The 2018–19 season was the 116th in the history of the Southern League since its establishment in 1894. The league (known as Evo-Stik League Southern, following a sponsorship deal with Evo-Stik) has two Premier divisions (Central and South) at step 3 of the National League System (NLS) and two Division One divisions (Central and South) at step 4 of the NLS.[1]
This was the first season to consist of four divisions in the league, following a shakeup of the Southern, Isthmian, and Northern Premier Leagues divisions by geographical region. The Southern League was chosen to create a new division at Step 3; the 21 clubs remaining from the Premier Division the previous season were split into two new Premier divisions; Central and South. The league constitution was announced in May 2018.[1]
| Competition: | Southern Football League Premier Division Central |
| Season: | 2018–19 |
| Winners: | Kettering Town |
| Promoted: | Kettering Town King's Lynn Town |
| Relegated: | Bedworth United Halesowen Town St Neots Town |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1272 |
| League Topscorer: | 24 goals - Adam Marriott (King's Lynn Town) |
| Attendance: | 165,929 |
| Average Attendance: | 359 (-22.6% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2017–18 |
| Nextseason: | 2019–20 |
At the end of the previous season a new division was created at step 3, while the number of clubs in step 3 divisions was reduced from 24 to 22. The Premier Division Central consisted of ten clubs from the previous season Premier Division, and twelve new clubs.
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayden Road (groundshare with Rushden & Higham United) | 2,000 | ||
| Lye Meadow | 3,000 | ||
| Spencer Stadium | 2,000 | ||
| Kirkby Road | 2,500 | ||
| The Oval | 3,000 | ||
| Langford Road | 3,000 | ||
| Owen Street Sports Ground | 2,000 | ||
| The Grove | 3,150 | ||
| Top Field | 4,554 | ||
| Latimer Park (groundshare with Burton Park Wanderers) | 2,400 | ||
| The Walks | 5,733 | ||
| Victory Road | 2,250 | ||
| Crown Meadow | 3,000 | ||
| Bloomfields | 4,000 | ||
| The Valley | 5,000 | ||
| Garden Walk | 5,000 | ||
| Dales Lane | 2,000 | ||
| Westwood Road | 2,000 | ||
| New Rowley Park | 3,500 | ||
| 2,626 | |||
| Knights Lane | 2,000 | ||
| 4,565 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Premier Division South |
| Season: | 2018–19 |
| Promoted: | Weymouth |
| Relegated: | Staines Town Frome Town Basingstoke Town |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1596 |
| League Topscorer: | 37 goals - Brandon Goodship (Weymouth) |
| Attendance: | 155,931 |
| Average Attendance: | 338 (-27.2% to previous season) |
| Prevseason: | 2017–18 |
| Nextseason: | 2019–20 |
At the end of the previous season a new division was created at step 3, while the number of clubs in step 3 divisions was reduced from 24 to 22. The Premier Division South consisted of ten clubs from the previous season Premier Division, and twelve new clubs.
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Camrose | 6,000 | ||
| Holloways Park | 3,500 | ||
| The Meadow | 5,000 | ||
| 5,000 | |||
| Cherrywood Road | 7,000 | ||
| Badgers Hill | 2,000 | ||
| Privett Park | 4,500 | ||
| 3,000 | |||
| The Memorial Playing Fields | 2,000 | ||
| Silver Jubilee Park | 2,000 | ||
| Gaywood Park | 2,000 | ||
| 4,000 | |||
| Imber Court | 3,000 | ||
| The BlackGold Stadium | 2,500 | ||
| 5,000 | |||
| Wheatsheaf Park | 3,000 | ||
| Hunts Copse Ground | 3,000 | ||
| Wordsworth Drive | 2,500 | ||
| Ladysmead | 3,500 | ||
| Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub | 2,500 | ||
| 6,600 | |||
| The Cuthbury | 3,000 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One Central |
| Season: | 2018–19 |
| Winners: | Peterborough Sports |
| Promoted: | Peterborough Sports Bromsgrove Sporting |
| Relegated: | Aylesbury Dunstable Town |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 1335 |
| League Topscorer: | 30 goals - Jason Cowley (Bromsgrove Sporting) |
| Attendance: | 71,714 |
| Average Attendance: | 189 |
| Prevseason: | 2017–18 |
| Nextseason: | 2019–20 |
A new division was added at step 4 within the Isthmian League, while the number of clubs in every step 4 division was decreased to 20. Division One Central featured eight clubs from the previous season Division One West and twelve new clubs.
