West Midlands (Regional) League Division One

Founded in 1889, as the Birmingham & District Football League, this is one of the oldest non-league competitions in England, though it was renamed the West Midlands (Regional) League (WMRL) in 1962.

Prior to World War II, it was considered one of the strongest regional football leagues in the country; on par with the Southern and Midland Leagues and even acted as a feeder to the Football League.

Its early elite status meant that the league included a mix of smaller semi-professional/professional clubs in addition to reserve sides of major clubs like Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

About The West Midlands League

The WMRL Division One sits at Level 11 of the English football pyramid, though there have been a number of restructures over the years. Most recently, in 2021, the league previously had a Premier Division at Level 10 and following the 2021 NLS restructuring, this was discontinued, with Division One becoming the league’s top tier.

Winners of the WMRL (or the highest placed eligible club that meets ground requirements in the top five) as well as getting their name on the Dudley Eagles Trophy (awarded to the champions) earns promotion to either the Midland League Football Division One or Hellenic League Division One, should they accept, with both of these at Level 10.

Meanwhile, clubs that finish bottom may be relegated to local county leagues, such as the Shropshire County League or Herefordshire Football League.

Over the decades, there have been numerous structural changes to the league including a north and south categorisation, while in the 1970s, there was also an A/B test that highlighted its wide geographic coverage with clubs included from West Midlands, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and southern Staffordshire.

The WMRL also operates the Division One League Cup as its primary knockout competition, while there is also a representative team as well that features in the national league’s cup competition.

Because the league spans a number of counties, there are several FA organisations involved, including the Birmingham County FA (BCFA), Shropshire FA, Herefordshire Football Association (HFA) and the Staffordshire Football Association (SFA).

It is the BCFA which is the primary FA involved though, with this covering the county of Warwickshire (including Birmingham), the Black Country (Wolverhampton), plus parts of Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

Notable Accomplishments

Over the years, the league has had several clubs that have reached the First and Second Rounds Proper of the FA Cup, while the league also has a strong history in the FA Vase, highlighted by the 1982/83 final when VS Rugby beat Halesowen Town.

Meanwhile, the WMRL also has notable alumni that includes higher non-league or professional clubs, such as Kidderminster Harriers, Hednesford Town, Bromsgrove Rovers and Tamworth.

In addition, Walsall FC also has deep roots in the WMRL, with this historically having proved to be a great level for their reserve and youth players to test themselves.