1903–04 Southern Football League
The 1903–04 season was the tenth in the history of Southern League. Division One, expanded up to 18 teams, was won by Southampton for the 6th time in history. Watford finished top of Division Two, earning automatic promotion,[1] the first time that test matches had not been held. No clubs applied to join the Football League.
Division One
| Season | 1903–04 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Southampton (6th title) |
| Promoted | none |
| Relegated | Kettering (resigned) |
| Matches played | 306 |
| Goals scored | 809 (2.64 per match) |
|
← 1902–03
1904–05 →
|
|
A total of 18 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and three new teams.
Teams promoted from Division Two:
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Fulham
Newly elected team:
- Plymouth Argyle
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton | 34 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 75 | 30 | 2.5 | 50 | |
| 2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 34 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 54 | 37 | 1.46 | 43 | |
| 3 | Bristol Rovers | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 64 | 42 | 1.52 | 42 | |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 41 | 38 | 1.08 | 42 | |
| 5 | Queens Park Rangers | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 53 | 37 | 1.43 | 41 | |
| 6 | Reading | 34 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 48 | 35 | 1.37 | 41 | |
| 7 | Millwall | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 64 | 42 | 1.52 | 40 | |
| 8 | Luton Town | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 38 | 33 | 1.15 | 40 | |
| 9 | Plymouth Argyle | 34 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 44 | 34 | 1.29 | 36 | |
| 10 | Swindon Town | 34 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 30 | 42 | 0.71 | 31 | |
| 11 | Fulham | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 34 | 36 | 0.94 | 30 | |
| 12 | West Ham United | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 39 | 44 | 0.89 | 27 | |
| 13 | Brentford | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 34 | 48 | 0.71 | 27 | |
| 14 | Wellingborough | 34 | 11 | 5 | 18 | 44 | 63 | 0.7 | 27 | |
| 15 | Northampton Town | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 60 | 0.6 | 27 | |
| 16 | New Brompton | 34 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 26 | 43 | 0.6 | 25 | |
| 17 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 34 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 46 | 69 | 0.66 | 24 | |
| 18 | Kettering | 34 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 39 | 76 | 0.51 | 19 | Left league at end of season |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Division Two
| Season | 1903–04 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Watford |
| Promoted | Watford |
| Relegated | Millwall II (resigned) Chesham Town (resigned) |
| Matches played | 110 |
| Goals scored | 480 (4.36 per match) |
|
← 1902–03
1904–05 →
|
|
A total of eleven teams contest the division, including 4 sides from previous season, one team relegated from Division One and six new clubs in Division Two this season, all of which were reserve teams.
Teams promoted from Division Two:
- Watford
Newly elected teams:
- Millwall II
- Fulham II
- Portsmouth II
- Reading II
- Southampton II
- Swindon Town II
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 70 | 15 | 4.67 | 38 | Promoted to Division One |
| 2 | Portsmouth II | 20 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 85 | 25 | 3.4 | 32 | |
| 3 | Millwall II | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 35 | 39 | 0.9 | 22 | Left league at end of season |
| 4 | Southampton II | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 59 | 35 | 1.69 | 21 | |
| 5 | Grays United | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 55 | 0.45 | 21 | |
| 6 | Fulham II | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 40 | 34 | 1.18 | 20 | |
| 7 | Swindon Town II | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 50 | 44 | 1.14 | 19 | |
| 8 | Reading II | 20 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 43 | 42 | 1.02 | 18 | |
| 9 | Wycombe Wanderers | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 29 | 64 | 0.45 | 15 | |
| 10 | Southall | 20 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 25 | 62 | 0.4 | 10 | |
| 11 | Chesham Town | 20 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 65 | 0.29 | 4 | Left league at end of season |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
