1898–99 Western Football League
Encyclopedia
The 1898–99 season was the seventh in the history of the Western Football League
.
For this season the league was restructured again after a large number of clubs left the league. The Professional Section of last season was renamed Division One, and the two-division Amateur Section became one single division, Division Two.
Swindon Town
were the champions of Division One, and also competed in the Southern League during this season, along with Southampton
and Bedminster
. Trowbridge Town
and multiple champions Warmley
also competed in both leagues, but both clubs disbanded during the season. The Division Two champions for the first time were Staple Hill
.
, Reading
and Eastleigh
left.
† Trowbridge Town (October 1898) and Warmley (January 1899) resigned during the season, and their records were expunged. Trowbridge's record had been P5 W0 D0 L5 GF4 GA18 Pts0 and Warmley's was P5 W2 D0 L3 GF6 GA15 Pts4
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
3 The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
.
For this season the league was restructured again after a large number of clubs left the league. The Professional Section of last season was renamed Division One, and the two-division Amateur Section became one single division, Division Two.
Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
were the champions of Division One, and also competed in the Southern League during this season, along with Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and Bedminster
Bedminster F.C.
Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895...
. Trowbridge Town
Trowbridge Town F.C.
Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:...
and multiple champions Warmley
Warmley F.C.
Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George....
also competed in both leagues, but both clubs disbanded during the season. The Division Two champions for the first time were Staple Hill
Staple Hill F.C.
Staple Hill F.C. was an English football club based in Staple Hill, Bristol. The club joined the Bristol & District League in 1893–94, that league's second season, before it was renamed the Western League in 1895. Joint runners-up in Division One in 1895–96, Staple Hill were placed in Division Two...
.
Division One
Two new clubs joined Division One, which was reduced to seven clubs from eight after Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
and Eastleigh
Eastleigh F.C.
Eastleigh Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Silverlake Stadium.-History:...
left.
- BedminsterBedminster F.C.Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895...
, promoted from the Amateur Section - SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Eastville RoversBristol Rovers F.C.Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
changed their name to Bristol Eastville Rovers, this being their only season under that name.
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 1.6 | 11 | |
| 2 | Bristol St George Roman Glass St George F.C. Roman Glass St George F.C. is a football club based in the Bristol suburb of St George, Bristol, England. Founded in 1872, they are the oldest club in Bristol... |
8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 1.2 | 9 | Left at the end of the season |
| 3 | Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... |
8 | |4 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 15 | 1.2 | 8 | Left to concentrate on the Southern League |
| 4 | Bristol Eastville Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 0.78 | 6 | |
| 5 | Bedminster Bedminster F.C. Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895... |
8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 0.56 | 6 | |
| 6 | Warmley Warmley F.C. Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George.... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Resigned, record expunged † |
| 7 | Trowbridge Town Trowbridge Town F.C. Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Resigned, record expunged † |
Division Two (Amateur)
This eight-club division was a merger of the old Amateur Section Divisions One and Two, containing the surviving clubs from both divisions, plus two new clubs:- Bristol Amateurs
- Mount Hill
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Staple Hill Staple Hill F.C. Staple Hill F.C. was an English football club based in Staple Hill, Bristol. The club joined the Bristol & District League in 1893–94, that league's second season, before it was renamed the Western League in 1895. Joint runners-up in Division One in 1895–96, Staple Hill were placed in Division Two... |
14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 55 | 15 | 3.67 | 23 | |
| 2 | Fishponds | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 15 | 2.8 | 22 | |
| 3 | Mount Hill | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 28 | 1.11 | 13 | Left at the end of the season |
| 4 | Midsomer Norton | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 32 | 0.62 | 13* | Left to concentrate on the Somerset Senior League |
| 5 | Bristol Amateurs | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 32 | 0.97 | 12 | Left at the end of the season |
| 6 | Hanham | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 0.57 | 11 | Left at the end of the season |
| 7 | Barton Hill | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 31 | 0.45 | 9 | Left at the end of the season |
| 8 | Cotham | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 41 | 0.54 | 7 |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
3 The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.