1986–87 Southern Football League

March 2026 The 1986–87 Southern Football League season was the 84th in the history of the league, an English football competition. Fisher Athletic won the Premier Division and earned promotion to the Football Conference, whilst Basingstoke Town, Leamington and Woodford Town left the league at the end of the season. The Southern League Cup was lifted by Waterlooville, who won both legs of the final against Hednesford Town. Premier Division The Premier Division expanded up to 22 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs: Two clubs promoted from the Midland Division: Bromsgrove Rovers Redditch United Two clubs promoted from the Southern Division: Cambridge City Salisbury Plus: Dartford, relegated from the Alliance Premier League League table Southern Football LeaguePremier Division 1986–87 Fisher Athletic Fisher Athletic Dudley TownFolkestoneKing's LynnSalisbury 462 1248 1985–86 1987–88 main WDL PR Premier Division FIS Fisher Athletic BRO Bromsgrove Rovers AYL Aylesbury United DAR Dartford CHE Chelmsford City CAM Cambridge City RED Redditch United ALV Alvechurch COR Corby Town WOR Worcester City CHR Shepshed Charterhouse BWU Bedworth United CRA Crawley Town FAR Fareham Town WIL Willenhall Town BAS Basingstoke Town WIT Witney Town GOS Gosport Borough SAL Salisbury KLY King's Lynn DUD Dudley Town FOL Folkestone 25 11 6 72 29 24 11 7 82 41 24 11 7 72 40 19 12 11 76 43 17 13 12 48 45 14 20 8 68 52 16 14 12 59 54 18 8 16 66 62 14 17 11 65 51 16 11 15 62 55 16 10 16 59 59 15 12 15 55 51 14 11 17 59 60 11 17 14 58 49 13 11 18 48 57 12 12 18 53 78 12 12 18 29 56 11 13 18 42 57 12 7 23 52 82 9 13 20 48 72 9 9 24 39 76 8 11 23 36 79 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Football Conference P #CCCCFF Transferred to the Isthmian League Premier Division TI #ffcccc Relegated to the Midland Division R1 R1 #ffcccc Relegated to the Southern Division R2 R2 complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Midland Division The Midland Division consisted of 20 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and two new clubs: Buckingham Town, joined from the United Counties League Halesowen Town, joined from the West Midlands (Regional) League At the end of the season Grantham was renamed Grantham Town. League table Southern Football LeagueMidland Division 1986–87 VS Rugby VS RugbyLeicester United 380 1267 1985–86 1987–88 main WDL PR Midland Division RUG VS Rugby LEI Leicester United MER Merthyr Tydfil MOO Moor Green HAL Halesowen Town HED Hednesford Town GLO Gloucester City COV Coventry Sporting FOR Forest Green Rovers STO Stourbridge GRN Grantham BAN Banbury United BUC Buckingham Town BRI Bridgnorth Town WEL Wellingborough Town MIL Mile Oak Rovers SUT Sutton Coldfield Town BIL Bilston Town LEA Leamington RUS Rushden Town 25 5 8 81 43 26 1 11 89 49 23 6 9 95 54 22 6 10 73 55 19 12 7 72 50 21 5 12 84 56 19 5 14 77 59 17 8 13 55 54 16 9 13 65 53 16 7 15 56 56 15 9 14 74 54 14 7 17 55 65 13 9 16 55 59 12 9 17 59 63 13 6 19 55 76 11 10 17 50 63 8 10 20 56 78 8 7 23 37 76 4 13 21 37 80 1 10 27 42 124 yellow1 Qualification for the 1987–88 European Cup Winners' Cup first round ECWC1 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Resigned to the Midland Combination R complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Southern Division The Southern Division consisted of 20 clubs, including 19 clubs from the previous season and one new club: Gravesend & Northfleet, relegated from the Premier Division At the end of the season Burnham & Hillingdon changed name to Burnham. League table Southern Football LeagueSouthern Division 1986–87 Dorchester Town Ashford Town (Kent)Dorchester Town 380 1179 1985–86 1987–88 main WDL PR Southern Division DOR Dorchester Town ASH Ashford Town (Kent) WOO Woodford Town HAS Hastings Town DOV Dover Athletic GRN Gravesend & Northfleet TON Tonbridge E&B Erith & Belvedere CHA Chatham Town MAR Thanet United WAT Waterlooville TRO Trowbridge Town DUN Dunstable COR Corinthian SHE Sheppey United AND Andover BRN Burnham & Hillingdon POO Poole Town RUI Ruislip CAN Canterbury City 23 8 7 83 42 23 7 8 63 32 22 6 10 72 44 20 10 8 74 54 20 6 12 66 43 18 7 13 67 46 16 10 12 73 67 15 12 11 57 50 16 9 13 52 46 14 14 10 56 50 16 8 14 66 65 15 9 14 77 65 13 9 16 60 57 11 12 15 56 65 9 12 17 43 64 9 9 20 51 80 7 11 20 32 62 8 6 24 50 90 6 12 20 35 75 8 5 25 46 82 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #ffcccc Resigned to the Essex Senior League ESL #CCCCFF Transferred to the Midland Division TM complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. See also Southern Football League 1986–87 Isthmian League 1986–87 Northern Premier League References Category:Southern Football League seasons 6