1926–27 Southern Football League#Eastern Division
The 1926–27 season was the 29th in the history of the Southern League. The league consisted of Eastern and Western Divisions.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html England – Southern League Final Tables] RSSSF Brighton & Hove Albion II won the Eastern Division and Torquay United won the Western Division. Brighton reserves were declared Southern League champions after defeating Torquay 4–0 in a championship play-off.{{fchd|id=TORQUAYU|name=Torquay United}}
Four clubs from the Southern League applied to join the Football League, with Torquay being successful in a second round of voting. Five clubs (all reserve teams) left the league at the end of the season.
Eastern Division
{{Infobox football league season
|competition= Southern Football League Eastern Division
|season= 1926–27
|winners= Brighton & Hove Albion II (2nd title)
|promoted= none
|relegated= Portsmouth II (resigned)
Reading II (resigned)
Luton Town II (resigned)
Leicester City II (resigned)
Watford II (resigned)
|matches= 272
|total goals= 1195
|league topscorer=
|biggest home win=
|biggest away win=
|highest attendance =
|prevseason= 1925–26
|nextseason= 1927–28
}}
A total of 17 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and two new teams.
Newly elected teams:
|section=Eastern Division
|res_col_header=Result
|show_limit=5
|winpoints=2
|use_goal_ratio=y
|team1=BHA|name_BHA=Brighton & Hove Albion II
|team2=PFU|name_PFU=Peterborough & Fletton United
|team3=POR|name_POR=Portsmouth II
|team4=KET|name_KET=Kettering Town
|team5=MIL|name_MIL=Millwall II
|team6=BOU|name_BOU=Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic II
|team7=NRW|name_NRW=Norwich City II
|team8=DAR|name_DAR=Dartford
|team9=REA|name_REA=Reading II
|team10=LUT|name_LUT=Luton Town II
|team11=LEI|name_LEI=Leicester City II
|team12=WAT|name_WAT=Watford II
|team13=SHA|name_SHA=Southampton II
|team14=POO|name_POO=Poole
|team15=GRT|name_GRT=Grays Thurrock United
|team16=GUI|name_GUI=Guildford United
|team17=FOL|name_FOL=Folkestone
|win_BHA=21|draw_BHA=6|loss_BHA=5|gf_BHA=86|ga_BHA=47
|win_PFU=18|draw_PFU=9|loss_PFU=5|gf_PFU=80|ga_PFU=39
|win_POR=19|draw_POR=6|loss_POR=7|gf_POR=95|ga_POR=65
|win_KET=15|draw_KET=10|loss_KET=7|gf_KET=66|ga_KET=41
|win_MIL=16|draw_MIL=5|loss_MIL=11|gf_MIL=67|ga_MIL=56
|win_BOU=14|draw_BOU=6|loss_BOU=12|gf_BOU=69|ga_BOU=64
|win_NRW=14|draw_NRW=5|loss_NRW=13|gf_NRW=79|ga_NRW=74
|win_DAR=13|draw_DAR=7|loss_DAR=12|gf_DAR=60|ga_DAR=71
|win_REA=12|draw_REA=8|loss_REA=12|gf_REA=75|ga_REA=79
|win_LUT=10|draw_LUT=11|loss_LUT=11|gf_LUT=75|ga_LUT=70
|win_LEI=12|draw_LEI=5|loss_LEI=15|gf_LEI=94|ga_LEI=72
|win_WAT=10|draw_WAT=8|loss_WAT=14|gf_WAT=74|ga_WAT=84
|win_SHA=10|draw_SHA=6|loss_SHA=16|gf_SHA=57|ga_SHA=77
|win_POO=9|draw_POO=6|loss_POO=17|gf_POO=55|ga_POO=86
|win_GRT=10|draw_GRT=3|loss_GRT=19|gf_GRT=49|ga_GRT=66
|win_GUI=6|draw_GUI=7|loss_GUI=19|gf_GUI=57|ga_GUI=106
|win_FOL=7|draw_FOL=4|loss_FOL=21|gf_FOL=57|ga_FOL=98
|col_LL=#ffcccc|text_LL=Left league at end of season
|result3=LL|result9=LL|result10=LL|result11=LL|result12=LL
|col_CNG=inherit|text_CNG=Changed name to Guildford City at end of season
|result16=CNG
|update=complete|source=
|class_rules=The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
}}
Western Division
{{Infobox football league season
|competition= Southern Football League Western Division
|season= 1926–27
|winners= Torquay United
|promoted= Torquay United
|relegated= none
|matches= 182
|total goals= 757
|league topscorer=
|biggest home win=
|biggest away win=
|highest attendance =
|prevseason= 1925–26
|nextseason= 1927–28
}}
A total of 14 teams contest the division, including 13 sides from previous season and one new team.
