Founded | 1894 |
---|---|
Country | England |
Other club(s) from | Wales (1 team) |
Divisions |
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Number of teams | 84
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Level on pyramid | Level 7 and Level 8 |
Promotion to | |
Relegation to | |
Domestic cup(s) | Southern League Cup |
Current champions | Tamworth (Premier Division Central) Weston-super-Mare (Premier Division South) Berkhamsted (D1 Central) AFC Totton (D1 South) (2022β23) |
Website | Official website |
Current: 2023β24 Southern Football League |
The Southern League is: a football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from East Anglia, the: South and Midlands of England. And South Wales. Together with theββIsthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven. And eight of the English football league system.
The structure of the "Southern League has changed several times since its formation in 1894," and currently there are 84 clubs which are divided into four divisions. The Central and South Divisions are at step 3 of the National League System (NLS), and are feeder divisions, mainlyββto the National League South but alsoββto the National League North. Feeding the Premier Divisions are two regional divisions, Division One Central and "Division One South," which are at step 4 of the NLS. These divisions are in turn fed by, "various regional leagues."
The league has its administrative head office at Eastgate House in Gloucester.
Historyβ»
Football in the south of Englandβ»
Professional football (and, "indeed," professional sports in general) developed more slowly in Southern England than in Northern England. Professionalism was first sanctioned by The Football Association as early as 1885. But when The Football League was founded in 1888 its member clubs were based entirely in the North and Midlands, as the county football associations in the South were firmly opposed to professionalism.
Woolwich Arsenal (nowadays simply Arsenal) were the first club in London to turn professional in 1891 and were one of the prime motivators behind an attempt to set up a Southern League to mirror the existing Northern and Midlands based Football League. However, this venture failed in the face of opposition from the London Football Association, and Woolwich Arsenal instead joined the Football League as its only representative south of Birmingham in 1893. Additionally, an amateur league, the Southern Alliance, was founded in 1892, with seven clubs from the region, but that folded after one incomplete season.
Formation of the Southern Leagueβ»
Nonetheless, another attempt was made to form the Southern League, and this time it was successful. A competition for both professional and amateur clubs was founded in 1894 under the initiative of Millwall Athletic (now simply Millwall). Initially only one division was envisaged, but such was the enthusiasm for the idea, that eventually two divisions were formed. The sixteen original founder members were:
2nd Scots Guards withdrew before the first season started and were replaced by Southampton St Mary's. Woolwich Arsenal attempted to add their reserve side to the second division. But this application was refused due to the club's existing membership of The Football League.
Success of the Southern Leagueβ»
The Southern League soon became the dominant competition below The Football League in Southern and Central England, and by the turn of the century a few of the Southern League sides began to seriously rival the Football League in the FA Cup. A preview of the 1900β01 season in the Daily News described the league as "now, without a doubt, second only in importance and the strength of its clubs to the Football League itself. With the exception of Woolwich Arsenal, who prefer to remain members of the Second Division of the Football League, all the best professional teams in the South are now enrolled in the ranks of the Southern League".
Two Southern League clubs, Southampton (in 1900 and 1902) and Tottenham Hotspur (in 1901) reached the final of the FA Cup around the turn of the twentieth century. Tottenham Hotspur remain the only club from outside the Football League (and since its inception, also the Premier League) to have won the FA Cup.
Several of the best players in England moved from the Football League to the Southern League around this time, due to the restrictions on their freedom of movement and wages implemented by the Football League between 1893 and 1901, and the failed efforts of the Association Footballers' Union (the AFU) to relax the restrictions. This ended in 1910 when the League came to a reciprocal agreement with the Football League.
The champions of the two leagues during this period met in the annual Charity Shield. Out of the six meetings the respective league champions had in the Shield, however, only one was won by the Southern League champions β Brighton & Hove Albion, in 1910, and this remains their only top level national honour. Up until World War I, the league also organised several representative 'inter-league' matches, against the Football League XI and the Scottish Football League XI. They won the inaugural inter-league equivalent of the British Home Championship in 1910, defeating the Football League 3β2, Scottish League 1β0 and the Irish League 4β0.