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creasey Park (groundshare with Dunstable Town) | 3,200 | ||
| Haywood Way | 1,300 | ||
| The Meadow (groundshare with Chesham United) | 5,000 | ||
| Sharpenhoe Road | 4,000 | ||
| The Eyrie | 3,000 | ||
| Broadwater | 2,500 | ||
| Victoria Ground | 3,500 | ||
| Bridge Road (groundshare with Histon) | 2,000 | ||
| Pack Meadow | 2,070 | ||
| Steel Park | 3,893 | ||
| Loop Meadow | 3,000 | ||
| Creasey Park (groundshare with AFC Dunstable) | 3,200 | ||
| Hillgrounds Leisure | 2,000 | ||
| Yarnton Road | 1,500 | ||
| Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground | 2,000 | ||
| Lincoln Road | 2,300 | ||
| Central Ground | 2,000 | ||
| Meadow View Park | 2,000 | ||
| Herns Way | 1,000 | ||
| Leading Drove | 1,500 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One South |
| Season: | 2018–19 |
| Winners: | Blackfield & Langley |
| Promoted: | Blackfield & Langley Yate Town |
| Relegated: | Fleet Town Street |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 1284 |
| League Topscorer: | 31 goals - Benjamin Whitehead (Cirencester Town) |
| Attendance: | 64,901 |
| Average Attendance: | 171 |
| Prevseason: | 2017–18 |
| Nextseason: | 2019–20 |
A new division was added at step 4 within the Isthmian League, while the number of clubs in every step 4 division was decreased to 20. Division One South featured 13 clubs from the previous season Division One East and seven new clubs.
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testwood Stadium | 3,000 | ||
| Mill Road | 5,000 | ||
| The Sports Ground | 2,000 | ||
| Gang Warily Rec | 1,500 | ||
| The Creek | 2,000 | ||
| Causeway Ground | 3,500 | ||
| Corinium Stadium | 4,500 | ||
| Jubilee Stadium | 3,000 | ||
| Calthorpe Park | 2,000 | ||
| The Elms Recreation Ground | 2,000 | ||
| The Plain Ham Ground | 1,000 | ||
| Cossham Street | 2,500 | ||
| Oakfield Stadium | 2,500 | ||
| Moneyfields Sports Ground | 2,000 | ||
| Paulton Rovers | Athletic Field | 2,500 | |
| Thornhill Park | 1,500 | ||
| The Tannery | 1,000 | ||
| Waterside Park | 1,500 | ||
| The City Ground | 4,500 | ||
| Lodge Road | 2,000 |
| Club | League | Qualification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromsgrove Sporting | Southern Football League Division One Central | 2.29 | 64 | Promoted to Step 3 |
| Horsham | Isthmian League South East Division | 2.06 | 35 | |
| Cheshunt | Isthmian League South Central Division | 2 | 36 | |
| Radcliffe | Northern Premier League Division One West | 1.97 | 39 | |
| Yate Town | Southern Football League Division One South | 1.97 | 23 | |
| Heybridge Swifts | Isthmian League North Division | 1.95 | 19 | Retained at Step 4 |
| Brighouse Town | Northern Premier League Division One East | 1.87 | 31 |
| Southern League Cup | |
| Year: | 2018–19 |
| Country: | England Wales |
| Num Teams: | 84 |
| Matches: | 83 |
| Champions: | Stratford Town |
| Runner-Up: | Cinderford Town |
| Prevseason: | 2017–18 |
| Nextseason: | 2019–20 |
The 2018–19 Southern League Cup was the 81st edition of the Southern League Cup, the cup competition of the Southern Football League.
