Shropshire County Football League Premier Division
Initially founded in 1950, lasting to 2012, this marked the ‘original’ era of the Shropshire County Premier Football League and during that time, it was considered to be the “Flagship” football league of the local area.
Having dissolved, most clubs transferred to the newly formed Mercian Regional Football League, with this acting as the successor to Shropshire County and Telford Combination leagues. In 2018, this was rebranded to the Shropshire Premier League, before being reformed again in 2020 as the Shropshire County Football League.
Although during its first season, it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since established itself as a robust multi-division structure, with the Premier Division being the principal competition with clear National League South progression.
| Season | Winners |
|---|---|
| 2016/17 | Oakengates Athletic |
| 2017/18 | Oakengates Athletic |
| 2018/19 | Shrewsbury Juniors |
| 2019/20 | Season Cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2020/21 | Season Cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2021/22 | Dawley Town |
| 2022/23 | Hodnet |
| 2023/24 | Ludlow |
| 2024/25 | Shrewsbury Up & Comers |
Joe Hart and Other Alumni
This is a league that has significant heritage when it comes to developing players that go on to make it on the national stage. Most notably, perhaps, is former England number one goalkeeper and Premier League title winner with Manchester City, Joe Hart, who attended Meole Brace school, prior to joining Shrewsbury Town after spells at a series of clubs in this league.
There is also former Aston Villa Dalian Atkinson who played for several Shropshire County League clubs, while Wrockwardine Wood School, where he attended was once one of the most feared in the county league system.
Arguably though, the most iconic player to have come through this league is the legendary Billy Wright who starred for England and Wolves; to this day, he is still understood to be and remembered as a very important figure in Shropshire.
Haughmond FC, meanwhile, are an example of a club that has climbed through the tiers and blazed a trail, while Shifnal Town, who are a founding member of the league have also had similar success, proving that this league provides a great foundation for ambitious clubs.
Cup Competitions In The League
As is usually the case with non-league football clubs, there are a number of cup competitions associated with this league, that includes the Premier Division Cup, The Commander Ethelston Charity Cup; one of the oldest charity cups in the region that is usually contested by clubs in the north of the county.
In addition, there is the Shropshire Junior Cup which is a prestigious county-wide competition which brings clubs together from across the county’s league structure, while the league’s top clubs are eligible to play in the FA Vase Trophy, which provides a “Road to Wembley”.
Sponsors That Keep The League Running
The league also has a number of notable sponsorship partnerships with local businesses, which have been crucial to helping the league with operational and administrative costs.
Arguably, the most notable sponsor is Salop Leisure, which has played a significant part in helping to provide funding for the initial launch of the league after the challenging pandemic era, though the company’s commitment to Shropshire football is serious, having sponsored the south stand of Shrewsbury Town FC.