| Founded | 1906 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1906–07 |
| Folded | 1964 |
| Country | England |
| Last champions | Horden Colliery Welfare A.F.C. (2nd title) |
| Most championships | Middlesbrough reserves (12 titles) |
TheNorth Eastern League was an association footballleague for teams in theNorth East of England.
The league was founded in 1906 and was initially successful, with teams defecting from the rivalNorthern Football Alliance to play. Although some members (such asDarlington) transferred to join theFootball League Third Division North in 1921, the North Eastern League absorbed the Northern Alliance in1925–26 and split into two divisions. The league spent nine years like this, returning to one division in 1935; clubs from the second division re-forming the Northern Football Alliance, which became a feeder to it.
As years progressed, numbers dwindled and the league initially folded in 1958 after the withdrawal of Football League clubs' reserve sides. The remaining members initially transferred to theMidland Football League before founding theNorthern Counties League in 1960. The Northern Counties League was renamed the North Eastern League in1962–63 but folded for a second time in 1964.
The champions of the league were as follows:[1]
During the league's existence, 82 clubs and reserve teams played in the league.