Western Football League
First version 1915-1923, (including
the Western Cup 1916-1924)
|
See also Western League
overview |
After the outbreak
of War in 1914, the Scottish League continued with a full programme of
fixtures for both of its divisions. In 1915, it decided to suspend the Second
Division, but allow its members to form two regional competitions, the
Western League and the Eastern League. The new Western League was
formed as the West of Scotland League on 28 July 1915 and consisted of six
ex-Scottish League clubs (Abercorn, Albion Rovers, Arthurlie,
Clydebank, Johnstone and Vale of Leven) and six
non-League clubs (Dykehead, Renton, Royal Albert,
Wishaw Thistle - all ex Scottish Football Union - Stevenston
United from the Scottish Reserve League and Dumbarton Harp). 1916-17 saw
Queen's Park Strollers boost the number of clubs to 13 but this proved to be
unlucky as three other clubs found the war-time conditions too much and
resigned from the league in mid-season. The removal of Aberdeen, Dundee and Raith Rovers from the Scottish League provided champions
Clydebank with the opportunity of rejoining the League, but left the Western
League with only eight competing clubs for the last two war-time seasons. To
compensate, a League Cup competition was introduced. After the anticipated
restoration of the Second Division failed to materialize, the Western League
continued in 1919-20 with an increased membership. Although Albion Rovers,
who were elected to the Scottish League, Abercorn (in their death throes),
and Arthurlie all left, Beith,
Clydebank 'A', Dykehead, Galston,
Hurlford, Queen's Park Strollers, Royal Albert and
Wishaw Thistle joined to make a thirteen club league. Renton, the one time 'World Champions' disbanded at the end of that
season while Wishaw Thistle decided to return to the Junior
ranks. With Stevenston United, champions in 1920,
disbanding in 1921, and with Johnstone and Vale of
Leven helping to re-form the Second Division, Leith Athletic, despite coming
from Edinburgh, joined, as did a trio of clubs from the South West - Queen of
the South, Nithsdale Wanderers and Solway Star. When the Scottish League
formed the ill fated Third Division in 1923, the Western League was used as
the backbone of the new section. Only Queen's Park's reserve side the
Victoria XI (a club couldn't be full and associate members at the same time)
and Hurlford, who disbanded weren't elected. When the Third
Division collapsed in disarray in 1926, the surviving clubs were all entered
into the expanded Scottish Alliance. When that league expelled them a season
later, they formed the Provincial League. After a proposal to rename the new
body the Western League was opposed, the original Western League was
officially dissolved and the Western League Cup trophy was handed over to be
awarded to the Provincial League champions. |
|
Champions 1915-16
Vale of Leven 1916-17
1917-18
1918-19
