Football League Third Division South

The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958.

The division was created in 1921 from the Third Division, formed one year earlier when the Football League absorbed the leading clubs from the Southern League.[1]

The following season, a Northern section was created, and the original division was renamed Third Division South. The exceptions to this were Crystal Palace, who were promoted to the Second Division, Grimsby Town who transferred to the Third Division North and Aberdare Athletic and Charlton Athletic who joined for the first time. Several Midlands-based teams were included in the South division, although most were geographically closer to their Northern division rivals; Nottingham Forest and Notts County are part of the Southern division although nearby Derby County spent time in the Northern division.

The league started in 1921–22 with 20 teams.[2]

Its final season was 1957–58, when the North and South sections were merged to form a single Third Division and a new Fourth Division.[3]

From 1934 to the war's outbreak there was a short-lived knockout Football League Third Division South Cup.

From 1954/55 season until 1957/58 season, there was a series of games between teams representing the Third Division North and the Third Division South. .

Past Champions

Season Champions
1921–22 Southampton
1922–23 Bristol City
1923–24 Portsmouth
1924–25 Swansea Town
1925–26 Reading
1926–27 Bristol City
1927–28 Millwall
1928–29 Charlton Athletic
1929–30 Plymouth Argyle
1930–31 Notts County
1931–32 Fulham
1932–33 Brentford
1933–34 Norwich City
1934–35 Charlton Athletic
1935–36 Coventry City
1936–37 Luton Town
1937–38 Millwall
1938–39 Newport County
1939–40 League abandoned due to World War II
1940–46 League suspended due to World War II
1946–47 Cardiff City
1947–48 Queens Park Rangers
1948–49 Swansea Town
1949–50 Notts County
1950–51 Nottingham Forest
1951–52 Plymouth Argyle
1952–53 Bristol Rovers
1953–54 Ipswich Town
1954–55 Bristol City
1955–56 Leyton Orient
1956–57 Ipswich Town
1957–58 Brighton & Hove Albion

Source: Statto[4]

References

  1. "History of The Football League". The Football League. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  2. Paul Felton and Barry Spencer (14 June 2000). "England 1921-22". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  3. Paul Felton (22 July 2001). "England 1957-58". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  4. "English Division Three (South) 1957-1958 : Table". Links to final tables for all seasons. Statto. Retrieved 10 June 2011.