# 1978–79 Western Football League

The 1978–79 season was the 77th in the history of the Western Football League.
The league champions for the first time in their history were Frome Town. The champions of Division One were newcomers A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division was increased from eighteen clubs to twenty after St Luke's College disbanded, and three clubs joined:
* Clandown, runners-up in the First Division.
* Ilminster Town, third-placed club in the First Division.
* Keynsham Town, champions of the First Division.
* Mangotsfield United were officially known as Mangotsfield PF for this season only, for sponsorship reasons.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Frome Town | 38 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 60 | 29 | +31 | 75 | |
| 2 | Bideford | 38 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 76 | 39 | +37 | 74 | |
| 3 | Saltash United | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 65 | 39 | +26 | 67 | |
| 4 | Barnstaple Town | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 35 | +30 | 64 | |
| 5 | Tiverton Town | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 60 | |
| 6 | Clandown | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 58 | 49 | +9 | 59 | |
| 7 | Weston-super-Mare | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 57 | |
| 8 | Falmouth Town | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 51 | 47 | +4 | 54 | |
| 9 | Paulton Rovers | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 54 | |
| 10 | Bridport | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 54 | 50 | +4 | 52 | |
| 11 | Bridgwater Town | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 51 | |
| 12 | Keynsham Town | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 51 | |
| 13 | Mangotsfield PF | 38 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 47 | |
| 14 | Ilminster Town | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 45 | 55 | −10 | 45 | |
| 15 | Welton Rovers | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 44 | 59 | −15 | 41 | |
| 16 | Exeter City Reserves | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 48 | 75 | −27 | 41 | |
| 17 | Clevedon Town | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 50 | 64 | −14 | 40 | |
| 18 | Dawlish | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 43 | 61 | −18 | 40 | |
| 19 | Shepton Mallet Town (R) | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 48 | 74 | −26 | 40 | Relegated to Division One |
| 20 | Glastonbury (R) | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 42 | 76 | −34 | 33 | Relegated to Division One |

## First Division

The First Division remained at nineteen clubs after Clandown, Ilminster Town and Keynsham Town were promoted to the Premier Division. Three new clubs joined:
* A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves
* Elmore, from the South Western League.
* Wellington

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves (P) | 36 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 101 | 41 | +60 | 81 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Portway Bristol (P) | 36 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 81 | 43 | +38 | 74 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Bristol Manor Farm | 36 | 20 | 5 | 11 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 65 | |
| 4 | Chippenham Town | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 64 | |
| 5 | Torquay United Reserves | 36 | 20 | 4 | 12 | 82 | 47 | +35 | 62 | |
| 6 | Melksham Town | 36 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 58 | 57 | +1 | 58 | |
| 7 | Devizes Town | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 71 | 54 | +17 | 57 | |
| 8 | Wellington | 36 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 48 | 46 | +2 | 57 | |
| 9 | Chard Town | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 57 | 58 | −1 | 51 | |
| 10 | Brixham United | 36 | 15 | 5 | 16 | 55 | 61 | −6 | 50 | |
| 11 | Elmore | 36 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 48 | 65 | −17 | 48 | |
| 12 | Ottery St Mary | 36 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 43 | |
| 13 | Larkhall Athletic | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 52 | 56 | −4 | 42 | |
| 14 | Westland-Yeovil | 36 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 42 | |
| 15 | Heavitree United | 36 | 12 | 5 | 19 | 39 | 61 | −22 | 41 | |
| 16 | Swanage Town & Herston | 36 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 39 | |
| 17 | Odd Down | 36 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 38 | 71 | −33 | 35 | |
| 18 | Exmouth Town | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 41 | 73 | −32 | 33 | |
| 19 | Yeovil Town Reserves | 36 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 30 | 65 | −35 | 24 | |
* ↑ The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.
* ↑ Torquay United Reserves had two points deducted for fielding ineligible players.
* 1 2 Ottery St Mary and Yeovil Town Reserves each had one point deducted for fielding ineligible players.