| Wessex Football League | |
| |
| Country | England |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Divisions | Premier Division Division One |
| Number of teams | 41 20 (Premier Division) 21 (Division One) |
| Feeder to | |
| Promotion to | Southern League Division One South Isthmian League Division One South Central |
| Relegation to | Hampshire Premier League Dorset Premier Football League Wiltshire Football League |
| Levels on pyramid | Levels 9–10 |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Vase Wessex League Cup |
| Current champions | Horndean (Premier Division) Andover New Street (Division One) (2022–23) |
| Website | Official website |
 2023–24
| |
The Wessex Football League, known as the Velocity Wessex Football League for sponsorship reasons, is an English regional men's football league in southern England. Its members are primarily from Hampshire and Dorset, but clubs from adjoining counties such as Wiltshire, [Berkshire, and the Isle of Wight are also eligible. The Premier Division one of the sixteen recognised leagues to form the ninth level of the English football league system (known as Step 5 of the National League System), and Division One is one of seventeen recognised leagues at level 10 (Step 6).
Champions of the Wessex League who meet the relevant ground and financial requirements are eligible for promotion to the Southern League Division One South or Isthmian League Division One South Central.
History[]
In the summer of 1986 the formation of a Wessex League was discussed. It was proposed to draw clubs from the Hampshire, Dorset, Berks and Bucks, Sussex and Wiltshire FAs. After long discussions the full Football Association approved the league, with the 1986-87 season featuring 17 teams in the league.
Bashley were first champions of the new league, with Brockenhurst finishing last. The 1987–88 season saw the number of teams increase from 17 to 19. Four teams joined the league, but two of the founding teams, Road-Sea Southampton and Portals Athletic, left in unfortunate circumstances.
In its third year of existence, the league was gaining in prestige and this was reflected by the fact that 17 of the 19 clubs remained in the league. 1990–91 saw the league reach previously untouched heights as 20 clubs participated.
In 2004, it absorbed most of the clubs from its feeder league, the Hampshire League, which formed a new Division Two and Division Three. In 2006 the divisions were renamed as the Premier Division and Divisions One and Two. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Division Two was disbanded, and most of the clubs formed a new Hampshire Premier League.
2023–24 Current members[]
Premier Division[]
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Division One[]
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Past winners[]
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1986–87 | Bashley |
| 1987–88 | Bashley |
| 1988–89 | Bashley |
| 1989–90 | Romsey Town |
| 1990–91 | Havant Town |
| 1991–92 | Wimborne Town |
| 1992–93 | AFC Lymington |
| 1993–94 | Wimborne Town |
| 1994–95 | Fleet Town |
| 1995–96 | Thatcham Town |
| 1996–97 | AFC Lymington |
| 1997–98 | AFC Lymington |
| 1998–99 | Lymington & New Milton |
| 1999–2000 | Wimborne Town |
| 2000–01 | Andover |
| 2001–02 | Andover |
| 2002–03 | Eastleigh |
| 2003–04 | Winchester City |
In 2004, the league expanded to three divisions.
| Season | Division One | Division Two | Division Three |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | Lymington & New Milton | Lymington Town | Colden Common |
| 2005–06 | Winchester City | Locks Heath | Paulsgrove |
In 2006, the divisions were renumbered, with the top division being renamed the Premier Division.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Gosport Borough | Hayling United | Fleetlands |
After the 2006-07 season, Division Two was discontinued.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | A.F.C. Totton | Tadley Calleva |
| 2008–09 | Poole Town | Totton & Eling |
| 2009–10 | Poole Town | Hamble A.S.S.C. |
| 2010–11 | Poole Town | Downton |
| 2011–12 | Winchester City | Verwood Town |
| 2012–13 | Blackfield & Langley | Brockenhurst |
| 2013–14 | Sholing | Petersfield Town |
| 2014–15 | Petersfield Town | Team Solent |
| 2015–16 | Salisbury | Portland United |
| 2016–17 | Portland United | Hamble Club |
| 2017–18 | Blackfield & Langley | Christchurch |
| 2018–19 | Sholing | AFC Stoneham |
| 2019–20 | Season abandoned (coronavirus pandemic) | |
| 2020–21 | Season abandoned (lockdown restrictions) | |
| 2021–22 | Hamworthy United | Bemerton Heath Harlequins |
| 2022–23 | Horndean | Andover New Street |
Wessex League Cup[]
The Wessex League Cup, or Velocity Wessex League Cup for sponsor purposes, is a domestic cup which all the Wessex League teams participate in.
Wessex League Cup winners[]
- 1986–87: Road Sea Southampton
- 1987–88: East Cowes Victoria Athletic
- 1988–89: A.F.C. Lymington
- 1989–90: A.F.C. Totton
- 1990–91: Thatcham Town
- 1991–92: Thatcham Town
- 1992–93: Gosport Borough
- 1993–94: Wimborne Town
- 1994–95: Thatcham Town
- 1995–96: Downton
- 1996–97: Thatcham Town
- 1997–98: Aerostructures Sports & Social
- 1998–99: Cowes Sports
- 1999–2000: Wimborne Town
- 2000–01: (no competition held)
- 2001–02: Andover
- 2002–03: A.F.C. Totton
- 2003–04: Winchester City
- 2004–05: Hamworthy United
- 2005–06: A.F.C. Totton
- 2006–07: Lymington Town
- 2007–08: Wimborne Town
- 2008–09: VT
- 2009–10: Bemerton Heath Harlequins
- 2010–11: Bournemouth
- 2011–12: Christchurch
- 2012–13: Alresford Town
- 2013–14: Alresford Town
- 2014–15: A.F.C. Portchester
- 2015–16: Team Solent
- 2016–17: Sholing
- 2017–18: A.F.C. Portchester
- 2018–19: Baffins Milton Rovers
- 2019–20: (not awarded)
- 2020–21: Hamworthy United
- 2021–22: Shaftesbury
- 2022–23: Baffins Milton Rovers
External links[]
| Wessex Football League seasons |
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2018–19 · 2019–20 · 2020–21 · 2021–22 · 2022–23 · 2023–24 · 2024–25 · |
| Wessex League Division One 2024–25 |
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AFC Aldermaston · Alresford Town · Amesbury Town · Ash United · Clanfield · Cove · East Cowes Victoria Athletic · Fawley · Fleetlands · Folland Sports · Frimley Green · Hamworthy United · Lymington Town · New Milton Town · Newport (IOW) · Ringwood Town · Romsey Town · Totton & Eling · Verwood Town · Whitchurch United |
| Wessex Football League Premier Division seasons |
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2018–19 · 2019–20 · 2020–21 · 2021–22 · 2022–23 · 2023–24 · 2024–25 · |
| Wessex Football League Division One seasons |
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2018–19 · 2019–20 · 2020–21 · 2021–22 · 2022–23 · 2023–24 · 2024–25 · |
| Football in England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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