1976–77 Southern Football League

March 2026 The 1976–77 Southern Football League season was the 74th in the history of the league, an English football competition. It was the first Southern Football League season to use goal difference as a tie-breaker. Wimbledon won the championship, winning their third Southern League title in a row and was elected to the Football League replacing Workington, whilst Worcester City, Barnet, Cheltenham Town and Hastings United were all promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions. Metropolitan Police left the league to join the Isthmian 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 Division One North: Redditch United AP Leamington Two clubs promoted from Division One South: Dartford Minehead Wimbledon was elected to the Football League in place of Workington. Thus, Telford United remained in the division. League table Southern Football LeaguePremier Division 1976–77 Wimbledon Burton AlbionChelmsford CityMargate 462 1113 1975–76 1977–78 main WDL PR 2 Premier Division WIM Wimbledon MIN Minehead KET Kettering Town BAT Bath City NUN Nuneaton Borough BED Bedford Town YEO Yeovil Town DOV Dover GRN Grantham MAI Maidstone United GRA Gravesend & Northfleet LEA AP Leamington RED Redditch United WEA Wealdstone HIL Hillingdon Borough ATH Atherstone Town WEY Weymouth DAR Dartford TEL Telford United CHC Chelmsford City BTA Burton Albion MAR Margate 28 7 7 64 22 23 12 7 73 39 20 16 6 66 46 20 15 7 51 30 20 11 11 52 35 17 14 11 54 47 15 16 11 54 42 13 16 13 46 43 14 12 16 55 50 13 14 15 46 50 13 13 16 38 43 12 15 15 44 53 12 14 16 45 54 13 12 17 54 66 14 10 18 45 59 14 9 19 41 49 16 5 21 53 73 13 10 19 52 57 11 12 19 36 50 9 13 20 56 68 10 10 22 41 52 9 10 23 47 85 #ACE1AF Elected to the Football League Fourth Division P #FFCCCC Relegated to Division One South RS RS #FFCCCC Relegated to Division One North RN inherit Reprieved from relegation REP complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Division One North Division One North consisted of 20 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and three clubs, all from the Premier Division: Cambridge City Dunstable Stourbridge League table Southern Football LeagueDivision One North 1976–77 Worcester City Cheltenham TownWorcester City 380 1169 1975–76 1977–78 main WDL PR 2 Division One North WOR Worcester City CHT Cheltenham Town WIT Witney Town BRO Bromsgrove Rovers BAR Barry Town CMC Cambridge City STB Stourbridge KID Kidderminster Harriers BAN Banbury United GLO Gloucester City END Enderby Town KIN King's Lynn COR Corby Town TAM Tamworth MER Merthyr Tydfil OSW Oswestry Town WEL Wellingborough Town DUN Dunstable BWU Bedworth United MKC Milton Keynes City 32 5 1 97 22 23 8 7 85 35 21 8 9 48 31 20 8 10 61 37 19 8 11 62 45 17 10 11 68 43 17 9 12 48 35 17 6 15 74 65 15 10 13 51 47 18 4 16 70 81 15 9 14 50 44 13 11 14 47 53 11 13 14 56 64 11 13 14 49 58 12 6 20 60 69 8 10 20 30 60 8 7 23 37 73 7 7 24 38 84 5 10 23 28 68 7 6 25 31 76 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Division One South Division One South consisted of 18 clubs, including 15 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs: Aylesbury United, promoted from the Athenian League Barnet, transferred from the North Division Tonbridge Angels, demoted from the Premier Division League table Southern Football LeagueDivision One South 1976–77 Barnet BarnetHastings United 306 759 1975–76 1977–78 main WDL PR 2 Division One South BRN Barnet HAS Hastings United WAT Waterlooville DOR Dorchester Town SAL Salisbury ROM Romford POO Poole Town TRO Trowbridge Town RAW Crawley Town F&S Folkestone & Shepway BAS Basingstoke Town CAN Canterbury City BRT Bognor Regis Town TON Tonbridge Angels MET Metropolitan Police AND Andover ASH Ashford Town (Kent) AYL Aylesbury United G&D Guildford & Dorking United 23 8 3 65 25 18 11 5 47 18 19 6 9 50 25 16 11 7 48 30 15 11 8 57 39 18 5 11 47 32 17 7 10 40 35 15 8 11 47 39 14 9 11 53 42 12 11 11 39 42 12 10 12 51 43 6 16 12 36 46 9 9 16 33 50 9 9 16 33 50 5 12 17 37 61 4 11 19 17 49 5 8 21 32 65 5 6 23 27 68 0 0 0 0 #ACE1AF Promoted to the Premier Division P P #CCCCFF Transferred to the Isthmian League Division Two T #CCCCCC Club folded, record expunged R complete fchd.com rsssf.com 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. Football League elections At the end of the season, the bottom four of the Football League had to be re-elected to retain their place. Whilst in previous seasons the number of non-League applicants had been unlimited, this season saw the Football League Management Committee limit the number to two, with Wimbledon and Northern Premier League members Altrincham (who had finished tenth) entering the ballot. The top four in the vote would retain/win a place in the League. With 27 votes, Wimbledon finished fourth in the election, earning a place in the League at the expense of Workington, who dropped into the Northern Premier League. ClubLeagueVotesHalifax TownFootball League Division Four44HartlepoolFootball League Division Four42SouthportFootball League Division Four37WimbledonSouthern League Premier Division27WorkingtonFootball League Division Four21AltrinchamNorthern Premier League12 See also Southern Football League 1976–77 Northern Premier League References Category:Southern Football League seasons S