1897–98 Southern Football League

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The 1897–98 season was the fourth in the history of the

Football League
. However, they were not elected.

Division One

Southern Football League Division One
Season1897–98
Champions
Northfleet
Wolverton L&NWR
Matches played132
Goals scored507 (3.84 per match)
→

A total of 12 teams contest the division, including eleven sides from previous season and one new team.

Newly elected team:

  • Bristol City

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
1 Southampton 22 18 1 3 53 18 2.944 37
2 Bristol City 22 13 7 2 67 33 2.030 33
3 Tottenham Hotspur 22 12 4 6 52 31 1.677 28
4 Chatham Town 22 12 4 6 50 34 1.471 28
5 Reading 22 8 7 7 39 31 1.258 23
6 New Brompton 22 9 4 9 37 37 1.000 22
7 Sheppey United 22 10 1 11 40 49 0.816 21
8 Gravesend United 22 7 6 9 28 39 0.718 20
9 Millwall Athletic 22 8 2 12 48 45 1.067 18
10 Swindon Town 22 7 2 13 36 48 0.750 16
11
Northfleet
 22 4 3 15 29 60 0.483 11 Relegation test matches
12 Wolverton L&NWR 22 3 1 18 28 82 0.341 7
Source:
goal average
to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Division Two

Southern Football League Division Two
Season1897–98
ChampionsRoyal Artillery Portsmouth
PromotedRoyal Artillery Portsmouth
Warmley
RelegatedDartford (resigned)
RETB Chatham (resigned)
Matches played132
Goals scored652 (4.94 per match)

A total of 12 teams contest the division, including ten sides from previous season and two new teams.

Newly elected teams:

  • Royal Artillery Portsmouth
  • St Albans
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Royal Artillery Portsmouth 22 19 1 2 75 22 3.409 39 Promotion test matches
2 Warmley 22 19 0 3 108 15 7.200 38
3
West Herts[a]
 22 11 6 5 50 48 1.042 28
4 Uxbridge 22 11 2 9 39 57 0.684 24
5 St Albans 22 9 5 8 47 41 1.146 23
6 Dartford 22 11 0 11 68 55 1.236 22 Left to join
Kent League
at end of season
7 Southall 22 8 2 12 49 61 0.803 18
8
Chesham
 22 8 2 12 38 48 0.792 18
9 Old St.Stephen's[b] 22 7 2 13 47 66 0.712 16
10 Wycombe Wanderers 22 7 2 13 37 55 0.673 16
11
Maidenhead
 22 4 4 14 27 81 0.333 12
12 RETB Chatham 22 4 2 16 26 62 0.419 10 Left to join
Kent League
at end of season
Source: [
goal average
to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Notes:
  1. ^ Merged with Watford St Mary's to form Watford
  2. ^ Changed name to Shepherd's Bush at end of season

Promotion-relegation test matches

Unlike previous seasons in which individual test matches had been played between clubs, this season saw the bottom two clubs in Division One and the top two clubs in Division two play in a four-club round robin, with the top two retaining or earning a place in Division One. Both Division Two clubs were promoted after the matches, with Northfleet leaving the league after the season ended.[2]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Royal Artillery Portsmouth 4 3 1 0 8 4 2.000 7 Promoted
2 Warmley 4 2 1 1 14 7 2.000 5
3
Northfleet
 4 1 0 3 6 11 0.545 2 Relegated
4 Wolverton L&NWR 4 0 2 2 5 11 0.455 2
Source: [
goal average
to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Football League elections

Only one Southern League club, Bristol City, applied for election to Division Two of the Football League. However, they were not elected.

Glossop North End and Barnsley
.

Club League Votes
Lincoln City
Football League
 21
Burslem Port Vale Midland League 18
Loughborough Town
Football League
 16
Darwen
Football League
 16
New Brighton Tower Lancashire League
Nelson Lancashire League
Bristol City Southern League

References

  1. ISBN 0-600-58706-1
    .
  2. ^ Northfleet at the Football Club History Database
  3. ^ A history of admission to the Football League
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