1939–40 Southern Football League

The 1939–40 season was the 42nd in the history of the Southern League. The league was split into two sections, Eastern and Western as part of an emergency war-time competition.[1] Chelmsford City won the Eastern Section and Lovell's Athletic won the Western one. A championship play-off between the two clubs was drawn 3–3 and they were declared joint champions.[2] After this season, the Southern Football League did not resume until World War II had ended in 1945.

Eastern Section

Southern Football League Eastern Division
Season1939–40
Matches played18
Goals scored102 (5.67 per match)
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result
1 Chelmsford City 7 5 0 2 29 9 3.222 10
2 Guildford City 8 4 1 3 26 13 2.000 9 Did not return to league after World War II
3 Tunbridge Wells Rangers 7 2 3 2 21 16 1.313 7
4 Dartford 7 2 1 4 17 30 0.567 5
5 Norwich City II 7 2 1 4 9 34 0.265 5
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Western Section

Southern Football League Western Division
Season1939–40
Matches played55
Goals scored291 (5.29 per match)

The Western Section featured three new clubs:

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result
1 Lovell's Athletic 14 11 1 2 53 22 2.409 23 Did not return to league after World War II
2 Worcester City 14 9 2 3 55 30 1.833 20
3 Hereford United 14 8 0 6 45 31 1.452 16
4 Yeovil & Petters United 14 7 2 5 30 24 1.250 16
5 Gloucester City 14 5 0 9 35 49 0.714 10 Did not return to league after World War II
6 Barry 14 4 1 9 31 56 0.554 9
7 Cheltenham Town 13 3 2 8 21 38 0.553 8
8 Bath City 13 3 2 8 21 41 0.512 8
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

References

  1. ^ Lovell's Athletic at the Football Club History Database
  2. ^ Chelmsford City at the Football Club History Database