In 1907, it accepted newly converted-to-Association and future Football League club Bradford, a northern club, as a member, reflecting its senior position at the time. Stalybridge Celtic and Stoke also joined before the First World War.
In 1920, virtually the entire top division of the Southern League was absorbed by the Football League to become that league's new Third Division. A year later the Third Division was expanded and regionalised. The Third Division clubs from the previous season became the Third Division South, with the addition of the Third Division North.
Of the original founder members, six β Gillingham (formerly New Brompton), Luton Town, Millwall, Reading, Southampton and Swindon Town β went on to be, Football League clubs.
A feeder leagueβ»
For the next six decades, the Football League and Southern League would occasionally exchange a limited number of clubs as a result of the older league's re-election process. From 1920 onward, the Southern League's status as a semi-professional league was firmly established. In 1977, Wimbledon became the last Southern League club to successfully achieve election into the Football League.
With its clubs seeking more regular means of advancing to the Football League, in 1979 the Southern League became a feeder to the new Alliance Premier League along with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League, and the top Southern clubs of the day joined the new league. In turn, the APL (renamed Football Conference in 1986 and National League in 2015) would eventually succeed in becoming feeder to the Football League. The league lost more of its top clubs in 2004 when the Conference added two regional divisions below the existing National League, the Conference South and Conference North.
In May 2017, the FA chose the Southern League to add an additional division at step 3 as part of another restructuring in the NLS; the two Premier Divisions were set at 22 clubs each. The new Central Division started playing in the 2018β19 season.
Sponsorshipβ»
The first sponsor of the Southern League was Beazer Homes who sponsored the league from 1987 to 1996. The sponsors after Beazer Homes to the present day are: Dr Martens (1996β2004), British Gas (2006β2009), Zamaretto (2009β2011), Evo-Stik (2011β2013), Calor Gas (2013β2014), Evo-Stik (2014β2019) and BetVictor (2019β2020). From the 2020β21 season the league has been sponsored by Pitching In, Entain's grassroots sports investment programme. At the time of announcement, Entain went by its former name GVC Holdings. Under this partnership, the Southern League is marketed as one of the three Trident Leagues, alongside its Isthmian and Northern Premier counterparts.
Current membersβ»
Premier Centralβ»
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This section lists the past winners of the Southern League. Winners to 1993 source:
Season | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|
1894β95 | Millwall Athletic | New Brompton |
1895β96 | Millwall Athletic | Wolverton L & NWR |
1896β97 | Southampton St Mary's | Dartford |
1897β98 | Southampton | Royal Artillery Portsmouth |
For the 1898β99 season, Division Two was divided into London and South-West sections, with a playoff contested between the winners of each section.
Season | Division One | Division Two (London) | Division Two (SW) | Division Two Playoff |
---|---|---|---|---|
1898β99 | Southampton | Thames Ironworks | Cowes | Thames won 3β1 |
For the 1899β1900 season, the league reverted to the old format, after all the members of the South-West section resigned.
Season | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|
1899β1900 | Tottenham Hotspur | Watford |
1900β01 | Southampton | Brentford |
1901β02 | Portsmouth | Fulham |
1902β03 | Southampton | Fulham |
1903β04 | Southampton | Watford |
1904β05 | Bristol Rovers | Fulham Reserves |
1905β06 | Fulham | Crystal Palace |
1906β07 | Fulham | Southend United |
1907β08 | Queens Park Rangers | Southend United |
1908β09 | Northampton Town | Croydon Common |
For the 1909β10 season, Division Two was split into an 'A' section and a 'B' section, with the winners of each section contesting a play-off for the Division Two championship.
Season | Division One | Division Two (A) | Division Two (B) | Division Two Playoff |
---|---|---|---|---|
1909β10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Stoke | Hastings & St Leonards United | Stoke won 6β0 |
For the 1910β11 season, the league again reverted to the previous format.
Season | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|
1910β11 | Swindon Town | Reading |
1911β12 | Queens Park Rangers | Merthyr Town |
1912β13 | Plymouth Argyle | Cardiff City |
1913β14 | Swindon Town | Croydon Common |
1914β15 | Watford | Stoke |
1919β20 | Portsmouth | Mid Rhondda |
At the end of the 1919β20 season, the majority of the clubs in the First Division moved into the new Third Division of the Football League. The Southern League was therefore split into two sections for England and Wales, with the winners of each section contesting a playoff for the Southern League championship.
