1904–05 Southern Football League

The 1904–05 season was the 11th in the history of Southern League. Bristol Rovers won Division One for the first time and Fulham reserves finished top of Division Two. Division Two club Clapton Orient were the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League, and were successful after a decision was made to expand the League to 40 clubs.

Division One

Southern Football League Division One
Season 1904–05
Champions Bristol Rovers (1st title)
Promoted none
Relegated Wellingborough (resigned)
Matches played 306
Goals scored 854 (2.79 per match)

A total of 18 teams contest the division, including 17 sides from previous season and one new team. Watford returned to Division after one season of absence.

Teams promoted from Division Two:

PosClubPWDLGFGAGAv1Pts2Notes
1Bristol Rovers34208674362.0648
2Reading34187957381.543
3Southampton34187954401.3543
4Plymouth Argyle341851157391.4641
5Tottenham Hotspur341581153341.5638
6Fulham3414101046341.3538
7Queens Park Rangers341481251461.1136
8Portsmouth341641461561.0936
9New Brompton341111124040133
10Watford341531644450.9833
11West Ham United341281448421.1432
12Brighton & Hove Albion341361544450.9832
13Northampton Town341281443540.832
14Brentford341091533380.8729
15Millwall341171638470.8129
16Swindon Town341251741590.6929
17Luton Town341231945540.8327
18Wellingborough345326251070.2313Left league at end of season

1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Division Two

Southern Football League Division Two
Season 1904–05
Champions Fulham II
Promoted Clapton Orient (to Football League)
Relegated Brighton & Hove Albion II (resigned)
Southall (resigned)
Matches played 132
Goals scored 582 (4.41 per match)

A total of 12 teams contest the division, including 8 sides from previous season and four new teams, three of which were reserve teams.

Newly elected teams:

PosClubPWDLGFGAGAv1Pts2Notes
1Fulham II22164278253.1236
2Portsmouth II22142675282.6730
3Swindon Town II22123754471.1527
4Grays United22113861401.5325
5Southampton II22105752351.4925
6Brighton & Hove Albion II22931048490.9821Left league at end of season
7West Ham United II2285945470.9621
8Clapton Orient2277847560.8421Elected to the Football League
9Watford II22561130620.4816
10Southall22721331660.4716Left league at end of season
11Wycombe Wanderers22621437700.5314
12Reading II22441424570.4212

1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Football League elections

Only one Southern League club, Clapton Orient of Division Two, applied for election to Division Two of the Football League. Although they were not elected in the first round, it was later agreed to expand the Football League from 36 to 40 clubs and all the unsuccessful candidates except Doncaster Rovers were elected.

ClubLeagueVotes
Leeds CityWest Yorkshire League25
Port ValeFootball League21
ChelseaNone*20
Hull CityNone*18
Burton UnitedFootball League
Doncaster RoversFootball League
Stockport CountyMidland League3
Clapton OrientSouthern League1

* Chelsea had played no games, nor had any players when they were elected. Hull City had been formed in 1904, but had only played friendly matches during the 1904–05 season.[1]

References

External links