1938–39 Southern Football League#Western Division
The 1938–39 season was the 41st in the history of the Southern League. Colchester United won the title.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html England - Southern League Final Tables] RSSSF Three clubs applied to join the Football League, although none were successful. The following season saw the league split into Eastern and Western sections as part an emergency war-time competition, after which the league was discontinued until the end of World War II.
Final table
{{Infobox football league season
|competition= Southern Football League
|season= 1938–39
|winners= Colchester United (1st title)
|promoted= none
|relegated=
|matches= 506
|total goals= 1855
|league topscorer=
|biggest home win=
|biggest away win=
|highest attendance =
|prevseason= 1937–38
|nextseason= 1939–40
}}
A total of 23 teams contest the division, including 17 sides from previous season, one team relegated from The Football League and five new teams.
Team relegated from 1937–38 Football League:
Newly elected teams:
- Chelmsford City from the Essex County League
- Worcester City from the Birmingham & District League
- Arsenal II
- Cardiff City II
- Ipswich Town II from the Eastern Counties League
|res_col_header=Result
|show_limit=5
|winpoints=2
|use_goal_ratio=y
|team1=COL|name_COL=Colchester United
|team2=GUI|name_GUI=Guildford City
|team3=GIL|name_GIL=Gillingham
|team4=PLY|name_PLY=Plymouth Argyle II
|team5=YEO|name_YEO=Yeovil & Petters United
|team6=ARS|name_ARS=Arsenal II
|team7=CAR|name_CAR=Cardiff City II
|team8=TUN|name_TUN=Tunbridge Wells Rangers
|team9=NRW|name_NRW=Norwich City II
|team10=CHC|name_CHC=Chelmsford City
|team11=BAT|name_BAT=Bath City
|team12=BAR|name_BAR=Barry
|team13=CHT|name_CHT=Cheltenham Town
|team14=IPS|name_IPS=Ipswich Town II
|team15=WOR|name_WOR=Worcester City
|team16=FOL|name_FOL=Folkestone
|team17=NEW|name_NEW=Newport County II
|team18=EXE|name_EXE=Exeter City II
|team19=TOR|name_TOR=Torquay United II
|team20=SWI|name_SWI=Swindon Town II
|team21=ALD|name_ALD=Aldershot II
|team22=BRI|name_BRI=Bristol Rovers II
|team23=DAR|name_DAR=Dartford
|win_COL=31|draw_COL=5|loss_COL=8|gf_COL=110|ga_COL=37
|win_GUI=30|draw_GUI=6|loss_GUI=8|gf_GUI=126|ga_GUI=52
|win_GIL=29|draw_GIL=6|loss_GIL=9|gf_GIL=104|ga_GIL=57
|win_PLY=26|draw_PLY=5|loss_PLY=13|gf_PLY=128|ga_PLY=63
|win_YEO=22|draw_YEO=10|loss_YEO=12|gf_YEO=85|ga_YEO=70
|win_ARS=21|draw_ARS=9|loss_ARS=14|gf_ARS=92|ga_ARS=57
|win_CAR=24|draw_CAR=3|loss_CAR=17|gf_CAR=105|ga_CAR=72
|win_TUN=22|draw_TUN=6|loss_TUN=16|gf_TUN=93|ga_TUN=76
|win_NRW=23|draw_NRW=4|loss_NRW=17|gf_NRW=86|ga_NRW=76
|win_CHC=18|draw_CHC=8|loss_CHC=18|gf_CHC=74|ga_CHC=73
|win_BAT=16|draw_BAT=12|loss_BAT=16|gf_BAT=58|ga_BAT=74
|win_BAR=18|draw_BAR=7|loss_BAR=19|gf_BAR=76|ga_BAR=90
|win_CHT=16|draw_CHT=9|loss_CHT=19|gf_CHT=76|ga_CHT=105
|win_IPS=14|draw_IPS=12|loss_IPS=18|gf_IPS=64|ga_IPS=76
|win_WOR=13|draw_WOR=14|loss_WOR=17|gf_WOR=72|ga_WOR=90
|win_FOL=16|draw_FOL=6|loss_FOL=22|gf_FOL=74|ga_FOL=85
|win_NEW=13|draw_NEW=10|loss_NEW=21|gf_NEW=74|ga_NEW=108
|win_EXE=12|draw_EXE=9|loss_EXE=23|gf_EXE=51|ga_EXE=107
|win_TOR=12|draw_TOR=8|loss_TOR=24|gf_TOR=53|ga_TOR=89
|win_SWI=11|draw_SWI=9|loss_SWI=24|gf_SWI=66|ga_SWI=101
|win_ALD=12|draw_ALD=6|loss_ALD=26|gf_ALD=69|ga_ALD=92
|win_BRI=9|draw_BRI=11|loss_BRI=24|gf_BRI=66|ga_BRI=85
|win_DAR=8|draw_DAR=5|loss_DAR=31|gf_DAR=53|ga_DAR=119
|note_header_res=Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.
|col_LL=red2|text_LL=Left league at end of season
|result1=LL|result3=LL|result4=LL|result6=LL|result7=LL|result14=LL|result16=LL
|result17=LL|result18=LL|result19=LL|result20=LL|result21=LL|result22=LL
|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.
|update=complete|source=
}}
Football League election
Three Southern League clubs, Chelmsford City, Colchester United and Gillingham, applied to join the Football League. However, both League clubs were re-elected.[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 !Votes | ||
| bgcolor=ccffcc | Football League Third Division South | align=right|45 |
| bgcolor=ccffcc | Football League Third Division South | align=right|36 |
| Gillingham | Southern League | align=right|15 |
| Chelmsford City | Southern League | align=right|1 |
| Colchester United | Southern League | align=right|1 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Southern Football League seasons}}
{{1938–39 in English football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Southern Football League, 1938-39}}