Season | English Section | Welsh Section | Championship Playoff |
---|---|---|---|
1920β21 | Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves | Barry | Brighton won 2β1 |
1921β22 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Ebbw Vale | Plymouth won 3β0 |
1922β23 | Bristol City Reserves | Ebbw Vale | Ebbw Vale won 2β1 |
For the 1923β24 season, the league was split into two regional sections, with the winners of each section contesting a playoff for the Southern League championship.
Season | Eastern Section | Western Section | Championship Playoff |
---|---|---|---|
1923β24 | Peterborough & Fletton United | Yeovil & Petters United | Peterborough won 3β1 |
1924β25 | Southampton Reserves | Swansea Town Reserves | Southampton won 2β1 |
1925β26 | Millwall Reserves | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Plymouth won 1β0 |
1926β27 | Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves | Torquay United | Brighton won 4β0 |
1927β28 | Kettering Town | Bristol City Reserves | Kettering won 5β0 |
1928β29 | Kettering Town | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Plymouth won 4β2 |
1929β30 | Aldershot Town | Bath City | Aldershot won 3β2 |
1930β31 | Dartford | Exeter City Reserves | Dartford won 7β2 |
1931β32 | Dartford | Yeovil & Petters United | Dartford won 2β1 |
1932β33 | Norwich City Reserves | Bath City | Norwich won 2β1 |
For the 1933β34 season an extra section, the Central Section was introduced to provide additional fixtures. The Central included clubs from the other two sections and did not contribute to the overall championship.
Season | Eastern Section | Western Section | Central Section | Championship Playoff |
---|---|---|---|---|
1933β34 | Norwich City Reserves | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Plymouth won 3β0 |
1934β35 | Norwich City Reserves | Yeovil & Petters United | Folkestone | Norwich won 7β2 |
1935β36 | Margate | Plymouth Argyle Reserves | Margate | Margate won 3β1 |
For the 1936β37 season, the Eastern and Western sections were merged into a single division. Additional fixtures were obtained through the Midweek Section which did not contribute to the overall championship.
Season | Southern League | Midweek Section |
---|---|---|
1936β37 | Ipswich Town | Margate |
1937β38 | Guildford City | Millwall Reserves |
1938β39 | Colchester United | Tunbridge Wells Rangers |
For the 1945β46 season, the Midweek Section was not played due to power restrictions after the Second World War.
Season | Southern League |
---|---|
1945β46 | Chelmsford City |
1946β47 | Gillingham |
1947β48 | Merthyr Tydfil |
1948β49 | Gillingham |
1949β50 | Merthyr Tydfil |
1950β51 | Merthyr Tydfil |
1951β52 | Merthyr Tydfil |
1952β53 | Headington United |
1953β54 | Merthyr Tydfil |
1954β55 | Yeovil Town |
1955β56 | Guildford City |
1956β57 | Kettering Town |
1957β58 | Gravesend & Northfleet |
For the 1958β59 season the Southern League was again divided into two sections: North-Western and South-Eastern. The winners of each section contested a playoff for the Southern League championship.
Season | North-Western Section | South-Eastern Section | Championship Playoff |
---|---|---|---|
1958β59 | Hereford United | Bedford Town | Bedford won 2β1 |
The following season saw the two sections merged to form a Premier Division, and a new Division One introduced.
Season | Premier Division | Division One |
---|---|---|
1959β60 | Bath City | Clacton Town |
1960β61 | Oxford United | Kettering Town |
1961β62 | Oxford United | Wisbech Town |
1962β63 | Cambridge City | Margate |
1963β64 | Yeovil Town | Folkestone Town |
1964β65 | Weymouth | Hereford United |
1965β66 | Weymouth | Barnet |
1966β67 | Romford | Dover |
1967β68 | Chelmsford City | Worcester City |
1968β69 | Cambridge United | Brentwood Town |
1969β70 | Cambridge United | Bedford Town |
1970β71 | Yeovil Town | Guildford City |
For the 1971β72 season Division One was regionalised.
