1897–98 Western Football League

Western Football League 1897–98 Bristol City (Professional Section)Bedminster (Amateur Division One)Hanham (Amateur Division Two) 1896–97 1898–99 The 1897–98 season was the sixth in the history of the Western Football League. For this season the league was restructured, with a new Professional Section being formed, taking five clubs from Division One and three new clubs joining. Division One and Division Two remained as the Amateur Section, with four clubs being promoted from Division Two to Division One, and several new clubs joining both divisions. Bristol City were the champions of the new Professional Section, and also competed in the Southern League during this season, along with Swindon Town, Reading and Warmley. Division One of the Amateur Section was won by Bedminster, and the Division Two champions were newcomers Hanham. Many clubs left the Amateur Section at the end of the season, necessitating a merger of the two amateur divisions for the following season.Robinson, Michael (ed.), Non-League Football Tables 1889–2006, Soccer Books, 2006 Professional section The three new clubs admitted to the league to play in this eight-club section were: Eastleigh Athletic Reading Swindon Town Bristol South End changed their name to Bristol City St George changed their name to Bristol St George main WDL Result 2 y BRC Bristol City SWI Swindon Town REA Reading ROM Bristol St George BRR Eastville Rovers WAR Warmley EAS Eastleigh Athletic TRO Trowbridge Town 11 1 2 51 16 9 1 4 32 15 7 2 5 29 25 6 3 5 25 27 6 2 6 38 25 5 3 6 36 27 3 2 9 22 55 2 0 12 15 58 #ACE1AF Left to concentrate on the Southern League Division One SL SL #ACE1AF Joined Southern League Division One at the end of the season JSL complete Amateur Division One This ten-club division was a continuation of the old Division One, with six new clubs: Barton Hill, promoted from the old Division Two Eastville Wanderers, promoted from the old Division Two Fishponds, promoted from the old Division Two Mangotsfield, promoted from the old Division Two Midsomer Norton, also playing in the Somerset Senior League Radstock, also playing in the Somerset Senior League main WDL Result 2 y BED Bedminster STA Staple Hill FIS Fishponds MID Midsomer Norton BAR Barton Hill RAD Radstock STP St Paul's EAS Eastville Wanderers MAN Mangotsfield CLI Clifton 15 0 1 65 11 P 11 1 4 38 15 8 2 6 26 30 7 2 7 23 33 6 2 8 25 29 5 4 7 17 28 4 3 9 15 28 4 1 11 15 26 1 7 8 5 29 0 0 0 0 0 #ACE1AF Promoted to Professional Section PPS #ffcccc Left to concentrate on the Somerset Senior League SSL #ffcccc Left the league at the end of the season LFT LFT LFT #cccccc Resigned, record expunged Clifton resigned early in the season, and their record was expunged. RES complete Amateur Division Two This eight-club division was a continuation of the old Division Two, with seven new clubs: Barton Hill Reserves Cotham Eastville Wanderers Reserves Fishponds Reserves Hanham Royal Artillery (Horfield) (not to be confused with Royal Artillery Portsmouth F.C.) St Paul's Reserves main WDL Result 5 2 y HAN Hanham COT Cotham BAR Barton Hill Reserves STP St Paul's Reserves FIS Fishponds Reserves BED Bedminster Reserves EAS Eastville Wanderers Reserves ROY Royal Artillery (Horfield) 9 1 0 32 8 8 0 2 32 16 4 2 4 20 14 2 2 6 19 26 1 1 8 10 25 1 0 9 10 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns. #ffcccc Left the league at the end of the season LFT LFT LFT LFT #cccccc Resigned, record expunged Eastville Wanderers Reserves and Royal Artillery (Horfield) resigned early in the season, and their records were expunged. RES RES The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing. complete References 1897–98 Category:1897–98 in English men's football leagues