1995–96 Southern Football League

The 1995–96 Southern Football League season saw the Max Griggs-funded Rushden & Diamonds win the Premier Division to earn promotion to the Football Conference.[1] Ilkeston Town, Stafford Rangers and VS Rugby were relegated to the Midland and Southern Divisions, whilst Nuneaton Borough, Sittingbourne, King's Lynn and Ashford Town were promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions.

In the Midland Division, the bottom two clubs, Bury Town and Bridgnorth Town, were relegated to level eight leagues. Poole Town, who finished bottom of the Southern Division with just one point (from a 0–0 draw with Bashley) dropped two levels into the Hampshire League.

Tables

Premier Division

The Premier Division featured six new clubs:

PosTeamPldWDLFAGDPtsNotes
1Rushden & Diamonds42297699415894Promoted to the Football Conference
2Halesowen Town422711470363492
3Cheltenham Town4221111076571974
4Gloucester City422181365471871
5Gresley Rovers4220101270581270
6Worcester City4219121161431869
7Merthyr Tydfil42196176759863
8Hastings Town4216131368561261
9Crawley Town421513145756158
10Sudbury Town421510176971−255
11Gravesend & Northfleet421510176062−255
12Chelmsford City421316134653−755
13Dorchester Town42158196257553
14Newport421313165359−652
15Salisbury City421410185769−1252
16Burton Albion421312175556−151
17Atherstone United421212185875−1748
18Baldock Town421114175156−547
19Cambridge City421210205668−1246
20Ilkeston Town421110215387−3443Relegated to Midland and Southern Divisions
21Stafford Rangers42114275890−3237
22VS Rugby42510273792−5525

Midland Division

The Midland Division featured four new clubs:

PosTeamPldWDLFAGDPtsNotes
1Nuneaton Borough42305782354795Promoted to Premier Division
2King's Lynn422751085434284Two points deducted, promoted
3Bedworth United422410876423481One point deducted
4Moor Green422281281473474
5Paget Rangers422191270452572
6Tamworth422231797643369
7Solihull Borough421991477641366
8Rothwell Town4217141179621765
9Buckingham Town421891574621263
10Dudley Town4215161183661761
11Stourbridge42178176063−359
12Bilston Town42169176162−157
13Sutton Coldfield Town42169176267−557
14Grantham Town42175207183−1256
15Redditch United421411175777−2053
16Leicester United421313165872−1452
17Hinckley Town42147216283−2149
18Racing Club Warwick421013196790−2343
19Evesham United42116255994−3539
20Corby Town4297265295−4334
21Bury Town4288265795−3832Relegated to Eastern Counties League
22Bridgnorth Town42762953112−5927Relegated to Midland Alliance

Southern Division

The Southern Division featured five new clubs

PosTeamPldWDLFAGDPtsNotes
1Sittingbourne4228410102445888Promoted to Premier Division
2Ashford Town42259875443184
3Waterlooville422481087444380
4Newport Isle of Wight422461275581778
5Braintree Town422481093702377Three points deducted
6Weymouth422441475552076
7Havant Town422311873423174Six points deducted
8Forest Green Rovers422281285553074
9Trowbridge Town421881686513562
10Yate Town421781785711459
11Margate42185196862659
12Witney Town421611156054659
13Weston-super-Mare421691778681057
14Cinderford Town42168187477−356
15Fisher 93421413155859−155
16Bashley421411176361253
17Clevedon Town42156217080−1051
18Tonbridge Angels421310195879−2149
19Fleet Town42145235879−2147
20Fareham Town42125257197−2641
21Erith & Belvedere42443438111−7316
22Poole Town42014117188−1711Dropped into Hampshire League

References