Central Football League

rdf:langString Central Football League

rdf:langString 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 In 1897 this version was superseded by the Central Football Combination.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 * 1896–1897 * Hearts of Beith 1897–1898 * 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. 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.