Season | Premier Division | Division One North | Division One South |
---|---|---|---|
1971β72 | Chelmsford City | Kettering Town | Waterlooville |
1972β73 | Kettering Town | Grantham | Maidstone United |
1973β74 | Dartford | Stourbridge | Wealdstone |
1974β75 | Wimbledon | Bedford Town | Gravesend & Northfleet |
1975β76 | Wimbledon | Redditch United | Minehead |
1976β77 | Wimbledon | Worcester City | Barnet |
1977β78 | Bath City | Witney Town | Margate |
1978β79 | Worcester City | Grantham | Dover |
For the 1979β80 season, thirteen Premier Division clubs joined the newly formed Alliance Premier League. The Premier Division and Division One were subsequently merged, and two regional divisions formed.
Season | Midland Division | Southern Division |
---|---|---|
1979β80 | Bridgend Town | Dorchester Town |
1980β81 | Alvechurch | Dartford |
1981β82 | Nuneaton Borough | Wealdstone |
For the 1982β83 season, the Premier Division was re-introduced, above the regional divisions.
Season | Premier Division | Midland Division | Southern Division |
---|---|---|---|
1982β83 | AP Leamington | Cheltenham Town | Fisher Athletic |
1983β84 | Dartford | Willenhall Town | Road-Sea Southampton |
1984β85 | Cheltenham Town | Dudley Town | Basingstoke Town |
1985β86 | Welling United | Bromsgrove Rovers | Cambridge City |
1986β87 | Fisher Athletic | VS Rugby | Dorchester Town |
1987β88 | Aylesbury United | Merthyr Tydfil | Dover Athletic |
1988β89 | Merthyr Tydfil | Gloucester City | Chelmsford City |
1989β90 | Dover Athletic | Halesowen Town | Bashley |
1990β91 | Farnborough Town | Stourbridge | Buckingham Town |
1991β92 | Bromsgrove Rovers | Solihull Borough | Hastings Town |
1992β93 | Dover Athletic | Nuneaton Borough | Sittingbourne |
1993β94 | Farnborough Town | Rushden & Diamonds | Gravesend & Northfleet |
1994β95 | Hednesford Town | Newport County | Salisbury City |
1995β96 | Rushden & Diamonds | Nuneaton Borough | Sittingbourne |
1996β97 | Gresley Rovers | Tamworth | Forest Green Rovers |
1997β98 | Forest Green Rovers | Grantham Town | Weymouth |
1998β99 | Nuneaton Borough | Clevedon Town | Havant & Waterlooville |
For the 1999β2000 season, the regional divisions were renamed the Eastern and Western divisions.
Season | Premier Division | Eastern Division | Western Division |
---|---|---|---|
1999β2000 | Boston United | Fisher Athletic | Stafford Rangers |
2000β01 | Margate | Newport IOW | Hinckley United |
2001β02 | Kettering Town | Hastings Town | Halesowen Town |
2002β03 | Tamworth | Dorchester Town | Merthyr Tydfil |
2003β04 | Crawley Town | King's Lynn | Redditch United |
2004β05 | Histon | Fisher Athletic | Mangotsfield United |
2005β06 | Salisbury City | Boreham Wood | Clevedon Town |
For the 2006β07 season, the two regional divisions were renamed Division One Midlands and Division One South & West.
Season | Premier Division | Division One Midlands | Division One South & West |
---|---|---|---|
2006β07 | Bath City | Brackley Town | Bashley |
2007β08 | King's Lynn | Evesham United | Farnborough |
2008β09 | Corby Town | Leamington | Truro City |
For the 2009β10 season, Division One Midlands was renamed Division One Central.
Season | Premier Division | Division One Central | Division One South & West |
---|---|---|---|
2009β10 | Farnborough | Bury Town | Windsor & Eton |
2010β11 | Truro City | Arlesey Town | AFC Totton |
2011β12 | Brackley Town | St Neots Town | Bideford |
2012β13 | Leamington | Burnham | Poole Town |
2013β14 | Hemel Hempstead Town | Dunstable Town | Cirencester Town |
2014β15 | Corby Town | Kettering Town | Merthyr Town |
2015β16 | Poole Town | Kings Langley | Cinderford Town |
2016β17 | Chippenham Town | Royston Town | Hereford |
For the 2017β18 season, the Central and South & West divisions were renamed back into East and West respectively.
