The2005–06 season was the 103rd in the history of theSouthern League, which is an Englishfootball competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands ofEngland andSouth Wales.
At the end of the season Eastern and Western divisions were restructured after a single Division One of the Isthmian League was divided into Division One North and Division One South, while large number of the clubs left to the Isthmian League. For the next season regional divisions were renamed Division One Midlands and Division One South & West.
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs fromlast season, and six new clubs:
Salisbury City won the division and were promoted to the Conference along with play-off winners Bedford Town, both clubs for the first time in their history. Aylesbury United, Chesham United and Evesham United were relegated to the Division One.
| Season | 2005–06 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Salisbury City |
| Promoted | Bedford Town Salisbury City |
| Relegated | Aylesbury United Chesham United Evesham United |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,325 (2.87 per match) |
2006–07 → | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salisbury City | 42 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 83 | 27 | +56 | 95 | Promoted to theConference South |
| 2 | Bath City | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 66 | 33 | +33 | 83 | Qualified for theplay-offs |
| 3 | King's Lynn | 42 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 73 | 41 | +32 | 82 | |
| 4 | Chippenham Town | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 69 | 45 | +24 | 77 | |
| 5 | Bedford Town | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 76 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then promoted to theConference South |
| 6 | Yate Town | 42 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 78 | 74 | +4 | 68 | |
| 7 | Banbury United | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 66 | 61 | +5 | 62 | |
| 8 | Halesowen Town | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 54 | 45 | +9 | 60 | |
| 9 | Merthyr Tydfil | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 62 | 58 | +4 | 60 | |
| 10 | Mangotsfield United | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 67 | 67 | 0 | 58 | |
| 11 | Grantham Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 49 | 49 | 0 | 56 | Transferred to theNorthern Premier League |
| 12 | Tiverton Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 69 | 65 | +4 | 52 | |
| 13 | Gloucester City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 60 | −3 | 52 | |
| 14 | Hitchin Town | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 59 | 76 | −17 | 51 | |
| 15 | Rugby Town | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 58 | 66 | −8 | 50 | |
| 16 | Cheshunt | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 57 | 70 | −13 | 48 | |
| 17 | Team Bath | 42 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 55 | 68 | −13 | 48 | |
| 18 | Cirencester Town | 42 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 49 | 68 | −19 | 46 | |
| 19 | Northwood | 42 | 12 | 6 | 24 | 53 | 88 | −35 | 42[a] | |
| 20 | Evesham United | 42 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 41 | Relegated toDivision One Midlands |
| 21 | Aylesbury United | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 43 | 69 | −26 | 39 | |
| 22 | Chesham United | 42 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 43 | 84 | −41 | 36 | Relegated toDivision One South & West |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Bath City | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | Bedford Town | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | Bedford Town | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Chippenham Town | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | King's Lynn | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Chippenham Town | 3 | |||||||
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Aylesbury United | Buckingham Road |
| Banbury United | Spencer Stadium |
| Bath City | Twerton Park |
| Bedford Town | The Eyrie |
| Chesham United | The Meadow |
| Cheshunt | Cheshunt Stadium |
| Chippenham Town | Hardenhuish Park |
| Cirencester Town | Corinium Stadium |
| Evesham United | Common Road |
| Gloucester City | Meadow Park, Gloucester |
| Grantham Town | South Kesteven Sports Stadium |
| Halesowen Town | The Grove |
| Hitchin Town | Top Field |
| King's Lynn | The Walks |
| Mangotsfield United | Cossham Street |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Penydarren Park |
| Northwood | Chestnut Avenue |
| Rugby Town | Butlin Road |
| Salisbury City | Raymond McEnhill Stadium |
| Team Bath | Twerton Park (groundshare withBath City) |
| Tiverton Town | Ladysmead |
| Yate Town | Lodge Road |
The Eastern Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 15 clubs fromlast season, and seven new clubs:
Boreham Wood won the division and returned to the Premier Division of the Isthmian League after relegation in 2003. Runners-up Corby Town and play-off winners Stamford promoted to the Premier Division. At the end of the season a single Division One of the Isthmian League was divided into Division One North and Division One South. Fifteen Eastern division clubs left the Southern League and joined new divisions, while Eastern and Western divisions were renamed Division One Midlands and Division One South & West.
