2002–03 Southern Football League

March 2026 The 2002–03 Southern Football League season was the 100th in the history of the league, an English football competition. Tamworth won the Premier Division and earned promotion to the Football Conference for the first time. Halesowen Town, Hastings United, Ilkeston Town and Folkestone Invicta were relegated from the Premier Division, whilst Dorchester Town, Merthyr Tydfil, Eastbourne Borough and Weston-super-Mare were promoted from the Eastern and Western Divisions, the former two as champions. Spalding United, St Leonards, Rocester and Racing Club Warwick were all relegated to the eighth level. Premier Division The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs: Two clubs promoted from the Eastern Division: Hastings Town, who also changed name to Hastings United Grantham Town Two clubs promoted from the Western Division: Chippenham Town Halesowen Town Plus: Dover Athletic, relegated from the Football Conference League table Southern Football LeaguePremier Division 2002–03 Tamworth Tamworth Folkestone InvictaHalesowen TownHastings UnitedIlkeston Town 462 1257 2001–02 2003–04 main WDL PR Premier Division TAM Tamworth STA Stafford Rangers DOV Dover Athletic TIV Tiverton Town CHI Chippenham Town WOR Worcester City CRA Crawley Town H&W Havant & Waterlooville CHE Chelmsford City NPC Newport County HED Hednesford Town MOO Moor Green HIN Hinckley United BAT Bath City WEL Welling United GRN Grantham Town WEY Weymouth CAM Cambridge City HAL Halesowen Town HAS Hastings United ILK Ilkeston Town FOL Folkestone Invicta 26 10 6 73 32 21 12 9 76 40 19 14 9 42 35 19 12 11 60 43 17 17 8 59 37 18 13 11 60 39 17 13 12 64 51 15 15 12 67 64 15 12 15 65 63 15 11 16 53 52 14 13 15 59 60 13 14 15 49 58 12 16 14 61 64 13 13 16 50 61 13 12 17 55 58 14 9 19 59 65 12 15 15 44 62 13 10 19 54 56 12 13 17 52 63 10 13 19 44 57 10 10 22 54 92 7 7 28 57 105 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Football Conference P #ffcccc Relegated to the Eastern Division R1 R1 #ffcccc Relegated to the Western Division R2 R2 complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Eastern Division The Eastern Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Three clubs relegated from the Premier Division: King's Lynn Newport (Isle of Wight) Salisbury City Plus: Fleet Town, promoted from the Wessex League League table Southern Football LeagueEastern Division 2002–03 Dorchester Town Dorchester TownEastbourne Borough Spalding UnitedSt. Leonards 462 1497 2001–02 2003–04 main WDL PR Eastern Division DOR Dorchester Town EBB Eastbourne Borough STA Stamford SAL Salisbury City BAS Bashley KLY King's Lynn ROT Rothwell Town BAN Banbury United TON Tonbridge Angels HIS Histon ASH Ashford Town (Kent) SIT Sittingbourne BRN Burnham FIS Fisher Athletic CHA Chatham Town NPI Newport (Isle of Wight) DAR Dartford E&B Erith & Belvedere COR Corby Town FLE Fleet Town SPA Spalding United STL St. Leonards 28 9 5 114 40 29 6 7 92 33 27 6 9 80 39 27 8 7 81 42 -3 23 12 7 90 44 24 7 11 98 62 22 10 10 77 52 21 11 10 75 50 20 11 11 71 55 20 7 15 99 62 18 9 15 63 57 15 8 19 57 69 15 7 20 62 79 15 5 22 57 80 14 5 23 54 84 12 6 24 53 87 11 8 23 48 78 11 6 25 65 96 9 11 22 49 84 8 8 26 34 80 4 6 32 40 108 4 4 34 38 116 Salisbury City were deducted three points. #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Relegated to the United Counties League RUCL #ffcccc Relegated to the Sussex County League RSCL complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Western Division The Western Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Bromsgrove Rovers, promoted from the Midland Alliance Merthyr Tydfil, relegated from the Premier Division Rugby United, transferred from the Eastern Division Taunton Town, promoted from the Western League League table Southern Football LeagueWestern Division 2002–03 Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr TydfilWeston-super-Mare Racing Club WarwickRocester 462 1382 2001–02 2003–04 main WDL PR Western Division MER Merthyr Tydfil WSM Weston-super-Mare BRO Bromsgrove Rovers SHB Solihull Borough GLO Gloucester City MAN Mangotsfield United RED Redditch United RUG Rugby United GRE Gresley Rovers TAU Taunton Town SUT Sutton Coldfield Town EVE Evesham United CLE Clevedon Town CIR Cirencester Town CIN Cinderford Town SHE Shepshed Dynamo SPS Stourport Swifts BWU Bedworth United SWI Swindon Supermarine ATH Atherstone United ROC Rocester RCW Racing Club Warwick 28 8 6 78 32 26 7 9 77 42 23 7 12 73 41 21 13 8 77 48 22 9 11 87 58 21 10 11 106 53 22 6 14 76 42 20 9 13 58 43 19 10 13 63 54 20 7 15 76 78 18 10 14 63 53 19 6 17 76 72 14 13 15 54 60 15 7 20 62 82 13 12 17 50 67 12 6 24 48 76 10 11 21 48 66 11 7 24 46 74 11 5 26 52 85 9 10 23 45 78 9 10 23 34 74 3 9 30 33 104 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Relegated to the Midland Alliance R R complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. See also Southern Football League 2002–03 Isthmian League 2002–03 Northern Premier League References Category:Southern Football League seasons 6