1919–20 Southern Football League

The 1919–20 season was the 22nd in the history of the Southern League, and the first following World War I. Portsmouth won the Southern League championship for the second time, whilst Mid Rhondda won Division Two. There were no promotions or relegations between divisions at the end of the season as all of the clubs in Division One bar Cardiff City were elected to the new Division Three of the Football League, with Cardiff elected to Division Two.

With only 10 clubs remaining (Caerphilly left the league) the league went through a realignment. The league was split into two national sections for England and Wales, with the winners of each section contesting a playoff for the Southern League championship. The remaining clubs in Division Two moved to the Welsh Section. In the English Section, Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves, Chatham Town, Millwall Reserves, Portsmouth Reserves, Reading Reserves, Southampton Reserves, and Watford Reserves rejoined the Southern League. New clubs to join were Boscombe, Charlton Athletic, Gillingham Reserves, Luton Town Reserves, Norwich City Reserves, and Thornycrofts.

Division One

Southern Football League Division One
Season 1919–20
Champions Portsmouth (2nd title)
Promoted Cardiff City
Relegated none
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1275 (2.76 per match)

A total of 22 teams contest the division, including 18 sides from previous season and four new teams.

Teams promoted from 1914-15 Division Two:

PosClubPWDLGFGAGAv1Pts2
1Portsmouth422312773272.7058
2Watford422661069421.6458
3Crystal Palace422212869431.6156
4Cardiff City421817770431.6353Elected to the 1920-21 Football League Second Division
5Plymouth Argyle4220101257291.9750
6Queens Park Rangers4218101462501.2446
7Reading4216131351431.1945
8Southampton421881672631.1444
9Swansea Town4216111553451.1843
10Exeter City421791657511.1243
11Southend United4213171246480.9643
12Norwich City4215111664571.1241
13Swindon Town421771865680.9641
14Millwall4214121652550.9534
15Brentford4215101752590.8840
16Brighton & Hove Albion421482060720.8336
17Bristol Rovers4211131861780.7835
18Newport County421372245700.6433
19Northampton Town4212921641030.6233
20Luton Town4210102251760.6730
21Merthyr Town429112247780.6029
22Gillingham421072534740.4627

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

Southern Football League Division Two
Season 1919–20
Champions Mid Rhondda
Promoted none
Relegated Caerphilly (resigned)
Matches played 110
Goals scored 416 (3.78 per match)

A total of 11 teams contest the division, including six sides from previous season and five new teams.

Newly elected teams:

PosClubPWDLGF1GA1GAv2Pts3Notes
1Mid Rhondda20173079107.9037
2Ton Pentre20127150143.5731
3Llanelly20105547301.5725
4Pontypridd20103733291.1423
5Ebbw Vale2077638400.9521
6Barry2075832271.1919
7Mardy2075829300.9719
8Abertillery2065929400.7317
9Porth Athletic20441230740.4112
10Aberaman Athletic20431328480.5811
11Caerphilly20131620740.275Left league at end of season

1 Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.

2 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.

3 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Football League elections

Cardiff City were the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League.[1] They were successful and, along with Leeds United, replaced Grimsby Town and Lincoln City in the Football League Second Division.

Club League Votes
Leeds UnitedMidland League31
Cardiff CitySouthern League23
Grimsby TownFootball League20
Lincoln CityFootball League7
WalsallBirmingham & District League3

After the voting, 21 clubs remained in Southern League alongside Grimsby, having gained more votes than other non-elected clubs, were then elected into the newly created Third Division.

References

External links

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