Country England Promotion to Isthmian League Domestic cups FA Cup, FA Vase | Website Official Number of teams 46 (plus reserve teams) | |
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Founded 2015–present
1920–2015 (as Sussex County League) Divisions 3 – first teams
2 – reserve teams
2 – U21 Divisions
3 – U18 Divisions Feeder to Isthmian League Division One South League cup(s) The Peter Bentley League Cup
Division One Challenge Cup
Division Two Challenge Cup
The Reserve Section Challenge Cup Level on pyramid English football league system Relegation to Mid-Sussex Football League Current champions Horsham F.C., Haywards Heath Town F.C., AFC Varndeanians F.C. Teams Haywards Heath Town FC, Horsham FC, AFC Varndeanians FC, Arundel FC, Rye United FC | ||
The Southern Combination Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.
Contents
Formed in 1920 as the Sussex County Football League, the league now has six divisions – three for first teams and three for reserve sides. The first team divisions – One, Two and Three, sit at Steps 5, 6 & 7 of the English football league system, below the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and the Southern League. The reserve divisions are not part of the league system. The league changed its name to the Southern Combination Football League for the start of the 2015–16 season, and at the same time renamed the divisions Premier Division, Division One and Division Two. Also, for the 2015–16 season the league added two U21s divisions, one in the East, and one in the West, these two leagues consisting of 7 teams each.
1920–39
The league originally consisted of a single section of 12 clubs, and had reached a stable membership of 14 clubs when it was abandoned on the outbreak of World War II.
1945–46
For the first post-War season, the league operated two regional divisions, East and West.
1946–52
After a single split format, the league reverted to a single division for the next six seasons.
1952–83
A second division was instituted in 1952. A two-division format continued for over 30 years, the only deviation being in the 1962–63 season when the terrible winter made the league impossible to finish. The normal league competitions were abandoned and a set of emergency competitions were played for in the second half of the season.
1983–Present
After a two division format had proved sufficient for over 30 years, a third division was added in 1983. While the top two divisions were for clubs holding senior status with the Sussex FA, the new Division Three (now called Division Two) was, and still is, for clubs of intermediate status.