YEL East Midlands SATURDAY

Last updated : Tuesday, 04 March 2025

The Young Elizabethan League (YEL) East Midlands SATURDAY offers an organized football competition for youth teams across the region. Participating clubs benefit from a structured league system that includes various divisions, with the U13 Winter Premier Division being one of the highlighted competitions. The league provides a professional framework for young footballers to develop their skills while enjoying competitive matches every Saturday throughout the season.

The YEL is known for recognizing achievements through its prestigious awards ceremony, which takes place at the Royal Concert Hall. This celebration brings together teams, players, coaches and families to honor outstanding performances and contributions to youth football in the East Midlands area.

Teams competing in the YEL East Midlands SATURDAY leagues gain valuable experience in a well-managed environment where clubs and referees can effectively coordinate their activities. The league structure allows for appropriate competitive levels, ensuring young players can progress and improve their footballing abilities in suitable surroundings.

History

The Young Elizabethan League, commonly known as YEL, was founded in 1970 in the East Midlands region of England. This regional football league has established itself as a significant platform for youth development over the past five decades.

Since its inception, the YEL East Midlands SATURDAY league has experienced steady growth in both size and reputation. What began as a modest local competition has evolved into a well-respected organization providing competitive football opportunities across multiple age groups.

The league has maintained its core mission throughout its history: creating opportunities for boys and girls to enjoy football in a structured environment. This commitment to youth development has been a defining characteristic of the YEL since its beginning.

Over the years, the league has expanded its divisions to accommodate increasing participation. The current structure includes various age brackets with specialized divisions such as the U14 Saturday Spring Division 5 Blue, demonstrating the league's organizational evolution.

With over 22 million recorded visits to its digital platforms, the YEL East Midlands SATURDAY league has clearly established a significant following in the region. This impressive engagement reflects the important role the league plays in the local sporting community.

The league's longevity and continued growth stand as testament to its successful management and the enduring appeal of youth football in the East Midlands region.

Age Groups and Divisions

The YEL East Midlands SATURDAY league offers competitions across multiple age groups, providing organized football for young players throughout the region. Currently, the 2024-25 season includes divisions for U7, U8, U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, and U14 age groups.

For the U14 category, the league features a tiered structure with divisions including the Spring Premier Division and Spring Division 1 Blue. This organization ensures teams compete against others of similar ability levels, creating balanced and enjoyable matches.

The league emphasizes competitive but fun matches, particularly for younger players. Teams are regularly adjusted based on ability for all age groups from U7s through U14s to maintain appropriate competition levels.

During the season, special events like Silent Support weekends are organized across all age divisions, promoting positive sideline behavior from spectators and creating a better environment for young players.

Available Age Groups:

Players have the flexibility to participate in both Saturday and Sunday leagues, offering more opportunities for match play and development throughout the weekend.

Committee/Staff/Contacts

The Young Elizabethan League (YEL) East Midlands Saturday division is managed by a dedicated committee who oversee operations across the region.

Communication with the league is now handled through their official email address: office@yelonline.com. This replaces their previous email (yel@live.co.uk) which has been discontinued and is no longer monitored.

When contacting the league office, teams should always quote their Team Name and include relevant details to ensure prompt assistance. This helps the committee efficiently address inquiries from the numerous teams participating across their extensive coverage area.

The YEL covers over 2,000 square miles throughout the East Midlands region, organizing regionalized football for youth teams. Their extensive reach requires structured communication channels.

For teams interested in joining the league or seeking additional information, the committee occasionally hosts informal online information sessions. These meetings provide details about league operations, registration processes, and upcoming seasons.

Key Contact Information:

Official Email: office@yelonline.com
Facebook Groups: "YEL East Midlands Public Group" and "YEL East Midlands" pages

The committee uses these Facebook groups for important announcements, updates on match schedules, and communication about registration deadlines and reserve lists for teams.

Teams

The YEL East Midlands SATURDAY league features numerous teams across different age groups from U7 to U14. According to search results, it's one of the largest youth football leagues in the UK, organizing matches for more than 1,400 teams and 17,000 children in the East Midlands region.

For the U14 age group specifically, the league includes teams such as:

Long Eaton United Yellow U14
Loughborough Eml Rangers U14
Loughborough Eml Titans U14
Lowdham Colts Blue U14
Bottesford U14 Blue
Calverton Miners Welfare Red U14
Collingham FC U14 Lynx Dynamos
Radcliffe Olympic Blue U14
Teversal F.C.U14 (Sat)
Woodhouse Colts White U14

The league organizes teams strategically to provide competitive and enjoyable matches. For younger age groups, teams are regularly adjusted to ensure balanced competition.

For U7s through U14s, the organization places special emphasis on grouping teams based on ability levels. This approach helps create more engaging matches and supports player development at appropriate competitive levels.

The YEL has received recognition for its excellent organization and contribution to grassroots football, earning the National FA Grassroots "League of the Year" award.

Players

The YEL East Midlands SATURDAY league serves approximately 17,000 registered players across the East Midlands region. These players compete in age groups ranging from Under-7 to Under-14 categories.

Each weekend, thousands of young footballers take to the pitch in various divisions organized by age and skill level. The league structure includes premier divisions and numbered divisions (such as Division 5 Blue) to ensure competitive matches for all skill levels.

The player registration system ensures that all participants are properly documented and eligible to play in their respective age groups. This maintains fair competition throughout the league.

Teams typically consist of:

U7-U10: Small-sided format players
U11-U14: Transitional and 11-a-side format players

Player development remains a core focus of YEL East Midlands, with the league structure designed to foster skill improvement and enjoyment of the game. The organization's recognition as a National FA Grassroots 'League of the Year' reflects its commitment to player development.

Many players progress through multiple age groups within the league, building long-term relationships with teammates and developing their football abilities over several seasons. This continuity helps young athletes develop both technical skills and teamwork capabilities.