The 1926–27 season was the 29th in the history of the Southern League. The league consisted of Eastern and Western Divisions.[1] Brighton & Hove Albion II won the Eastern Division and Torquay United won the Western Division. Brighton reserves were declared Southern League champions after defeating Torquay 4–0 in a championship play-off.[2]
Four clubs from the Southern League applied to join the Football League, with Torquay being successful in a second round of voting. Five clubs (all reserve teams) left the league at the end of the season.
Eastern Division edit
| Season | 1926–27 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Brighton & Hove Albion II (2nd title) |
| Promoted | none |
| Relegated | Portsmouth II (resigned) Reading II (resigned) Luton Town II (resigned) Leicester City II (resigned) Watford II (resigned) |
| Matches played | 272 |
| Goals scored | 1,195 (4.39 per match) |
← 1925–26 1927–28 → | |
A total of 17 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and two new teams.
Newly elected teams:
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton & Hove Albion II | 32 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 86 | 47 | 1.830 | 48 | |
| 2 | Peterborough & Fletton United | 32 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 80 | 39 | 2.051 | 45 | |
| 3 | Portsmouth II | 32 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 95 | 65 | 1.462 | 44 | Left league at end of season |
| 4 | Kettering Town | 32 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 66 | 41 | 1.610 | 40 | |
| 5 | Millwall II | 32 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 67 | 56 | 1.196 | 37 | |
| 6 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II | 32 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 69 | 64 | 1.078 | 34 | |
| 7 | Norwich City II | 32 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 79 | 74 | 1.068 | 33 | |
| 8 | Dartford | 32 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 60 | 71 | 0.845 | 33 | |
| 9 | Reading II | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 75 | 79 | 0.949 | 32 | Left league at end of season |
| 10 | Luton Town II | 32 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 75 | 70 | 1.071 | 31 | |
| 11 | Leicester City II | 32 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 94 | 72 | 1.306 | 29 | |
| 12 | Watford II | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 74 | 84 | 0.881 | 28 | |
| 13 | Southampton II | 32 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 57 | 77 | 0.740 | 26 | |
| 14 | Poole | 32 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 55 | 86 | 0.640 | 24 | |
| 15 | Grays Thurrock United | 32 | 10 | 3 | 19 | 49 | 66 | 0.742 | 23 | |
| 16 | Guildford United | 32 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 57 | 106 | 0.538 | 19 | Changed name to Guildford City at end of season |
| 17 | Folkestone | 32 | 7 | 4 | 21 | 57 | 98 | 0.582 | 18 |
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Western Division edit
| Season | 1926–27 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Torquay United |
| Promoted | Torquay United |
| Relegated | none |
| Matches played | 182 |
| Goals scored | 757 (4.16 per match) |
← 1925–26 1927–28 → | |
A total of 14 teams contest the division, including 13 sides from previous season and one new team.
Newly elected teams:
- Newport County II
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torquay United | 26 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 63 | 30 | 2.100 | 38 | Elected to the Football League Third Division South |
| 2 | Bristol City II | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 77 | 37 | 2.081 | 38 | |
| 3 | Plymouth Argyle II | 26 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 56 | 38 | 1.474 | 34 | |
| 4 | Ebbw Vale | 26 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 67 | 45 | 1.489 | 30 | |
| 5 | Bristol Rovers II | 26 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 51 | 43 | 1.186 | 28 | |
| 6 | Swindon Town II | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 60 | 57 | 1.053 | 27 | |
| 7 | Barry | 26 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 65 | 50 | 1.300 | 26 | |
| 8 | Exeter City II | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 62 | 49 | 1.265 | 26 | |
| 9 | Weymouth | 26 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 48 | 65 | 0.738 | 26 | |
| 10 | Newport County II | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 57 | 53 | 1.075 | 24 | |
| 11 | Bath City | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 44 | 52 | 0.846 | 23 | |
| 12 | Yeovil & Petters United | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 49 | 66 | 0.742 | 23 | |
| 13 | Taunton United | 26 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 36 | 83 | 0.434 | 12 | Changed name to Taunton Town at end of season |
| 14 | Mid Rhondda United | 26 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 22 | 89 | 0.247 | 9 |
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Football League election edit
Four Southern League clubs applied to join the Football League this season, entering the ballot alongside the bottom two from the Third Division South. Although Watford were re-elected, Aberdare Athletic received the same number of votes as Southern League Torquay United, leading to a second round, in which Torquay won more votes. Aberdare took Torquay's place in the Southern League the following season.
Aberdare's loss was controversial, as one ballot paper in the first round had been spoilt and Aberdare's secretary claimed that one of the scrutineers was 'an interested party'.[3]
| Club | League | First round votes | Second round votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watford | Football League Third Division South | 44 | |
| Torquay United | Southern League | 21 | 26 |
| Aberdare Athletic | Football League Third Division South | 21 | 19 |
| Kettering Town | Southern League | 1 | |
| Yeovil & Petters United | Southern League | 1 | |
| Ebbw Vale | Southern League | 0 |
References edit
- ^ England – Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
- ^ Torquay United at the Football Club History Database
- ^ A history of admission to the Football League