National Association Foot Ball League

by David Litterer spectrum@sover.net
The NAFBL was a league which operated between 1895 and 1921 in the coastal
area of the US between Philadelphia and New York City in the years before 
the advent of the ASL I.  The league suspended operations in 1898 but was
revived in Kearny, NJ in 1906.  This was the second professional soccer 
league to be formed in the country, and was the top circuit in the country
before the inauguration of the first American Soccer League in 1921.

This material was gathered from a number of sources.  It was all provided
by Mark Pollak (mpollak0@counsel.com), and Roger Allaway, who gathered it
from a number of sources, including the Spalding Soccer Guides, Newark Advertiser 
Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, and other newspaper archives.

Scoring system:  2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.

                                  1895

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Bayonne Centerville       12   9   1   2   20
Kearny Scots              11   6   4   1   13
Brooklyn Wanderers        12   5   6   1   11
Americus A. A. (W.Hoboken)10   2   7   1    5
New Rochelle FC           (did not start the season)

                              1895-96

                    (standings not available)


                              1896-97

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Bayonne Centreville
Brooklyn Wanderers
Kearny Scots
Newark Caledonians


                              1897-98


                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Paterson True Blues       13  11   1   1   23
Kearny Scots              14  10   2   2   22
Kearny Arlington          14   8   5   2   18
Bayonne Centerville       13   8   4   1   17
Kearny AC                 13   6   6   1   13
Brooklyn Wanderers        14   6   8   0   12
Paterson Crescent         13   2  11   0    4


                               1898-99

Bayonne Bayside
Bayonne Centreville
Brooklyn Wanderers
Kearney Arlington
Kearny Scots
Kearny Cedars
Paterson True Blues

Champions:  Paterson True Blues
(Kearney Arlington came in 2nd place, was tied with Paterson,
going into the last game of the season).

             [The league was suspended 1899-1906.]

                                   1906/07 

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts

West Hudson A.A.          23  19   3   1   39
Kearny Scots              23  17   2   4   37
Paterson True Blues       20  14   2   4   32
Newark F.C.               20  14   2   4   32
East Newark Clark A.A.    21  13   7   1   27
Paterson Rangers          19  10   6   3   23
Kearny A.C.               20   8  12   0   16
West New York Burns Club  16   8   8   0   16
Newark Hearts             19   7  12   0   14
Essex County F.C.         10   2   7   1    5  (dropped out 1/28/07)
Kearny Stars               7   1   5   1    3  (dropped out 1/7/07)
Gorden Rangers             3   0   3   0    0  (Dropped out early)

Kearny Scots were known at the time as the Scots-Americans or Scottish-Americans.

Gordon withdrew early in season.  Kearny stars withdrew 1/7/1907.  
Essex County withdrew 1/28/1907.  After the season, Kearny A.C., and 
West New York withdrew.


                                1907/08 

Before the season, Bayonne Jersey F.C., New York and Yonkers were added.
West Hudson and East Newark did not play this season.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Newark F.C.               13   9   2   2   20
Paterson Rangers          14   9   3   1   19
Kearny Scots              13   6   6   1   13
Paterson True Blues        8   4   1   3   11
Bayonne Jersey F.C.       11   1   8   2   4
New York Clan MacDonald    9   3   5   1   7
Yonkers Hollywood Inn      9   3   5   1   7
Newark Hearts              9   1   7   1   3

After the season, Bayonne, New York, Yonkers and Newark Hearts withdrew.

                               1908/09

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
East Newark Clark A.A.    10   9   1   0   18
West Hudson A.A.          10   9   1   0   18
Newark F.C.                9   2   6   1   5
Paterson True Blues       10   4   5   1   9
Kearny Scots               9   1   5   3   5
Paterson Rangers           9   1   7   1   3

East Newark Clark A.A. and West Hudson A.A. were declared league co-champions.

After the season, East Newark Clark A.A. withdrew.


