1997–98 Southern Football League

March 2026 The 1997–98 Southern Football League season was the 95th in the history of the league, an English football competition. Forest Green Rovers won the Premier Division at the first attempt and earned promotion to the Football Conference for the first time in their history. Sittingbourne, Ashford Town (Kent) and St. Leonards Stamcroft were relegated to the Midland and Southern Divisions, whilst Bromsgrove Rovers were reprieved after the Southern Division runners-up Chelmsford City were denied in promotion due to ground grading. Ilkeston Town, Grantham Town and Weymouth were promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions. No clubs were relegated to level eight leagues this season, though Southern Division clubs Trowbridge Town folded and Fareham Town voluntary demoted to the Wessex League. Premier Division The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs from the previous season and six new clubs: Two clubs promoted from the Midland Division: Rothwell Town Tamworth Two clubs promoted from the Southern Division: Forest Green Rovers St. Leonards Stamcroft Two clubs relegated from the Football Conference: Bath City Bromsgrove Rovers League table Southern Football LeaguePremier Division 1997–98 Forest Green Rovers Forest Green Rovers Ashford Town (Kent)SittingbourneSt.Leonards Stamcroft 462 1372 1996–97 1998–99 main WDL PR Premier Division FGR Forest Green Rovers MER Merthyr Tydfil BRT Burton Albion DOR Dorchester Town HAL Halesowen Town BAT Bath City WOR Worcester City KLY King's Lynn ATH Atherstone United CRA Crawley Town GLO Gloucester City NUN Nuneaton Borough CAM Cambridge City HAS Hastings Town TAM Tamworth ROT Rothwell Town GRE Gresley Rovers SAL Salisbury City BRO Bromsgrove Rovers SIT Sittingbourne ASH Ashford Town (Kent) STL St. Leonards Stamcroft 27 8 7 93 55 24 12 6 80 42 21 8 13 64 43 19 13 10 63 38 18 15 9 70 38 19 12 11 72 51 19 11 12 53 44 19 10 13 64 64 17 12 13 55 49 17 8 17 63 60 16 11 15 57 57 17 6 19 68 61 16 8 18 62 70 14 12 16 67 70 14 11 17 68 65 11 16 15 55 73 14 6 22 59 77 12 12 18 53 72 13 6 23 67 85 12 8 22 47 66 8 5 29 34 85 5 10 27 48 97 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Football Conference P inherit Reprieved from relegation REP #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 21 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs: Blakenall, promoted from the Midland Alliance Brackley Town, promoted from the Hellenic League Wisbech Town, promoted from the Eastern Counties League Also, at the end of the previous season Hinckley Town merged with Midland Alliance club Hinckley Athletic to form Hinckley United. League table Southern Football LeagueMidland Division 1997–98 Grantham Town Grantham TownIlkeston Town 420 1302 1996–97 1998–99 main WDL PR Midland Division GRN Grantham Town ILK Ilkeston Town SOL Solihull Borough RAU Raunds Town WIS Wisbech Town MOO Moor Green BIL Bilston Town BLA Blakenall STA Stafford Rangers RED Redditch United STO Stourbridge HIN Hinckley United BRA Brackley Town BWU Bedworth United RCW Racing Club Warwick SHE Shepshed Dynamo SUT Sutton Coldfield Town PAG Paget Rangers RUG VS Rugby EVE Evesham United COR Corby Town 30 4 6 87 39 29 6 5 123 39 22 9 9 81 48 20 8 12 73 44 20 7 13 79 56 20 7 13 72 55 20 5 15 69 57 17 13 10 66 56 18 6 16 57 56 16 11 13 58 40 16 9 15 56 55 15 11 14 59 56 15 7 18 44 57 15 5 20 50 73 11 9 20 49 56 9 14 17 55 74 9 12 19 42 68 9 12 19 40 75 8 12 20 53 93 7 9 24 48 94 2 8 30 41 111 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #CCCCFF Transferred to the Southern Division T T T 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 19 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs, relegated from the Premier Division: Baldock Town Chelmsford City Newport At the end of the season Havant Town and Waterlooville merged to form a new club Havant & Waterlooville. League table Southern Football LeagueSouthern Division 1997–98 Weymouth Weymouth 462 1470 1996–97 1998–99 main WDL PR Southern Division WEY Weymouth CHE Chelmsford City BAS Bashley NEW Newport (Isle of Wight) FIS Fisher Athletic MAR Margate NPC Newport WIT Witney Town CLE Clevedon Town WAT Waterlooville DAR Dartford HAV Havant Town FLE Fleet Town TON Tonbridge Angels TRO Trowbridge Town E&B Erith & Belvedere FAR Fareham Town CIR Cirencester Town WSM Weston-super-Mare BAL Baldock Town CIN Cinderford Town YAT Yate Town 32 2 8 107 48 29 8 5 86 39 29 4 9 101 59 25 9 8 72 34 25 5 12 87 50 23 8 11 71 42 21 6 15 83 65 20 9 13 74 58 20 7 15 57 55 17 7 18 69 64 17 7 18 60 60 13 14 15 65 70 16 5 21 63 83 14 10 18 49 55 14 6 22 55 69 11 13 18 47 68 12 9 21 75 87 12 7 23 63 88 12 5 25 49 86 10 5 27 53 81 6 5 31 40 112 5 7 30 44 97 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P inherit Denied promotion D #CCCCFF Transferred to the Midland Division T T T T #FFCCCC Merged into Havant & Waterlooville M M #FFCCCC Club folded FLD #FFCCCC Resigned to the Wessex League DEM complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. See also Southern Football League 1997–98 Isthmian League 1997–98 Northern Premier League References Category:Southern Football League seasons 6