1922–23 Southern Football League

The 1922–23 season was the 25th in the history of the Southern League. The league was split into two sections for a third season in a row, one for English clubs and one for Welsh clubs.[1] Bristol City reserves won the English section, whilst Ebbw Vale won the Welsh section. Ebbw Vale were declared Southern League champions after beating Bristol City reserves 2–1 in a championship play-off.[2] Boscombe, Pontypridd and Torquay United were the only Southern League clubs to apply for election to the Football League, with Boscombe being successful.[3] The club was renamed Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic the following year.

Following to the mid-season resignation of four clubs in the Welsh section due to financial problems and Porth Athletic leaving the league at the end of the season, the following season saw the English section renamed the Eastern Division and the Welsh section renamed the Western Division, with eight clubs transferring from the English section to the Western section.

English section
Southern Football League English Section
Season1922–23
ChampionsBristol City II
PromotedBoscombe
RelegatedSouthend United II (resigned)
Matches played380
Goals scored1,228 (3.23 per match)

A total of 20 teams contest the division, including 17 sides from previous season and three new teams.

Newly elected teams:

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
1 Bristol City II 38 24 5 9 84 39 2.154 53 Transferred to 1923–24 Western Division at end of season
2 Boscombe 38 22 7 9 67 34 1.971 51 Elected to the 1923–24 Football League
3 Portsmouth II 38 23 3 12 93 51 1.824 49
4 Bristol Rovers II 38 20 8 10 59 41 1.439 48 Transferred to 1923–24 Western Division at end of season
5 Plymouth Argyle II 38 20 7 11 74 41 1.805 47
6 Torquay United 38 18 8 12 63 38 1.658 44
7 Brighton & Hove Albion II 38 20 3 15 95 60 1.583 43
8 Luton Town II 38 16 11 11 67 56 1.196 43
9 Southend United II 38 18 6 14 69 68 1.015 42 Left league at end of season
10 Southampton II 38 18 5 15 65 54 1.204 41
11 Millwall II 38 15 10 13 61 55 1.109 40
12 Coventry City II 38 15 8 15 56 61 0.918 38
13 Guildford United 38 15 7 16 65 59 1.102 37
14 Swindon Town II 38 13 6 19 54 73 0.740 32 Transferred to 1923–24 Western Division at end of season
15 Bath City 38 10 8 20 44 71 0.620 28
16 Watford II 38 11 6 21 34 79 0.430 28
17 Yeovil & Petters United 38 10 6 22 56 104 0.538 26 Transferred to 1923–24 Western Division at end of season
18 Norwich City II 38 9 7 22 42 68 0.618 25
19 Exeter City II 38 10 5 23 43 81 0.531 25 Transferred to 1923–24 Western Division at end of season
20 Reading II 38 7 6 25 37 95 0.389 20
Source:
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.

Welsh section
Southern Football League Welsh Section
Season1922–23
ChampionsEbbw Vale (1st title)
Promotednone
RelegatedPorth Athletic (resigned)
Ton Pentre (resigned)
Mardy (resigned)
Caerphilly (resigned)
Abertillery (resigned)
Matches played42
Goals scored133 (3.17 per match)

A total of 11 teams contest the division, including 10 sides from previous season and one new team.

Newly elected team:

  • Swansea Town II
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result
1 Ebbw Vale 12 6 5 1 22 15 1.467 17
2 Aberaman Athletic 12 7 2 3 30 19 1.579 16
3 Swansea Town II 12 6 2 4 25 14 1.786 14
4 Pontypridd 12 6 2 4 18 18 1.000 14
5 Barry 12 4 3 5 15 11 1.364 11
6 Bridgend Town 12 4 2 6 15 21 0.714 10
7 Porth Athletic 12 0 2 10 8 35 0.229 2 Left league at end of season
8 Abertillery 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 Resigned from league in January, records expunged
9 Caerphilly 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0
10 Mardy 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0
11 Ton Pentre 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0
Source:
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.

Football League election

In addition to the two clubs finishing bottom of Football League Third Division South, four non-League clubs joined the election process, of which three were from the Southern League. Boscombe from the English section were successful and joined the League the following season.

ClubLeagueVotes
Aberdare AthleticFootball League Third Division South45
Newport CountyFootball League Third Division South45
BoscombeSouthern League28
LlanellyWelsh National League (South)9
PontypriddSouthern League8
Torquay UnitedSouthern League0
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References
  1. England – Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
  2. Ebbw Vale at the Football Club History Database
  3. A history of admission to the Football League
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