Dumbarton Harp 1919-20
Stevenston United 1920-21
Johnstone 1921-22
Arthurlie 1922-23 Queen of the South 1923-24 no competition |
Western Cup - Dumbarton
Harp Dumbarton
Harp Vale
of Leven Vale
of Leven Royal
Albert Arthurlie |
Membership
Abercorn Arthurlie Beith Dumbarton
Harp Dykehead Galston Helensburgh Hurlford Johnstone Nithsdale
Wanderers Peebles
Rovers Queen
of the South Queen's
Park Strollers Queen's
Park Victoria XI Royal
Albert Solway
Star Stevenston United Vale
of Leven Wishaw
Thistle |
Seasons
1915-19 1915-19 1915-19,
1921-23 1919-23 1915-17 1919-21 1915-22 1915-17*,
1919-23 1919-23 1920-21 1922-23 1919-23 1915-21 1921-22 1922-23 1922-23 1921-23 1916-17,
1919-20 1921-23 1915-20 1915-17*,
1919-23 1922-23 1915-22 1915-21 1915-17*,
1919-20 |
Came from
Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
Scottish
League Scottish
Scottish
Southern
Counties League Scottish
League Scottish
|
Left for
disbanded Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
Scottish
League Disbanded Scottish
League Eastern
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish
disbanded Scottish
League Scottish
League disbanded Scottish
League turned
junior |
|
1915-16 |
Aber |
AR |
Arth |
Clb |
DH |
Dyk |
Jne |
Ren |
RA |
Ste |
VoL |
Wis |
|
Abercorn |
x |
11 Mar 4-3 |
28 Aug 2-0 |
25 Sep 3-4 |
4 Mar 3-1 |
9 Oct 3-1 |
15 Apr 3-4” |
11 Dec 3-5 |
29 Apr 1-1 |
11 Sep 1-2 |
5 Feb 1-2 |
29 Jan 3-0 |
|
Albion Rovers |
22 Jan 5-2 |
x |
5 Feb 2-1 |
23 Oct 0-1 |
6 Nov 2-2 |
21 Aug 2-1 |
4 Sep 1-0 |
|
|
25 Sep 1-0 |
9 Oct 0-0 |
19 Feb 2-1 |
|
Arthurlie |
2 Oct 1-2 |
18 Sep 2-2 |
x |
1 Apr 1-2 |
26 Feb 6-0 |
12 Feb 4-0 |
29 Jan 4-3 |
30 Oct 4-1 |
6 Nov 2-1 |
27 Nov 5-0 |
4 Sep 3-7 |
23 Oct 1-1 |
|
Clydebank |
|
25 Dec 3-2 |
4 Mar 2-0 |
x |
4 Sep 3-1 |
|
6 Nov 1-0 |
18 Sep 7-0 |
16 Oct 3-1 |
2 Oct 0-1 |
21 Aug 1-3 |
30 Oct 2-0 |
|
Dumbarton Harp |
1 Apr 4-2 |
28 Aug 4-0 |
16 Oct 3-2 |
15 Jan 1-3 |
x |
30 Oct 3-5 |
12 Feb 4-1 |
11 Sep 4-1 |
|
19 Feb 5-0 |
11 Dec 0-2 |
25 Sep 3-1 |
|
Dykehead |
18 Sep 4-0 |
29 Jan 2-4 |
29 Apr 3-1 |
28 Aug 3-3 |
2 Oct 3-2 |
x |
16 Oct 2-1 |
|
|
15 Apr 3-0 |
|
11 Sep 0-2 |
|
Johnstone |
30 Oct 3-0 |
|
25 Sep 3-2 |
11 Sep 0-1 |
9 Oct 4-3 |
4 Dec 3-2 |
x |
|
28 Aug 1-2 |
13 Nov 1-1 |
23 Oct 1-1 |
5 Feb 3-0 |
|
Renton |
22 Apr 4-3 |
16 Oct 2-1 |
8 Apr 3-1 |
9 Oct 0-1 |
25 Dec 2-1 |
25 Sep 1-3 |
26 Feb 5-3 |
x |
4 Sep 0-7 |
28 Aug 2-3 |
6 Nov 0-1 |
4 Mar 3-0 |
|
Royal Albert |
26 Feb 1-2 |
30 Oct 1-1 |
11 Sep 6-2 |
|
21 Aug 2-1 |
23 Oct 5-2 |
2 Oct 2-0 |
15 Apr 4-3 |
x |
29 Jan 2-1 |
25 Sep 2-2 |
9 Oct 4-1 |
|
Stevenston United |
6 Nov 1-1 |
20 Nov 1-0 |
9 Oct 3-2 |
5 Feb 1-3 |
23 Oct 3-1 |
4 Sep 2-2 |
21 Aug 3-1 |
4 Dec 2-0 |
18 Sep 4-2 |
x |
26 Feb 2-5 |
|
|
Vale of Leven |
16 Oct 3-1 |
11 Sep 2-0 |
4 Dec 6-0 |
|
18 Sep 4-2 |
25 Mar 4-2 |
1 Apr 1-4 |
2 Oct 4-1 |
19 Feb 5-0 |
30 Oct 1-2 |
x |
28 Aug 5-1 |
|
Wishaw Thistle |
4 Sep 2-1 |
2 Oct 4-1 |
|
22 Jan 2-2 |
4 Dec 2-2 |
