The 1996–97 Southern Football League

Southern Football League

The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...

 season saw Gresley Rovers

Gresley Rovers F.C.

Gresley Football Club are an English football club from Church Gresley, near Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Gresley are currently in the Midland Football Alliance, playing their home games at The Moat Ground...

 win the Premier Division. However, as their ground failed to meet the required standard, second-placed Cheltenham Town

Cheltenham Town F.C.

Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...

 were promoted to the Football Conference

Football Conference

The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...

 instead. Baldock Town

Baldock Town F.C.

Baldock Town F.C. is an English association football club based in Baldock, Hertfordshire. The club existed from 1889 until 2001, when it folded but the name Baldock Town was revived in 2006 when a club previously called simply Baldock changed its name...

, Chelmsford City

Chelmsford City F.C.

Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...

 and Newport

Newport County A.F.C.

Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...

 were relegated to the Midland and Southern Divisions, whilst Sudbury Town

Sudbury Town F.C.

Sudbury Town F.C. was an English football club based in Sudbury, Suffolk. Established in 1885, the club merged with Sudbury Wanderers in 1999 to form A.F.C. Sudbury.-History:...

 (who had finished in thirteenth place) resigned from the league and dropped into the Eastern Counties League

Eastern Counties Football League

The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...

 due to financial problems.

Tamworth

Tamworth F.C.

Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....

, Forest Green Rovers

Forest Green Rovers F.C.

Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...

, Rothwell Town

Rothwell Town F.C.

Rothwell Town F.C. are a football club based in Rothwell in the north of Northamptonshire. They were founding members of the Northamptonshire League in 1895, and are now playing in the United Counties League Division One...

 and St Leonards Stamcroft

St. Leonards F.C.

St. Leonards F.C. were a semi-professional English football club based in Hastings, East Sussex.-History:The club was founded as a works team in 1971 by employees from the Sussex Turnery And Moulding Company started playing friendlies, under the company name of STAMCO...

 (in their first season in the Southern League) were promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions of their divisions. Meanwhile, Midland Division club Dudley Town

Dudley Town F.C.

Dudley Town F.C. are a football club based in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The club is one of the oldest non-league teams in the Midlands region, having been established in 1888...

 resigned from the league at the end of the season and did not compete in any competitions the following season. Leicester United

Leicester United F.C.

Leicester United Football Club were an English football team based in the East Midlands city of Leicester, Leicestershire. They were formed in 1949. They were wound up in 1996.-History:...

 folded during the season, and Buckingham Town

Buckingham Town F.C.

Buckingham Town F.C. is an English football club based in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire. The club are currently members of Division One of the United Counties League and play at Ford Meadow.-History:...

 were relegated to the United Counties League

United Counties Football League

The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams...

.

Premier Division

The Premier Division featured four new clubs:

• Ashford Town (promoted from the Southern Division)
• King's Lynn (promoted from the Midland Division)
• Nuneaton Borough (promoted from the Midland Division)
• Sittingbourne (promoted from the Southern Division)

