The 1976–77 Southern Football League season was the 74th in the history of the league, an English football competition. It was the first Southern Football League season to use goal difference as a tie-breaker.
Wimbledon won the championship, winning their third Southern League title in a row and was elected to the Football League replacing Workington, whilst Worcester City, Barnet, Cheltenham Town and Hastings United were all promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions. Metropolitan Police left the league to join the Isthmian League.
Premier Division The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Two clubs promoted from Division One North: Redditch United AP Leamington
Two clubs promoted from Division One South: Dartford Minehead
Wimbledon was elected to the Football League in place of Workington. Thus, Telford United remained in the division.
League table
Division One North Division One North consisted of 20 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and three clubs, all from the Premier Division: Cambridge City Dunstable Stourbridge
League table
Division One South Division One South consisted of 18 clubs, including 15 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs: Aylesbury United, promoted from the Athenian League Barnet, transferred from the North Division Tonbridge Angels, demoted from the Premier Division
League table
Football League elections At the end of the season, the bottom four of the Football League had to be re-elected to retain their place. Whilst in previous seasons the number of non-League applicants had been unlimited, this season saw the Football League Management Committee limit the number to two, with Wimbledon and Northern Premier League members Altrincham (who had finished tenth) entering the ballot. The top four in the vote would retain/win a place in the League.
With 27 votes, Wimbledon finished fourth in the election, earning a place in the League at the expense of Workington, who dropped into the Northern Premier League.
ClubLeagueVotesHalifax TownFootball League Division Four44HartlepoolFootball League Division Four42SouthportFootball League Division Four37WimbledonSouthern League Premier Division27WorkingtonFootball League Division Four21AltrinchamNorthern Premier League12
See also Southern Football League 1976–77 Northern Premier League
References