# 1919–20 Southern Football League

The 1919–20 season was the 22nd in the history of the Southern League, and the first following World War I. Portsmouth won the Southern League championship for the second time, whilst Mid Rhondda won Division Two. There were no promotions or relegations between divisions at the end of the season as all of the clubs in Division One bar Cardiff City were elected to the new Division Three of the Football League, with Cardiff elected to Division Two.
With only 10 clubs remaining (Caerphilly left the league) the league went through a realignment. The league was split into two national sections for England and Wales, with the winners of each section contesting a playoff for the Southern League championship. The remaining clubs in Division Two moved to the Welsh Section. In the English Section, Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves, Chatham Town, Millwall Reserves, Portsmouth Reserves, Reading Reserves, Southampton Reserves, and Watford Reserves rejoined the Southern League. New clubs to join were Boscombe, Charlton Athletic, Gillingham Reserves, Luton Town Reserves, Norwich City Reserves, and Thornycrofts.

## Division One

A total of 22 teams contest the division, including 18 sides from previous season and four new teams.
Teams promoted from 1914–15 Division Two:
* Merthyr Town
* Swansea Town
* Brentford
* Newport County
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Portsmouth | 42 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 73 | 27 | 2.704 | 58 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 2 | Watford | 42 | 26 | 6 | 10 | 69 | 42 | 1.643 | 58 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 3 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 69 | 43 | 1.605 | 56 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 4 | Cardiff City | 42 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 70 | 43 | 1.628 | 53 | Elected to the Football League Second Division |
| 5 | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 57 | 29 | 1.966 | 50 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 6 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 62 | 50 | 1.240 | 46 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 7 | Reading | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 51 | 43 | 1.186 | 45 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 8 | Southampton | 42 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 72 | 63 | 1.143 | 44 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 9 | Swansea Town | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 53 | 45 | 1.178 | 43 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 10 | Exeter City | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 57 | 51 | 1.118 | 43 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 11 | Southend United | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 46 | 48 | 0.958 | 43 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 12 | Norwich City | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 64 | 57 | 1.123 | 41 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 13 | Swindon Town | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 65 | 68 | 0.956 | 41 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 14 | Millwall | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 52 | 55 | 0.945 | 40 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 15 | Brentford | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 52 | 59 | 0.881 | 40 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 60 | 72 | 0.833 | 36 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 17 | Bristol Rovers | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 61 | 78 | 0.782 | 35 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 18 | Newport County | 42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 45 | 70 | 0.643 | 33 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 19 | Northampton Town | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 103 | 0.621 | 33 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 20 | Luton Town | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 51 | 76 | 0.671 | 30 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 21 | Merthyr Town | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 47 | 78 | 0.603 | 29 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |
| 22 | Gillingham | 42 | 10 | 7 | 25 | 34 | 74 | 0.459 | 27 | Elected to the new Football League Third Division |

## Division Two

A total of 11 teams contest the division, including six sides from previous season and five new teams.
Newly elected teams:
* Aberaman Athletic
* Abertillery
* Caerphilly
* Mardy
* Porth Athletic
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Mid Rhondda | 20 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 79 | 10 | 7.900 | 37 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 2 | Ton Pentre | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 50 | 14 | 3.571 | 31 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 3 | Llanelly | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 47 | 30 | 1.567 | 25 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 4 | Pontypridd | 20 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 33 | 29 | 1.138 | 23 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 5 | Ebbw Vale | 20 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 39 | 40 | 0.975 | 21 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 6 | Barry | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 32 | 27 | 1.185 | 19 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 7 | Mardy | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 30 | 0.967 | 19 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 8 | Abertillery | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 40 | 0.725 | 17 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 9 | Porth Athletic | 20 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 30 | 74 | 0.405 | 12 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 10 | Aberaman Athletic | 20 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 28 | 48 | 0.583 | 11 | Promoted and Transferred to Southern League Welsh Section |
| 11 | Caerphilly | 20 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 20 | 74 | 0.270 | 5 | Left league at end of season |

## Football League elections

Cardiff City were the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League. They were successful and, along with Leeds United, replaced Grimsby Town and Lincoln City in the Football League Second Division.
| Club | League | Votes |
| Leeds United | Midland League | 31 |
| Cardiff City | Southern League | 23 |
| Grimsby Town | Football League | 20 |
| Lincoln City | Football League | 7 |
| Walsall | Birmingham & District League | 3 |
After the voting, 21 clubs remained in Southern League alongside Grimsby, having gained more votes than other non-elected clubs, were then elected into the newly created Third Division.