League Football
League fixtures begin in September and are played over 4 weeks before
October half term, when nights become too dark to play. Leagues are based on school size to make games as competitive as possible.
The second half of the league resumes in March with a similar format as the first half of the season with the scores reverting to nil
League Organisation
& Current Standings
Scroll down to see fixtures and weekly results.
View or download 1st half of season 2023/24 fixtures below -
Note that fixtures are designed to ensure schools play each other at least once. The fixture list below shows the game which counts as a point scoring fixture between two teams.
A League Results - 1st half of season
B League Results - 1st half of season
C League Results - 1st half of season
Competition History
Chester-le-Street Junior Schools Football Association has provided football for primary school children for more than 60 years. Since season 1950-51, football has been played in a competitive, yet sporting atmosphere, where pupils are encouraged to accept success and failure in equal measure. Until 1970, schools from Washington were part of our association until, due to an increasing number of schools in the area, Washington formed their own association.
Below is a table of league champions of the Chester-le-Street Association
In 2018/19, the league was slightly reorganised to play a larger number of matches early in the year.
When the final 3 weeks of league fixtures commenced after the winter break, the competition pitched the most successful teams together for a league play-off.
For the second year running, the 'A' league was won by a very strong St. Margaret's team who were dominant in all matches. St. Cuthbert's performed excellently to sneak the runners up position.
In the 'B' league, a much tighter affair saw Witton Gilbert come out on top with Portobello taking the runners up spot.
In 2017/18, league football was affected so much by rain that 5 weeks of football were lost.
The league was played for in a one off decider, in which St. Margaret's came out close winners on goal difference from Pelton.
The St. Margaret's team and captain Kurtis Pritchard proudly celebrate their win.
Chester-le-Street Junior Schools' FA was formed in 1950. It was agreed at a meeting in Birtley Elizabethviile School on Monday 17th July 1950 that a junior section be formed with the following teams
East Section
Birtley Elizabethville
Ravensworth Tce
Washington Glebe
Usworth
Washington St Josephs
Fence Houses
New Lambton
West Section
Langley Park
Sacriston
Chester Council
Pelton Council
Roseberry
West Pelton
Grange Villa
The first league winners were Sacriston who defeated Usworth in a play off between the winners of the West and East Section. The chairman reported that it had been an excellent final and, although Usworth had won every match in the East Section, Sacriston proved in the final that deserved to be crowned champions
One of the teachers, who became secretary of the association, Mr Jim McAdam, began his association with Chester-le-Street as a pupil in one of the founder members of the association, Washington St Josephs in the early 1950's. Here are his reflections on those early days:
'Being chosen to play for your school team was a great honour and I was fortunate to play for two seasons - 1952-53 & 1953-54. We had no proper school field so home matches were played on Washington Colliery Welfare's field, which was full sized. Mr Duffy, our teacher, had to travel on a moped from Newcastle, where he lived. We loved the away games at Birtley, where we played Elizabethville and Brown's Buildings (now Barley Mow). We also ventured to faraway places such as Pelton and Langley Park. No cars in those days. We used the No. 62 Esh Winning bus with great banter, lots of excitement but never any trouble with the bus staff - they understood our joy! Mr Duffy, true to his word, would be waiting for us at the other end and he would put us back on the bus for the return journey - can you imagine that happening today?
Our strips had been handed down from the senior school but we did not mind and were proud to wear them. Strips were handed out on a Friday and taken home ready for the match on the Saturday morning. It would not have surprised me if some of them were slept in or, at least, placed under the pillow - happy days, sweet dreams! You were lucky if you had a new pair of boots as most were hand downs from older brothers. Shin pads were a luxury. Usually, it was cardboard, cut and shaped and stuffed down your socks.
I can still remember Mr Duffy as if it was yesterday and his was cry as a way of encouragement as we played the game - 'Put some beef into it!' Most of us did not know what beef was!'
Birtley Elizabethville School Team: Season 1950-51 Chester-le-Street Council School (now Cestria) 1953
By 1963, other schools had joined the league which now looked like this:
East Section
Usworth
Glebe
Fatfield
Washington St Josephs
Lambton
Elizabethville
Waldridge
St Cuthberts
West Section
Langley Park
Sacriston
Pelton Council
Pelton Roseberry
Red Rose
Barley Mow
Lumley
Chester-le-Street Council
Durham County Schools FA proposed that a county cup be introduced for primary schools in 1964 and it was one of our own association teams, Usworth, who were the first winners of the trophy. The seeds were sown for the introduction of county competitions which are still going strong today
Ouston and Kibblesworth Schools entered the association in 1966-87 and both schools quickly made an impression and, in fact, it was Kibblesworth who won the league for the first time following the resignation of Washington schools to form their own association in 1970
Kibblesworth: League champions 1970-71 Two stalwarts of schools football: John Errington & Bob Everett
The election of officers in the newly formed Chester-le-Street Association were as follows:
Chairman: Mr G Staines (Pelton Roseberry)
V Chairman: Mr E McMillan (Kibblesworth)
Secretary: Mr O Willis (Lumley)
Treasurer: Mr J Thornback (Ouston)
Auditor: Mr T Mountain (George Street)
District Team Managers: Mr T Baker (Kibblesworth) Mr F Johnson (St Cuthberts)
Mr Bob Everett, who had given great service to the association since 1950, decided to retire as secretary but that didn't mean he was finished with schools' football as he continued to run Birtley East school team until his retirement from teaching
The formation of the league changed, of course, with Washington schools laving the association and, in 1970, this is how the two sections were grouped
East Section
Red Rose
Cestria
St Cuthberts
Lumley
Birtley St Josephs
Birtley East
West Pelton
Ravensworth Tce
Bullion Lane
West Section
Langley Park
Sacriston
Barley Mow
C of E
Kibblesworth
Pelton County
Pelton Roseberry
Ouston
Kibblesworht were the league champions in the first season of the 'new' Chester-le-Street Association. They were one of the smallest schools in the league and, for them to win the league was a massive achievement
Looking at teacher attendance at football meetings at this time, there was certainly no shortage of support. Comparing the number of male teachers then to the present day is interesting! Of course, all of the following list are either retired or are no longer with us but they will never be forgotten
R O Willis Lumley
R Everett Birtley East
L Ford Barley Mow
J Meek Barley Mow
N Seccombe Barley Mow
M Richardson Red Rose
H Thomason Sacriston St Bede's
K Joel West Pelton
T Baker Kibblesworth
G Staines Pelton Roseberry
C Colson Cestria
E Bendelow C of E
C Friedrichsen Lumley
K Garner Lumley
E McMillan Kibblesworth
N Wilson Sacriston
A Wood Birtley George Street
J Thornback Osuton
B Colwell Ouston
Small School Winners
'B'League Winners