                                 1909/10 

Before the season, Paterson Wilberforce, Jersey F.C. and Brooklyn F.C. were added.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
West Hudson A.A.          10  10   0   0   20
Jersey F.C.               13   9   4   0   18
Brooklyn F.C.             10   5   4   1   11
Kearny Scots              12   4   6   2   10
Paterson True Blues       10   4   6   0   8
Newark F.C.               10   3   5   2   8 
Paterson Rangers          10   2   6   2   6
Paterson Wilberforce       7   0   6   1   1

Newark withdrew during the season and was replaced by Bronx United who
withdrew at the end of the season.


                                 1910/11

Before the season, Newark F.C. returned to the league.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Jersey A.C.               13   8   2   3   19
Paterson Wilberforce      14   8   4   2   18
Paterson Rangers          14   6   3   5   17
West Hudson A.A.          14   6   6   2   14
Newark F.C.               14   6   6   2   14
Paterson True Blues       11   4   5   2   10
Brooklyn F.C.             10   1   6   3    5
Kearny Scots              12   2   9   1    5

After the season, Newark F.C. withdrew.


                               1911/12

Before the season, Bronx United was added.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
West Hudson A.A.          13   9   2   2    20
Paterson Wilberforce      12   6   2   4   16
Paterson True Blues       11   5   3   3   13
Paterson Rangers          12   5   4   3   13
Jersey A.C.               14   4   6   3   11
Brooklyn F.C.             11   4   5   2   10
Bronx United              11   2   5   4    8
Kearny Scots              12   2   9   1    5


                                1912/13

Before the season, Newark Caledonians were added

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
West Hudson A.A.          18  13   3   2   28
Paterson True Blues       19  13   3   3   29
Paterson Wilberforce      19   2   4   3   27
Jersey A.C.               18  10   5   3   23
Kearny Scots              17   7   8   2   16
Newark Caledonians        18   6   9   3   15
Bronx United              17   7  10   0   14
Paterson Rangers          17   5  10   2   12
Newark F.C.               13   3   8   2    8
Brooklyn F.C.             16   2  14   0    4

Newark F.C. replaced Brooklyn Wanderers, which disbanded and merged
into Brooklyn F.C. on 12/23/1912 after 6 games


                               1913/14

Before the season, St. George was added, and New York Clan MacDonald
rejoined the league.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Brooklyn F.C.             14  12   0   2   26
West Hudson A.A.          16  11   2   3   25
New York Clan McDonald    16   9   5   2   20
Newark F.C.               15   5   5   5   15
Paterson Rangers          14   5   5   4   14
Jersey A.C.               10   3   2   5   11
Kearny Scots              11   3   5   3    9
Paterson True Blues        8   3   3   2    8
Newark Caledonians        13   1   9   3    5
Bronx United              12   2   9   1    5
St.George F.C. (S.I.)     13   1   11  1    3
Paterson Wilberforce      11   2   8   1    5

Paterson Wilberforce withdrew in January.  After the season, 
St. George withdrew.


                             1914/15

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
West Hudson A.A.          16  14   2   0   28
Jersey A.C.               16  13   2   1   27
Kearny Scots              16   8   3   5   21
Bronx United              14   7   7   0   14
New York Clan MacDonald   14   5   5   4   14
Brooklyn F.C.             14   5   6   3   13
Paterson Rangers          14   4   6   4   12
Newark F.C.               16   2  13   1    5
Paterson True Blues       16   0  14   2    2

Newark Caledonians withdrew before the start of the season.  
After the season, Bronx United, Paterson Rangers, Paterson 
True Blues and Newark F.C. withdrew.


                               1915/16

Before the season, Harrison and Bayonne were added.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Harrison Alley Boys        8   5   2   1   11
Kearny Scots               7   4   2   1    9
Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox   5   3   0   2    8
West Hudson A.A.           3   1   0   2    4
Brooklyn F.C.              3   1   2   0    2
Jersey A.C.                4   0   4   0    0
Haledon Thistles           (withdrew during season)
New York Clan MacDonald    (withdrew before start of season)

After the season, Harrison withdrew.

