Originally the league comprised a single division. The champions were as follows:
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1889–90 | Darlington St. Augustine's |
| 1890–91 | Middlesbrough Ironopolis |
| 1891–92 | Middlesbrough Ironopolis |
| 1892–93 | Middlesbrough Ironopolis |
| 1893–94 | Middlesbrough |
| 1894–95 | Middlesbrough |
| 1895–96 | Darlington |
| 1896–97 | Middlesbrough |
In 1897, the league briefly split into two divisions.
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|
| 1897–98 | Stockton | Howden-le-Wear |
| 1898–99 | Bishop Auckland | Stockton St. John's |
| 1899–1900 | Darlington | Whitby |
In 1900, the league reverted to a single division.
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1900–01 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1901–02 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1902–03 | Newcastle United A |
| 1903–04 | Newcastle United A |
| 1904–05 | Newcastle United A |
In 1905 the league split into two sections, one for professionals and one for amateurs. This lasted for a single season.
| Season | Professional | Amateur |
|---|---|---|
| 1905–06 | Sunderland A | Bishop Auckland |
In 1906 the league reverted to a single division, a format retained until 1982.
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 1906–07 | Stockton |
| 1907–08 | South Bank |
| 1908–09 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1909–10 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1910–11 | Eston United |
| 1911–12 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1912–13 | Esh Winning Rangers |
| 1913–14 | Willington |
| 1914–15 | Crook Town |
| 1915–19 | Not contested due to World War I |
| 1919–20 | South Bank |
| 1920–21 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1921–22 | South Bank |
| 1922–23 | Eston United |
| 1923–24 | Tow Law Town |
| 1924–25 | Tow Law Town |
| 1925–26 | Willington |
| 1926–27 | Crook Town |
| 1927–28 | Chilton Colliery Recreation Athletic |
| 1928–29 | Stockton |
| 1929–30 | Willington |
| 1930–31 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1931–32 | Stockton |
| 1932–33 | Stockton |
| 1933–34 | Shildon |
| 1934–35 | Shildon |
| 1935–36 | Shildon |
| 1936–37 | Shildon |
| 1937–38 | Ferryhill Athletic |
| 1938–39 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1939–40 | Shildon |
| 1940–45 | Not contested due to World War II |
| 1945–46 | Stanley United |
| 1946–47 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1947–48 | Ferryhill Athletic |
| 1948–49 | Evenwood Town |
| 1949–50 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1950–51 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1951–52 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1952–53 | Crook Town |
| 1953–54 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1954–55 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1955–56 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1956–57 | Billingham Synthonia |
| 1957–58 | Ferryhill Athletic |
| 1958–59 | Crook Town |
| 1959–60 | West Auckland |
| 1960–61 | West Auckland |
| 1961–62 | Stanley United |
| 1962–63 | Crook Town |
| 1963–64 | Stanley United |
| 1964–65 | Whitley Bay |
| 1965–66 | Whitley Bay |
| 1966–67 | Bishop Auckland |
| 1967–68 | Spennymoor United |
| 1968–69 | North Shields |
| 1969–70 | Evenwood Town |
| 1970–71 | Evenwood Town |
| 1971–72 | Spennymoor |
| 1972–73 | Blyth Spartans |
| 1973–74 | Spennymoor United |
| 1974–75 | Blyth Spartans |
| 1975–76 | Blyth Spartans |
| 1976–77 | Spennymoor United |
| 1977–78 | Spennymoor United |
| 1978–79 | Spennymoor United |
| 1979–80 | Blyth Spartans |
| 1980–81 | Blyth Spartans |
| 1981–82 | Blyth Spartans |
In 1982 the league added a second division.
| Season | Division One | Division Two |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83 | Blyth Spartans | Peterlee Newtown |
| 1983–84 | Blyth Spartans | Chester-le-Street Town |
| 1984–85 | Bishop Auckland | Brandon United |
| 1985–86 | Bishop Auckland | Newcastle Blue Star |
| 1986–87 | Blyth Spartans | Billingham Synthonia |
| 1987–88 | Blyth Spartans | Stockton |
| 1988–89 | Billingham Synthonia | Consett |
| 1989–90 | Billingham Synthonia | Murton |
| 1990–91 | Gretna | West Auckland Town |
| 1991–92 | Gretna | Stockton |
| 1992–93 | Whitby Town | Dunston Federation Brewery |
| 1993–94 | Durham City | Bedlington Terriers |
| 1994–95 | Tow Law Town | Whickham |
| 1995–96 | Billingham Synthonia | Morpeth Town |
| 1996–97 | Whitby Town | Northallerton |
| 1997–98 | Bedlington Terriers | Chester-le-Street Town |
| 1998–99 | Bedlington Terriers | Durham City |
| 1999–2000 | Bedlington Terriers | Brandon United |
| 2000–01 | Bedlington Terriers | Ashington |
| 2001–02 | Bedlington Terriers | Shildon |
| 2002–03 | Brandon United | Penrith |
| 2003–04 | Dunston Federation Brewery | Ashington |
| 2004–05 | Dunston Federation Brewery | West Allotment Celtic |
| 2005–06 | Newcastle Blue Star | Consett |
| 2006–07 | Whitley Bay | Spennymoor Town |
| 2007–08 | Durham City | Penrith Town |
| 2008–09 | Newcastle Benfield | Horden Colliery Welfare |
| 2009–10 | Spennymoor Town | Stokesley |
| 2010–11 | Spennymoor Town | Newton Aycliffe |
| 2011–12 | Spennymoor Town | Team Northumbria |
Read more about this topic: Northern Football League
Famous quotes containing the word champions:
“Did all the lets and bars appear
To every just or larger end,
Whence should come the trust and cheer?
Youth must its ignorant impulse lend—
Age finds place in the rear.
All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys,
The champions and enthusiasts of the state:”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Myths and legends die hard in America. We love them for the extra dimension they provide, the illusion of near-infinite possibility to erase the narrow confines of most men’s reality. Weird heroes and mould-breaking champions exist as living proof to those who need it that the tyranny of “the rat race” is not yet final.”
—Hunter S. Thompson (b. 1939)
“While the Governor, and the Mayor, and countless officers of the Commonwealth are at large, the champions of liberty are imprisoned.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)