Pos	|Team	|Pld	|W	|D	|L	|F	|A	GD	|Pts	Notes
1	Gresley Rovers Gresley Rovers F.C. Gresley Football Club are an English football club from Church Gresley, near Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Gresley are currently in the Midland Football Alliance, playing their home games at The Moat Ground...	42	25	10	7	75	40	35	85
2	Cheltenham Town Cheltenham Town F.C. Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...	42	21	11	10	76	44	32	74	Promoted to the Football Conference
3	Gloucester City	42	21	10	11	81	56	25	73
4	Halesowen Town Halesowen Town F.C. Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...	42	21	10	11	77	54	23	73
5	King's Lynn King's Lynn F.C. King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...	42	20	8	14	65	61	4	68
6	Burton Albion Burton Albion F.C. Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...	42	18	12	12	70	53	17	66
7	Nuneaton Borough	42	19	9	14	61	52	9	66
8	Sittingbourne Sittingbourne F.C. Sittingbourne F.C. are a football club based in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. They were established in 1886 and were founder members of the Kent League. They have reached the 2nd round of the FA Cup at least twice in their history...	42	19	7	16	76	65	11	64
9	Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil F.C. Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...	42	17	9	16	69	61	8	60
10	Worcester City Worcester City F.C. Worcester City Football Club is an English football club based in Worcester, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at St George's Lane.-History:...	42	15	14	13	52	50	2	59
11	Atherstone United	42	15	13	14	46	47	−1	58
12	Salisbury City Salisbury City F.C. Salisbury City Football Club is an English football club based in Salisbury, Wiltshire currently playing in the Conference South. They were formed in 1947 and play at The Raymond McEnhill Stadium...	42	15	13	14	57	66	−9	58
13	Sudbury Town Sudbury Town F.C. Sudbury Town F.C. was an English football club based in Sudbury, Suffolk. Established in 1885, the club merged with Sudbury Wanderers in 1999 to form A.F.C. Sudbury.-History:...	42	16	7	19	72	72	0	55	Dropped into Eastern Counties League Eastern Counties Football League The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...
14	Gravesend & Northfleet	42	16	7	19	63	73	−10	55	Transferred to Isthmian League Isthmian League The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
15	Dorchester Town Dorchester Town F.C. Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...	42	14	9	19	62	66	−4	51
16	Hastings Town	42	12	15	15	49	60	−11	51
17	Crawley Town Crawley Town F.C. Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...	42	13	8	21	49	67	−18	47
18	Cambridge City Cambridge City F.C. Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...	42	11	13	18	57	65	−8	46
19	Ashford Town Ashford Town F.C. (Kent) Ashford United F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Kent. The 'new' United was formed in 2011 . Between 1930 and 2010 the town was represented by Ashford Town FC, before it ultimately went into administration...	42	9	18	15	53	79	−26	45
20	Baldock Town Baldock Town F.C. Baldock Town F.C. is an English association football club based in Baldock, Hertfordshire. The club existed from 1889 until 2001, when it folded but the name Baldock Town was revived in 2006 when a club previously called simply Baldock changed its name...	42	11	8	23	52	90	−38	41	Relegated to Midland and Southern Divisions
21	Newport Newport County A.F.C. Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...	42	9	13	20	40	60	−20	40
22	Chelmsford City Chelmsford City F.C. Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...	42	6	14	22	49	70	−21	32

Midland Division

The Midland Division featured five new clubs:

• Ilkeston Town (relegated from the Premier Division)
• Raunds Town (promoted from the United Counties League
  United Counties Football League
  The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams...
  
  )
• Shepshed Dynamo (promoted from the Midland Alliance
  Midland Football Alliance
  The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
  
  )
• Stafford Rangers (relegated from the Premier Division)
• VS Rugby (relegated from the Premier Division)