| Season | 2005–06 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Boreham Wood |
| Promoted | Boreham Wood Corby Town Stamford |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,302 (2.82 per match) |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boreham Wood | 42 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 84 | 41 | +43 | 84 | Promoted toIL Premier Division |
| 2 | Corby Town | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 63 | 33 | +30 | 84 | Promoted to thePremier Division |
| 3 | Enfield Town | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 75 | 43 | +32 | 81 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then transferred toIL Division One North |
| 4 | Stamford | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 73 | 53 | +20 | 70 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then promoted to thePremier Division |
| 5 | Barking & East Ham United | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 63 | 47 | +16 | 70 | Qualified for theplay-offs, then transferred toIL Division One North |
| 6 | Wivenhoe Town | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 56 | 54 | +2 | 62 | |
| 7 | Dartford | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 65 | 57 | +8 | 61 | Transferred toIL Division One South |
| 8 | Waltham Forest | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 66 | −2 | 59 | Transferred toIL Division One North |
| 9 | Harlow Town | 42 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 58 | |
| 10 | Arlesey Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 58 | 65 | −7 | 56 | |
| 11 | Rothwell Town | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 48 | 53 | −5 | 53 | Placed inDivision One Midlands |
| 12 | Wingate & Finchley | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 57 | 64 | −7 | 53 | Transferred toIL Division One North |
| 13 | Great Wakering Rovers | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 65 | 67 | −2 | 51 | |
| 14 | Uxbridge | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 62 | 64 | −2 | 50 | Placed inDivision One South & West |
| 15 | Potters Bar Town | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 60 | 66 | −6 | 50 | Transferred toIL Division One North |
| 16 | Enfield | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 50 | |
| 17 | Chatham Town | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 49 | Transferred toIL Division One South |
| 18 | Sittingbourne | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 53 | 69 | −16 | 48 | |
| 19 | Barton Rovers | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 59 | 73 | −14 | 47 | Placed inDivision One Midlands |
| 20 | Aveley | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 51 | 70 | −19 | 46 | Transferred toIL Division One North |
| 21 | Ilford | 42 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 35 | 59 | −24 | 41 | |
| 22 | Berkhamsted Town | 42 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 51 | 81 | −30 | 36 | Placed inDivision One Midlands |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Enfield Town | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | Wivenhoe Town | 3* | |||||||
| 5 | Wivenhoe Town | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Stamford | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Stamford | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Barking & East Ham United | 2 | |||||||
* after extra time
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Arlesey Town | Hitchin Road |
| Aveley | The Mill Field |
| Barking & East Ham United | Mayesbrook Park |
| Barton Rovers | Sharpenhoe Road |
| Berkhamsted | Broadwater |
| Boreham Wood | Meadow Park |
| Chatham Town | The Sports Ground |
| Dartford | Stonebridge Road (groundshare withGravesend & Northfleet) |
| Corby Town | Steel Park |
| Enfield | Wodson Park (groundshare withWare) |
| Enfield Town | Goldsdown Road (groundshare withBrimsdown Rovers) |
| Great Wakering Rovers | Burroughs Park |
| Harlow Town | Barrows Farm |
| Ilford | Cricklefield Stadium |
| Potters Bar Town | Parkfield |
| Rothwell Town | Cecil Street |
| Sittingbourne | Bourne Park |
| Stamford | Hanson's Field |
| Uxbridge | Honeycroft |
| Waltham Forest | Wadham Lodge |
| Wingate & Finchley | The Harry Abrahams Stadium |
| Wivenhoe Town | Broad Lane |
| Season | 2005–06 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Clevedon Town |
| Promoted | Ashford Town (Middlesex) Clevedon Town Hemel Hempstead Town |
| Relegated | Thame United |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,411 (3.05 per match) |
The Western Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 15 clubs fromlast season, and seven new clubs:
Clevedon Town won the title and were promoted to the Premier Division along with play-off winners Hemel Hempstead Town, returning after relegation in 2004. Runners-up Ashford Town were promoted and transferred to the Isthmian League Premier Division. Thame United finished bottom and were the only Southern League club relegated from the league. Remaining clubs were divided between the newly formed Division One Midlands and Division One South & West.
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Brackley Town | 2 | |||||||
| 5 | Marlow | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Brackley Town | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Hemel Hempstead Town | 3 | |||||||
| 3 | Hemel Hempstead Town | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Swindon Supermarine | 0 | |||||||
| Club | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Ashford Town (Middlesex) | The Robert Parker Stadium |
| Beaconsfield SYCOB | Holloways Park |
| Bedworth United | The Oval |
| Brackley Town | St. James Park |
| Bracknell Town | Larges Lane |
| Bromsgrove Rovers | Victoria Ground |
| Burnham | The Gore |
| Cinderford Town | Causeway Ground |
| Clevedon Town | Hand Stadium |
| Dunstable Town | Creasey Park |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | Vauxhall Road |
| Leighton Town | Bell Close |
| Marlow | Alfred Davis Memorial Ground |
| Paulton Rovers | Athletic Field |
| Rushall Olympic | Dales Lane |
| Solihull Borough | Damson Park |
| Stourport Swifts | Walshes Meadow |
| Sutton Coldfield Town | The Central Ground |
| Swindon Supermarine | Hunts Copse Ground |
| Taunton Town | Wordsworth Drive |
| Thame United | Buckingham Road (groundshare withAylesbury United) |
| Willenhall Town | Noose Lane |