| Round | Dates | Matches | width=100 | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary round | 3 September to 18 September | 20 | 84 → 64 | |
| First round | 2 October to 11 December | 32 | 64 → 32 | |
| Second round | 5 November to 22 January | 16 | 32 → 16 | |
| Third round | 4 December to 5 February | 8 | 16 → 8 | |
| Quarterfinals | 8 January to 2 April | 4 | 8 → 4 | |
| Semifinals | 9 April | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 16 April | 1 | 2 → 1 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 1 | Coleshill Town (1C) | 1–1 | Sutton Coldfield Town (1C) | 97 | |
| Coleshill Town advance 3–1 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Alvechurch (PC) | 1–0 | Bromsgrove Sporting (1C) | 361 | |
| 3 | Fleet Town (1S) | 1–3 | Farnborough (PS) | 143 | |
| 4 | Kings Langley (PS) | 0–1 | Welwyn Garden City (1C) | 82 | |
| 5 | Leiston (PC) | 1–0 | Cambridge City (1C) | 122 | |
| 6 | Mangotsfield United (1S) | 1–2 | Larkhall Athletic (1S) | 73 | |
| 7 | North Leigh (1C) | 1–5 | Banbury United (PC) | 105 | |
| 8 | Redditch United (PC) | 4–3 | Rushall Olympic (PC) | 101 | |
| 9 | St Neots Town (PC) | 2–2 | Bedford Town (1C) | 175 | |
| St Neots Town advance 4–1 on penalties | |||||
| 10 | Tamworth (PC) | 6–0 | Coalville Town (PC) | 332 | |
| 11 | Taunton Town (PS) | 2–5 | Street (1S) | 264 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 12 | Walton Casuals (PS) | 2–1 | Beaconsfield Town (PS) | 98 | |
| 13 | Winchester City (1S) | 1–1 | Gosport Borough (PS) | 106 | |
| Gosport Borough advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Yaxley (1C) | 2–2 | St Ives Town (PC) | 57 | |
| Yaxley advance 2–0 on penalties | |||||
| 15 | Hitchin Town (PC) | 2–2 | Harrow Borough (PS) | 119 | |
| Hitchin Town advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
| 16 | Chesham United (PS) | 5–3 | Dunstable Town (1C) | 74 | |
| 17 | Didcot Town (1C) | 5–3 | Thame United (1C) | 67 | |
| 18 | Corby Town (1C) | 2–3 | Peterborough Sports (1C) | 203 | |
| 19 | Kempston Rovers (1C) | 3–1 | AFC Dunstable (1C) | 57 | |
| 20 | Swindon Supermarine (PS) | 4–1 | Yate Town (1S) | 137 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 21 | AFC Totton (1S) | 3–1 | Moneyfields (1S) | 127 | |
| 22 | Aylesbury (1C) | 0–3 | Berkhamsted (1C) | 60 | |
| 23 | Aylesbury United (1C) | 3–1 | Chesham United (PS) | 132 | |
| 24 | Banbury United (PC) | 2–3 | Kettering Town (PC) | 185 | |
| 25 | Bedworth United (PC) | 0–0 | Barwell (PC) | 83 | |
| Barwell advance 6–5 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Bristol Manor Farm (1S) | 2–4 | Cinderford Town (1S) | 101 | |
| 27 | Didcot Town (1C) | 1–0 | Kidlington (1C) | 77 | |
| 28 | Dorchester Town (PS) | 1–1 | Poole Town (PS) | 227 | |
| Poole Town advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
| 29 | Frome Town (PS) | 0–2 | Paulton Rovers (1S) | 107 | |
| 30 | Gosport Borough (PS) | 3–4 | Blackfield & Langley (1S) | 89 | |
| 31 | Kempston Rovers (1C) | 2–2 | AFC Rushden & Diamonds (PC) | 123 | |
| Kempston Rovers advance 3–1 on penalties | |||||
| 32 | King's Lynn Town (PC) | 4–1 | Peterborough Sports (1C) | 160 | |
| 33 | Leiston (PC) | 1–1 | Needham Market (PC) | 108 | |
| Leiston advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
| 34 | Lowestoft Town (PC) | 3–1 | St Neots Town (PC) | 58 | |
| 35 | Royston Town (PC) | 4–3 | Hitchin Town (PC) | 96 | |
| 36 | Swindon Supermarine (PS) | 1–3 | Cirencester Town (1S) | 102 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 37 | Tamworth (PC) | 1–1 | Coleshill Town (1C) | 280 | |
| Coleshill Town advance 6–5 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Tiverton Town (PS) | 2–1 | Barnstaple Town (1S) | 108 | |
