2004–05 Southern Football League

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The 2004–05 season was the 102nd in the history of the Southern League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the East Midlands, West Midlands, East, South East and South West England.

Also, it was the first season after the creation of the

South, one step above the Southern League. Therefore, it was the inaugural season for the league at the seventh and eighth tiers in the English league system
.

Premier Division

After the creation of the

South
placed above the Southern League, most of the previous season clubs were transferred to the newly created divisions.

Histon won the Premier Division and get a second promotion in a row along with play-off winners Hednesford Town. Hemel Hempstead, Dunstable, Stamford and Solihull Moors were relegated and returned to Division One.

League formation

The Premier Division featured only six clubs from the previous season and 16 new clubs:

League table

Southern Football League
Premier Division
Season2004–05
Champions
Stamford
Solihull Borough
Matches played462
Goals scored1,391 (3.01 per match)
→

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Histon 42 24 6 12 93 57 +36 78 Promoted to the Conference South
2 Chippenham Town 42 22 9 11 81 55 +26 75 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Merthyr Tydfil 42 19 14 9 62 47 +15 71
4 Hednesford Town 42 20 10 12 68 40 +28 70 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Conference North
5 Bedford Town 42 19 12 11 70 52 +18 69 Qualified for the play-offs
6 Bath City 42 19 12 11 57 43 +14 69
7 Cirencester Town 42 19 11 12 63 52 +11 68
8 Tiverton Town 42 18 13 11 70 55 +15 67
9 Halesowen Town 42 19 9 14 64 52 +12 66
10 Aylesbury United 42 20 3 19 67 66 +1 63
11 King's Lynn 42 19 4 19 78 69 +9 61
12 Chesham United 42 18 5 19 84 82 +2 59
13 Grantham Town 42 17 7 18 57 55 +2 58
14 Team Bath 42 14 12 16 54 68 −14 54
15 Gloucester City 42 12 17 13 63 61 +2 53
16
Rugby United
 42 13 12 17 48 60 −12 51
17 Banbury United 42 13 9 20 56 69 −13 48
18 Hitchin Town 42 13 9 20 55 77 −22 48
19 Hemel Hempstead Town 42 11 10 21 60 88 −28 42[a] Relegated to the Western Division
20 Dunstable Town 42 11 6 25 56 98 −42 39
21
Stamford
 42 6 18 18 40 60 −20 36 Relegated to the Eastern Division
22 Solihull Borough 42 10 4 28 45 85 −40 34 Relegated to the Western Division
Source: fchd.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Hemel Hempstead Town deducted 1 point for fielding an ineligible player.

Play-offs

Semifinals Final
      
2 Chippenham Town 2(5)
5 Bedford Town 2(4)
2 Chippenham Town 0
4 Hednesford Town 1
3 Merthyr Tydfil 1(3)
4 Hednesford Town 1(5)

Stadia and locations

Gloucester City
Grantham Town
Halesowen Town
Hednesford Town
Hemel Hempstead Town
Histon
Hitchin Town
King's Lynn
Merthyr Tydfil
Rugby Town
Solihull Borough
Stamford
Tiverton Town
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Locations of the Premier Division clubs
Club Stadium
Aylesbury United Buckingham Road
Banbury United Spencer Stadium
Bath City Twerton Park
Bedford Town The Eyrie
Chesham United The Meadow
Chippenham Town Hardenhuish Park
Cirencester Town Corinium Stadium
Dunstable Town Creasey Park
Gloucester City Meadow Park, Gloucester
Grantham Town South Kesteven Sports Stadium
Halesowen Town The Grove
Hednesford Town Keys Park
Hemel Hempstead Town Vauxhall Road
Histon Bridge Road
Hitchin Town Top Field
King's Lynn The Walks
Merthyr Tydfil Penydarren Park
Rugby Town Butlin Road
Solihull Borough Damson Park
Stamford Hanson's Field
Team Bath Twerton Park (groundshare with Bath City)
Tiverton Town Ladysmead

Eastern Division

After the creation of the Conference North and South one step above the Southern League, most of the Premier Division clubs were transferred to the newly created divisions. Consequently, most of the Eastern Division clubs took up the empty spots in higher divisions.

Fisher Athletic won the division and were promoted along with runners-up East Thurrock United and play-off winners Maldon Town, who get the second promotion in a row. Erith & Belvedere and Tilbury finished bottom of the league and were relegated.

League formation

In the first season as an eighth tier league, the Eastern Division featured five clubs from the previous season and 17 new clubs:

League table

Southern Football League
Eastern Division
Season2004–05
Champions
Maldon Town
RelegatedErith & Belvedere
Tilbury
Matches played462
Goals scored1,434 (3.1 per match)
→

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Fisher Athletic 42 30 6 6 96 41 +55 96 Promoted to Isthmian League Premier Division
2 East Thurrock United 42 25 12 5 92 38 +54 87
3
Maldon Town
 42 27 6 9 92 51 +41 87 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to IL Premier Division
4 Uxbridge 42 26 7 9 87 37 +50 85 Qualified for the play-offs
5 Wivenhoe Town 42 21 11 10 74 49 +25 74
6 Barking & East Ham United 42 20 10 12 63 37 +26 70
7 Boreham Wood 42 19 9 14 80 61 +19 66
8 Barton Rovers 42 20 4 18 76 72 +4 64
9
Waltham Forest
 42 16 9 17 68 61 +7 57
10 Leighton Town 42 13 15 14 57 59 −2 54 Transferred to the Western Division
11 Chatham Town 42 15 9 18 53 63 −10 54
12 Wingate & Finchley 42 15 8 19 60 75 −15 53
13 Arlesey Town 42 14 10 18 53 67 −14 52
14
Beaconsfield SYCOB
 42 12 12 18 54 65 −11 48 Transferred to the Western Division
15 Harlow Town 42 13 8 21 53 65 −12 47
16 Dartford 42 11 13 18 58 75 −17 46
17 Aveley 42 12 9 21 57 69 −12 45
18 Berkhamsted Town 42 15 7 20 66 101 −35 45[a]
19 Sittingbourne 42 10 12 20 53 70 −17 42
20 Great Wakering Rovers 42 9 11 22 45 78 −33 38
21 Erith & Belvedere 42 11 7 24 56 92 −36 37[b] Relegated to the Kent League
22 Tilbury 42 6 9 27 41 108 −67 27 Relegated to the Essex Senior League
Source: fchd.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ Berkhamsted Town deducted 7 points for fielding an ineligible player.
  2. ^ Erith & Belvedere deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player.

Play-offs

Semifinals Final
      
3
Maldon Town
 		1(3)
6 Barking & East Ham United 1(2)
3
Maldon Town
 		2(3)
4 Uxbridge 2(2)
4 Uxbridge 3
5 Wivenhoe Town 0

Stadia and locations

Beaconsfield SYCOB
Berkhamsted
Chatham Town
ETU
Great Wakering Rovers
Harlow Town
Leighton Town
Maldon Town
Sittingbourne
Wivenhoe Town
Aveley
Aveley
Barking & East Ham United
Barking & East Ham United
Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood
Dartford
Dartford
Erith & Belvedere
Erith & Belvedere
Fisher Athletic
Fisher Athletic
Tilbury
Tilbury
Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest
Wingate & Finchley
Wingate & Finchley
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Locations of the Eastern Division clubs