FORMED IN 1920 BY EDWARD RICKERBY A LEEDS LOINER TO PROVIDE SATURDAY FOOTBALL WAS THE LEEDS RED TRIANGLE ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

STARTING WITH ONLY THREE CLUBS IN 1920 THE LEAGUE SOON GREW AND BY 1921 HAD OVER A HUNDRED TEAMS PLAYING ORGANISED SATURDAY FOOTBALL. THOUGH ITS NAME AND LOGO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEEDS Y.M.C.A. THIS CONNECTION HAS VANISHED OVER THE YEARS. THE RED TRIANGLE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE REGULAR FOOTBALL FOR OVER 120 TEAMS IN EIGHT DIVISIONS, UNTILL THE ADVERT AND INCREASE IN SUNDAY FOOTBALL, THIS SAW THE LEEDS COMBINATION FOOTBALL LEAGUE SWITCH FROM SATURDAYS TO SUNDAY FOOTBALL, WHILST THE LEEDS SUNDAY LEAGUE INCREASED ITS MEMBERSHIP FROM 12 IN 1962 TO 218 BY 1972/3 THE SWITCH SAW THE LEEDS ALLIANCE FORMERLY THE CHURCHES LEAGUE AND THE POPULAR LEEDS HALF HOLIDAY LEAGUE BOTH DISBAND, A SORRY DAY FOR MANY LOCAL PLAYERS.

OVER THE YEARS MANY PRIVATE GROUNDS AND FACILITIES HAVE VANISHED, THESE INCLUDED VERY POPULAR VENUES LIKE BURTON SPORTS, GIBBS SPORTS, L.I.C.S., LEEDS ELECTRIC,RICHMOND SPORTS, ROSE FORGROVE, SUTTON SPORTS, WELLINGTON SPORTS, WHITEHALL PRINTERS, WHITBREADS SPORTS, YORKSHIRE COPPER WORKS, Y.E.B. AND SEVERAL OTHERS DUE TO THE DECREASE IN LOCAL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND THE REDEVELOPEMENT IN MANY AREAS.

THIS HAS CAUSED MASSIVE PROBLEMS FOR ALL LOCAL LEAGUES IN PROVIDING SUITABLE FACILITIES FOR THIR ANNUAL CUP FINALS, THE W.R.C.F.A. LTD H.Q. AT FLEET LANE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE, ALONG WITH THE INCREASED CHARGES BY OUR SENIOR CLUBS

MANY CLUBS WHO STARTED IN THE LEEDS RED TRIANGLE LEAGUE HAVE PROGRESSED TO A HIGHER LEVEL, THESE INCLUDED FARSLEY CELTIC AND YORKSHIRE AMATEURS WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAVE BOTH FORGOTTEN THIER EARLY ROOTS.

BUT WHO CAN FORGET THE LOCAL GIANTS IN BEESTON ST. ANTHONYS, WESTBROOK WANDERERS, HOLBECK W.M.C. FARNLEY ST. MICHAELS,L.I.C.S., GIPTON W.M.C., YOUNG SANTOS, HILLSIDE, LEEDS CATHOLICS, RICHMOND INN, MOUNT ST. MARYS, NEVILLE SPORTS, BURTON SPORTS, BURLEY UNITED, PUDSEY AMATEURS AND LEEDS ASHLEY ROAD WHO ALL STARTED IN THE LEAGUE, AND WERE ALL NAMES TO CONJURE WITH?

AMONGST LOCAL REFEREES, WE HAVE SEEN MESSERS J.J. RUSSELL, ARTHUR LUTY, BOB RABY, JEFF WARD, JIM McAULAY, AND MICK STODDART ALL PROGRESS TO FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND BEYOND STATUS. ALL FINE EXAMPLES FOR OUR CURRENT  MATCH OFFICIALS TO FOLLOW. ATTACKS UPON LOCAL REFEREES IS INCREASING LEADING TO A LACK OF UP AND COMING REFEREES, THIS IS A WORRY AT ALL LEVELS, NO REFEREE NO GAME.

