The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was originally to be called the Corinthian League, but this name was rejected by the Football Association. It was formed in 1912 with ten clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined. Clubs left and joined the league at a rate of about one a year, with a number leaving to join the Isthmian League, the strongest amateur league in the London area. Total membership remained fairly stable at between twelve and sixteen clubs until 1963, when it absorbed most of the clubs from two rival leagues, the Corinthian League (most of whose former clubs formed Division One) and the Delphian League (most of whose former clubs formed Division Two). The existing division was renamed the Premier Division. Over the following years it lost many clubs to stronger leagues, particularly the Isthmian League and Southern League, and successive waves of Isthmian League expansion in 1973, 1977 and 1984 finally forced the league to disband. The league was amongst the first in England to be sponsored by an external company when, in the late 1970s, it was billed as the Kingsmead Athenian League. Champions The champion clubs were as follows: In 1963 the league expanded to three divisions In 1973 the league was reduced to two divisions In 1977 the league was reduced to a single division Member clubs The league had 115 member clubs during its existence: Addlestone Alton Town Aveley Aylesbury United Banstead Athletic Barking Barnet Barnet & Alston Basildon United Berkhamsted Town Billericay Town Bishop's Stortford Boreham Wood Brentwood & Warley Bromley Burnham Camberley Town Cambridge City Carshalton Athletic Catford Southend Chalfont St Peter Chelmsford Chertsey Town Chesham Town Chesham United Cheshunt Croydon Dagenham Dorking Eastbourne Town Eastbourne United Edgware Town Edmonton Egham Town Enfield Epping Town Epsom & Ewell Erith & Belvedere Farnborough Town Faversham Town Feltham Finchley Flackwell Heath Fleet Town Grays Athletic Guildford Hampton Harefield United Haringey Borough Harlow Town Harrow Borough Harwich & Parkeston Hastings & St Leonards Hayes Hemel Hempstead Town Hendon Herne Bay Hertford Town Histon Hitchin Town Hoddesdon Town Horley Town Hornchurch Horsham Hounslow Kingsbury Town Kingstonian Leatherhead Letchworth Garden City Lewes Leyton Leyton-Wingate Luton Clarence Maidenhead United Maidstone United Marlow Metrogas Molesey Newbury