The 2023–24 Southern Football League season was the 121st in the history of the Southern League since its establishment in 1894. The league 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. These correspond to levels 7 and 8 of the English football league system.
The allocations for Steps 3 and 4 this season were announced by The Football Association (FA) on 15 May 2023. There were to be 84 teams in the Southern League, 22 in each of the Step 3 divisions and 20 in each of the Step 4 divisions. However, Marlow successfully appealed against their transfer from the Isthmian League leaving an unfilled vacancy in Division One Central, which therefore comprised 19 teams instead of 20.[1] [2]
| Competition: | Southern Football League Premier Division Central |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Winners: | Needham Market |
| Promoted: | Needham Market, Leamington |
| Relegated: | Hitchin Town (reprieved) Long Eaton United Berkhamsted Nuneaton Borough (resigned) |
| Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
| Nextseason: | 2024–25 |
Premier Division Central comprises 22 teams, 14 of which competed in the previous season.
Promoted from the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands
Promoted from the Northern Premier League East Division
Promoted from Division One Central
Promoted from the Isthmian League North Division
Transferred to the Northern Premier League Premier Division
Relegated to Division One Central
Relegated to the Northern Premier League Division One West
Relegated to the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Marsh | 2,500 | |||
| 6,300 | ||||
| Lye Meadow | 3,000 | |||
| Kirkby Road | 2,500 | |||
| Broadwater | 2,500 | |||
| Victoria Ground | 4,893 | |||
| Owen Street Sports Ground | 2,000 | |||
| The Grove | 3,150 | |||
| Top Field | 4,554 | |||
| Latimer Park (groundshare with Burton Park Wanderers) | 2,400 | |||
| New Windmill Ground | 3,050 | |||
| Victory Road | 2,250 | |||
| Grange Park | 3,000 | |||
| Station Road | 1,500 | |||
| Bloomfields | 4,000 | |||
| 4,614 | ||||
| The Valley | 5,000 | |||
| Garden Walk | 5,000 | |||
| Borderville Sports Centre | 2,000 | |||
| Westwood Road | 2,000 | |||
| 2,626 | ||||
| Knights Lane | 2,000 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Edwards | St. Ives Town | 27 |
| 2 | Callum Ebanks | Stratford Town | 27 |
| 3 | Oliver Greaves | Mickleover | 18 |
| 4 | Callum Stewart | Leamington | 17 |
| Miracle Okafor | Halesowen Town | ||
| 6 | Timothy Berridge | Coalville Town | 16 |
| 7 | Alex Cameron | Redditch United | 15 |
| Jamar Loza | Leiston | ||
| Brady Hickey | Barwell | ||
| Jamie McGrath | Needham Market | ||
| 11 | Reece Flanagan | Redditch United | 14 |
| 12 | Beck-Ray Enoru | Barwell | 13 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Premier Division South |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Winners: | Chesham United |
| Promoted: | Chesham United Salisbury |
| Relegated: | Beaconsfield Town Hayes & Yeading United Harrow Borough Didcot Town |
| Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
| Nextseason: | 2024–25--> |
Premier Division South comprises 22 teams, 16 of which competed in the previous season.
Promoted from Division One South
Promoted from the Isthmian League South Central Division
Relegated from the National League South
Relegated to Division One Central
Relegated to Division One South
Relegated to the Isthmian League South Central Division
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testwood Stadium | 3,000 | |||
| Winklebury Football Complex | 2,000 | |||
| Holloways Park | 3,500 | |||
| Sandhurst | SB Stadium | 1,950 | ||
| The Meadow | 5,000 | |||
| Loop Meadow | 3,000 | |||
| 5,000 | ||||
| Privett Park | 4,500 | |||
| Powerday Stadium | 3,000 | |||
| 3,000 | ||||
| SkyEx Community Stadium | 3,000 | |||
| Silver Jubilee Park | 2,000 | |||
| Bulpit Lane | 2,500 | |||
| 4,000 | ||||
| 3,500 | ||||
| The BlackGold Stadium | 2,500 | |||
| 5,000 | ||||
| Universal Stadium | 1,000 | |||
| Hunts Copse Ground | 3,000 | |||
| Ladysmead | 3,500 | |||
| Elmbridge Sports Hub | 2,500 | |||
| The City Ground | 4,500 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One Central |
| Season: | 2022–23 |
| Winners: | Biggleswade Town |
| Promoted: | Biggleswade Town |
| Relegated: | Kempston Rovers |
| Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
| Nextseason: | 2024–25--> |
Division One Central comprises 19 teams, 14 of which competed in the previous season. It had been intended that there be 20 teams, but Marlow, due to have transferred from the Isthmian League, successfully appealed against the transfer.
Relegated from the Premier Division Central
Relegated from the Premier Division South
Promoted to the Premier Division South
Relegated to the Hellenic League Premier Division
Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Resigned from the league, joined the Eastern Counties League
Transferred to the Isthmian League North Division
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creasey Park | 3,200 | |||
| The Meadow (groundshare with Chesham United) | 5,000 | |||
| Sharpenhoe Road | 4,000 | |||
| The Eyrie | 3,000 | |||
| The Eyrie (groundshare with Bedford Town) | 3,000 | |||
| Langford Road | 3,000 | |||
| Corinium Stadium | 4,500 | |||
| London (Arkley) | Brickfield Lane | 2,000 | ||
| Hertingfordbury Park | 6,500 | |||
| Hillgrounds Leisure | 2,000 | |||
| Yarnton Road | 1,500 | |||
| Sadiku Stadium | 1,963 | |||
| Bell Close | 2,800 | |||
| Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground | 2,000 | |||
| The JSJ Stadium | 1,500 | |||
| Meadow View Park | 2,000 | |||
| Capershotts | 3,500 | |||
| Wodson Park | 3,300 | |||
| Herns Way | 1,000 |
| Competition: | Southern Football League Division One South |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Winners: | Wimborne Town |
| Promoted: | Wimborne Town Frome Town |
| Relegated: | Paulton Rovers |
| Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
| Nextseason: | 2024–25 --> |
Division One South comprises 20 teams, 15 of which competed in the previous season.
Promoted from the Wessex League Premier Division
Promoted from the Western League Premier Division
Relegated from the Premier Division South
Relegated to the Hellenic League Premier Division
Relegated to the Wessex League Premier Division
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bashley Road | 4,250 | |||
| Moon Park | 2,100 | |||
| The Sports Ground | 2,000 | |||
| Kayte Lane | 1,500 | |||
| The Creek | 2,000 | |||
| The Lawns | 1,000 | |||
| Jubilee Stadium | 3,000 | |||
| Southern Road | n/a | |||
| Badgers Hill | 2,000 | |||
| The Country Ground | 2,000 | |||
| The Plain Ham Ground | 1,000 | |||
| Langland Stadium | 2,500 | |||
| Oakfield Stadium | 2,500 | |||
| Trungle Parc | n/a | |||
| Athletic Field | 2,500 | |||
| Langsford Park | 2,000 | |||
| Meadow Lane | n/a | |||
| The Stan Robinson Stadium | 1,000 | |||
| The Cuthbury | 3,000 | |||
| Lodge Road | 2,000 |