1895–96 Southern Football League

The 1895–96 season was the second in the history of the Southern League. Luton Town applied for election to the Football League. However, the election was not successful. Millwall Athletic won Division One for the second successive season.

Division One

Southern Football League Division One
Season1895–96
ChampionsMillwall Athletic (2nd title)
Promotednone
RelegatedLuton Town (resigned)
Clapton (resigned)
Ilford
Matches played90
Goals scored406 (4.51 per match)

Division One featured one new club, who had been promoted from Division Two the previous season: New Brompton.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Millwall Athletic 18 16 1 1 75 16 4.688 33
2 Luton Town 18 13 1 4 68 14 4.857 27 Left to join the United League at end of season
3 Southampton St. Mary's 18 12 0 6 44 23 1.913 24
4 Reading 18 11 1 6 45 38 1.184 23
5 Chatham Town 18 9 2 7 43 45 0.956 20
6 New Brompton 18 7 4 7 30 37 0.811 18
7 Swindon Town 18 6 4 8 38 41 0.927 16
8 Clapton 18 4 2 12 30 67 0.448 10 Relegation test matches, left league despite winning
9 Royal Ordnance Factories 18 3 3 12 23 44 0.523 9 Relegation test matches
10 Ilford 18 0 0 18 10 81 0.123 0 Relegation test matches, left league after losing
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: The system of using 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
Season1895–96
ChampionsWolverton LNWR
PromotedWolverton LNWR
Sheppey United
RelegatedGuildford (resigned)
Bromley (resigned)
Windsor & Eton (resigned)
Matches played72
Goals scored282 (3.92 per match)

Division Two featured four new clubs, all of which were newly elected:

  • 1st Scots Guards
  • Guildford
  • Windsor & Eton
  • Wolverton LNWR

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Wolverton LNWR 16 13 1 2 43 10 4.300 27 Promotion test matches
2 Sheppey United 16 11 3 2 60 19 3.158 25
3 1st Scots Guards 16 8 5 3 37 22 1.682 21
4 Uxbridge 16 9 1 6 28 23 1.217 19
5 Old St.Stephen's 16 6 3 7 34 21 1.619 15
6 Guildford 16 7 1 8 29 41 0.707 15 Left league at end of season
7 Maidenhead 16 4 1 11 20 49 0.408 9
8 Chesham 16 2 3 11 15 48 0.313 7
9 Bromley 16 2 2 12 16 49 0.327 6 Left league at end of season
10 Windsor & Eton 1 0 0 1 0 0 — 0 Resigned from league after one match, record expunged
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: The system of using 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.

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. Wolverton LNWR and Sheppey United were promoted after the play-offs, whilst Clapton remained in Division One. Although they later resigned from the league, 1st Scot Guards (who they had beaten in the play-offs) were not promoted in their place, and instead Royal Ordnance Factories kept their place in Division One.

Division One clubsvDivision Two clubs
Ilford0 – 2Wolverton LNWR
Royal Ordnance Factories2 – 4Sheppey United
Clapton4 – 11st Scots Guards

Football League elections

Luton Town applied for election to Division Two of the Football League. However, in the election they were unsuccessful.[1]

Club League Votes
Blackpool Lancashire League 19
Walsall Town Swifts Midland League 16
Gainsborough Trinity Midland League 15
Burslem Port Vale Football League 10
Luton Town Southern League 10
Crewe Alexandra Football League 4
Fairfield Lancashire League 3
Glossop North End The Combination 3
Tottenham Hotspur Southern League 2
Macclesfield The Combination 2

References

  1. ^ A history of admission to the Football League