FORMER TRIANGLE OFFICIALS WHO WERE DEDICATED TO THE GAME AT GRASSROOTS LEVEL INCLUDED MR SOCCER CLIFF PAGDIN, BOB BATES, JIM COWGILL, JACK DOCKERTY, RONNIE DENT, DAVID HODGSON, BILL HOLLINGWORTH, KEN HOULDEN, FRED KELLY, MAURICE LEONARD, BERNARD PADLEY, DOUG PICKERSGILL, JOHNNY RIGGS, COLIN TAYLOR M.B.E., ROBIN ROBINS, RONNIE WALKER, ALBERT WEST, AND GERRY PAWSON WHO HAVE PAST AWAY AND ARE ALL SADLY MISSED.

AT COUNTY AND DISTRICT LEVEL THE LEAGUE HAS SEEN MANY OF ITS MEMBERS BECOME CURRENT WORKERS, ALF HAYES, JIM McAULAY, JIM McMAHON, PETER JOB, PETER NAYLOR, PETER PALFREYMAN, BOB RABY, GRAHAM HOWDEN, AND BRIAN RADCLIFFE, WITH RED TRIANGLE LEAGUE LIFE MEMBERS ALAN PAGDIN, GEOFF FAIRBOURN, AND RAY GREEN 

 IN 1984 THE LEEDS AND DISTRICT F.A. REVIVED THEIR INTER-LEAGUE COMPETITION WITH THE LEEDS RED TRIANGLE LEAGUE PROVING THE WORTHY WINNERS, WHOSE LAST SUCCESS WAS IN 1998/9 UNDER TEAM MANAGER ROB TAYLOR 1984 ALSO SAW A LADY, MRS BRENDA WILSON OF C.F. SPORTS WIN THE  SECRETARY OF THE YEAR AWARD, A FINE EXAMPLE TO FUTURE CLUB SECRETARIES. WE NOW HAVE  LADY COUNCIL MEMBERS HELPING US RUN THE LEAGUE, IN 2003 OUR YOUNGEST MISS KIRSTY FIRTH JOINED US AT 17, HER MOTHER MRS JO FIRTH IS ON OUR CURRENT LEAGUE COUNCILJOINING US IN 2009.

WITHTHREE DIVISIONS AND 6 CUP COMPETITIONS THE LEAGUE AS AN INVITATION IS STILL PROVIDING REGULAR SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL FOR ESTABLISHED AND NEW CLUBS, THOUGH NUMBERS ARE FALLING DUE TO COST AND PLAYER APATHY.

 CHAIRMAN STEVE FIRTH, BACKED BY THE WORK HORSE BRIAN RADCLIFFE WITH 52 YEARS IN GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL(SECRETARY, FIXTURE SECRETARY AND TREASURER) ALONG WITH TERRY BARRETT ( REFEREES APPOINTMENTS SECRETARY), HARRY HEATON,(REGISTRATIONS) STAN NEWTON (RESULTS AND WEBSITE) STEVE BRYAN (VICE CHAIRMAN) AND PRESIDENT JIM McMAHON THOUGH LEAVING YORKSHIRE EX CHAIRMAN ROB TAYLOR AND STAN NEWTON BOTH HARD WORKERS HAVE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS COUNCIL AND OFFICIALS ATTENDING WHEN AVAILABLE, THANKS TO BOTH. THANKS TO THIS LEAGUE, NEW CLUBS, REFEREES AND PLAYERS CAN START SOMEWHERE AND HOPEFULLY PROGRESS THEIR ENJOYMENT AND CAREERS.  

PARK HOTEL PUDSEY BECAME THE FIRST RED TRIANGLE TEAM TO WIN A FINAL AT THE WEST RIDING COUNTY F.A. GROUND AT FLEET LANE. THE CHALLENGE TROPHY IN 2003/2004

SEASON2003/4 SAW HARRISON BEDS COMPLETE  THE LEAGUES FIRST TREBLE BY WINNING THE JACKSON TROPHIES DIVISION, THE KINGFISHER CHALLENGE CUP AND RETAIN THE PUDSEY SPORTS AND SOCIAL CUP.