                               1916/17

Before the season, Dublin, New York, and Newark were added.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Jersey A.C.               12   8   1   3   19
Kearny Scots              12   7   3   2   16
Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox  11   7   4   0   14
New York F.C.             11   4   3   4   12
West Hudson A A           12   1   6   5    7
Dublin F.C. (Paterson)    10   2   7   1    5
Newark Ironsides           9   1   6   2    4
Brooklyn F.C.              1   0   1   0    0
Splitdorf F.C.             0   0   0   0    0

Brooklyn F. C. disbanded after their first game and were replaced 
by Splitsdorf F. C. who disbanded before playing their first game.

After the season, Dublin, and Newark withdrew.


                                 1917/18 

Before the season, Bethlehem Steel, Paterson and Tacony were added.

                          GP   W   L   T   Pts
Paterson F.C.             14  12   1   1   25
Bethlehem Steel F.C.      14  11   2   1   23
West Hudson A.A.          14   7   6   1   15
Kearny Scots              14   6   6   2   14
Tacony (PA) Disston A.A.  14   5   7   2   12
Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox  14   4   7   3   11
New York F.C.             14   4   7   3   11
Jersey A.C.               14   0  13   1    1

After the season, West Hudson, Kearny, Tacony, and Jersey withdrew.


                                 1918/19

Before the season, Philadelphia and Brooklyn were added.

                          GP   W   L   T  GF  GA Pts
Bethlehem Steel           10   9   1   0  37   4  19
Philadelphia Merchant Ship10   4   3   3  19  14  11
Paterson F.C.             10   5   1   4  19  17  11
Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock  10   3   2   5  17  20   8
New York F.C.             10   2   3   5  13  21   7
Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox  10   1   2   7  14  33   4

After the season, Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox withdrew.


                                 1919/20

Before the season, Brooklyn Morse dry dock, Kearny Erie, 
Kearny Federal Ship, Philadelphia Disston, and New York IRT were added.


                          GP   W   L   T  GF  GA Pts
Bethlehem Steel           15  12   1   2  34   9  25
Harrison Erie S. C.       16  11   2   3  37  21  24
Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock  14  1O   2   2  33  22  22
Paterson F.C.             15   7   1   7  23  29  15
New York F.C.             14   4   4   6  17  24  12
Brooklyn Morse Dry Dock   14   4   3   7  22  2O  11
Philadelphia Disston      12   2   2   8  16  19   6
Kearny Federal Ship       11   2   2   7  19  28   6
Philadelphia Merchant Ship13   O   3  1O   7  36   3
New York IRT               5   0   0   5   4  19   0

League champion:  Bethlehem Steel

New York IRT withdrew early in the season.  After the season, 
Brooklyn Morse Dry Dock, and Philadelphia Merchant Ship withdrew.


                                 1920/21

Before the season, Bayonne rejoined the league.

                         GP   W   L   T   Pts
Bethlehem Steel          12  11   0   1   23
New York F.C.            11   8   2   1   17
Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock 12   5   5   2   12
Kearny Federal Ship      10   3   4   3    9
Harrison Erie S. C.       9   3   4   2    8
Bayonne Babcock & Wilcox 12   2   9   1    5
Philadelphia Disston      9   1   6   2    4
Bunker Hill F.C.          3   0   3   0    0

Paterson F.C. withdrew early in the season and was replaced by 
Bunker Hill F.C.

The league folded at the end of the season, but the lext season, 
the ASL I started off and led US Soccer to new heights.


Last update: February 20, 2005

The USA Soccer History Archives are maintained by David Litterer

spectrum@sover.net

Back to USA Soccer Archives main page


US Soccer On The Net (Formerly Mark Wheeler's US Soccer Page)

spectrum@sover.net