1939–40 Southern Football League

The 1939–40 season was the 42nd in the history of the Southern League. The league was split into two sections, Eastern and Western as part of an emergency war-time competition. Chelmsford City won the Eastern Section and Lovells Athletic won the Western one. A championship play-off between the two clubs was drawn 3–3 and they were declared joint champions. After this season, the Southern Football League did not resume until World War II had ended in 1945.

Eastern Section

Southern Football League Eastern Division

Season	1939-40
Matches played	18
Goals scored	102 (5.67 per match)
← 1938–39 1945–46 →

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv1	Pts2	Notes
1	Chelmsford City	7	5	0	2	29	9	3.22	10
2	Guildford City	8	4	1	3	26	13	2.00	9	Did not return to league after World War II
3	Tunbridge Wells Rangers	7	2	3	2	21	16	1.31	7
4	Dartford	7	2	1	4	17	30	0.57	5
5	Norwich City II	7	2	1	4	9	34	0.26	5

^{1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season.}

^{2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.}

Western Section

Southern Football League Western Division

Season	1939-40
Matches played	55
Goals scored	291 (5.29 per match)
← 1938–39 1945–46 →

The Western Section featured three new clubs:

• Gloucester City
• Hereford United
• Lovells Athletic.

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv1	Pts2	Notes
1	Lovells Athletic	14	11	1	2	53	22	2.41	23	Did not return to league after World War II
2	Worcester City	14	9	2	3	55	30	1.83	20
3	Hereford United	14	8	0	6	45	31	1.45	16
4	Yeovil & Petters United	14	7	2	5	30	24	1.25	16
5	Gloucester City	14	5	0	9	35	49	0.71	10	Did not return to league after World War II
6	Barry	14	4	1	9	31	56	0.55	9
7	Cheltenham Town	13	3	2	8	21	38	0.55	8
8	Bath City	13	3	2	8	21	41	0.51	8

^{1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season.}

^{2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.}