1926–27 Southern Football League

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The 1926–27 season was the 29th in the history of the Southern League. The league consisted of Eastern and Western Divisions.[1] Brighton & Hove Albion II won the Eastern Division and Torquay United won the Western Division. Brighton reserves were declared Southern League champions after defeating Torquay 4–0 in a championship play-off.[2]

Four clubs from the Southern League applied to join the Football League, with Torquay being successful in a second round of voting. Five clubs (all reserve teams) left the league at the end of the season.

Eastern Division

Southern Football League Eastern Division
Season 1926-27
Champions Brighton & Hove Albion II (2nd title)
Promoted none
Relegated Portsmouth II (resigned)
Reading II (resigned)
Luton Town II (resigned)
Leicester City II (resigned)
Watford II (resigned)
Matches played 272
Goals scored 1195 (4.39 per match)

A total of 17 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and two new teams.

Newly elected teams:

Pos Club P W D L GF GA GAv1 Pts2 Notes
1 Brighton & Hove Albion II 32 21 6 5 86 47 1.82 48
2 Peterborough & Fletton United 32 18 9 5 80 39 2.05 45
3 Portsmouth II 32 19 6 7 95 65 1.46 44 Left league at end of season
4 Kettering Town 32 15 10 7 66 41 1.60 40
5 Millwall 32 16 5 11 67 56 1.19 37
6 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II 32 14 6 12 69 64 1.07 34
7 Norwich City II 32 14 5 13 79 74 1.06 33
8 Dartford 32 13 7 12 60 71 0.84 33
9 Reading II 32 12 8 12 75 79 0.94 32 Left league at end of season
10 Luton Town II 32 10 11 11 75 70 1.07 31 Left league at end of season
11 Leicester City II 32 12 5 15 94 72 1.30 29 Left league at end of season
12 Watford II 32 10 8 14 74 84 0.88 28 Left league at end of season
13 Southampton II 32 10 6 16 57 77 0.74 26
14 Poole 32 9 6 17 55 86 0.63 24
15 Grays Thurrock United 32 10 3 19 49 66 0.74 23
16 Guildford United 32 6 7 19 57 106 0.53 19 Changed name to Guildford City at end of season
17 Folkestone 32 7 4 21 57 98 0.58 18

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.

Western Division

Southern Football League Western Division
Season 1926-27
Champions Torquay United
Promoted Torquay United
Relegated none
Matches played 182
Goals scored 757 (4.16 per match)

A total of 14 teams contest the division, including 13 sides from previous season and one new team.

Newly elected teams:

  • Newport County II
Pos Club P W D L GF GA GAv1 Pts2 Notes
1 Torquay United 26 17 4 5 63 30 2.1 38 Elected to the 1927–28 Football League
2 Bristol City II 26 14 10 2 77 37 2.08 38
3 Plymouth Argyle II 26 15 4 7 56 38 1.47 34
4 Ebbw Vale 26 14 2 10 67 45 1.48 30
5 Bristol Rovers II 26 12 4 10 51 43 1.18 28
6 Swindon Town II 26 11 5 10 60 57 1.05 27
7 Barry 26 11 4 11 65 50 1.3 26
8 Exeter City II 26 10 6 10 62 49 1.26 26
9 Weymouth 26 12 2 12 48 65 0.73 26
10 Newport County II 26 9 6 11 57 53 1.07 24
11 Bath City 26 7 9 10 44 52 0.84 23
12 Yeovil & Petters United 26 9 5 12 49 66 0.74 23
13 Taunton United 26 4 4 18 36 83 0.43 12 Changed name to Taunton Town at end of season
14 Mid Rhondda United 26 2 5 19 22 89 0.24 9

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.

Football League election

Four Southern League clubs applied to join the Football League this season, entering the ballot alongside the bottom two from the Third Division South. Although Watford were re-elected, Aberdare Athletic received the same number of votes as Southern League Torquay United, leading to a second round, in which Torquay won more votes. Aberdare took Torquay's place in the Southern League the following season.

Aberdare's loss was controversial, as one ballot paper in the first round had been spoilt and Aberdare's secretary claimed that one of the scrutineers was 'an interested party'.[3]

Club League First round votes Second round votes
Watford Football League Third Division South 44
Torquay United Southern League 21 26
Aberdare Athletic Football League Third Division South 21 19
Kettering Town Southern League 1
Yeovil & Petters United Southern League 1
Ebbw Vale Southern League 0

References