Central Football League
# Central Football League

There have been at least three competitions in Scotland known as the Central Football League

The first was originally formed in 1896 by five clubs - Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline Athletic, Fair City Athletic, Kirkcaldy and St Johnstone. In 1897 this version was superseded by the Central Football Combination.

Champions

* 1896–97 Cowdenbeath
* 1897–98 not completed

Membership

* Alloa Athletic 1897–1898
* Cowdenbeath 1896–1898
* Dundee 'A' 1897–98
* Dunfermline Athletic 1896–1898
* Fair City Athletic 1896–1897
* Hearts of Beith 1897–1898
* Kirkcaldy 1896–1898
* Lochgelly United 1896–1898
* St Johnstone 1896–97

The Central League was reformed in 1909 with twelve members - Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, King's Park, Kirkcaldy United, Lochgelly United and St Johnstone. The League closed down after 1915 because of World War I and a number of clubs transferred to the new Eastern Football League.

Champions

* 1909–10 Bo'ness
* 1910–11 Dunfermline Athletic
* 1911–12 Dunfermline Athletic
* 1912–13 Alloa Athletic
* 1913–14 Armadale
* 1914–15 Armadale

Membership

* Alloa Athletic 1909–1915
* Arbroath 1909–1915
* Armadale 1911–1915
* Bathgate 1909–1914
* Bo'ness 1909–1915
* Broxburn 1911–1912
* Broxburn Athletic 1909–1910
* Broxburn United 1912–1915
* Clackmannan 1914–1915
* Dundee 'A' 1912–1915
* Dunfermline Athletic 1909–1912
* East Fife 1909–1915
* Falkirk 'A' 1912–1912
* Forfar Athletic 1913–1915
* Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1910–1911
* King's Park 1909–1915
* Kirkcaldy United 1909–1915
* Lochgelly United 1909–1912, 1913–1914
* Montrose 1914–1915
* St Johnstone F.C. 1909–1911
* Stenhousemuir 1909–1915

The league closed down in 1915 because of the War but when the Scottish Football League refused to re-institute the Second Division in 1919, the Central Football League was re-formed. Since this competition was independent, member clubs could attract players by paying higher wages than those allowed under the maximum wage rules that applied to Scottish League clubs.

Champions

* 1919–20 Bo'ness
* 1920–21 Bo'ness

Membership

* Alloa Athletic 1919–1921
* Armadale 1919–1921
* Bathgate 1919–1921
* Bo'ness 1919–1921
* Broxburn United 1919–1921
* Clackmannan 1920–1921
* Cowdenbeath 1920–1921
* Dundee Hibernian 1920–1921
* Dunfermline Athletic 1919–1921
* East Fife 1919–1921
* East Stirlingshire 1919–1921
* Falkirk 'A' 1919–1921
* Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1919–1921
* King's Park 1919–1921
* Lochgelly United 1920–1921
* St Bernard's 1919–1921
* St Johnstone 1920–1921
* Stenhousemuir 1919–1921

In 1921, the Central League was absorbed by the Scottish League as the Second Division.

