1903–04 Southern Football League

The 1903–04 season was the tenth in the history of Southern League. Division One, expanded up to 18 teams, was won by Southampton for the 6th time in history. Watford finished top of Division Two, earning automatic promotion,[1] the first time that test matches had not been held. No clubs applied to join the Football League.

Division One

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Southern Football League Division One
Season1903–04
ChampionsSouthampton (6th title)
Promotednone
RelegatedKettering (resigned)
Matches played306
Goals scored809 (2.64 per match)

A total of 18 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and three new teams.

Teams promoted from Division Two:

  • Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Fulham

Newly elected team:

  • Plymouth Argyle

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Relegation
1 Southampton 34 22 6 6 75 30 2.500 50
2 Tottenham Hotspur 34 16 11 7 54 37 1.459 43
3 Bristol Rovers 34 17 8 9 64 42 1.524 42
4 Portsmouth 34 17 8 9 41 38 1.079 42
5 Queens Park Rangers 34 15 11 8 53 37 1.432 41
6 Reading 34 14 13 7 48 35 1.371 41
7 Millwall 34 16 8 10 64 42 1.524 40
8 Luton Town 34 14 12 8 38 33 1.152 40
9 Plymouth Argyle 34 13 10 11 44 34 1.294 36
10 Swindon Town 34 10 11 13 30 42 0.714 31
11 Fulham 34 9 12 13 34 36 0.944 30
12 West Ham United 34 10 7 17 39 44 0.886 27
13 Brentford 34 9 9 16 34 48 0.708 27
14 Wellingborough 34 11 5 18 44 63 0.698 27
15 Northampton Town 34 10 7 17 36 60 0.600 27
16 New Brompton 34 6 13 15 26 43 0.605 25
17 Brighton & Hove Albion 34 6 12 16 46 69 0.667 24
18 Kettering 34 6 7 21 39 76 0.513 19 Left league at end of season
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Division Two

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Southern Football League Division Two
Season1903–04
ChampionsWatford
PromotedWatford
RelegatedMillwall II (resigned)
Chesham Town (resigned)
Matches played110
Goals scored480 (4.36 per match)

A total of eleven teams contest the division, including 4 sides from previous season, one team relegated from Division One and six new clubs in Division Two this season, all of which were reserve teams.

Teams promoted from Division Two:

  • Watford

Newly elected teams:

  • Millwall II
  • Fulham II
  • Portsmouth II
  • Reading II
  • Southampton II
  • Swindon Town II

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Watford 20 18 2 0 70 15 4.667 38 Promoted to Division One
2 Portsmouth II 20 15 2 3 85 25 3.400 32
3 Millwall II 20 9 4 7 35 39 0.897 22 Left league at end of season
4 Southampton II 20 9 3 8 59 35 1.686 21
5 Grays United 20 9 3 8 25 55 0.455 21
6 Fulham II 20 8 4 8 40 34 1.176 20
7 Swindon Town II 20 8 3 9 50 44 1.136 19
8 Reading II 20 8 2 10 43 42 1.024 18
9 Wycombe Wanderers 20 5 5 10 29 64 0.453 15
10 Southall 20 4 2 14 25 62 0.403 10
11 Chesham Town 20 1 2 17 19 65 0.292 4 Left league at end of season
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

References

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  1. ^ Watford at the Football Club History Database
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