1923–24 Southern Football League

The 1923–24 season was the 26th in the history of the Southern League. The league was split into Eastern and Western Divisions.^[1] Peterborough & Fletton United won the Eastern Division and Yeovil & Petters United won the Western Division. Yeovil were declared Southern League champions after defeating Peterborough 3–1 in a championship play-off.^[2] No clubs applied to join the Football League this season,^[3] and no clubs left the league at the end of the season.

Eastern Division

Southern Football League Eastern Division

Season	1923–24
Champions	Peterborough & Fletton United
Promoted	none
Relegated	none
Matches played	240
Goals scored	757 (3.15 per match)
← 1922–23 1924–25 →

A total of 16 teams contest the division (previously called the English section), including 10 sides from previous season and six new teams.

Newly elected teams:

• Peterborough & Fletton United
• Folkestone
• Kettering
• Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II (replacing their first team, which had been promoted to the Football League the previous season)
• Leicester City II
• Northampton Town II

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GR	Pts	Result
1	Peterborough & Fletton United	30	20	2	8	54	31	1.742	42
2	Leicester City II	30	19	3	8	72	30	2.400	41
3	Southampton II	30	18	5	7	60	36	1.667	41
4	Millwall II	30	18	3	9	56	38	1.474	39
5	Portsmouth II	30	16	2	12	66	37	1.784	34
6	Brighton & Hove Albion II	30	13	7	10	55	42	1.310	33
7	Norwich City II	30	13	6	11	46	34	1.353	32
8	Folkestone	30	12	5	13	61	51	1.196	29
9	Coventry City II	30	10	8	12	39	34	1.147	28
10	Watford II	30	11	6	13	36	48	0.750	28
11	Reading II	30	11	6	13	32	43	0.744	28
12	Northampton Town II	30	9	10	11	32	47	0.681	28
13	Luton Town II	30	10	7	13	40	49	0.816	27
14	Guildford United	30	7	5	18	38	72	0.528	19
15	Kettering	30	5	8	17	30	67	0.448	18	Changed name to Kettering Town at end of season
16	Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II	30	4	5	21	40	98	0.408	13

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Western Division

Southern Football League Western Division

Season	1923–24
Champions	Yeovil & Petters United (1st title)
Promoted	none
Relegated	none
Matches played	306
Goals scored	974 (3.18 per match)
← 1922–23 1924–25 →

A total of 18 teams contest the division (previously called the Welsh section), including 6 sides from previous season, 8 teams transferred from English section and four new teams.

Teams transferred from 1922–23 English section:

• Bath City
• Torquay United
• Yeovil & Petters United
• Bristol City II
• Bristol Rovers II
• Exeter City II
• Plymouth Argyle II
• Swindon Town II

Newly elected teams:

• Llanelly
• Weymouth - (newly elected from the Western League)
• Cardiff City II
• Newport County II

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GR	Pts	Qualification^[a]
1	Yeovil & Petters United	34	25	3	6	71	30	2.367	53
2	Plymouth Argyle II	34	21	5	8	74	37	2.000	47
3	Pontypridd	34	19	8	7	81	44	1.841	46
4	Torquay United	34	19	7	8	59	25	2.360	45
5	Bristol City II	34	17	9	8	63	39	1.615	43
6	Swansea Town II	34	19	5	10	62	38	1.632	43
7	Bristol Rovers II	34	17	6	11	69	43	1.605	40
8	Cardiff City II	34	15	4	15	55	31	1.774	34
9	Exeter City II	34	11	11	12	48	47	1.021	33
10	Weymouth	34	15	3	16	48	60	0.800	33
11	Llanelly	34	14	5	15	47	62	0.758	33
12	Swindon Town II	34	11	6	17	36	60	0.600	28
13	Bridgend Town	34	11	5	18	57	72	0.792	27
14	Newport County II	34	10	7	17	57	78	0.731	27
15	Ebbw Vale	34	8	8	18	38	62	0.613	24
16	Bath City	34	6	9	19	32	71	0.451	21
17	Barry	34	6	7	21	36	74	0.486	19
18	Aberaman Athletic	34	6	4	24	41	87	0.471	16

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Notes:

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

References

1. England – Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
2. Yeovil & Petters United at the Football Club History Database
3. A history of admission to the Football League