Pos	|Team	|Pld	|W	|D	|L	|F	|A	GD	|Pts	Notes
1	Tamworth Tamworth F.C. Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....	40	30	7	3	90	28	62	97	Promoted to Premier Division
2	Rothwell Town Rothwell Town F.C. Rothwell Town F.C. are a football club based in Rothwell in the north of Northamptonshire. They were founding members of the Northamptonshire League in 1895, and are now playing in the United Counties League Division One...	40	20	11	9	82	54	28	71
3	Ilkeston Town Ilkeston Town F.C. Ilkeston Football Club is an English football club based at the New Manor Ground in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in 1894 as Ilkeston Town F.C.....	40	19	13	8	76	50	26	70
4	Grantham Town Grantham Town F.C. Grantham Town F.C. is a football club, based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Division One South. They are nicknamed The Gingerbreads and they play their home matches at the South Kesteven Sports Stadium . They were established in August 1874...	40	22	4	14	65	46	19	70
5	Bedworth United Bedworth United F.C. Bedworth United Football Club is a football club based in Bedworth, Warwickshire, England, currently playing in the Southern League Division One Central....	40	18	11	11	77	41	36	65
6	Solihull Borough Solihull Borough F.C. Solihull Borough F.C. was an English football club from Solihull. In 2007 the club merged with Moor Green to form a new club, Solihull Moors.-History:...	40	19	8	13	84	62	22	65
7	Bilston Town Bilston Town F.C. Bilston Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Bilston, West Midlands. In the 2011–12 season they are playing in the West Midlands League Division One...	40	18	10	12	74	57	17	64
8	Moor Green Moor Green F.C. Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England...	40	18	7	15	88	68	20	61
9	Stafford Rangers Stafford Rangers F.C. Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...	40	17	9	14	68	62	6	60
10	Raunds Town Raunds Town F.C. Raunds Town F.C. is a football club based at Raunds, Northamptonshire, England.-History:Raunds Town was founded in 1946. There had been other teams with "Raunds" in the title as long ago as 1896-97, but at a meeting in the town's Temperance Hall in May 1946 a new amalgamated club was formed...	40	16	11	13	61	65	−4	59
11	Racing Club Warwick Racing Club Warwick F.C. Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967...	40	16	10	14	70	72	−2	58
12	Shepshed Dynamo Shepshed Dynamo F.C. Shepshed Dynamo F.C. is a football team based in the small town of Shepshed in the North West of Leicestershire, England.Their home ground is called The Dovecote, which is situated on Butthole Lane. Football has been played on this ground for over 100 years...	40	14	12	14	64	65	−1	54
13	Redditch United Redditch United F.C. Redditch United F.C. is an English football club based in Redditch, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division and play at the Valley.-Birmingham Combination:...	40	15	8	17	56	59	−3	53
14	Paget Rangers Paget Rangers F.C. Paget Rangers F.C. is a defunct English association football club which was based in Birmingham. The club originally formed in 1938 when a group of former pupils of Paget Road School together with Jack Hughes Snr combined to form a football team.-History:...	40	13	9	18	42	55	−13	48
15	Dudley Town Dudley Town F.C. Dudley Town F.C. are a football club based in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The club is one of the oldest non-league teams in the Midlands region, having been established in 1888...	40	12	10	18	69	89	−20	46	Resigned from League at end of season
16	Hinckley Town	40	11	11	18	39	63	−24	44	Merged with Hinckley Athletic to form Hinckley United Hinckley United F.C. Hinckley United Football Club are an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire currently playing in the Conference North. Formed only in 1997, the club has risen from the Southern League Midland/West Division to the Conference North in those 14 years...  at end of season
17	Stourbridge Stourbridge F.C. Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division.-Early years:The club was founded in 1876 and was originally known as Stourbridge Standard...	40	10	9	21	61	81	−20	39
18	Evesham United Evesham United F.C. Evesham United F.C. are an English football club based in Evesham, Worcestershire. They reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the 2008-2009 season. In 2005, they entered the Southern League Premier Division for the first time in their history but were relegated after...	40	9	12	19	55	77	−22	39
19	VS Rugby	40	9	9	22	49	81	−32	36
20	Corby Town Corby Town F.C. Corby Town F.C. is an English football club based in Corby, Northamptonshire. They will be members of the Conference North for the 2011–12 season. The Steelmen play their home games at the newly built Steel Park, adjacent to their previous ground, Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, which is...	40	8	8	24	49	88	−39	32
21	Sutton Coldfield Town Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. are a football club based in Sutton Coldfield, England. They were formed in 1879 and currently play in the Northern Premier League First Division South ....	40	7	9	24	29	85	−56	30
22	Leicester United Leicester United F.C. Leicester United Football Club were an English football team based in the East Midlands city of Leicester, Leicestershire. They were formed in 1949. They were wound up in 1996.-History:...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Folded mid-season, record expunged

Southern Division

The Southern Division featured four new clubs

• Dartford (promoted from the Kent League
  Kent League
  The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:...
  
  )
• St Leonards Stamcroft (promoted from the Sussex County League)
• Cirencester Town (promoted from the Hellenic League
  Hellenic Football League
  The Hellenic Football League is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern Herefordshire, western Greater London, and northern Wiltshire. There is also one team from Hampshire.The league...
  