Season | Premier Division | East Division | West Division |
---|---|---|---|
2017β18 | Hereford | Beaconsfield Town | Taunton Town |
For the following season, the Premier Division was regionalised, becoming the South Division, and a Central Division was added. The East and West divisions were realigned into Central and South again.
Season | Premier Division Central | Premier Division South | Division One Central | Division One South |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018β19 | Kettering Town | Weymouth | Peterborough Sports | Blackfield & Langley |
2019β20 | Tamworth | Truro City | Berkhamsted | Thatcham Town |
2020β21 | Coalville Town | Poole Town | Corby Town | Cirencester Town |
2021β22 | Banbury United | Taunton Town | Bedford Town | Plymouth Parkway |
2022β23 | Tamworth | Weston-super-Mare | Berkhamsted | AFC Totton |
2023β24 | Needham Market | Chesham United | Biggleswade Town | Wimborne Town |
The 2019β20 season was terminated on 26 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic; the teams listed here were in first place in the standings at the time of the termination, but were not recognised as champions.
The 2020β21 season was also terminated on 24 February 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic; the teams listed here were in first place in the standings at the time of the termination, but were not recognised as champions.
Promotedβ»
Since the league's formation in 1894, the following clubs have won promotion to higher levels of the English football league system -
Seasons | Promoted to |
---|---|
1892β1921 | Football League Second Division |
1920β1921 | Football League Third Division |
1921β1958 | Football League Third Division South |
1958β1979 | Football League Fourth Division |
1979β1986 | Alliance Premier League |
1986β2003 | Football Conference |
2003β2005 | Football Conference National |
2004β2015 | Football Conference North |
2004β2015 | Football Conference South |
2015βpresent | National League North |
2015βpresent | National League South |
Season | Club | Position | Promoted to |
---|---|---|---|
1900β01 | Bristol City | 2nd | Football League Second Division |
1904β05 | Clapton Orient (D2) | 8th | Football League Second Division |
1906β07 | Fulham | 1st | Football League Second Division |
1907β08 | Bradford Park Avenue Tottenham Hotspur |
13th 7th |
Football League Second Division Football League Second Division |
1914β15 | Stoke (D2) Coventry City (D2) West Ham United (D1) |
1st 5th 1st |
Football League Second Division Football League Second Division Football League Second Division |
1919β20 | Cardiff City Portsmouth Watford Crystal Palace Plymouth Argyle Queens Park Rangers Reading Southampton Swansea Town Exeter City Southend United Norwich City Swindon Town Millwall Brentford Brighton & Hove Albion Bristol Rovers Newport County Northampton Town Luton Town Merthyr Town Gillingham |
4th 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd |
Football League Second Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division Football League Third Division |
1920β21 | Charlton Athletic (SLes) Aberdare Athletic (SLws) |
8th 2nd |
Football League Third Division S Football League Third Division S |
1922β23 | Boscombe (SLes) | 2nd | Football League Third Division S |
1926β27 | Torquay United (SLwd) | 1st | Football League Third Division S |
1929β30 | Thames Association(SLed) | 3rd | Football League Third Division S |
1931β32 | Aldershot Town (SLed) Newport County (SLwd) |
9th 6th |
Football League Third Division S Football League Third Division S |
1937β38 | Ipswich Town | 3rd | Football League Third Division S |
1949β50 | Colchester United Gillingham |
2nd 5th |
Football League Third Division S Football League Third Division S |
1961β62 | Oxford United (PD) | 1st | Football League Fourth Division |
1969β70 | Cambridge United (PD) | 1st | Football League Fourth Division |
1971β72 | Hereford United (PD) | 2nd | Football League Fourth Division |
