# 1980–81 Western Football League

The 1980–81 season was the 79th in the history of the Western Football League.
The league champions for the second time in their history were Bridgwater Town. The champions of Division One were Chippenham Town.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division remained at twenty clubs after Ilminster Town were relegated to the First Division, and A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves and Exeter City Reserves left the league. Three clubs joined:
* Devizes Town, runners-up in the First Division.
* Liskeard Athletic, third-placed club in the First Division.
* Melksham Town, champions of the First Division.
* Dawlish changed their name to Dawlish Town.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Bridgwater Town | 38 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 54 | 25 | +29 | 56 | |
| 2 | Barnstaple Town | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 50 | |
| 3 | Frome Town | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 74 | 51 | +23 | 48 | |
| 4 | Falmouth Town | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 71 | 53 | +18 | 45 | |
| 5 | Bideford | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 58 | 42 | +16 | 44 | |
| 6 | Saltash United | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 73 | 47 | +26 | 43 | |
| 7 | Portway Bristol | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 55 | 45 | +10 | 43 | |
| 8 | Clevedon Town | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 65 | 52 | +13 | 41 | |
| 9 | Clandown | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 60 | 53 | +7 | 41 | |
| 10 | Devizes Town | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 61 | 56 | +5 | 41 | |
| 11 | Bridport | 38 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 39 | |
| 12 | Keynsham Town | 38 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 39 | |
| 13 | Melksham Town | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 37 | |
| 14 | Liskeard Athletic | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 58 | 70 | −12 | 33 | |
| 15 | Mangotsfield United | 38 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 43 | 66 | −23 | 31 | |
| 16 | Dawlish Town | 38 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 40 | 50 | −10 | 30 | |
| 17 | Welton Rovers | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 50 | 69 | −19 | 29 | |
| 18 | Weston-super-Mare | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 42 | 61 | −19 | 29 | |
| 19 | Paulton Rovers (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 45 | 72 | −27 | 29 | Relegated to Division One |
| 20 | Tiverton Town (R) | 38 | 1 | 10 | 27 | 23 | 77 | −54 | 12 | Relegated to Division One |

## First Division

The First Division was reduced from twenty-two to nineteen clubs after Westland-Yeovil left the league, and Devizes Town, Liskeard Athletic and Melksham Town were promoted to the Premier Division. One new club joined:
* Ilminster Town, relegated from the Premier Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Chippenham Town (P) | 36 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 76 | 24 | +52 | 58 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Wellington (P) | 36 | 22 | 8 | 6 | 80 | 36 | +44 | 52 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Exmouth Town | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 74 | 37 | +37 | 51 | |
| 4 | Bath City Reserves | 36 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 79 | 44 | +35 | 49 | |
| 5 | Odd Down | 36 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 47 | |
| 6 | Yeovil Town Reserves | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 58 | 38 | +20 | 45 | |
| 7 | Torquay United Reserves | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 60 | 35 | +25 | 43 | |
| 8 | Swanage Town & Herston | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 37 | |
| 9 | Chard Town | 36 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 36 | |
| 10 | Bristol Manor Farm | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 57 | −4 | 36 | |
| 11 | Shepton Mallet Town | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 68 | 75 | −7 | 34 | |
| 12 | Elmore | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 34 | |
| 13 | Glastonbury | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 28 | |
| 14 | Brixham United | 36 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 50 | 70 | −20 | 27 | Left at the end of the season |
| 15 | Larkhall Athletic | 36 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 44 | 76 | −32 | 22 | |
| 16 | Ottery St Mary | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 37 | 77 | −40 | 22 | |
| 17 | Heavitree United | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 40 | 86 | −46 | 22 | |
| 18 | Ilminster Town | 36 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 39 | 70 | −31 | 20 | |
| 19 | Radstock Town | 36 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 47 | 80 | −33 | 20 | |
* ↑ Odd Down had one point deducted for fielding an ineligible player.