Leicestershire County Football League

Last updated : Sunday, 30 June 2024

Leicestershire County Football League

The Leicestershire County Football League (LCL) is an amateur football league in Leicestershire, England. It was founded in 1896 and currently has three divisions: the Premier Division, Division One, and Division Two. The league is a feeder to the United Counties League.

History

The LCL was founded in 1896 and has been running continuously ever since, except for a two-year hiatus between 1901 and 1903. The league has had a number of changes to its structure over the years, but it has always been a popular competition for amateur football teams in Leicestershire.

Leicestershire County Football League action

The longest serving team in the LCL is Holwell Sports, who completed 76 seasons in the league, 60 of them in the top division. Holwell Sports left the LCL in 2008 to join the new East Midlands Counties Football League.

Current Structure

The LCL currently has three divisions: the Premier Division, Division One, and Division Two. The Premier Division is the top division and has 18 teams. Division One has 16 teams, and Division Two has 14 teams.

Leicestershire County Football League match

The league season runs from August to May, with each team playing each other twice, once at home and once away. The top two teams in the Premier Division are promoted to the United Counties League, while the bottom two teams are relegated to Division One. The top two teams in Division One are promoted to the Premier Division, while the bottom two teams are relegated to Division Two.

Domestic Cups

The LCL also runs a number of domestic cups, including the Leicestershire Senior Cup, the Leicestershire Junior Cup, and the Leicestershire Challenge Cup. The Leicestershire Senior Cup is the oldest cup competition in the league, dating back to 1898. The Leicestershire Junior Cup is for teams in Division One and Division Two, while the Leicestershire Challenge Cup is for teams in Division Two and below.