Southern Football League Tables
1896/97 Tables◄ 1897/98 Tables ►1898/99 Tables
Southern Football League Division 1 1897/98
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Southampton | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 53 | 18 | 2.944 | 37 | Champions |
| 2nd | Bristol City | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 67 | 33 | 2.030 | 33 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 52 | 31 | 1.677 | 28 | - |
| 4th | Chatham Town | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 50 | 34 | 1.471 | 28 | - |
| 5th | Reading | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 39 | 31 | 1.258 | 23 | - |
| 6th | New Brompton | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 37 | 37 | 1.000 | 22 | - |
| 7th | Sheppey United | 22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 40 | 49 | 0.816 | 21 | - |
| 8th | Gravesend United | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 28 | 39 | 0.718 | 20 | - |
| 9th | Millwall Athletic | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 48 | 45 | 1.067 | 18 | - |
| 10th | Swindon Town | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 36 | 48 | 0.750 | 16 | - |
| 11th | Northfleet | 22 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 29 | 60 | 0.483 | 11 | ♦Resigned |
| 12th | Wolverton L&NWR | 22 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 28 | 82 | 0.341 | 7 | ♦▼Relegated |
Southern Football League Division 2 1897/98
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Royal Artillery Portsmouth | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 75 | 22 | 3.409 | 39 | ♦▲Champions |
| 2nd | Warmley | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 108 | 15 | 7.200 | 38 | ♦▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | West Herts | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 50 | 48 | 1.042 | 28 | Merged |
| 4th | Uxbridge | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 39 | 57 | 0.684 | 24 | - |
| 5th | St Albans | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 47 | 41 | 1.146 | 23 | - |
| 6th | Dartford | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 68 | 55 | 1.236 | 22 | Resigned |
| 7th | Southall | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 49 | 61 | 0.803 | 18 | - |
| 8th | Chesham | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 38 | 48 | 0.792 | 18 | - |
| 9th | Old St Stephen's | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 47 | 66 | 0.712 | 16 | - |
| 10th | Wycombe Wanderers | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 37 | 55 | 0.673 | 16 | - |
| 11th | Maidenhead | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 27 | 81 | 0.333 | 12 | - |
| 12th | Royal Engineers Training Battalion | 22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 26 | 62 | 0.419 | 10 | Resigned |
Southern Football League - End of Season Notes
|
Teams Leaving the Southern Football League |
| ▼Dartford Resigned from the League and joined the Kent League |
| ▼Nortfleet Resigned from the League |
| ▼Royal Engineers Training Battalion Resigned from the League |
| - West Herts merged with Watford St Mary's |
-
|
Teams Joining the Southern Football League |
| ▲Bedminster were Elected to Division 1 from the Western League |
| ▲Brighton United were Elected to Division 1 |
| ▲Thames Ironworks Joined from the London League |
| ▲Andover |
| ▲Brentford Joined from the London League |
| ▲Cowes |
| ▲East Lancs Regiment |
| ▲Eastleigh Athletic |
| ▲Freemantle |
| ▲Fulham |
| ▲Ryde |
| ▲Sandown Bay |
| ▲Trowbridge Town |
| ▲Watford - formed after merger of West Herts and Watford St Mary's |
Team Name Changes
| - Old St Stephen's changed their name to Shepherds Bush |
1896/97 Tables◄ 1897/98 Tables ►1898/99 Tables