Central_Midlands_League
Central Midlands Alliance
Association football league in England
The Central Midlands Alliance is an English football league covering the northeast-central part of England. Formed in 1971 as the South Derbyshire League, changing name initially to the Derbyshire League before changing to the Central Midlands League in 1983, it covers parts of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Staffordshire, although Sheffield-based teams play in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League. The league's current sponsor is Abacus Lighting. Upon merging with the Midland Regional Alliance in 2023, the current name was adopted. The number of divisions has varied over time as follows
- 1983–84: Premier, Premier First, Senior and First
- 1984–85 to 1985–86: Premier, Central, Senior and First
- 1986–87 to 1987–88: Supreme, Premier, First and Second
- 1988–89 to 1990–91: Supreme, Premier and First
- 1991–92: Supreme, Premier North and Premier South
- 1992–93 to 2010–11: Supreme and Premier
- 2011–12 to 2012-13: North and South
- 2012–13 to 2014-15: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Reserve Premier
- 2015–16 to 2016-17: North, South, Reserve Division
- 2017–18 to 2018-19: North, South, Reserve Supreme and Division One
- 2018–19 to 2019-20: North, South, Division One North and South
- 2019–20 to 2021-22: North, South, Division One North, South and Central
- 2022–23: North, South, Division One North, East and West
- 2023–24 onwards: North, South, Division One North, South, East and West and Division 2
Within the English football league system, the Central Midlands League's top two divisions, called the North Division and South Division, were considered part of the National League System (at Step 7) until 2020, when they were redesignated as NLS county feeders. Four clubs from the previously-named Premier Division had the distinction of being the lowest-ranked clubs, and only ones outside the NLS, accepted for the 2006–07 FA Vase. For the 2008–09 season, eight of the leading sides left the Central Midlands League to join forces with eight clubs from the Leicestershire Senior League to form a new league, the East Midlands Counties League, at Step 6 of the National League System. For the 2015–16 season reserve teams of clubs who play higher up the pyramid were allowed to participate in the league for the first time.
One club per season from the North and South Divisions may be promoted (subject to ground standards and a top five finish) to either the Northern Counties East League Division One or United Counties League Division One. Some clubs have progressed from the CML to the National League North and Northern Premier League. A representative side from the league takes part in the FA Inter-League Cup.