Waspie Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I am looking for info on the Central League from the WW1 era. Alloa were amongst the teams who played in it and a load of the members stepped up to the SFL in the early 20's . I think somebody might have written a book on it? Can anybody confirm that or tell me where I would find even league tables. Any help much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 No book AFAIA. Tables here: http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/centralleague2.htm Also: http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4029 http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=705 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Football_League Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 No book AFAIA. Tables here: http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/centralleague2.htm Also: http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4029 http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=705 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Football_League Great stuff HJ, many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffenThinMint Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I am looking for info on the Central League from the WW1 era. Alloa were amongst the teams who played in it and a load of the members stepped up to the SFL in the early 20's . I think somebody might have written a book on it? Can anybody confirm that or tell me where I would find even league tables. Any help much appreciated. The Central League actually shut down during WW1, consisting at the time of Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, King's Park, Kirkcaldy United, Lochgelly United and St. Johnstone. Dunfermline, East Stirlingshire, Lochgelly and St Johnstone had been members of Division 2 prior to WW1, but at the end of the war the SFL reneged on the promise to let them and also St Bernard's (who had been forced to go into mothballs when Royal Gymnasium Park was requisitioned for the war effort) back into the league. The result was they kept the league going, with some dropping out (Arbroath and Kirkcaldy United), and some new additions (Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian - the later Dundee United, East Stirlingshire, St Bernard's and Stenhousemuir). Falkirk and Heart of Midlothian also added their reserve teams - the latter out of fury with the SFL's treatment of St Bernard's. Thus the new league consisted of: Alloa Athletic, Armadale, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn United, Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Falkirk (First Reserves), Heart of Midlothian (First Reserves), King's Park, Lochgelly United, St Bernard's, St. Johnstone, Stenhousemuir. As this competition was not under the auspices of the Scottish Football League, it was not subject to the maximum pay rule of the time, leading to the farcical situation of players being offered higher wages at Alloa Athletic, Bo'ness and Dunfermline than at the Old Firm. The SFL was obliged to surrender and let all the above sides back into the league as the new 2nd Division, or in for the first time in the cases of Alloa Athletic, Armadale, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn United, Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, King's Park and Stenhousemuir. But they were forced to hand back all the players they poached back to their original clubs, this however was on the promise of automatic promotion and relegation. Forfar Athletic also joined, and both Johnstone and Vale of Leven rejoined to make up the numbers. Alloa Athletic won the first "new" 2nd Division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binos123sam Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 The mighty kings park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 The Central League actually shut down during WW1, consisting at the time of Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, King's Park, Kirkcaldy United, Lochgelly United and St. Johnstone. Dunfermline, East Stirlingshire, Lochgelly and St Johnstone had been members of Division 2 prior to WW1, but at the end of the war the SFL reneged on the promise to let them and also St Bernard's (who had been forced to go into mothballs when Royal Gymnasium Park was requisitioned for the war effort) back into the league. The result was they kept the league going, with some dropping out (Arbroath and Kirkcaldy United), and some new additions (Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian - the later Dundee United, East Stirlingshire, St Bernard's and Stenhousemuir). Falkirk and Heart of Midlothian also added their reserve teams - the latter out of fury with the SFL's treatment of St Bernard's. Thus the new league consisted of: Alloa Athletic, Armadale, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn United, Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Falkirk (First Reserves), Heart of Midlothian (First Reserves), King's Park, Lochgelly United, St Bernard's, St. Johnstone, Stenhousemuir. As this competition was not under the auspices of the Scottish Football League, it was not subject to the maximum pay rule of the time, leading to the farcical situation of players being offered higher wages at Alloa Athletic, Bo'ness and Dunfermline than at the Old Firm. The SFL was obliged to surrender and let all the above sides back into the league as the new 2nd Division, or in for the first time in the cases of Alloa Athletic, Armadale, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn United, Clackmannan, Cowdenbeath, Dundee Hibernian, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, King's Park and Stenhousemuir. But they were forced to hand back all the players they poached back to their original clubs, this however was on the promise of automatic promotion and relegation. Forfar Athletic also joined, and both Johnstone and Vale of Leven rejoined to make up the numbers. Alloa Athletic won the first "new" 2nd Division. It wasn't always the case that players were "poached" and offered higher wages. The Open To Transfer system was used by league clubs to retain the signature of players who were not going to see first team action in the hope of securing a transfer fee. The only means of playing competitive football for these guys was to go "non-league" as their league club refused to release them.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Does anyone know if these matches were highly attended or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 They were fairly well attended by the standards of a tier 2... Few of the participants have published histories and few of those that do seem to give any figures but the Dundee Utd gives crowds of 4,000 (v St Johnstone), 4,000 (v Lochgelly), 3,000 (at St Johnstone: corroborated by St Johnstone history) for some opening CL games in 1920-21 and 800 (v East Stirlingshire) for the last game that season by which time they were second bottom... I cannot find any others except some East Fife linked below*. I suspect the newspapers carried less detail. For context in SFL in 1920-21 the attendances were: Rangers - 23,000 Hearts - 17,000 Celtic - 16,000 Dundee - 14,000 2 clubs on 13,000 2 clubs on 10,000 2 clubs on 8,000 7 clubs on 7,000 3 clubs on 6,000 Ayr Utd - 5,000 Dumbarton - 3,000 *(EF 1920-21): https://web.archive.org/web/20041225150505/http://members.tripod.com/~corstorphine/192021.htm 3,000 (at St Bernards) -- 3,000 (at Armadale) -- 2,000 (at Lochgelly) -- 3,000 (at Dunfermline) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Also does anyone know what happened to Clackmannan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 After the SFL absorbed the Central League and sundry others in 1921 the set-up was 22-20, but this had to be reduced to 20-20 as 42 games was too many so bottom 2 in SFL2 were expelled at the end of 1921-22. Dundee Hibs and Clackmannan joined the Eastern League for 1922-23. Clackmannan then joined new SFL3 for 1923-24 but it folded after 1925-26. Played outwith leagues until folding in 1931. Whole league/cup format sagas between the wars detailed here: http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4570 http://scottishleague.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4571 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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