1996–97 Southern Football League

March 2026 The 1996–97 Southern Football League season was the 94th in the history of the league, an English football competition. Gresley Rovers won the Premier Division. However, as their ground failed to meet the required standard, second-placed Cheltenham Town were promoted to the Football Conference instead. Baldock Town, Chelmsford City and Newport were relegated to the Midland and Southern Divisions, whilst Sudbury Town (who had finished in thirteenth place) resigned from the league and dropped into the Eastern Counties League due to financial problems. Tamworth, Forest Green Rovers, Rothwell Town and St Leonards Stamcroft (in their first season in the Southern League) were promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions of their divisions. Meanwhile, Midland Division club Dudley Town resigned from the league at the end of the season and did not compete in any competitions the following season. Leicester United folded during the season, and Buckingham Town were relegated to the United Counties League. Premier Division The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Two clubs promoted from the Midland Division: King's Lynn Nuneaton Borough Two clubs promoted from the Southern Division: Ashford Town (Kent) Sittingbourne League table Southern Football LeaguePremier Division 1996–97 Gresley Rovers Cheltenham Town Baldock TownChelmsford CityNewport 462 1351 1995–96 1997–98 main WDL PR Premier Division GRE Gresley Rovers CHT Cheltenham Town GLO Gloucester City HAL Halesowen Town KLY King's Lynn BRT Burton Albion NUN Nuneaton Borough SIT Sittingbourne MER Merthyr Tydfil WOR Worcester City ATH Atherstone United SAL Salisbury City SUD Sudbury Town GRN Gravesend & Northfleet DOR Dorchester Town HAS Hastings Town CRA Crawley Town CAM Cambridge City ASH Ashford Town (Kent) BAL Baldock Town NPC Newport CHM Chelmsford City 25 10 7 75 40 21 11 10 76 44 21 10 11 81 56 21 10 11 77 54 20 8 14 65 61 18 12 12 70 53 19 9 14 61 52 19 7 16 76 65 17 9 16 69 61 15 14 13 52 50 15 13 14 46 47 15 13 14 57 66 16 7 19 72 72 16 7 19 63 73 14 9 19 62 66 12 15 15 49 60 13 8 21 49 67 11 13 18 57 65 9 18 15 53 79 11 8 23 52 90 9 13 20 40 60 6 14 22 49 70 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Football Conference P #ffcccc Resigned to the Eastern Counties League DROP #CCCCFF Transferred to the Isthmian League T #ffcccc Relegated to the Southern Division R R R complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Midland Division The Midland Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs: Three clubs relegated from the Premier Division: Ilkeston Town Stafford Rangers VS Rugby Plus: Raunds Town, promoted from the United Counties League Shepshed Dynamo, promoted from the Midland Alliance At the end of the season Hinckley Town merged with Midland Alliance club Hinckley Athletic to form Hinckley United. League table Southern Football LeagueMidland Division 1996–97 Tamworth Rothwell TownTamworth 420 1348 1995–96 1997–98 main WDL PR Midland Division TAM Tamworth ROT Rothwell Town ILK Ilkeston Town GRN Grantham Town BWU Bedworth United SOL Solihull Borough BIL Bilston Town MOO Moor Green STA Stafford Rangers RAU Raunds Town RCW Racing Club Warwick SHE Shepshed Dynamo RED Redditch United PAG Paget Rangers DUD Dudley Town HIN Hinckley Town STO Stourbridge EVE Evesham United RUG VS Rugby COR Corby Town SUT Sutton Coldfield Town LEI Leicester United 30 7 3 90 28 20 11 9 82 54 19 13 8 76 50 22 4 14 65 46 18 11 11 77 41 19 8 13 84 62 18 10 12 74 57 18 7 15 88 68 17 9 14 68 62 16 11 13 61 65 16 10 14 70 72 14 12 14 64 65 15 8 17 56 59 13 9 18 42 55 12 10 18 69 89 11 11 18 39 63 10 9 21 61 81 9 12 19 55 77 9 9 22 49 81 8 8 24 49 88 7 9 24 29 85 0 0 0 0 0 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Resigned from league RES yellow Merged with Hinckley Athletic to form Hinckley United MER #cccccc Club folded, record expunged FLD complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Southern Division The Southern Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Buckingham Town, transferred from the Midland Division Cirencester Town, promoted from the Hellenic League Dartford, promoted from the Kent League Stamco, who also changed name to St. Leonards Stamcroft, promoted from the Sussex County League League table Southern Football LeagueSouthern Division 1996–97 Forest Green Rovers Forest Green RoversSt. Leonards Stamcroft Buckingham Town 462 1444 1995–96 1997–98 main WDL PR Southern Division FGR Forest Green Rovers STL St. Leonards Stamcroft HAV Havant Town WSM Weston-super-Mare MAR Margate WIT Witney Town WEY Weymouth TON Tonbridge Angels NEW Newport (Isle of Wight) FIS Fisher Athletic CLE Clevedon Town FAR Fareham Town BAS Bashley DAR Dartford WAT Waterlooville CIR Cirencester Town CIN Cinderford Town TRO Trowbridge Town YAT Yate Town FLE Fleet Town E&B Erith & Belvedere BUC Buckingham Town 27 10 5 87 40 26 9 7 94 48 23 10 9 81 49 21 13 8 82 43 21 9 12 70 47 20 11 11 71 42 20 10 12 82 51 17 15 10 56 44 15 15 12 73 58 18 6 18 77 77 17 9 16 75 76 14 12 16 53 69 15 8 19 73 84 14 10 18 59 64 14 9 19 58 67 12 12 18 50 68 13 7 22 64 76 11 11 20 50 61 12 8 22 55 87 12 6 24 47 91 9 10 23 60 95 2 8 32 27 107 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Relegated to the United Counties League R complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. See also Southern Football League 1996–97 Isthmian League 1996–97 Northern Premier League References Category:Southern Football League seasons 6