| 39 | Walton Casuals (PS) | 6–0 | Staines Town (PS) | 108 | |
| 40 | Welwyn Garden City (1C) | 2–1 | Barton Rovers (1C) | 51 | |
| 41 | Wimborne Town (PS) | 2–0 | Weymouth (PS) | 208 | |
| 42 | Yaxley (1C) | 0–9 | Biggleswade Town (PC) | 65 | |
| 43 | Evesham United (1S) | 2–3 | Stourbridge (PC) | 96 | |
| 44 | Highworth Town (1S) | 0–0 | Salisbury (PS) | 136 | |
| Salisbury advance 5–4 on penalties | |||||
| 45 | Larkhall Athletic (1S) | 0–2 | Melksham Town (1S) | 85 | |
| 46 | Redditch United (PC) | 2–1 | Halesowen Town (PC) | 135 | |
| 47 | Slimbridge (1S) | 5–1 | Merthyr Town (PS) | 72 | |
| 48 | Alvechurch (PC) | 2–4 | Stratford Town (PC) | 108 | |
| 49 | Metropolitan Police (PS) | 1–0 | Hendon (PS) | 59 | |
| 50 | Street (1S) | 1–2 | Bideford (1S) | 98 | |
| 51 | Thatcham Town (1S) | 0–0 | Hartley Wintney (PS) | 138 | |
| Hartley Wintney advance 9–8 on penalties | |||||
| 52 | Basingstoke Town (PS) | W.O. | Farnborough (PS) | ||
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 53 | Coleshill Town (1C) | 0–0 | Barwell (PC) | 69 | |
| Barwell advance 4–3 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Stourbridge (PC) | 2–3 | Cinderford Town (1S) | 197 | |
| 55 | Berkhamsted (1C) | 2–0 | Aylesbury United (1C) | 101 | |
| 56 | Blackfield & Langley (1S) | 4–0 | AFC Totton (1S) | 118 | |
| 57 | Didcot Town (1C) | 3–0 | Cirencester Town (1S) | 85 | |
| 58 | Kettering Town (PC) | 5–1 | King's Lynn Town (PC) | 158 | |
| 59 | Leiston (PC) | 0–1 | Lowestoft Town (PC) | 173 | |
| 60 | Melksham Town (1S) | 0–4 | Slimbridge (1S) | 125 | |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 61 | Salisbury (PS) | 2–0 | Paulton Rovers (1S) | 300 | |
| 62 | Stratford Town (PC) | 2–1 | Redditch United (PC) | 163 | |
| 63 | Tiverton Town (PS) | 2–5 | Bideford (1S) | 102 | |
| 64 | Metropolitan Police (PS) | 1–5 | Hartley Wintney (PS) | 47 | |
| 65 | Welwyn Garden City (1C) | 8–0 | Kempston Rovers (1C) | 65 | |
| 66 | Wimborne Town (PS) | 3–0 | Poole Town (PS) | 221 | |
| 67 | Basingstoke Town (PS) | 2–1 | Walton Casuals (PS) | 141 | |
| 68 | Royston Town (PC) | 4–1 | Biggleswade Town (PC) | 110 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 69 | Berkhamsted (1C) | 0–0 | Welwyn Garden City (1C) | 68 | |
| Berkhamsted advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | Cinderford Town (1S) | 4–2 | Slimbridge (1S) | 64 | |
| 71 | Didcot Town (1C) | 1–1 | Stratford Town (PC) | 98 | |
| Stratford Town advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
| 72 | Kettering Town (PC) | 1–1 | Barwell (PC) | 111 | |
| Kettering Town advance 4–2 on penalties | |||||
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 73 | Wimborne Town (PS) | 1–2 | Bideford (1S) | 127 | |
| 74 | Basingstoke Town (PS) | 1–4 | Hartley Wintney (PS) | 178 | |
| 75 | Salisbury (PS) | 1–3 | Blackfield & Langley (1S) | 227 | |
| 76 | Royston Town (PC) | 4–4 | Lowestoft Town (PC) | 104 | |
| Royston Town won 3–1 on penalties, but later Royston expelled and Lowestoft reinstalled | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 77 | Cinderford Town (1S) | 2–2 | Bideford (1S) | 75 | |
| Cinderford Town advance 4–3 on penalties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | Stratford Town (PC) | 3–3 | Kettering Town (PC) | 116 | |
| Stratford Town advance 4–1 on penalties | |||||
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 79 | Hartley Wintney (PS) | 0–1 | Blackfield & Langley (1S) | 55 | |
| 80 | Lowestoft Town (PC) | 1–0 | Berkhamsted (1C) | 184 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 81 | Cinderford Town (1S) | 3–2 | Blackfield & Langley (1S) | 91 | |
| 82 | Stratford Town (PC) | 3–2 | Lowestoft Town (PC) | 143 |