1976β77 | Wimbledon (PD) | 1st | Football League Fourth Division |
1978β79 | Worcester City Kettering Town Telford United Maidstone United Bath City Weymouth AP Leamington Redditch United Yeovil Town Nuneaton Borough Gravesend & Northfleet Barnet Wealdstone |
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 11th 12th 13th 15th |
Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League |
1980β81 | Trowbridge Town (md) Dartford (sd) |
3rd 1st |
Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League |
1981β82 | Nuneaton Borough (md) Wealdstone (sd) |
1st 1st |
Alliance Premier League Alliance Premier League |
1982β83 | Kidderminster Harriers | 2nd | Alliance Premier League |
1983β84 | Dartford | 1st | Alliance Premier League |
1984β85 | Cheltenham Town | 1st | Alliance Premier League |
1985β86 | Welling United | 1st | Football Conference |
1986β87 | Fisher Athletic | 1st | Football Conference |
1987β88 | Aylesbury United | 1st | Football Conference |
1988β89 | Merthyr Tydfil | 1st | Football Conference |
1989β90 | Bath City | 2nd | Football Conference |
1990β91 | Farnborough Town | 1st | Football Conference |
1991β92 | Bromsgrove Rovers | 1st | Football Conference |
1992β93 | Dover Athletic | 1st | Football Conference |
1993β94 | Farnborough Town | 1st | Football Conference |
1994β95 | Hednesford Town | 1st | Football Conference |
1995β96 | Rushden & Diamonds | 1st | Football Conference |
1996β97 | Cheltenham Town | 2nd | Football Conference |
1997β98 | Forest Green Rovers | 1st | Football Conference |
1998β99 | Nuneaton Borough | 1st | Football Conference |
1999β00 | Boston United | 1st | Football Conference |
2000β01 | Margate | 1st | Football Conference |
2001β02 | Kettering Town | 1st | Football Conference |
2002β03 | Tamworth | 1st | Football Conference |
2003β04 | Crawley Town Stafford Rangers Nuneaton Borough Worcester City Hinckley United Moor Green Weymouth Newport County Cambridge City Welling United Weston-super-Mare Eastbourne Borough Havant & Waterlooville Dorchester Town Redditch United (SLwd) |
1st 3rd 4th 5th 6th 13th 2nd 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 17th* 1st* |
Football Conference National Football Conference North Football Conference North Football Conference North Football Conference North Football Conference North Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference South Football Conference North |
2004β05 | Histon Hednesford Town |
1st 4th* |
Football Conference South Football Conference North |
2005β06 | Salisbury City Bedford Town |
1st 5th* |
Football Conference South Football Conference South |
2006β07 | Bath City Maidenhead United |
1st 4th* |
Football Conference South Football Conference South |
2007β08 | King's Lynn Team Bath |
1st 2nd* |
Football Conference North Football Conference South |
2008β09 | Corby Town Gloucester City |
1st 3rd* |
Football Conference North Football Conference North |
2009β10 | Farnborough Nuneaton Town |
1st 2nd* |
Football Conference South Football Conference North |
2010β11 | Truro City Salisbury City |
1st 3rd* |
Football Conference South Football Conference South |
2011β12 | Brackley Town Oxford City |
1st 2nd* |
Football Conference North Football Conference North |
2012β13 | Leamington Gosport Borough |
1st 5th* |
Football Conference North Football Conference South |
2013β14 | Hemel Hempstead Town St Albans City |
1st 4th* |
Football Conference South Football Conference South |
2014β15 | Corby Town Truro City |
1st 3rd* |
National League North National League South |
2015β16 | Poole Town Hungerford Town |
1st 4th* |
National League South National League South |
2016β17 | Chippenham Town Leamington |
1st 2nd* |
National League South National League North |
2017β18 | Hereford Slough Town |
1st 3rd* |
National League North National League South |
2018β19 | Kettering Town (PDC) King's Lynn Town (PDC) Weymouth (PDS) |
1st 2nd* 1st |
National League North National League North National League South |
2019β20 | No promotion to National League North. Or South | ||
