It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, eastern Hertfordshire, southern Lincolnshire, and north and east London.

[2] The first season commenced on 31 August 1935 and ended with Harwich and Lowestoft level at the top of the league with 26 points each.

Although Lowestoft had a better goal average, the championship was decided by a play-off match held at Layer Road on 29 August 1936.

The match ended in a 3–3 draw and the two were declared joint champions and allowed to hold the trophy for six months each.

[1] At the end of the first season Ipswich left to join the Southern League and were replaced by their reserve team.

However, a further meeting on 28 July decided that too few clubs were ready to resume footballing activities as many were unable to sign players and some grounds remained under the control of the armed forces.

All were accepted except Hatfield Peverel and Little Oakley, whose grounds were deemed inadequate, whilst Ortonians later withdrew after difficulties getting their reserve and 'A' teams into the Peterborough & District League.

The league's geographical span has previously stretched from Gillingham in Kent in the south to Boston in Lincolnshire in the north and Eynesbury in Cambridgeshire in the west.