League News
At a time when the Heavy Woollen Parks League closed down and the Heavy Woollen Evening League is down to one division of 12 teams there is some good news in our annual review of team numbers in 18 local leagues. But first the numbers as detailed in the table below.
The right-hand column shows the growth or decline of team numbers for each league over the last 5 years and the table is sorted in this order. We still await figures from four local leagues and the demise of the Heavy Woollen Parks League but of the other 13 leagues, three show an increase in team numbers over that period. The column next to it shows the growth or decline of the number of teams since last year and this carries more positive news with only 6 of the 13 leagues reporting a drop in numbers. Three have actually increased in numbers whilst another 4 have stayed still numbers-wise. Maybe positive numbers from the 4 teams still to report their 2024 season numbers will provide further good news.
The Huddersfield Winter League continues to report huge increases in team numbers with a 26% increase since last season and an almost four-fold increase in numbers over the past 4 years that it has been in business. That is a staggering 386% increase in membership over that 4-year period and early indications are for a further substantial increase for the 2024-25 season.
The Huddersfield Veterans 6-Man League has also enjoyed an increase in team numbers with 5 more teams joining the ranks this season whilst the 10-Man League has consolidated its position with one in and one out for the new season. The Heavy Woollen Monday Afternoon League is the other competition reporting an increase in membership this year with a 3rd consecutive annual increase in numbers amounting to a 37% increase over the past 5 years.
Once we have the missing four leagues' 2024 numbers we will update and republish the table.