The 1971–72 Southern Football League season was the 69th in the history of the league, an English football competition.
At the end of the previous season Division One was split into divisions One North and One South with 14 new clubs joining the league.
Chelmsford City won the championship, winning their third Southern League title, whilst Burton Albion, Kettering Town, Ramsgate Athletic and Waterlooville were all promoted to the Premier Division. Eight Southern League clubs applied to join the Football League at the end of the season, Hereford United was elected in favour of Barrow after a tie in the first vote.
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs, promoted from Division One:
| Competition: | Southern Football League Premier Division |
| Season: | 1971–72 |
| Winners: | Chelmsford City |
| Relegated: | Bath City Gloucester City Merthyr Tydfil |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1378 |
| Prevseason: | 1970–71 |
| Nextseason: | 1972–73 |
Division One North consisted of 18 clubs, including eight clubs from the previous season Division One and ten new clubs:
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One North |
| Season: | 1971–72 |
| Winners: | Kettering Town |
| Promoted: | Burton Albion Kettering Town |
| Matches: | 306 |
| Total Goals: | 904 |
| Prevseason: | 1970–71 |
| Nextseason: | 1972–73 |
Division One South consisted of 16 clubs, including eight clubs from the previous season Division One and eight new clubs:
At the end of the season Ramsgate Athletic was renamed Ramsgate.
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One South |
| Season: | 1971–72 |
| Winners: | Waterlooville |
| Promoted: | Ramsgate Athletic Waterlooville |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 661 |
| Prevseason: | 1970–71 |
| Nextseason: | 1972–73 |
Alongside the four League clubs facing re-election, a total of 12 non-League clubs applied for election, eight of which were Southern League clubs. Three League clubs were re-elected, along with Hereford United who were elected in favour of Barrow after a tie in the first vote.[1]