 IN 2010/11 WORTLEY WON THE HAINSWORTH PREMIER DIVISION REMAINING UNBEATING, THE ROWLAND ROAD W.M.C. SENIOR CUP AND THE ALBERT WEST MEMORIAL ALL SPORTS AWARDS CUP.

THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN THE LEAGUE PLAY REGULAR INTER-LEAGUE GAMES AGAINST BIRKENHEAD AND WIRRAL, SELBY LEAGUE, SPEN VALLEY, YORK LEEPER LEAGUE AND THE YORK MINSTER LEAGUE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARDS.TERRY BROCKMAN OF DRIGLINGTON ADWALTON BECAME OUR OLDEST INTER-LEAGUE PLAYER AT 54. THEN WENT ON TO BE OUR OLDEST CUP FINAL PLAYER IN 2007 AT 56 WELL DONE TERRY 

PARK F.C. DID THE PREMIER DOUBLE AND LEEDS DEAF WON THE EDF PLATE IN ALDERSHOT AFTER A 13 YEAR WAIT FOR SOME SILVERWARE.

THE LEAGUE BECAME AN F.A. RESPECT LEAGUE AND LEAGUE SECRETARY BRIAN RADCLIFFE RECEIVED HIS 50 YEAR AWARD FROM THE F.A. IN 2009.

2011 SAW SPORTING ARMLEY REACH THE LEEDS AND DISTRICT CUP FINAL AND HALFWAY HOUSE MORLEY THE HEAVY WOOLEN FINAL KEEPING THE FLAG FLYING FOR THE LEAGUE.  

IF ONLY PARKS FACILITIES WERE IMPROVED INSTAED OF DECLINING, MATCH STANDARDS MAY. IN FACT PARK FACILITIES HAVE DISAPPEARED AT MIDDLETON CLEARINGS AND SNAKE LANE WITH DECREASED FACILITIES ON SOLDIERS FIELD, EAST END PARK AND THE SHAFTESBURY, ALONG WITH MANY PRIVATE GROUNDS HIGHER CHARGES LEADING TO THE DEMISE OF MANY LOCAL TEAMS. 

PROVIDING FOOTBALL FOR ALL, THE LEAGUE IN RECENT YEARS HAS SEEN A WELCOME RISE IN ETHNIC TEAMS, AND TEAMS FROM BRADFORD, CLECKHEATON AND DEWSBURY BEING MADE WELCOME TO SHOW THEIR FOOTBALL TALENTS. JUNIOR TEAMS WISHING TO TRY OPEN AGE FOOTBALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE LEAGUE.

WITH OUR CUP FINALS AT GARFORTH TOWN A.F.C. AND OUR HEADQUARTERS AT THE ROWLAND ROAD W.M.C. BEESTON WHERE WE HOLD OUR ALL CLUBS MEETINGS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS.WITH ALL OUR CURRENT COMPETITIONS SPONSORED, LOCAL FOOTBALL WILL ONLY FLOURISH IF ALL CLUBS , OFFICIALS, PLAYERS, AND REFEREES TRY TO WORK TOGETHER IN SUPPORTING OUR STILL GREAT GAME.

THANKS TO ALL OUR EX-LEAGUE OFFICIALS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALL THEIR HELP SINCE 1920 IN ENSURING FOOTBALL FOR SO MANY CLUBS, TEAMS, PLAYERS AND REFEREES. FOOTBALL THE GREAT GAME.  

LOCAL FOOTBALL WILL ONLY FLOURISH IF ALL CLUBS, OFFICALS, PLAYERS AND REFEREES TRY AND WORK TOGETHER IN SUPPORTING OUR GREAT GAME.