Manchester LEAGUE

 

 

 

Introduction

 

• The current Manchester League launched in 1893, though it closed down from 1912 to 1920.  However this is about an earlier edition of the league was played in 1890 for 2 seasons.

 

• First mention of the league in the papers was by correspondence to the Manchester Courier, where the league was described as being known as the Manchester Junior League.  Presumably the correspondent didn't know the name of the league, as it probably hadn't yet been decided upon.  He also mentions a few clubs, though doesn't make it clear if this was his aspirational list, or if any had actually specifically stated that they would be entering.  In the end, Stretford and Whalley Range did join when the league launched a couple of weeks later, and Beswick joined for the 2nd season.  Below is the article from the Manchester Courier on Tuesday 18 March 1890:
 

 

• The Manchester League then gets a mention in a Welsh newspaper, the Rhyl Record & Advertiser, talking about a proposed Cheshire League, and how they doubted it would launch (which it did a few weeks later as the Cheshire Junior League). They mentioned that it wouldn’t launch because proposed clubs were already joining other leagues, stating that Denton, Ardwick and Gorton Villa "will join the Manchester League” – which they didn’t. Denton and Gorton Villa joined another new league for 1890, “The Combination”.  Ardwick, though they didn't join the Manchester League, their Reserves did in the 2nd season.  This is the Rhyl Record & Advertiser story from Saturday 22 March 1890:

 

 

 

 

• The league was then officially formed at a meeting of the clubs on 1 April 1890. Twelve teams were initially announced as joining the league, as per the Manchester Evening News on Thursday 3 April (three more joined later).  However Stockport St Thomas's was renamed as Stockport in time for the 1890-91 season. However 4 of the teams withdrew before the season started - Heaton Park, Manchester Amateurs, Manchester St Mary's and Worsley:

 

 

 

 

• The article also mentions that a league representative side will be formed in April to play against some of the clubs also in the league.  One of the games was against Tonge. The Middleton Guardian had extensive reports from the game that took place on Saturday 12 April 1890:

 

 

• By the 15th April though, the first sign that things are not all going to plan.  The league met at Manchester's Happy Valley Restaurant to hear that Heaton Park had withdrawn - this was in addiiton to Manchester Amateurs, Manchester St Mary's and Worsley.  However Lancashire Independent College were elected to replace Heaton Park.

 

• 1890 was before the FA discouraged association football in May, and often teams would continue friendlies throughout the month. The Manchester Courier of Tue 13 May 1890 lists the result of another of the league representative games, this time against West Manchester Reserves.  It is not clear if the game was played on the previous Saturday (10 May) or on the Monday or Tuesday afternoon:

 

 

 

 

• Although West Manchester themselves were not part of the league, they had close ties with neighbouring Manchester St Bride’s, and by the end of the first season, had fully incorporated them, now playing as West Manchester St Bride’s as their Reserve team.  So clearly at this early stage, West Manchester were considered closely tied with the league enough to play a match against them.

 

• Interestingly, by the summer, before a match had been played, the league had a good reputation.  Local clubs were particularly interested in playing games against them. This is from the Athletic News of Monday 26 May 1890:

 

 

 

 

• Two further clubs joined the league in time for the start of the season - Lancashire College (claimed to be Chorlton-based, though the college itself was in Whalley Range - the boundary for the neighbouring areas was vague then), and Manchester West End

 

• The first games of the season took place on 6 September 1890.  Tonge played Stockport at their new ground.  Having previously played in a field in Upper Tonge, they were moving to within view of the prestigious Tonge Hall, on the ground at Tonge Hall Farm, which was called the Old Brick Ground.  The Mayor of Middleton was also the club president, and was doing the kick off – hopefully only ceremonially.  The Mayor was J W Lees of brewery-fame, as they were and still are based in Middleton.  Interesting that Ladies were allowed free entrance. The front page of the Middleton Guardian on the day saw this advert:

 

 

 

• Of the 11 teams that started the league, having seen 4 clubs withdraw in pre-season, a further club Longsight withdrew late February and had their record expunged. Of the early withdrawers, Manchester St Mary's did return the following season.

• Champions of the first season were Manchester St Bride’s.  Whether their unofficial association with senior club West Manchester had anything to do with it, we will probably never know.  However after they were officially incorporated into the club for the 1891-92 season, they also won the second and final season of the league - with West Manchester claiming both seasons as their own.  Just before the pre-season of 1892-93, they announced that they were still using St Bride's as their Reserve side, and they were joining the Lancashire Junior League.  They also mention that "they have yet to receive recognition" for the two Manchester League titles - signifying that no trophy was awarded. This was a hint that the league did not continue past 1891-92, and nothing was heard of it again.

 

 

 

 

• With the Manchester League clearly being a Junior league, there was call from the more senior clubs for a league for them in the Manchester area.  A number of clubs decided it was a good idea and decided to start the Manchester League for 1891, perhaps not realising that a league called that already existed.  This is from the Athletic News of Mon 13 April 1891:

 

 

 

 

• Nothing further was heard of this league, and so it can be assumed to have failed to materialise. Stockport County and Buxton joined the Combination in 1891 - Denton were already in it and continued in it 1891/2 and so clearly the plans fell apart and it doesn't appear that this new league actually launched under a different name
 

• The Manchester League second season 1891-92 though did start off with some hope of a healthy league championship. Just two further withdrawals after the season with Stockport and Stretford not rejoining. With Manchester St Mary's joining (after having withdrew before Season 1 started), four additional new clubs also joined - Ardwick Reserves, Beswick, Middleton and Rochdale Clifford

 

• There was a "match for the Championship" on Good Friday morning, 15 April 1892 - West Manchester St Bride's v Tonge, which presumably West Manchester St Bride's won, and hence took the league title again.  They also played on 30 April, winning 1-0 at Tonge, though at this stage, it is not clear if this was also a league game (which would have been on the last possible day of the season) or a late season friendly

 

• West Manchester St Bride's did deserve the honour of league champions in the 2nd season, losing only 1 match, and that was away at Tonge, their main challengers throughout the season

 

• With the 1890 Manchester League folding in 1892, a "new" Manchester League did get formed for 1893/4. It was still full of relatively junior teams, though it did increase in stature within a few years. In 1893, Stretford, Manchester St Mary's and Beswick of the original league joined the new Manchester League

 

 

Sources

• Much of the information comes from the British Newspaper Archive. The Non League Matters site has the league covered to a  limited degree on their history of the Manchester League page.  However that is quite outdated and also doesn't recognise that the league operated a 2nd season
• The archives.football web site is a great resource, and I am also building information about the Manchester League into that site too, including all known results

 

Latest Updates

 

October 2025 - Club Details page now complete, subject to any changes noticed in the 1891-92 season. All known results have been compiled and a best efforts league table will be added shortly.  Work will then begin on the 2nd season details.