2020β21 | Step 3 promotion cancelled | ||
2021β22 | Banbury United (PDC) Peterborough Sports (PDC) Taunton Town (PDS) Farnborough (PDS) |
1st 2nd* 1st 3rd* |
National League North National League North National League South National League South |
2022β23 | Tamworth (PDC) Rushall Olympic (PDC) Weston-super-Mare (PDS) Truro City (PDS) |
1st 5th* 1st 3rd* |
National League North National League North National League South National League South |
2023β24 | Needham Market (PDC) tbd (PDC) Chesham United (PDS) tbd (PDS) |
1st 1st |
National League North National League North National League South National League South |
Asterisk indicates club was promoted via play-offs
League Cup winnersβ»
Season | Champions | Result | Runners-up |
---|---|---|---|
1932β33 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) | ||
1933β34 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) | ||
1934β35 | Folkestone (ED) | ||
1935β36 | Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) | ||
1936β37 | Newport County Reserves (SL) | ||
1937β38 | Colchester United (SL) | ||
1938β39 | Not completed | ||
1939β40 | Worcester City (WS) | ||
1945β46 | Chelmsford City (SL) | ||
1946β47 | Gillingham (SL) | ||
1947β48 | Merthyr Tydfil (SL) | ||
1948β49 | Yeovil Town SL) | ||
1949β50 | Colchester United (SL) | ||
1950β51 | Merthyr Tydfil (SL) | ||
1951β52 | Hereford United (SL) | ||
1952β53 | Headington United (SL) | ||
1953β54 | Headington United (SL) | ||
1954β55 | Yeovil Town (SL) | ||
1955β56 | Gloucester City (SL) | ||
1956β57 | Hereford United (SL) | ||
1957β58 | Cheltenham Town (SL) | ||
1958β59 | Hereford United (NW-D) | ||
1959β60 | Chelmsford City (PD) | ||
1960β61 | Yeovil Town (PD) | ||
1961β62 | Cambridge United (PD) | ||
1962β63 | Guildford City (PD) | ||
1963β64 | Burton Albion (D1) | ||
1964β65 | Cambridge United (PD) | ||
1965β66 | Yeovil Town (PD) | ||
1966β67 | Guildford City (PD) | ||
1967β68 | Margate (PD) | ||
1968β69 | Cambridge United (PD) | ||
1969β70 | Wimbledon (PD) | ||
1970β71 | Telford United (PD) | ||
1971β72 | Barnet (PD) | ||
1972β73 | Weymouth (PD) | ||
1973β74 | AP Leamington (D1N) | ||
1974β75 | Kettering Town (PD) | ||
1975β76 | Wimbledon (PD) | ||
1976β77 | Dartford (PD) | ||
1977β78 | Gravesend & Northfleet (PD) | ||
1978β79 | Bath City (PD) | ||
1979β80 | Kidderminster Harriers (MD) | ||
1980β81 | Bedford Town (MD) | ||
1981β82 | Wealdstone (MD) | ||
1982β83 | Alvechurch (PD) | ||
1983β84 | AP Leamington (PD) | ||
1984β85 | Fisher Athletic (PD) | ||
1985β86 | Bromsgrove Rovers (MD) | ||
1986β87 | Waterlooville (SD) | ||
1987β88 | Dartford (PD) | ||
1988β89 | Dartford (PD) | ||
1989β90 | VS Rugby (PD) | ||
1990β91 | Chelmsford City (PD) | ||
1991-92 | Dover Athletic (PD) | ||
1992β93 | Stourbridge (MD) | ||
1993β94 | Sudbury Town (SD) | ||
1994β95 | Hastings Town (PD) | ||
1995β96 | Nuneaton Borough (MD) | ||
1996β97 | Burton Albion (PD) | ||
1997β98 | Margate (SD) | ||
1998β99 | Sutton Coldfield Town (PD) | 2-1 agreg. | Cambridge City (PD) |
1999β00 | Burton Albion (PD) | ||
2000β01 | Worcester City (PD) | ||
2001β02 | Dorchester Town (ED) | ||
2002β03 | Crawley Town (PD) | ||
2003β04 | Crawley Town (PD) | ||
2004β05 | King's Lynn (PD) | ||
2005β06 | Hitchin Town (PD) | ||
2006β07 | Tiverton Town (PD) | 1-0, 2-2 | Hemel Hempstead Town (PD) |
2007β08 | Hillingdon Borough (PD) | 1-1, 3-0 | Clevedon Town (SW) |
2008β09 | Atherstone Town (MD) | 2-1, 3-1 | Bridgwater Town (SW) |
2009β10 | Cambridge City (PD) | 1-0, 0-1 (4-2 p) | VT (SW) |
2010β11 | Hednesford Town (PD) | 2-1, 3-0 | Hemel Hempstead Town (PD) |
2011β12 | Clevedon Town (SW) | 0-0, 2-1 | Banbury United (PD) |
2012β13 | Arlesey Town (PD) | 1-0, 1-1 | Frome Town (PD) |
2013β14 | St Neots Town (PD) | 0-0, 1-0 | Tiverton Town (SW) |
2014β15 | Poole Town (PD) | 1-1, 0-0 | Corby Town (PD) |
2015β16 | Merthyr Town (PD) | 5-1, 2-0 | Cambridge City (PD) |
2016β17 | Hayes & Yeading United (PD) | 1-1 (4-2 p) | St Ives Town (PD) |
2017β18 | Hitchin Town (PD) | 1-0 | Didcot Town (DOW) |