|
18 Sep 1-1 |
|
20 Nov 4-4 |
16 Oct 3-0 |
|
X |
*at Johnstone
23 Oct Abercorn v
Renton off
20 Nov Renton v Dumbarton Harp, Clydebank v Dykehead off
22 Jan Johnstone v Renton
3-0 abd
|
|
1915-16 |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 |
Vale of Leven
Clydebank Stevenston United Royal
Albert Albion
Rovers Johnstone Wishaw
Thistle Dykehead Dumbarton
Harp Abercorn Renton Arthurlie |
22 22 21 22 22 22 20 20 22 22 21 22 |
15 16 10 11 9 9 7 9 8 7 7 6 |
5 2 3 4 4 3 5 1 2 2 0 2 |
2 4 8 8 9 10 8 10 12 13 14 14 |
66 55 34 48 34 41 32 44 49 42 32 27 |
27 22 41 39 36 40 38 50 52 55 63 57 |
35 34 33 26 22 21 19 19 18 16 14 14 |
|
1916-17 |
Aber |
AR |
Arth |
Clb |
DH |
Dyk |
Jne |
Ren |
RA |
Ste |
VoL |
Wis |
|
Abercorn |
X |
9 Dec 2-0 |
4 Nov 1-0 |
16 Sep 0-0 |
|
|
18 Nov 1-1 |
14 Apr 5-1 |
|
27 Jan 3-9 |
3 Mar 1-0 |
30 Sep 1-1 |
|
Albion Rovers |
23 Sep 1-1 |
X |
30 Sep 2-3 |
10 Feb 1-1 |
|
|
30 Dec 3-1 |
24 Feb 5-1 |
10 Mar 2-0 |
4 Nov 2-2 |
16 Dec 0-0 |
19 Aug 4-1 |
|
Arthurlie |
|
11 Nov 1-1 |
X |
27 Jan 0-2* |
23 Sep 2-3 |
9 Dec 2-1 |
|
7 Oct 1-1 |
|
16 Sep 0-1 |
|
|
|
Clydebank |
|
2 Sep 4-0 |
6 Jan 1-0 |
X |
11 Nov 1-0 |
|
23 Sep 5-1 |
9 Dec 3-3 |
25 Nov 4-1 |
|
7 Apr 4-0 |
7 Oct 3-0 |
|
Dumbarton Harp |
|
25 Nov 1-0 |
|
31 Mar 2-1 |
X |
18 Nov 3-1 |
27 Jan 2-0 |
3 Mar 1-0 |
30 Sep 3-0 |
10 Mar 4-0 |
16 Sep 0-1 |
2 Sep 4-1 |
|
Dykehead |
|
25 Nov 1-0 |
|
|
|
X |
7 Oct 2-0 |
23 Sep 1-0 |
|
|
11 Nov 2-3 |
|
|
Johnstone |
13 Jan 2-2 |
16 Sep 2-1 |
|
16 Dec 3-1 |
|
2 Sep 1-0 |
X |
6 Jan 1-1 |
|
|
30 Sep 0-2 |
|
|
Renton |
25 Nov 0-5 |
0-1 |
|
30 Sep 1-3 |
|
|
|
X |
|
18 Nov 1-1 |
2 Sep 1-0 |
18 Sep 0-1 |
|
Royal Albert |
|
7 Oct 1-1 |
|
28 Oct 0-2 |
|
4 Nov 0-0 |
|
|
X |
|
18 Nov 1-0 |
|
|
Stevenston United |
6 Jan 1-1 |
3 Mar 2-0 |
16 Dec 1-0 |
|
7 Oct 2-1 |
30 Sep 5-0 |
|
|
2 Sep 3-1 |
X |
30 Dec 3-1 |
25 Nov 2-0 |
|
Vale of Leven |
7 Oct 3-0 |
20 Jan 1-0 |
25 Nov 6-1 |
17 Mar 0-3 |
9 Dec 4-2 |
|
10 Feb 1-1 |
|
23 Sep 2-2 |
|
X |
|
|
Wishaw Thistle |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 Sep 1-2 |
|
X |
Dykehead, Royal Albert and Wishaw Thistle all resigned on the
weekend of 2 Feb 1017 due to the war-time circumtances
*at Clydebank
24 Feb Arthurlie v Clydebank 1-2
18 Nov Albion v Clydebank 0-0 abd
10 Feb Stevenston v Abercorn 6-0
25 Nov Abercorn v
Renton 5-0
6 Jan Vale v Wishaw postponed, Wishaw couldn’t raise a
team
|
|
1916-17 |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 |
Clydebank
Stevenston United Dumbarton
Harp Abercorn Vale of
Leven Johnstone Albion
Rovers Renton Arthurlie Dykehead Royal Albet Wishaw
Thistle |
22 21 18 18 21 19 19 18 16 11 11 10 |
15 15 12 8 8 5 4 2 3 3 1 2 |
3 2 5 5 4 5 6 7 4 3 5 2 |
4 4 1 5 9 9 9 9 9 5 5 5 |
47 39 40 36 36 34 22 10 17 11 11 11 |
21 16 18 27 33 33 30 43 30 21 28 22 |
33 32 25 21 20 15 14 11 10 9 7 6 |
WESTERN CUP
28 Oct Vale of Leven v Abercorn 2-4
2 Dec Abercorn v Stevenston United 2-1 (stopped 80 mins darkness)
