1914–15 Southern Football League

The 1914–15 season was the 21st in the history of the Southern League. Watford won Division One and Stoke finished top of the Division Two.[1] Stoke were the only club to apply for election to the Football League and were successful. However, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, thus entering World War I. The Football League and Southern League ceased operations until the war ended in November 1918. The next season would be 1919–20.

Division One
Southern Football League Division One
Season1914–15
ChampionsWatford (1st title)
PromotedWest Ham United
RelegatedCroydon Common (resigned)
Matches played380
Goals scored1,131 (2.98 per match)

A total of 20 teams contest the division, including 18 sides from previous season and two new teams. Teams promoted from 1913–14 Division Two:

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Watford 38 22 8 8 68 46 1.478 52
2 Reading 38 21 7 10 68 43 1.581 49
3 Cardiff City 38 22 4 12 72 38 1.895 48
4 West Ham United 38 18 9 11 58 47 1.234 45 Elected to the 1919–20 Football League after World War I
5 Northampton Town 38 19 5 14 56 51 1.098 43
6 Southampton 38 19 5 14 78 74 1.054 43
7 Portsmouth 38 16 10 12 54 42 1.286 42
8 Millwall 38 16 10 12 50 51 0.980 42
9 Swindon Town 38 15 11 12 77 59 1.305 41
10 Brighton & Hove Albion 38 16 7 15 46 47 0.979 39
11 Exeter City 38 15 8 15 50 41 1.220 38
12 Queens Park Rangers 38 13 12 13 55 56 0.982 38
13 Norwich City 38 11 14 13 53 56 0.946 36
14 Luton Town 38 13 8 17 61 73 0.836 34
15 Crystal Palace 38 13 8 17 47 61 0.770 34
16 Bristol Rovers 38 14 3 21 53 75 0.707 31
17 Plymouth Argyle 38 8 14 16 51 61 0.836 30
18 Southend United 38 10 8 20 44 64 0.688 28
19 Croydon Common 38 9 9 20 47 63 0.746 27 Relegated to Division Two, but did not rejoin league after World War I
20 Gillingham 38 6 8 24 43 83 0.518 20
Source:
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up 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
Season1914–15
ChampionsStoke
PromotedMerthyr Town
Swansea Town
Brentford
Newport County
Stoke (to Football League)
Coventry City (to Football League)
RelegatedStalybridge Celtic (resigned)
Matches played156
Goals scored1,131 (7.25 per match)

A total of 13 teams contest the division, including 9 sides from previous season, two teams relegated from Division One and two new teams.

Teams relegated from 1913–14 Division One:

Newly elected teams:

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Stoke 24 17 4 3 62 15 4.133 38 Elected to the 1919–20 Football League
2 Stalybridge Celtic 24 17 3 4 47 22 2.136 37 Promoted to Division One but left league after World War I to join the Lancashire Combination
3 Merthyr Town 24 15 5 4 46 20 2.300 35 Elected to 1919–20 Division One after World War I
4 Swansea Town 24 16 1 7 48 21 2.286 33
5 Coventry City 24 13 2 9 56 33 1.697 28 Elected to the 1919–20 Football League after World War I
6 Ton Pentre 24 11 6 7 42 43 0.977 28
7 Brentford 24 8 7 9 35 45 0.778 23 Elected to 1919–20 Division One after World War I
8 Llanelly 24 10 1 13 39 32 1.219 21
9 Barry 24 6 5 13 30 35 0.857 17
10 Newport County 24 7 3 14 27 42 0.643 17 Elected to 1919–20 Division One after World War I
11 Pontypridd 24 5 6 13 31 58 0.534 16
12 Mid Rhondda 24 3 6 15 17 49 0.347 12
13 Ebbw Vale 24 3 1 20 23 88 0.261 7
Source:
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up 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 elections

1915

Stoke were the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League.[2] They were successful, and replaced Glossop North End, who received only one vote. However, the League ceased operations for the war after its AGM and did not resume until 1919.

Club League Votes
Leicester FosseFootball League33
StokeSouthern League21
South ShieldsNorth Eastern League11
ChesterfieldMidland League8
DarlingtonNorth Eastern League4
Glossop North EndFootball League1

1919

Following World War I the Football League expanded from 40 to 44 clubs, creating four vacancies. Two Southern League clubs, Coventry City and West Ham United applied and were successful in the elections.

Club League Votes
Coventry CitySouthern League35
West Ham UnitedSouthern League32
South ShieldsNorth Eastern League28
Rotherham CountyMidland League28
Port ValeCentral League27
SouthportCentral League7
RochdaleLancashire Combination7
Chesterfield TownMidland League0

References
  1. England - Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
  2. A history of admission to the Football League
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