2018β19 | Stratford Town (PDC) | 1-0 | Cinderford Town (DOS) |
2019β20 | No winner | ||
2020β21 | No winner | ||
2021β22 | Royston Town (PDC) | 2β0, 5-0 | Taunton Town (PDS) |
2022β23 | No winner |
League structureβ»
The league structure has changed several times over the years and currently consists of Central and South Divisions at step 3 of the National League System with Division One South and Division One Central at step 4.
Due in large part to the presence of the Isthmian League, the geographical footprint of the Southern League actually extends further north than the National League South. Therefore, while the winners of the Central and South Divisions are promoted to the National League South, those clubs in the most northerly locales are promoted to the National League North. In the past, the majority of the winners of the former Premier Division, together with the winners of a playoff, were promoted to the higher league.
Clubs relegated from the Southern League can theoretically be placed in any of fourteen lower-level leagues, but in practice it is likely to be one of the following (based on geography):
- Combined Counties League
- Hellenic League
- Midland Football League
- Spartan South Midlands League
- United Counties League
- Wessex League
- Western League
From time to time, clubs outside the promotion and relegation positions based at the geographical edges of the Southern League will be compelled to leave the League by the NLS Committee, should it be necessary for them to compete in the Northern Premier League/Isthmian League so as to correct any imbalances brought on by the geographical distribution of the clubs promoted and relegated to this level. Clubs in the Northern Premier League or Isthmian League have also been entered into the Southern League for the same reason. In general, there has been a drift southwards, with clubs in the Midlands moving into the Northern Premier League.
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Main sponsor Bostik back with two-year deal as Evo-Stik League Southern is reborn". Southern Football League. 9 October 2014. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "SOUTHERN LEAGUE AGM NEWS - News - 1st Team - Southern Football League - Uxbridge Football Club". Pitchero.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ "The History of the Southern Football League". Southern Football League official website. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
- ^ Football League Archived 31 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Football Club History Database
- ^ "Prospects of the Southern League Teams". The Daily News. 8 September 1900. p. 7. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harding, John (2009). Behind The Glory 100 Years Of The PFA. DB. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-85983-682-8.
- ^ Football League v Southern League Archived 3 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Before The 'D'...Association Football around the world, 1863β1937, 27 November 2017
- ^ "Scotland versus Southern League". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Edwards, Leigh (1993). The Official Centenary History of the Southern League. Halesowen: Paper Plane Publishing. p. 17. ISBN 1-871872-08-1.
- ^ "The big shake up of non-League football confirmed". pitchero.com. Pitch Hero Ltd. 16 May 2017. Archived from the original on 13 September 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- ^ League tables available Archived 24 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine English Non-League Archive 1965β98
- ^ "Introducing 'PITCHING IN' β The new partner of the Southern League". Paulton Rovers FC. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ Southern League History Archived 27 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine RSSSF
- ^ Edwards 1993, pp. 26β93.
- ^ Edwards 1993, p. 16.
- ^ Edwards 1993, p. 58.
External linksβ»
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