1980–81 Southern Football League

The 1980–81 Southern Football League season was the 78th in the history of the league, an English football competition.

Alvechurch won the Midland Division, whilst Dartford won the Southern Division. Alvechurch were declared Southern League champions after defeating Dartford 4–3 on penalties, after the two championship play-offs had finished 3–3 on aggregate (Alvechurch won 1–0 at home and Dartford won 3–2).[1] Despite Alvechuch being champions, they declined promotion to the Alliance Premier League alongside Dartford as their board thought they were not ready,[2] with third-placed Trowbridge Town going up in their place. There was no relegation for the second successive season, although Bognor Regis Town transferred to the Isthmian League at the end of the season.

Bedford Town, who finished second to Alvechurch in the Midland Division on goal difference, won the Southern League Cup.

Midland Division

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The Midland Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 21 clubs from the previous season and one new club:

Bedford Town needed to beat Enderby Town by eight goals in their last game of the season to win the league but only won 2-0 making Alvechurch the champions.

Dave Lewis of Gloucester City was top scorer for the season with 27 goals.[2]

League table

[edit]
Southern Football League
Midland Division
Season1980–81
ChampionsAlvechurch
PromotedTrowbridge Town
Matches played462
Goals scored1,318 (2.85 per match)

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Alvechurch 42 26 9 7 76 40 +36 61
2 Bedford Town 42 25 11 6 63 32 +31 61
3 Trowbridge Town 42 24 9 9 69 39 +30 57 Promoted to the Alliance Premier League
4 Kidderminster Harriers 42 23 9 10 67 41 +26 55
5 Barry Town 42 21 9 12 60 40 +20 51
6 Stourbridge 42 17 16 9 75 49 +26 50
7 Enderby Town 42 21 8 13 71 47 +24 50
8 Cheltenham Town 42 18 12 12 70 59 +11 48
9 Bromsgrove Rovers 42 19 9 14 65 50 +15 47
10 Corby Town 42 19 7 16 69 58 +11 45
11 Bridgend Town 42 19 7 16 74 64 +10 45
12 Minehead 42 19 7 16 54 60 −6 45
13 Gloucester City 42 19 6 17 82 72 +10 44
14 Merthyr Tydfil 42 15 12 15 60 50 +10 42
15 Bedworth United 42 14 12 16 49 46 +3 40
16 Banbury United 42 11 11 20 51 65 −14 33
17 Taunton Town 42 10 9 23 48 68 −20 29
18 Cambridge City 42 8 12 22 46 87 −41 28
19 Witney Town 42 9 9 24 44 65 −21 27
20 Wellingborough Town 42 10 7 25 43 91 −48 27
21 Redditch United 42 11 4 27 54 92 −38 26
22 Milton Keynes City 42 3 7 32 28 103 −75 13
Source: fchd.com rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Southern Division

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There were no new clubs in the Southern Division this season. Though, at the end of the previous season Addlestone was renamed Addlestone & Weybridge Town and Folkestone & Shepway was renamed Folkestone.

At the end of the season Margate was renamed Thanet United.

League table

[edit]
Southern Football League
Southern Division
Season1980–81
ChampionsDartford
PromotedDartford
Matches played552
Goals scored1,520 (2.75 per match)

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Dartford 46 26 14 6 76 39 +37 66 Promoted to the Alliance Premier League
2 Bognor Regis Town 46 25 13 8 95 43 +52 63 Transferred to the Isthmian League Division One
3 Hastings United 46 24 14 8 87 43 +44 62
4 Gosport Borough 46 24 12 10 84 52 +32 60
5 Waterlooville 46 19 21 6 67 50 +17 59
6 Dorchester Town 46 21 13 12 84 56 +28 55
7 Dover 46 22 10 14 70 50 +20 54
8 Poole Town 46 19 14 13 70 56 +14 52
9 Addlestone & Weybridge Town 46 21 9 16 66 57 +9 51
10 Dunstable 46 19 13 14 73 68 +5 51
11 Aylesbury United 46 20 10 16 66 60 +6 50
12 Hounslow 46 17 13 16 65 55 +10 47
13 Hillingdon Borough 46 16 15 15 50 49 +1 47
14 Basingstoke Town 46 16 14 16 69 58 +11 46
15 Crawley Town 46 18 4 24 64 78 −14 40
16 Ashford Town (Kent) 46 12 15 19 55 76 −21 39
17 Tonbridge Angels 46 12 15 19 44 68 −24 39
18 Chelmsford City 46 13 12 21 54 78 −24 38
19 Canterbury City 46 12 13 21 40 59 −19 37
20 Salisbury 46 14 8 24 57 76 −19 36
21 Folkestone 46 11 11 24 47 65 −18 33
22 Margate 46 11 7 28 65 117 −52 29
23 Fareham Town 46 5 18 23 31 73 −42 28
24 Andover 46 6 10 30 41 94 −53 22
Source: fchd.com rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Dartford at the Football Club History Database
  2. ^ a b Alton, Mark (May 2021). "Southern League Midland Division, 1980-81". When Saturday Comes. p. 46.
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