Newly elected teams:
- Newport County II
|section=Western Division
|res_col_header=Q
|show_limit=5
|winpoints=2
|use_goal_ratio=y
|team1=TOR|name_TOR=Torquay United
|team2=BRC|name_BRC=Bristol City II
|team3=PLY|name_PLY=Plymouth Argyle II
|team4=EBB|name_EBB=Ebbw Vale
|team5=BRR|name_BRR=Bristol Rovers II
|team6=SWI|name_SWI=Swindon Town II
|team7=BAR|name_BAR=Barry
|team8=EXE|name_EXE=Exeter City II
|team9=WEY|name_WEY=Weymouth
|team10=NEW|name_NEW=Newport County II
|team11=BAT|name_BAT=Bath City
|team12=YEO|name_YEO=Yeovil & Petters United
|team13=TAU|name_TAU=Taunton United
|team14=MID|name_MID=Mid Rhondda United
|win_TOR=17|draw_TOR=4|loss_TOR=5|gf_TOR=63|ga_TOR=30
|win_BRC=14|draw_BRC=10|loss_BRC=2|gf_BRC=77|ga_BRC=37
|win_PLY=15|draw_PLY=4|loss_PLY=7|gf_PLY=56|ga_PLY=38
|win_EBB=14|draw_EBB=2|loss_EBB=10|gf_EBB=67|ga_EBB=45
|win_BRR=12|draw_BRR=4|loss_BRR=10|gf_BRR=51|ga_BRR=43
|win_SWI=11|draw_SWI=5|loss_SWI=10|gf_SWI=60|ga_SWI=57
|win_BAR=11|draw_BAR=4|loss_BAR=11|gf_BAR=65|ga_BAR=50
|win_EXE=10|draw_EXE=6|loss_EXE=10|gf_EXE=62|ga_EXE=49
|win_WEY=12|draw_WEY=2|loss_WEY=12|gf_WEY=48|ga_WEY=65
|win_NEW=9|draw_NEW=6|loss_NEW=11|gf_NEW=57|ga_NEW=53
|win_BAT=7|draw_BAT=9|loss_BAT=10|gf_BAT=44|ga_BAT=52
|win_YEO=9|draw_YEO=5|loss_YEO=12|gf_YEO=49|ga_YEO=66
|win_TAU=4|draw_TAU=4|loss_TAU=18|gf_TAU=36|ga_TAU=83
|win_MID=2|draw_MID=5|loss_MID=19|gf_MID=22|ga_MID=89
|col_EFL=#ACE1AF|text_EFL=Elected to the Football League Third Division South
|result1=EFL
|col_CNT=inherit|text_CNT=Changed name to Taunton Town at end of season
|result13=CNT
|update=complete|source=
|class_rules=The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
}}
Football League election
Four Southern League clubs applied to join the Football League this season, entering the ballot alongside the bottom two from the Third Division South. Although Watford were re-elected, Aberdare Athletic received the same number of votes as Southern League Torquay United, leading to a second round, in which Torquay won more votes. Aberdare took Torquay's place in the Southern League the following season.
Aberdare's loss was controversial, as one ballot paper in the first round had been spoilt and Aberdare's secretary claimed that one of the scrutineers was 'an interested party'.[http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=3506; A history of admission to the Football League]
| class=wikitable style=text-align:left
!Club !League !First round votes !Second round votes | |||
| bgcolor=ccffcc | Football League Third Division South | align=right|44 | |
| bgcolor=ccffcc | Southern League | align=right|21 | align=right|26 |
| Aberdare Athletic | Football League Third Division South | align=right|21 | align=right|19 |
| Kettering Town | Southern League | align=right|1 | |
| Yeovil & Petters United | Southern League | align=right|1 | |
| Ebbw Vale | Southern League | align=right|0 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Southern Football League seasons}}
{{1926–27 in English football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Southern Football League, 1926-27}}