2 Dec Clydebank v Arthurlie 1-0
13 Jan Vale of Leven v Arthurlie
2-0
20 Jan Arthurlie v Stevenston United 1-1
3 Feb Stevenston United v Vale of Leven 2-1
10 Mar Vale of leven v Stevenston United 1-1
7 Apr Stevenston United v Arthurlie 0-2
14 Apr Stevenston United v Johnstone 1-0
|
1917-18 |
Aber |
AR |
Arth |
DH |
Jne |
Ren |
Ste |
VoL |
|
Abercorn |
X |
29 Sep 0-0 |
|
13 Oct 2-0 |
20 Oct 4-1 |
1 Sep 0-1 |
10 Nov 1-1 |
15 Sep 1-1 |
|
Albion Rovers |
4-0 |
X |
6 Oct 3-1 |
27 Oct 2-0 |
2-1 |
8 Sep 3-2 |
17 Nov 8-1 |
1 Dec 8-0 |
|
Arthurlie |
8 Sep 1-2 |
1 Sep 0-2 |
X |
24 Nov 7-1 |
13 Oct 3-1 |
29 Sep 2-1 |
27 Oct 3-1 |
17 Nov 3-0 |
|
Dumbarton Harp |
17 Nov 0-2* |
3-2 |
|
X |
8 Sep 4-0 |
10 Nov 1-1 |
|
|
|
Johnstone |
27 Oct 1-1 |
18 Aug 2-2 |
15 Sep 1-1 |
29 Sep 1-1 |
X |
|
|
1 Sep 3-2 |
|
Renton |
24 Nov 2-0 |
20 Oct 3-2 |
1 Dec 0-2 |
15 Sep 2-1 |
6 Oct 5-1 |
X |
13 Oct 1-0 |
|
|
Stevenston United |
18 Aug 3-1 |
15 Sep 3-0 |
|
1 Sep 1-0 |
|
13 Oct 1-0 |
X |
29 Sep 2-0 |
|
Vale of Leven |
6 Oct 2-2 |
13 Oct 0-1 |
|
18 Aug 2-0 |
10 Nov 0-2 |
27 Oct 4-0 |
8 Sep 2-0 |
X |
*at Paisley
|
|
1917-18 |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
Albion Rovers
Renton Arthurlie Dumbarton
Harp Stevenston United Abecorn Johnstone Vale of
Leven |
14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 |
9 9 8 6 6 3 3 3 |
2 1 1 2 1 5 4 3 |
3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 |
39 25 31 26 24 15 19 16 |
16 19 23 25 26 21 34 31 |
20 19 17 14 13 11 10 9 |
|
WESTERN CUP 1917-18 |
Aber |
AR |
Arth |
DH |
Jne |
Ren |
Ste |
VoL |
|
Abercorn |
X |
16 Mar 3-0 |
|
|
2 Feb 3-3 |
|
1 Dec 1-2 |
15 Dec 2-1 |
|
Albion Rovers |
2 Jan 1-0 |
X |
2 Mar 3-1 |
3-4 |
15 Dec 1-1 |
0-0 |
5-2 |
29 Dec 8-0 |
|
Arthurlie |
8 Dec 2-0 |
10 Nov 2-0 |
X |
|
16 Mar 3-2 |
29 Dec 1-1 |
26 Jan 4-0 |
13 Apr 6-1 |
|
Dumbarton Harp |
22 Dec 3-0 |
2 Feb 0-2 |
|
X |
1 Dec 4-2 |
16 Mar 0-0 |
13 Apr 7-1 |
9 Mar 7-1 |
|
Johnstone |
|
8 Dec 0-0 |
9 Mar 1-0 |
29 Dec 0-2 |
X |
13 Apr 0-1 |
22 Dec 2-0 |
|
|
Renton |
26 Jan 2-1 |
1-0 |
2 Feb 1-0 |
15 Dec 2-2 |
|
X |
9 Mar 1-0 |
2 Jan 3-1 |
|
Stevenston United |
1 Dec 1-0 |
0-3 |
15 Dec 1-2 |
|
24 Nov 2-1 |
|
X |
|
|
Vale of Leven |
|
24 Nov 1-1 |
22 Dec 0-3 |
9 Feb 2-7 |
|
2 Mar 0-2 |
|
X |
16 Feb Renton v Arthurlie
2-1
|
1918-19 |
Aber |
AR |
Arth |
DH |
Jne |
Ren |
Ste |
VoL |
|
Abercorn |
X |
23 Nov 1-1 |
19 Oct 2-2 |
26 Oct 1-3 |
L-W |
7 Dec 0-2 |
28 Sep 0-2 |
14 Sep 0-4 |
|
Albion Rovers |
14 Dec 8-1 |
X |
28 Sep 3-1 |
21 Sep 1-2 |
7 Sep 1-0 |
24 Aug 1-2 |
12 Oct 4-0 |
26 Oct 3-2 |
|
Arthurlie |
5 Oct 0-1 |
L-W |
X |
9 Nov 2-3 |
23 Nov 0-0 |
21 Sep 1-2 |
7 Dec 4-1 |
7 Sep 2-2 |
|
Dumbarton Harp |
30 Nov 3-1 |
17 Aug 1-0 |
12 Oct 4-0 |
X |
14 Dec 2-1 |
19 Oct 0-0 |
14 Sep 3-0 |
28 Sep 1-1 |
|
Johnstone |
12 Oct 2-1 |
2 Nov 0-1 |
14 Sep 4-0 |
24 Aug 2-4 |
X |
26 Oct 2-1 |
17 Aug 2-2 |
5 Oct 1-0 |
|
Renton |
9 Nov 3-1 |
14 Sep 0-1 |
14 Dec 1-0 |