World War II Leagues
Emergency War Leagues
On the outbreak of the Second World War the Football League was immediately suspended and replaced by a number of hurried-arranged regional leagues.
Champions | Runners-up | ||
1939-40 | S-A | Arsenal | West Ham United |
S-B | Queens Park Rangers | Bournemouth & BA | |
S-C | Tottenham Hotspur | West Ham United | |
S-D | Crystal Palace | Queens Park Rangers | |
SW | Plymouth Argyle | Torquay United | |
Mid | Wolverhampton W | West Bromwich A | |
W | Stoke City | Liverpool | |
E | Chesterfield | Barnsley | |
NW | Bury | Preston North End | |
NE | Huddersfield Town | Newcastle United |
The emergency leagues were replaced by two unwieldly leagues – North and South – for the 1940-41 season. This lead to considerable dissatisfaction from teams in the South East who formed a rival London War League for the 1941-42. Following concessions, they were brought back into the fold for the 1942-43 and subsequent seasons.
Champions | Runners-up | ||
1940-41 | S | Crystal Palace | West Ham United |
S-2 | Brighton & Hove A1 | Watford | |
1941-42 | Lon | Arsenal | Portsmouth |
S | Leicester City | West Bromwich A | |
1942-43 | S | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur |
1943-44 | S | Tottenham Hotspur | West Ham United |
1944-45 | S | Tottenham Hotspur | West Ham United |
1945-46 | S | Birmingham City | Aston Villa |
1 Brighton beat Watford 4-1 in play-off |
War League West
The emphasis of the War League South on London and the South East left teams from South Wales and the South West out on a limb. They were formed into a separate Western section and then joined the Northern section for their supplementary tournament. The most interesting affect on this is that teams like Bath City and Lovells Athletic (from Newport) were able to compete on level terms with their more illustrious opponents.
Champions | Runners-up | ||
1940-41 | W | Bath City | Lovells Athletic |
1941-42 | W | no competition | |
1942-43 | W | Lovells Athletic | Bath City |
1943-44 | W | Lovells Athletic | Cardiff City |
1944-45 | W | Cardiff City | Bristol City |
War League North
The War League North was organised as a primary competition (N) followed by a second, supplementary competition (N-2) in which teams from the War League West also competed.
Champions | Runners-up | ||
1940-41 | N | Preston North End | Chesterfield |
1941-42 | N | Blackpool | Lincoln City |
N-2 | Manchester United | Blackpool | |
1942-43 | N | Blackpool | Liverpool |
N-2 | Liverpool | Lovells Athletic | |
1943-44 | N | Blackpool | Manchester United |
N-2 | Bath City | Wrexham | |
1944-45 | N | Huddersfield Town | Derby County |
N-2 | Derby County | Everton | |
1945-46 | N | Sheffield United | Everton |
At the end of the War it was initially proposed that Divisions 3 North and 3 South should restart for the 1945-46 season. However, in the face of strong opposition, the two leagues competed in regional sections together with an extended League Cup.
Champions | Runners-up | ||
1945-46 | S-S | Crystal Palace | Cardiff City |
S-N | Queens Park Rangers | Norwich City | |
N-E | Rotherham United | Darlington | |
N-W | Accrington Stanley | Rochdale |