Southern Football League 1898-99

The 1898-99 Southern Football League season was the 5th in the history of the Southern League, a football competition in England. The League was comprised of future Football League sides and non-league clubs. The teams in the League were divided into three groups; the First, Second London, or Second South-West Divisions.

First Division teams

* Bedminster
* Brighton United
* Bristol City
* Chatham Town
* Millwall Athletic
* New Brompton
* Gravesend United
* Reading
* Royal Artillery
* Sheppey United
* Southampton
* Swindon Town
* Tottenham Hotspur
* Warmley

Second Division London teams

* Brentford
* Chesham
* Fulham
* Maidenhead
* Shepherd's Bush
* Southall
* St Albans
* Thames Ironworks
* Uxbridge
* Watford
* Wolverton L & NWR
* Wycombe Wanderers

Second Division South-West teams

* Andover
* Cowes
* East Lancs Regiment
* Eastleigh I
* Freemantle
* Ryde
* Sandown Bay
* Trowbridge Town

Division One final table

^{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.}

^{3 The East Lancs Regiment and Trowbridge Town resigned from the League after 3 matches.}

Promotion and relegation

In the fifth season of the Southern League First Division teams were still not put forward for election to the Football League nor automatically promoted. Conversely, no sides were relegated due to Warmley resigning from the League. Two sides were elected to Division One; Queen's Park Rangers and Bristol Rovers. In the Second Division London St Albans folded at the end of the season while Uxbridge left the League; newly-elected sides Grays United and Dartford (the latter returning after a year's absence) took their places. The Second Division South-West was disbanded at the end of the season, with only Cowes (as its winner) surviving; the rest of the teams left the League.

External links

* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html Southern League First Division Tables at RSSSF]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html#tab2 Southern League Second Division Tables at RSSSF]