The 2019–20 Southern Football League season (known as the BetVictor Southern League, following a sponsorship deal with
BetVictor
BetVictor, founded in 1946, is an online gambling company based in Gibraltar, owned by British businessman and racehorse owner Michael Tabor. It provides services such as sports betting and online casinos.
History
The company was founded ...
) was the 117th 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
The National League System comprises the six levels of the English football league system immediately below the level of the English Football League. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Football Association. The National League System has a ...
(NLS) and two Division One divisions (Central and South) at step 4 of the NLS. These correspond with Levels 7 and 8 of the
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the ...
.
As a result of the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic
A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
, this season's competition was formally abandoned on 26 March 2020, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to, from, or within the competition. On 30 March 2020, sixty-six non-league clubs sent an
open letter
An open letter is a Letter (message), letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally.
Open letters usually take the form of a letter (mess ...
to the
Football Association
A football association, also known as a football federation, soccer federation, or soccer association, is a governing body for association football. Many of them are members of the sport's regional bodies such as UEFA and CONMEBOL and the world gov ...
requesting that they reconsider their decision. A legal appeal against the decision, funded by
South Shields
South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...
of the
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League is an English Association football, football league that was founded in 1968. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern Football League, Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English footba ...
, was dismissed in June 2020.
Premier Division Central
The Premier Division Central consisted of 17 clubs from the
previous season, and five new clubs:
*
Bromsgrove Sporting, promoted from Division One Central
*
Hednesford Town, transferred from the
Northern Premier League Premier Division
*
Kings Langley, transferred from the Premier Division South
*
Nuneaton Borough, relegated from the
National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
*
Peterborough Sports, promoted from Division One Central
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Premier Division South
The Premier Division South consisted of 17 clubs from the
previous season, and five new clubs:
*
Blackfield & Langley, promoted from Division One South
*
Hayes & Yeading United, promoted from the
Isthmian League Division One South Central
*
Truro City, relegated from the
National League South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National League (English football), National Leagues and step ...
*
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...
, relegated from the
National League South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National League (English football), National Leagues and step ...
*
Yate Town, promoted from Division One South
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Division One Central
Division One Central consisted of 14 clubs from the
previous season, and six new clubs.
*Relegated from the Premier Division Central:
**
Bedworth United
**
Halesowen Town
**
St Neots Town
*Plus:
**
Biggleswade
Biggleswade ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16,551 in the 2011 United Kingdom census, This figur ...
, promoted from the
Spartan South Midlands League
**
Daventry Town, promoted from the
United Counties League
The United Counties League (also known after its sponsor as the ''GCE Hire Fleet Ltd. United Counties League'') is an England, English association football, football league covering an area including the English Counties of the United Kingdom, ...
**
Wantage Town, promoted from the
Hellenic League
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Division One South
Division One South consisted of 16 clubs from the
previous season, and four new clubs:
*
Basingstoke Town, relegated from the Premier Division South
*
Frome Town, relegated from the Premier Division South
*
Sholing, promoted from the
Wessex League
*
Willand Rovers, promoted from the
Western League
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
See also
*
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from East Anglia, the South and Midlands of England, and South Wales. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven a ...
*
2019–20 Isthmian League
*
2019–20 Northern Premier League
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:2019-20 Southern Football League
Southern Football League seasons
3
Eng
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from East Anglia, the South and Midlands of England, and South Wales. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven a ...