# 1979–80 Western Football League

The 1979–80 season was the 78th in the history of the Western Football League.
The league champions for the second time in their history were Barnstaple Town. The champions of Division One were Melksham Town.
This season marked a return to the system of two points for a win, after five seasons using the three-point system. The Western League returned to the three-point system after ten seasons, in 1989–90.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division remained at twenty clubs after Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet Town were relegated to the First Division, and two clubs joined:
* A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves, champions of the First Division.
* Portway Bristol, runners-up in the First Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Barnstaple Town | 38 | 23 | 10 | 5 | 67 | 31 | +36 | 56 | |
| 2 | A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 100 | 26 | +74 | 55 | Left at the end of the season |
| 3 | Weston-super-Mare | 38 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 81 | 45 | +36 | 55 | |
| 4 | Frome Town | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 48 | |
| 5 | Bridgwater Town | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 46 | |
| 6 | Exeter City Reserves | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 71 | 59 | +12 | 43 | Left at the end of the season |
| 7 | Clevedon Town | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 74 | 58 | +16 | 42 | |
| 8 | Portway Bristol | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 66 | 53 | +13 | 42 | |
| 9 | Saltash United | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 64 | 51 | +13 | 42 | |
| 10 | Bideford | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 42 | |
| 11 | Keynsham Town | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 42 | |
| 12 | Falmouth Town | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 58 | 53 | +5 | 38 | |
| 13 | Dawlish | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 39 | 67 | −28 | 31 | |
| 14 | Clandown | 38 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 53 | 76 | −23 | 30 | |
| 15 | Tiverton Town | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 36 | 65 | −29 | 30 | |
| 16 | Welton Rovers | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 59 | 84 | −25 | 29 | |
| 17 | Paulton Rovers | 38 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 50 | 68 | −18 | 28 | |
| 18 | Mangotsfield United | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 37 | 80 | −43 | 24 | |
| 19 | Bridport | 38 | 4 | 14 | 20 | 31 | 67 | −36 | 21 | |
| 20 | Ilminster Town (R) | 38 | 2 | 11 | 25 | 31 | 87 | −56 | 15 | Relegated to Division One |
* ↑ Bridport had one point deducted for fielding an ineligible player.

## First Division

The First Division increased from nineteen to twenty-two clubs after A.F.C. Bournemouth Reserves and Portway Bristol were promoted to the Premier Division. Five new clubs joined:
* Bath City Reserves, returning to the league after leaving in 1971.
* Glastonbury, relegated from the Premier Division.
* Liskeard Athletic, from the South Western League.
* Radstock Town, from the Somerset Senior League – returning to the league after leaving in 1960.
* Shepton Mallet Town, relegated from the Premier Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Melksham Town (P) | 42 | 27 | 8 | 7 | 78 | 27 | +51 | 62 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Devizes Town (P) | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 91 | 42 | +49 | 59 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Liskeard Athletic (P) | 42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 70 | 31 | +39 | 56 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 4 | Bath City Reserves | 42 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 89 | 62 | +27 | 52 | |
| 5 | Exmouth Town | 42 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 67 | 43 | +24 | 52 | |
| 6 | Torquay United Reserves | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 84 | 61 | +23 | 52 | |
| 7 | Elmore | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 49 | |
| 8 | Bristol Manor Farm | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 70 | 58 | +12 | 49 | |
| 9 | Ottery St Mary | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 64 | 52 | +12 | 44 | |
| 10 | Glastonbury | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 60 | 68 | −8 | 43 | |
| 11 | Chippenham Town | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 58 | 62 | −4 | 42 | |
| 12 | Radstock Town | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 63 | 75 | −12 | 40 | |
| 13 | Shepton Mallet Town | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 75 | 78 | −3 | 39 | |
| 14 | Chard Town | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 59 | −8 | 39 | |
| 15 | Yeovil Town Reserves | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 71 | 85 | −14 | 38 | |
| 16 | Brixham United | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 60 | 70 | −10 | 37 | |
| 17 | Heavitree United | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 57 | 69 | −12 | 36 | |
| 18 | Larkhall Athletic | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 48 | 85 | −37 | 32 | |
| 19 | Odd Down | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 46 | 76 | −30 | 30 | |
| 20 | Wellington | 42 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 38 | 59 | −21 | 29 | |
| 21 | Swanage Town & Herston | 42 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 45 | 91 | −46 | 24 | |
| 22 | Westland-Yeovil | 42 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 31 | 81 | −50 | 19 | Left at the end of the season |
* ↑ Swanage Town & Herston had one point deducted for fielding an ineligible player.