1946–47 Southern Football League

The 1946–47 season was the 44th in the history of the Southern League. Gillingham won the championship. The league featured eight new clubs, including Football League members Millwall, who also entered their first team in the Southern League. However, due to fixture congestion, they only played 24 matches, with the remaining fixtures all being awarded as 0–0 draws.[1]

Final table

Southern Football League
Season 1946-47
Champions Gillingham (1st title)
Promoted none
Relegated Millwall (resigned)
Matches played 272
Goals scored 1250 (4.6 per match)

A total of 17 teams contest the division, including nine sides from previous season, three teams missed previous season and five new teams.

Teams returned to the league after resigning in 1940:

Newly elected teams:

PosClubPWDLGF1GA1GAv2Pts3Notes
1Gillingham322075103452.2947
2Guildford City32214786392.2146
3Merthyr Tydfil322138104372.8145
4Yeovil Town321967100492.0444
5Chelmsford City321741190601.538
6Gravesend & Northfleet321741182581.4138
7Barry Town321481089611.4636
8Colchester United321551265601.0835
9Cheltenham Town321441468750.9132
10Millwall328131159571.0429Left league at end of season
11Dartford3210517711000.7125
12Bedford Town32881663980.6424
13Hereford United32871737850.4423
14Worcester City32861855900.6122
15Exeter City II3210220691260.5522
16Bath City32771852930.5621
17Gloucester City328123571200.4717

1 Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.

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

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

Football League elections

Barry Town, Bath City, Chelmsford City, Colchester United, Gillingham, Gravesend & Northfleet, Guildford City, Merthyr Tydfil, Worcester City and Yeovil Town were amongst 27 non-League clubs to apply for election to the Football League. However, as the two clubs relegated from Division Two to the regional Division Threes were both from the south, the Football League secretary had suggested that electing new members could create an imbalance in the divisions' geographical boundaries, and that instead all four clubs (Halifax, Mansfield, Norwich and Southport) should be re-elected en bloc. This was accepted and no elections took place.[2]

References