SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Professional football (and professional sport in general) developed more slowly in Southern England than in Northern England. Professionalism was sanctioned by the The Football Association as early as 1885, but when The Football League was founded in 1888 it was based entirely in the North and Midlands with the establishment of County Football Association's in the South being firmly opposed to professionalism.
Woolwich Arsenal were the first club in London to turn professional in 1891 and were one of the prime motivators behind an attempt to set up a Southern League to mirror the existing Northern and Midlands based Football League. However, this venture failed in the face of opposition from the London Football Association and Woolwich Arsenal instead joined the Football League as its only representative south of Birmingham in 1893.
A competition for both professional and amateur Southern clubs was founded in 1894 under the initiative of Millwall Athletic (now simply Millwall). Initially only one division was envisaged, but such was the enthusiasm, that eventually two divisions were formed.
The Southern League soon became the dominant competition outside The Football League in Southern and Central England. In 1907, it accepted Bradford Park Avenue, a northern club, as a member, reflecting its senior position at the time. Of all the original founder members, six – Gillingham (as New Brompton were renamed), Luton Town, Millwall, Reading, Southampton and Swindon Town – are now Football League clubs.
Whilst still a Southern League club, Tottenham Hotspur became the first and so far only team to win the FA Cup after the establishment of the Football League in 1888-89 as a non-League club. This happened in 1901, although Southampton reached the final in 1900 and 1902 showing the strength of the Southern League.
In 1920, virtually the entire top division of the Southern League was absorbed by the Football League to become that league's new Third Division.
A year later the Third Division was expanded and regionalised. The Third Division clubs from the previous season became the Third Division South, with the addition of the Third Division North.
For the next six decades, the Football League and Southern League would exchange a limited number of clubs as a result of the older league's re-election process. From 1920 onward, the Southern League's status as a semi-professional league was firmly established.
The Southern League ceased to be a feeder to the Football League in 1979-80 when the Alliance Premier League was formed.
Table listing every winner of the Southern League since its inception in 1894-95 to 2013-14
Table listing Southern League Championships
won by clubs from 1894-95 to 2013-14
Stats of the respective League positions season by season for every club in the two divisions of the Southern League from 1894-95 to 1919-20
Stats of the respective League positions season by season for every club in the various divisions
of the Southern League from 1920-21 to 1938-39
Stats of the League positions by season for
every club in the Southern League
from 1945-46 to 1978-79
Non-League Football Records & Statistics from 1889 to 2015
Football Stats of League positions by season
for every club in the National Conference
from 1979-80 to 2014-15
Table listing every winner of the National Conference since its inception in 1979-80 to
2014-15 together with the current League table.
FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
The Football Conference was formed in 1979 from leading teams in the Northern Premier League and Southern League and was originally known as the Alliance Premier League.
Since 1987 the team who has won the Conference has usually been automatically promoted to the fourth flight of the Football League.
In 2004 Conference North & South feeder Leagues were added.
Football Stats Northern Premier League Championships won by clubs
from 1968-69 to 2014-15
Stats of every winner of the NPL since its
inception in 1968-69 to 2014-15
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE
The Northern Premier League (NPL) was founded in 1968 as the northern equivalent of the Southern League and Isthmian League.
Over the next two decades the NPL become the pre-eminent regional competition in Northern England.
In 1979, upon the creation of the Alliance Premier League, the NPL became a feeder league and fell down one level in the English football league system. It now feeds into the Football Conference North.
The 68 clubs which participate in the Northern Premier League are split into three Divisions: Premier League, NPL Division One North and NPL Division One South
Football Stats of the League positions by season
for every club in the NPL from 1968-69 to 2014-15
Non-League Football Records and Statistics 1889 to 2015
Football Alliance
Southern League
Isthmian League
Western League
Northern Premier League
Football Conference
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Western Football League Champions
from 1892-93 to 1913-14
WESTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The Western League was formed in 1892 and was considered secondary to the Southern League.
Details of the Football Alliance from 1889-90 to 1891-92, after which it became the
Second Division of the Football League.
FOOTBALL ALLIANCE
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System
The FA Trophy is a cup competition run by and named after the English Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams.
Table listing every winner of the Conference South since its inception in 2004-05 to 2014-15 together
with the current League table.
Table listing every winner of the Conference North since its inception in 2004-05 to 2014-15
together with the current League table.
Football Stats of League positions by season
for every club in the Football Conference South
from 1979-80 to 2014-15
Football Stats of League positions by season
for every club in the Football Conference North
from 1979-80 to 2014-15
Details of the Isthmian League from 1905-06
to 2014-15, The Isthmian League now is a
feeder for the Football Conference South
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE
The Isthmian League was formed in 1905 as the first League for Amateur clubs. By the 1970s it was open to professional clubs
and today, along with the Southern League, it is a feeder for the Football Conference South.
The 72 clubs which participate in the Isthmian League are split into three Divisions: Premier League, Division One North & Division One South
Southern Football League (Evo-Stik League Southern) Tables 2014-15 for all three Divisions: Premier League, D1 Central & D1 South & West.
Tables for all three Divisions of the Isthmian League 2014-15: Premier League, Division One North & Division One South.
Tables for all 3 Divisions of the Northern Premier League 2014-15: Northern Premier League, NPL Division One North & NPL Division One South.
The top 358 clubs ranked by their end of
season 2012-13 League positions
Detailed chart showing the set-up of the first 10 levels of the English Football Pyramid System of Leagues for professional, semi-professional
and amateur football.
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The top 367 clubs ranked by their end of
season 2014-15 League positions
The top 366 clubs ranked by their end of
season 2013-14 League positions
Southern Football League (Evo-Stik League Southern) Tables 2013-14 for all three Divisions: Premier League, D1 Central & D1 South & West.
Southern Football League (Evo-Stik League Southern) Tables 2012-13 for all three Divisions: Premier League, D1 Central & D1 South & West.
Tables for all three Divisions of the Isthmian League 2012-13: Premier League, Division One North & Division One South.
Tables for all three Divisions of the Isthmian League 2013-14: Premier League, Division One North & Division One South.
Tables for all 3 Divisions of the Northern Premier League 2012-13: Northern Premier League, NPL Division One North & NPL Division One South.
Tables for all 3 Divisions of the Northern Premier League 2013-14: Northern Premier League, NPL Division One North & NPL Division One South.
The Southern League now comprises of 3 Divisions: The Premier League, Division One Central and Division One South & West.
