Southern Football League 1896-97
Encyclopedia
The 1896-97 season was the third in the history of the Southern League
. Southampton St.Mary's
won the Division One championship.
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
were the only Division Two club to win, but withdrew from the league at the end of season, meaning their defeated opponents Northfleet remained in Division One.
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. Southampton St.Mary's
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
won the Division One championship.
Division One
Division One featured five new clubs:- Gravesend United (newly-elected)
- Northfleet (newly-elected)
- Sheppey United (promoted from Division Two)
- Tottenham Hotspur (newly-elected)
- Wolverston L&NWR (promoted from Division Two)
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton St.Mary's Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... |
20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 63 | 18 | 3.5 | 35 | Changed name to Southampton at end of season |
| 2 | Millwall Athletic Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
20 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 63 | 24 | 2.63 | 31 | |
| 3 | Chatham Town Chatham Town F.C. Chatham Town are an English Association Football club based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in Division One North of the Isthmian League and are nicknamed "The Chats".... |
20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 54 | 29 | 1.86 | 27 | |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 43 | 29 | 1.48 | 22 | |
| 5 | Gravesend United Gravesend United F.C. Gravesend United Football Club was a football club based in Gravesend, Kent.They were founder members of the Kent League in 1894-95 before moving to join the Southern League in 1896-97... |
20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 35 | 34 | 1.03 | 22 | |
| 6 | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 37 | 0.89 | 19 | |
| 7 | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 31 | 49 | 0.63 | 19 | |
| 8 | New Brompton Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 32 | 42 | 0.76 | 16 | |
| 9 | Northfleet | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 46 | 0.52 | 14 | Relegation test matches |
| 10 | Sheppey United Sheppey United F.C. Sheppey United F.C. is an English football club based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The club are currently members of Division One of the Kent County League and play at the Sheppey Sports Ground.-History:... |
20 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 34 | 47 | 0.72 | 11 | |
| 11 | Wolverton L&NWR Wolverton A.F.C. Wolverton Association Football Club, often known simply as Wolverton, was an English football team representing the town of Wolverton . The club's motto was "In Omnia Paratus" . The club was wound up in 1992... |
20 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 17 | 74 | 0.23 | 4 | |
| 12 | Royal Ordnance Factories Royal Ordnance Factories F.C. Royal Ordnance Factories Football Club were a football club from south east London, England,that existed in the late 19th century.In 1893, the former workers' team at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, Woolwich Arsenal FC, was by now a professional side and had joined the Football League... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Resigned from league after seven matches, record expunged |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Division Two
Division Two featured eight new clubs, all of which were newly-elected:- 1st Coldstream Guards
- Dartford
- Freemantle
- Southall
- RETB Chatham
- Warmley
- West Herts
- Wycombe Wanderers
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartford Dartford F.C. Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season... |
24 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 83 | 19 | 4.37 | 36 | Promotion test matches |
| 2 | RETB Chatham | 24 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 49 | 37 | 1.32 | 31 | |
| 3 | Freemantle Freemantle F.C. Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club... |
24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 58 | 40 | 1.45 | 28 | Promotion test matches, left league at end of season |
| 4 | Uxbridge Uxbridge F.C. Uxbridge Football Club are a football club representing Uxbridge but now based in West Drayton, in the County of Middlesex England. They were established in 1871 and are one of the oldest clubs in the South of England. They were founder members of the Southern League Division Two in 1894 and have... |
24 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 62 | 37 | 1.68 | 27 | |
| 5 | Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers F.C. Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play... |
24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 37 | 54 | 0.69 | 26 | |
| 6 | Chesham | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 41 | 55 | 0.75 | 25 | |
| 7 | Southall Southall F.C. Southall F.C. is a semi-professional football club based in the Southall area of west London, in the London Borough of Ealing, England. Football has been played in Southall from at least 1871.-History:... |
24 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 52 | 1.06 | 24 | |
| 8 | 1st Scots Guards 1st Scots Guards F.C. 1st Scots Guards F.C. were an English football team that existed from at least 1891. They played in the Southern League from 1895-96 and finished third of nine in Division Two. This made them eligible to play in a test match promotion decider against Clapton, which they lost 1-4... |
24 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 49 | 50 | 0.98 | 24 | Left league at end of season |
| 9 | West Herts | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 41 | 49 | 0.84 | 23 | |
| 10 | Warmley Warmley F.C. Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George.... |
24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 44 | 43 | 1.02 | 23 | |
| 11 | Old St.Stephen's Shepherd's Bush F.C. Shepherd's Bush Football Club were an English football club based in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, although they originally played in central and south London.-History:... |
24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 36 | 52 | 0.69 | 17 | |
| 12 | Maidenhead | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 33 | 64 | 0.52 | 16 | |
| 13 | 1st Coldstream Guards | 24 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 30 | 66 | 0.45 | 12 | Left league at end of season |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Promotion-relegation test matches
At the end of the season, test matches were held between the bottom three clubs in Division One and the top three clubs in Division Two. Third-placed FreemantleFreemantle F.C.
Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club...
were the only Division Two club to win, but withdrew from the league at the end of season, meaning their defeated opponents Northfleet remained in Division One.
Football League elections
Only one Southern League club, Millwall Athletic, applied for election to Division Two of the Football League. However, they received only one vote and were not elected.| Club | League | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln City Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... |
Football League The Football League The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football... |
21 |
| Burton Swifts Burton Swifts F.C. Burton Swifts were an English football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club ceased to exist in 1901 when they merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton United.-History:... |
Football League The Football League The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football... |
15 |
| Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
United League | 13 |
| Burslem Port Vale | Midland League Midland Football League There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League.... |
11 |
| Burton Wanderers Burton Wanderers F.C. Burton Wanderers were a football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England that spent three seasons in The Football League. In 1901, the club merged with Burton Swifts and formed a new club, Burton United.-History:... |
Football League The Football League The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football... |
9 |
| Nelson Nelson F.C. Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, who played their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-Early years:... |
Lancashire League Lancashire League (football) The Lancashire League has been the name of two separate football competitions for clubs based in northern England.-Lancashire League :... |
7 |
| Glossop North End | The Combination The Combination The Combination was a minor league during the early days of English football. It had two incarnations; the first ran only for the 1888–89 season for teams across the Northern England and the Midlands, and was wound up before completion. The second was created for the 1890–91 season, but disbanded... |
5 |
| Fairfield | Lancashire League Lancashire League (football) The Lancashire League has been the name of two separate football competitions for clubs based in northern England.-Lancashire League :... |
3 |
| Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra F.C. Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club... |
The Combination The Combination The Combination was a minor league during the early days of English football. It had two incarnations; the first ran only for the 1888–89 season for teams across the Northern England and the Midlands, and was wound up before completion. The second was created for the 1890–91 season, but disbanded... |
2 |
| Millwall Athletic Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
Southern League Southern Football League The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales... |
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