1927–28 Southern Football League

The 1927–28 season was the 30th in the history of the Southern League. The league consisted of Eastern and Western Divisions.[1] Kettering Town won the Eastern Division and Bristol City reserves won the Western Division. Kettering were declared Southern League champions after defeating Bristol City reserves 5–0 in a championship play-off.[2]

Two clubs from the Southern League applied to join the Football League, although neither was successful. Three clubs (all from the Western Division) left the league at the end of the season.

Eastern Division

Southern Football League Eastern Division
Season1927–28
ChampionsKettering Town (1st title)
Promotednone
Relegatednone
Matches played306
Goals scored1,237 (4.04 per match)

A total of 18 teams contest the division, including 12 sides from previous season and six new teams.

Newly elected teams:

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Kettering Town 34 23 6 5 90 39 2.308 52
2 Peterborough & Fletton United 34 21 3 10 73 43 1.698 45
3 Northfleet United 34 17 7 10 83 54 1.537 41
4 Brighton & Hove Albion II 34 20 0 14 90 63 1.429 40
5 Norwich City II 34 17 6 11 69 69 1.000 40
6 Southampton II 34 16 7 11 92 70 1.314 39
7 Aldershot Town 34 17 5 12 85 66 1.288 39
8 Sittingbourne 34 16 5 13 64 70 0.914 37
9 Millwall II 34 15 6 13 66 59 1.119 36
10 Poole 34 15 5 14 69 84 0.821 35
11 Folkestone 34 12 6 16 71 91 0.780 30
12 Guildford City 34 12 5 17 65 89 0.730 29
13 Dartford 34 12 4 18 46 49 0.939 28
14 Gillingham II 34 10 7 17 72 84 0.857 27
15 Sheppey United 34 11 3 20 57 87 0.655 25
16 Chatham Town 34 10 4 20 49 70 0.700 24
17 Grays Thurrock United 34 10 3 21 48 88 0.545 23
18 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II 34 9 4 21 48 62 0.774 22
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.

Western Division

Southern Football League Western Division
Season1927–28
ChampionsBristol City II
Promotednone
RelegatedAberdare & Aberaman Athletic (resigned)
Weymouth (resigned)
Mid Rhondda United (resigned)
Matches played240
Goals scored1,095 (4.56 per match)

A total of 16 teams contest the division, including 13 sides from previous season and three new teams.

Team relegated from 1926–27 Football League

Newly elected teams:

  • Merthyr Town II
  • Torquay United II - replacing their first team, who had been promoted to the Football League the previous season
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result
1 Bristol City II 30 20 3 7 95 51 1.863 43
2 Exeter City II 30 18 4 8 104 56 1.857 40
3 Bristol Rovers II 30 16 3 11 80 64 1.250 35
4 Plymouth Argyle II 30 16 2 12 88 53 1.660 34
5 Newport County II 30 13 8 9 99 70 1.414 34
6 Ebbw Vale 30 15 3 12 67 74 0.905 33
7 Swindon Town II 30 13 4 13 80 74 1.081 30
8 Aberdare & Aberaman Athletic 30 12 6 12 62 68 0.912 30 Left league at end of season
9 Yeovil & Petters United 30 11 7 12 64 57 1.123 29
10 Torquay United II 30 11 6 13 51 67 0.761 28
11 Bath City 30 12 3 15 64 68 0.941 27
12 Taunton Town 30 11 5 14 60 65 0.923 27
13 Weymouth 30 10 6 14 50 83 0.602 26 Left league at end of season
14 Merthyr Town II 30 9 4 17 50 77 0.649 22
15 Barry 30 8 6 16 45 87 0.517 22
16 Mid Rhondda United 30 7 6 17 36 81 0.444 20 Left league at end of season
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.

Football League election

Two Southern League clubs, Kettering Town and Peterborough & Fletton United, applied to join the Football League. However, both League clubs were re-elected, with Argonauts, a new amateur club who had never played a match winning more votes than either Southern League club.[3]

Club League Votes
Merthyr Town Football League Third Division South 47
Torquay United Football League Third Division South 42
Argonauts None 16
Kettering Town Southern League 3
Peterborough & Fletton United Southern League 2

References

  1. ^ England – Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
  2. ^ Kettering Town at the Football Club History Database
  3. ^ A history of admission to the Football League