  )
• Buckingham Town (transferred from the Midland Division)

Pos	|Team	|Pld	|W	|D	|L	|F	|A	GD	|Pts	Notes
1	Forest Green Rovers Forest Green Rovers F.C. Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...	42	27	10	5	87	40	47	91	Promoted to Premier Division
2	St.Leonards Stamcroft St. Leonards F.C. St. Leonards F.C. were a semi-professional English football club based in Hastings, East Sussex.-History:The club was founded as a works team in 1971 by employees from the Sussex Turnery And Moulding Company started playing friendlies, under the company name of STAMCO...	42	26	9	7	94	48	46	87
3	Havant Town Havant Town F.C. Havant Town F.C. was an English football club based in Havant, Hampshire. They ceased to exist in 1998 when they merged with Waterlooville to form Havant & Waterlooville.-History:...	42	23	10	9	81	49	32	79
4	Weston-super-Mare	42	21	13	8	82	43	39	76
5	Margate Margate F.C. Margate Football Club is an English football team based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club was known for a number of years during the 1980s as Thanet United....	42	21	9	12	70	47	23	72
6	Witney Town	42	20	11	11	71	42	29	71
7	Weymouth Weymouth F.C. Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...	42	20	10	12	82	51	31	70
8	Tonbridge Angels Tonbridge Angels F.C. Tonbridge Angels Football Club is an English football club who play at Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge, Kent, since moving from the Angel Ground in 1980....	42	17	15	10	56	44	12	66
9	Newport IOW	42	15	15	12	73	58	15	60
10	Fisher Athletic Fisher Athletic F.C. Fisher Athletic F.C. was a semi-professional football club from South East London, which last played in the Conference South, which is one of the two leagues that form the sixth tier of the English football league system. The Bermondsey-based club ground-shared at Champion Hill Stadium, the home...	42	18	6	18	77	77	0	60
11	Clevedon Town Clevedon Town F.C. Clevedon Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Clevedon, North Somerset. They currently play in the Southern League Division One South & West.-History:...	42	17	9	16	75	76	−1	60
12	Fareham Town Fareham Town F.C. Fareham Town F.C. is a football club based in Fareham, Hampshire, England. They were formed in 1946 and have reached the 1st round proper of the FA Cup on four occasions in their history. Fareham's most successful exploit in the FA Trophy came in the 1986–87 season when they reached the semi finals...	42	14	12	16	53	69	−16	54
13	Bashley Bashley F.C. Bashley F.C. is a football club based in Bashley, near New Milton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1947 and is currently a member of the Southern League Premier Division....	42	15	8	19	73	84	−11	53
14	Dartford Dartford F.C. Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season...	42	14	10	18	59	64	−5	52
15	Waterlooville Waterlooville F.C. Waterlooville F.C. was an English football club based in Waterlooville, Hampshire. They ceased to exist in 1998 when they merged with Havant Town to form Havant & Waterlooville.-History:...	42	14	9	19	58	67	−9	51
16	Cirencester Town Cirencester Town F.C. Cirencester Town is an English football club based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division and play at the Corinium Stadium...	42	12	12	18	50	68	−18	48
17	Cinderford Town Cinderford Town F.C. Cinderford Town A.F.C. are a football club based in Cinderford in Gloucestershire, England. They were established in 1922 and joined the Western League in 1946. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the Southern League Division One South and West...	42	13	7	22	64	76	−12	46
18	Trowbridge Town Trowbridge Town F.C. Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:...	42	11	11	20	50	61	−11	44
19	Yate Town Yate Town F.C. Yate Town F.C. is a football club based in Yate, South Gloucestershire, England. They were established in 1906 as Yate Rovers and changed their name to Yate YMCA in 1946, becoming Yate Town in 1969...	42	12	8	22	55	87	−32	44
20	Fleet Town Fleet Town F.C. Fleet Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Fleet, Hampshire, England. They were established in 1890 and joined the Athenian League in 1979. In 2004, they joined the Isthmian League First Division, were moved into the Southern League Division One South & West in 2007,...	42	12	6	24	47	91	−44	42
21	Erith & Belvedere Erith & Belvedere F.C. Erith & Belvedere F.C., established 1922, is a football club representing Erith, in the London Borough of Bexley. They are currently members of the Kent League Premier Division after being relegated from the Southern League Division One East in 2005.They were also founder members of the Corinthian...	42	9	10	23	60	95	−35	37
22	Buckingham Town Buckingham Town F.C. Buckingham Town F.C. is an English football club based in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire. The club are currently members of Division One of the United Counties League and play at Ford Meadow.-History:...	42	2	8	32	27	107	−80	14	Relegated to United Counties League United Counties Football League The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams...