Next up in the women’s football pyramid series, we are taking a look at the County Leagues in the Eastern and London & South East region. This covers many different counties so let’s dive into it.
Eastern Region
The Eastern Region consists of five different county leagues; Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire is covered by the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Women’s Football League. This league was founded back in 2004 and currently consists of 42 teams across four divisions.
Premier
Ampthill Town, Biggleswade United Development, Dunstable Town Lionesses, Garston, Hitchin Belles Blues, Langford, Oaklands Wolves, St Margaretsbury, Stotfold, Ware United
Division 1
Baldock Town, Berkhamsted, Garston Mets, Hartham United, Letchworth Garden City Eagles, Real Bedford Development, Sherrardswood, Watford Ladies Development U23, Woburn & Wavendon Lionesses, Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses Reserves
Division 2
Bedwell Rangers, Buntingford Town, Bury Rangers, EB Lions AFC, Everett, Evergreen Eagles, Harpenden Town Colts, Hitchin Town, MK United, Watton, Wheathampstead Wanderers
Division 3
Bedford Albion, Bedford Central, Bletchley Scot, Cranfield United, Flitwick Eagles Blues, Goffs Oak, Hitchin Town Canaries, Leighton Woodside, Olney, Ruislip Rangers 2nd XI, Welwyn United
Cambridgeshire’s league for women’s football is called the Alan Boswell Group Cambridgeshire Girls and Women’s Football League. The Alan Boswell Group is an insurance broker. The league had been previously known as the S-Tech league for 16 seasons but S-Tech was incorporated into the Alan Boswell Group hence the name change in 2022. The league itself was founded in 1992 and currently consists of 30 teams across three leagues.
Division 1
Cambridge Rangers, Eaton Socon, Fulbourn Institute Bluebirds, Godmanchester Town, Ketton Sports, Leverington Sports, Newmarket Town Development, Waterbeach Colts, Wimblington
Division 2
Cambourne Town, Chatteris Town Lilies, Deeping Rangers, Histon Development, Manea Sirens A, March Town United, Netherton United Reserves, Soham Town Rangers, South Lincolnshire Swifts, St Ives Town, Willingham Wolves
Division 3
Burwell, Cambridge Rangers Reserves, Cardea Reserves, Ely City, Haverhill Town, Manea Sirens B, Mepal and Sutton Rangers, Saffron Walden Community, Swavsey Spartans, Whittlesey Athletic Development
Essex has the Essex County Women’s Football League. This league was founded in 1988 and currently consists of 44 teams across five divisions.
Premier Division
Brentwood Town, Brightlingsea Regent, Chigwell, Colchester United, Hashtag United Reserves, Hutton Reserves, She Can Play Panthers, Southminster United
Division One
Beacon Hill Rovers, Broomfield, Corinthians, Corringham Cosmos, FC Clacton, Great Bradfords, Leigh Ramblers, Leigh United, Stanway Rovers, Sudbury Sports, Tigers
Division Two
Dorking Reserves, Emerson & Upminster, Great Danes, Hedinghams United, Hutton Development, Rayleigh, Stanway Pegasus, Stones
Division Three
Braintree Athletic, Chelmsford City Reserves, Halstead Town, Hatfield Peverel, Island, Runwell Sports, Toby Reserves, Woodham Radars
Division Four
Castle Point Rangers, Earls Hall United, Great Bradfords Reserves, Harwich & Parkeston, Old Chelmsfordians, Pitsea Town, South Woodham Ferrers United, Stanway Rovers Reserves
The Norfolk Women & Girls Football League covers the county of Norfolk and the league was founded back in 1989. The league now consists 30 teams in three divisions.
Division 1
Aylsham, Bungay Town, Bure Valley, Costessey Sports, Fakenham Town, Hickling, KLSC, Long Stratton, Mulbarton Wanderers Reserves, Sprowston, UEA
Division 2
Beccles Town Development, Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers, FC Viking Valkyries, Great Yarmouth Town, Holt United, Horsford Harriers, Shrublands 1988, Thorpe St Andrew, Waveney
Division 3
Brundall Bolts, Bure Valley Development, FC Viking Valkyries Reserves, Horsford Hurricanes, Kirkley & Pakefield, Long Stratton Development, Martham, North Walsham Town, Red Rose, Waveney Development
The final county in the Eastern region is Suffolk which has the Suffolk Girls and Women’s Football League. This league was founded in 1972, after the ban was lifted. The league now consists of 20 teams across two divisions.
Premiership
AFC Kesgrave, Brantham Athletic, Bury Town Community, Capel Plough, Holland, Needham Market Development, Stowupland Falcons, Woodbridge Town
Championship
Alresford Colne Rangers, Bacton United 89, Brantham Athletic Development, Bury Town Community Development, Coplestonians, Farmington Town, Halesworth Town, Ipswich Valley Rangers, Kesgrave Kestrels, Leiston St Margarets, Ramsey & Mistley, Saxmundham Sports
London and South East Region
There are only three leagues that make up this region; Greater London, South East Counties and Sussex. There are however a total of around 156 teams across this whole region at County League level.
The Greater London Women’s Football League covers women’s football across London and was founded in 1972. It was originally called the Hounslow and District Ladies Football League and had two divisions; Division A and Division B. Fulham became the first professional team in this league in April 2000 as well as being the nation’s first. This league has had various current WSL teams take part in it such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham. It currently consists of 50 teams across five divisions.
Premier Division
Brentford B, Camden Town, Camden and Islington United, Comets, Hammersmith, Headstone Manor, Islington Borough, Leyton Orient, Luton Town Reserves, South London, Tooting Bec
Division 1 North
AFC Leyton, East Finchley, East London, Enfield Town Development, Hackney Reserves, Islington Borough Reserves, London Academicals, Regents Park, Tower Hamlets, United Dragons
Division 1 South
AFC Croydon Athletic, Actonians Thirds, CB Hounslow & Abbots, Clapham United, Holmesdale Keets, Kenningwell United, Regents Park Rangers, South London Laces Spartans, South London Reserves, Sporting Duet
Division 2 North
Alexandra Park, Clapton Community Reserves, East Finchley Second 11, Edgware & Kingsbury, Frenford, Hendon, London Football School, London Galaxy, Rose, Tower Hamlets Reserves
Division 2 Central and South
Balham, CB Hounslow & Abbots Reserves, Camden Town U23, Civil Service, Grenfell Athletic, Hammersmith Reserves, South London Laces Atlantics, Tooting Bec Reserves, Wandsworth Borough
South East Counties Womens Football League
This league covers the counties of Kent and Surrey and was founded back in 1990 by the Women’s Football Association. It currently consists 81 teams across 10 divisions. The divisions are the Premier then it splits into Kent and Surrey Divisions.
Premier Division
Cray Wanderers, Kings Hill, London Road, Maidstone United, Margate, Parkwood Rangers, Sevenoaks Town, Tonbridge Angels, Tunbridge Wells Foresters, Woodcoombe Sports
Surrey Premier Division
Become Belles, Carshalton Athletic, Croydon, Dorking Wanderers Development, Epsom & Ewell, Farnham Town, Leatherhead Youth, Old Tiffinians, Sutton United Reserves
Surrey Division 1 North
Egham Town, Hersham, Manorcroft United, Molesey Athletic, Walton & Hersham
Surrey Division 1 South
Ash United, Cranleigh, Guildford City, Guildford Saints, Milford & Witley, Oxted & District, South Park
Kent Division 1 East
Baypoint, Betteshanger Welfare, Biddenden, Deal Town, Faversham Strike Force, Hollands and Blair, Margate Development, Park Regis, Sheppey United
Kent Division 1 West
Aylesford Seconds, Bromleians, Castle Colts, Danson Sports, Glebe, Gravesham, Long Lane, Petts Wood, Tunbridge Wells Foresters Second XI
Kent Division 2 East
Baypoint Seconds, Betteshanger Welfare Development, Folkestone Invicta, Hawkinge Town, Lydd Town, Mersham Sports Club, Ramsgate, Sellindge
Kent Division 2 Mid East
Canterbury Eagles, Faversham Town, Herne Bay Development, Lenham Wanderers, Maidstone United Development, Sittingbourne, Staplehurst Monarchs United, The Plough Whitstable, Woodcoombe Sports Development
Kent Division 2 Mid West
Anchorians, Barming, Borough Green, Guru Nanak, Hollands and Blair Reserves, Larkfield, New Ash Green, Tunbridge Wells Foresters Third XI
Kent Division 2 West
Crayford Arrows, Foots Cray Lionesses, Ide Hill, Junior Red Roses, Old Pepys, Orpington, Sevenoaks Town Development
Sussex County Women & Girls Football League
This league covers the county of Sussex and was founded in 2004. It currently consists of 25 teams in 3 divisions. The only team to have won the league twice in the top division was Adur Athletic. Most seasons have seen just the one division in this league with the start of the league seeing a few seasons with a Division Two added on.
Open Age Premier Division
East Preston, Eastbourne Borough, Eastbourne Town, Hassocks, Horsham Sparrows, Horsham, Pagham, Worthing Town
Open Age Championship
Brighton Seagulls, Burgess Hill Town, Hailsham Town, Hollingbury Hawks, Mile Oak, Oakwood, Whitehawk, Woodingdean Wanderers, Worthing Town Development
Open Age Division 1
AFC Uckfield Town, Barnham Trojans, Hastings United Development, Infinity, Newhaven Development, Ringmer AFC, Seaford Town, The View
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