League History

The Western Football League was formed in 1892, and was then a Bristol based league.

Indeed, the League badge is based on the coat of arms of the City of Bristol.

In the first half of the 20^th Century the League enjoyed mixed fortunes, but for the past 50 or 60 years has been recognised as the strongest of the south western based leagues. The establishment of a clearly defined pyramid system of promotion for clubs gave all member clubs a clear and achievable route to the Football League. It is accepted that the clubs who win promotion from the League have facilities in excess of the requirements, and in recent years the promoted clubs have established themselves well in the higher league.

Clubs in membership over the years have included the reserve teams of all of the Football League clubs in the area, but at the present time there are only two reserve teams competing in the League, one in each Division. The majority of member clubs appreciate the opportunity to compete against reserve teams, especially in the First division where facilities often exceed those that the clubs are accustomed to.

The standard of play within the League has enabled many referees to gain experience and to progress to higher levels, and currently there are two active FIFA officials who acknowledge that they were able to hone their skills within the Western League, to provide the opportunity to operate successfully on the international scene.