gas Recreation |
Flitch United |
Stanway Pegasus |
Gosfield United
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
| 2019–20 |
Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
Division Four
|
| 2020–21 |
Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
Division Four
|
Division Five
|
| 2021–22 |
Stanway Pegasus |
Stanway Rovers under-23's |
Brightlingsea Town |
Wormingford Wanderers |
Gas Recreation Reserves |
Roman Rovers
|
| 2022–23 |
Dunmow Town |
Silver End United |
Dovercourt Rovers |
Gas Recreation |
High Roding |
Gas Recreation Reserves
|
| 2023–24 |
Colne Athletic |
Thorpe Athletic |
Gas Recreation |
Gosfield United |
The Rodings Reserves |
Assington Stanley
|
| Season
|
Premier Division
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division Three
|
Division Four
|
| 2024–25 |
Kings Park Rangers |
Great Bentley |
Tavern |
Hatfield Peverel Reserves |
Silver End United Reserves
|
| Source: Essex & Suffolk Border League
|
Gallery
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References
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External links
Template:Football in England table cells