The Central Midlands Football League - 'The History'

At the end of the sixties under the guidance of the then Secretary of the Derbyshire County Football Association, Phillip Holmes, the idea of having a Derbyshire County Premier League was mooted.
Two Senior Saturday Leagues, The Derby and District Senior League and the Football Combination were approached with a view of the more senior clubs joining together in a new league under the 'umbrella' of the Derbyshire County Football Association, hence The Derbyshire County Premier League.
Unfortunately the two secretaries could not agree to who should be the new league secretary and so the Derby and District Senior League withdrew from the 'merger'.
Further meetings took place and it was decided to go ahead but renamed the league The Derbyshire Premier League with the Chairman of the Derbyshire Football Association, W L Screen MBE as the President, Tom Cooper, Chairman and the Derby Combination Secretary, Peter Hind as secretary. Frank Harwood who was the Derby and District Senior League Chairman, who was keen on the new league, resigned and when Tony Goodacre took over the Secretary's duties, after the initial start of the new league in 1971, he immediately conscripted Frank on to the committee and along with Tony Baugh Frank his still with the league today and as been the Chairman for twenty four years and General Secretary for the last ten years. Later 'South' was dropped from the title.
Steady progress was made by the league in its early years and it really did not make progress until season 1979/80 when Frank Harwood became the league Chairman and he with Secretary Tony Goodacre stated to put the league on the 'map'.
Considerable assistance was given by Philip Holmes and later this was rewarded when he became the first Life Member of the league, in later years, Tony Goodacre, Tony Baugh and Frank Harwood have been added to the list.
The Leagues name was changed to the Central Midlands Football League, the idea being as a result of Frank Harwood seeing the word 'Central T V' at the end of 'televiewing' one night.
Many senior clubs from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire clamoured to join the league,
The 'old' Midlands League was partly reborn and the leagues status grew, despite some ups and downs the CMFL as continued to maintain a high quality of football, attract top teams from five/six County Football Associations and in their position of Level Four of the Pyramid of Football recognised as the outstanding league in the country for organisation and the quality of clubs both on and off the field.
The CMFL have supplied over twenty clubs to higher leagues in the pyramid of football, their only drawback is the jealousy that this as generated with people whose interests are not football minded.
Past members of the CMFL have included, Burton Albion, Shepshed Charterhouse, Bradford Park Avenue, Hinckley Town, Lincoln United, Hucknall Town and Goole, all are now in the higher leagues within the pyramid and many more senior non league teams who featured in the CMFL have been promoted to the Northern Counties East League which the Central Midlands 'feed into, it is hoped that this will continue as time goes on. The CMFL are a 'family', all for one and one for all!