Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division

Historically and often referred to as the ‘Kershaw League’, the Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division is the top tier of the wider Cambridgeshire County Football League (CCFL). The league’s long-standing affiliation with sponsors, Kershaw Mechanical Services, spanned decades, making it one of the longest deals in grassroots history.

While there are no records that show precisely when the league was formed, the Cambridgeshire County Football Association was founded in 1884.

Primarily covering the historic county of Cambridgeshire, though also West Suffolk, south  eastern Norfolk, and northwestern Essex, this is a league that has considerable regional reach.

Indeed, the Premier Division is at Level 11 on the football pyramid, making it an NLS Feeder League, while there is a clear pathway for ambitious clubs to progress.

The promotion pathway sees both the champions and runners-up (dependant on ground rating) of the Premier Division being able to apply for access to the Eastern Counties League Division One, the United Counties League Division One or the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

It is not uncommon for clubs to be rejected promotion due to inadequate grounds and facilities, however those who are approved, make a considerable step up.

Interesting Facts About The Premier Division

Over the decades the CCFL has had a staggering 18 divisions (only recently), which makes achieving promotion from the Premier Division a remarkable achievement. Relegation from this division sees clubs dropping down to the Senior A Division or Senior B Division.

This league also contains reserve teams of regional clubs playing at a higher level, including Cambridge City Reserves and Ely City Reserves, while the domestic cup competitions encompass the Premier Division Knockout Cup, the William Cockell Memorial Cup and the Percy Oldham Memorial Cup.

There is a small nucleus of clubs that has a strong track record in the Premier Division, with the likes’ of Great Shelford FC, Fulbourn Institute, Sawston United, and Over Sports regularly competing for the title.

Great Shelford FC has been a major force in recent years winning multiple titles, while East Seacon FC enjoyed promotion to the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

We mentioned the former sponsor, above, though the league secured a lucrative deal with a major FinTech company, from the 2025/26 campaign onwards, illustrating continued local support for amateur football and also, a changing of the times.

Arguably the biggest achievement for the league was its respectable performance in the FA Inter-League Cup (formerly NLS Cup), with the Cambridgeshire County League Representative Team twice reaching the final (2004 & 2006), with the final of the 2004 competition being held at Cambridge United’s Abbey Stadium.

This cup is just for amateur players (anyone who has never had a professional contract), which means during the mid 2000s that the CCFL was regarded as one of the best amateur leagues in the country.