Timeline
The complete history of county league and cup competitions
Early Heritage & Foundations (1887–1914)
1887-88
Senior Cup inaugurated
1889-90
Junior Cup established
1890-91
Leicestershire Football League founded (one season only)
1892-93
Challenge Shield introduced • Loughborough Junior League collapses
1893-94
Leicester Schools’ League founded
1894-95
Leicestershire & Northamptonshire League founded
1895-96
Ashby League, Hinckley League, Leicester & District League, North Leicestershire League, and Thursday League established
1896-97
Leicestershire Senior League founded • Rolleston Cup inaugurated • Belvoir League founded
1897-98
Shepshed & District League folds after a single season
1898-99
Loughborough Charity Cup founded • Whitwick Charity Cup founded
1899-00
Coalville Amateur League founded
1900-01
Mutual League founded
1901-02
Junior Cup divided into North and South Sections
1903-04
Borough Shield introduced • County Shield introduced • Leicester Minor League founded
1905-06
Borough Medals introduced • County Medals introduced
1908-09
Junior Championship inaugurated
Interwar & World Wars (1914–1945)
1914-15
County Medals regional structure ends
1914-19
Many competitions suspended during World War I
1919-20
City Medals replace Borough Medals • City Shield replaces Borough Shield
1920-21
Boys’ Realm League founded
1921-22
Leicester Sunday Football League founded • Market Harborough League split into East and West Divisions
1922-23
Buckminster League founded
1923-24
Buckminster League folded • Realm League title adopted
1924-25
Hinckley League renamed South Leicestershire League
1925-26
Leicester United Trades League founded
1926-27
Boys’ Realm League renamed Realm League
1930-34
Senior League suspended
1931-32
Loughborough Alliance founded
1934-35
Senior League revived
1935-36
Realm League renamed Leicester Spartan League
1939-40
County football disrupted by the outbreak of World War II
1940-45
Most county competitions suspended during World War II
Post-War Expansion & Reorganisation (1945–1980)
1945-46
Junior Championship revived
1946-47
County Medals reorganised into East and West Sections
1948-49
Uppingham & District League founded
1950-51
Challenge Cup inaugurated as an invitation competition for the county’s leading clubs • City of Leicester Medals divided into A and B competitions
1958-59
Leicestershire Combination founded as a reserve-team competition • Leicester & District Association Football League founded as a reserve-team league
1961-62
County Medals East and West competitions replaced by County Medals A and County Medals B
1963-64
Intermediate Shield introduced, replacing the City Shield and creating a county-wide competition for second-tier junior clubs
1970-71
Women’s football enters organised county football structures
1971-72
South Leicestershire Football League and Market Harborough & District Football League agree merger • Loughborough & District Amateur Football Alliance adopts the North Leicestershire Football League name
1972-73
Hinckley & Harborough Alliance Football League formed through merger of the South Leicestershire League and Market Harborough & District Football League • North Leicestershire Football League inaugurated under its new title • Leicestershire Football Combination founded • Leicestershire Senior League League Cup introduced • Leicester City Football League renames its top division Premier Division
1973-74
Final season of the North and South sectional Junior Cup competitions • Final season of City Medals and County Medals competitions
1974-75
North Leicestershire League reorganised • Coalville Amateur League folded after 75 seasons • City Medals and County Medals merged into Saturday Medals A, B and C • Junior Cup returns to a single county-wide competition
1976-77
Hinckley & Harborough Alliance introduces Sunday Section
1977-78
Alliance adds Division Two • Saturday section closes at end of season
1978-79
Alliance becomes a fully Sunday competition • Melton & Rutland District League formed through merger of the Melton & District League and Rutland & District League
Modern Era & Contemporary Pyramid (1980–2025)
1983-84
Leicestershire Senior League reorganised with Division One becoming the Premier Division and Division Two becoming Division One
1986-87
Leicestershire Church Football League founded
1989-90
Hinckley & Harborough Sunday League renamed Alliance Football League • Leicestershire Women’s League established
1991-92
Challenge Cup sponsored by Westerby Investment Management and becomes known as the Westerby Challenge Cup or Westerby Cup
1992-93
Major county cup reorganisation introduces Saturday Shield, Saturday Vase, Saturday Trophy and revised Saturday Medals competition • Saturday Shield replaces Intermediate Shield • Saturday Vase succeeds Saturday Medals B • Saturday Trophy succeeds Saturday Medals A
1995-96
Saturday Intermediate Cup introduced for reserve teams from Senior League and higher-ranked clubs
1997-98
Mutual League folded after 97 seasons
1998-99
Leicestershire Senior League becomes a feeder league to the Midland Football Alliance within the National League System
2000-01
Melton & Rutland League folded
2007-08
Leicestershire Combination ceases operating as a separate competition • Plans announced for the East Midlands Counties League
2008-09
East Midlands Counties League formed • Eight clubs leave the Leicestershire Senior League to become founder members
2011-12
FA Women’s Pyramid introduced
2012-13
Leicester & District Football League reserve divisions merged into the main league structure – Final season of the Saturday Shield competition
2014-15
Leicestershire & Rutland Women’s League restructured
2015-16
Leicestershire Senior League divisions renamed Premiership and Championship
2016-17
Leicester & Charnwood Sunday Football League formed through merger of the Leicester Sunday Football League and Charnwood Sunday Football League
2018-19
Leicestershire Senior League absorbs the Leicestershire Combination and expands to three divisions • Saturday Vase competition discontinued
2019-20
COVID-19 pandemic causes abandonment of most county league and cup competitions
2020-21
Leicestershire County Football League founded through merger of the Leicester & District Football League and North Leicestershire League • Inaugural season abandoned due to COVID-19
2021-22
First completed season of the Leicestershire County Football League • Old Aylestone 2013 become inaugural Premiership champions
2022-23
Jelson Homes Senior Cup sponsorship ends • Leicestershire Senior League Presidents Trophy introduced
2023-24
Leicester & Charnwood Sunday League becomes the county’s principal Sunday competition • Leicestershire Senior League Chairman’s Trophy introduced
2024-25
VEO Senior Cup era begins