Midland Combination History

How the League began

Founded in 1998 as part of the Football Association's plan for Women's Football, The Midland Combination League , in conjunction with three other Combination Leagues (the South East, South West & Northern), is part of the second tier of the Pyramid of Women's Football, feeding into Division One (North) of the F.A. Women's Premier League.

The League consists of a single division of twelve clubs from as far afield as South Yorkshire in the north, Shropshire in the west and Huntingdonshire in the East and Worcestershire in the South.

Champion Clubs from the West Midland and Unison East Midland Regional Leagues are eligible for promotion to the Midland Combination.

The eleven founder members of the league were Rea Valley Rovers, Newcastle Town, Kilnhurst, Chesterfield FC Ladies, Bloxwich Town, Shrewsbury Town, Highfield Rangers, Mansfield Town, Derby County, Stratford, Birmingham City.

The first season (1998/1999)

The end of the first season saw League Champions Birmingham City promoted into the Northern Division of the FA Women's Premier League and Stratford relegated back into the West Midland Regional Women's Football League having lost all but 2 of their 20 of their league matches.
There was no relegation from the Northern Division of the FA Women's Premier League above - this was to increase the number of teams in the Premier League.

The Combination League also welcomed three new additional member clubs, Telford United and Worksop Town , champions of the West Midland Regional and Unison East Midland Regional Leagues respectively, and Peterborough United who won their place by virtue of a play off between the two divisional runners up . Peterborough United were victorious over Lichfield Diamonds by 2-1.   Bloxwich Town looked for an improvement in their fortunes by changing name to Wyrley Rangers.

.