2021–22 Southern Football League
The 2021–22 Southern Football League season was the 119th in the history of the Southern League since its establishment in 1894. The league had two Premier divisions at Step 3 of the National League System and two Division One divisions at Step 4. These correspond to levels 7 and 8 of the English football league system.
The allocations for Step 4 this season were announced by The Football Association on 17 May 2021.
The scheduled restructuring of the non-League system took place at the end of the 2020–21 season and a new division was added to the Northern Premier League at Step 4 for 2021–22, which resulted in some reallocations into or out of, and promotions to, the Southern League's Step 4 divisions.
Premier Division Central
After Kings Langley were transferred to the Premier Division South, The Premier Division Central consisted of 21 clubs, all from the previous aborted season.League table
Play-offs
Semi-finals'''Final'''
Stadia and locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| AFC Rushden & Diamonds | Rushden | Hayden Road | 2,000 |
| Alvechurch | Alvechurch | Lye Meadow | 3,000 |
| Banbury United | Banbury | Spencer Stadium | 2,000 |
| Barwell | Barwell | Kirkby Road | 2,500 |
| Biggleswade Town | Biggleswade | Langford Road | 3,000 |
| Bromsgrove Sporting | Bromsgrove | Victoria Ground | 4,893 |
| Coalville Town | Coalville | Owen Street Sports Ground | 2,000 |
| Hednesford Town | Hednesford | Keys Park | 6,039 |
| Hitchin Town | Hitchin | Top Field | 4,554 |
| Leiston | Leiston | Victory Road | 2,250 |
| Lowestoft Town | Lowestoft | Crown Meadow | 3,000 |
| Needham Market | Needham Market | Bloomfields | 4,000 |
| Nuneaton Borough | Nuneaton | Liberty Way | 4,614 |
| Peterborough Sports | Peterborough | Lincoln Road | 2,300 |
| Redditch United | Redditch | The Valley | 5,000 |
| Royston Town | Royston | Garden Walk | 5,000 |
| Rushall Olympic | Walsall | Dales Lane | 2,000 |
| St Ives Town | St Ives | Westwood Road | 2,000 |
| Stourbridge | Stourbridge | War Memorial Athletic Ground | 2,626 |
| Stratford Town | Stratford-upon-Avon | Knights Lane | 2,000 |
| Tamworth | Tamworth | The Lamb Ground | 4,565 |
Premier Division South
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs: 20 clubs from the previous season, and two new clubs:- Kings Langley, transferred from the Premier Division Central
- Merthyr Town, returned after one-season absence
League table
Play-offs
Semi-finals'''Final'''
Stadia and locations
Division One Central
Division One Central consisted of 20 clubs: 14 clubs from the previous season, and six new clubs.- Clubs, transferred from Isthmian League South Central Division:
- *FC Romania
- *Harlow Town
- *Hertford Town
- *Waltham Abbey
- *Ware
- Plus:
- *Colney Heath, promoted from the Spartan South Midlands League
League table
Play-offs
Semi-finals'''Final'''
Stadia and locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| AFC Dunstable | Dunstable | Creasey Park | 3,200 |
| Aylesbury United | Aylesbury | The Meadow | 5,000 |
| Barton Rovers | Barton-le-Clay | Sharpenhoe Road | 4,000 |
| Bedford Town | Bedford | The Eyrie | 3,000 |
| Berkhamsted | Berkhamsted | Broadwater | 2,500 |
| Biggleswade | Biggleswade | The Eyrie | 3,000 |
| Colney Heath | Colney Heath | Recreation Ground | n/a |
| Didcot Town | Didcot | Loop Meadow | 3,000 |
| FC Romania | Cheshunt | Cheshunt Stadium | 3,000 |
| Harlow Town | Harlow | The Harlow Arena | 3,500 |
| Hertford Town | Hertford | Hertingfordbury Park | 6,500 |
| Kempston Rovers | Kempston | Hillgrounds Leisure | 2,000 |
| Kidlington | Kidlington | Yarnton Road | 1,500 |
| North Leigh | North Leigh | Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground | 2,000 |
| St Neots Town | St Neots | New Rowley Park | 3,500 |
| Thame United | Thame | Meadow View Park | 2,000 |
| Waltham Abbey | Waltham Abbey | Capershotts | 3,500 |
| Wantage Town | Wantage | Alfredian Park | 1,500 |
| Ware | Ware | Wodson Park | 3,300 |
| Welwyn Garden City | Welwyn Garden City | Herns Way | 1,000 |
Division One South
After Moneyfields voluntary relegated from the league, Division One South consisted of 19 clubs: 17 clubs from the previous season, and two new clubs:- Lymington Town, promoted from the Wessex League
- Plymouth Parkway, promoted from the Western League
League table
Play-offs
Semi-finals'''Final'''
Stadia and locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| AFC Totton | Totton | Testwood Stadium | 3,000 |
| Barnstaple Town | Barnstaple | Mill Road | 5,000 |
| Bideford | Bideford | The Sports Ground | 2,000 |
| Bristol Manor Farm | Bristol | The Creek | 2,000 |
| Cinderford Town | Cinderford | Causeway Ground | 3,500 |
| Cirencester Town | Cirencester | Corinium Stadium | 4,500 |
| Evesham United | Evesham | Jubilee Stadium | 3,000 |
| Frome Town | Frome | Badgers Hill | 2,000 |
| Highworth Town | Highworth | The Elms Recreation Ground | 2,000 |
| Larkhall Athletic | Bath | The Plain Ham Ground | 1,000 |
| Lymington Town | Lymington | The Sports Ground | 1,000 |
| Mangotsfield United | Mangotsfield | Cossham Street | 2,500 |
| Melksham Town | Melksham | Oakfield Stadium | 2,500 |
| Paulton Rovers | Paulton | Athletic Field | 2,500 |
| Plymouth Parkway | Plymouth | Bolitho Park | 3,500 |
| Sholing | Sholing | Portsmouth Road | 1,000 |
| Slimbridge | Slimbridge | Thornhill Park | 1,500 |
| Willand Rovers | Willand | Silver Street | 1,000 |
| Winchester City | Winchester | The City Ground | 4,500 |
Relegation reprieves
Step 3
Seven clubs at Step 3, all four fourth-from-bottom teams and those placed third-from-bottom that are the top three on a points per game basis, were reprieved from relegation. The remaining team was relegated to Step 4.The final points-per-game ranking of the third-from-bottom placed teams in Step 3 divisions was as follows:
| Pos | Team | League | Pld | Pts | PPG | Qualification |
| 5 | Basford United | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 42 | 45 | 1.071 | Retention at Step 3 |
| 6 | Barwell | Southern League Premier Division Central | 40 | 41 | 1.025 | Retention at Step 3 |
| 7 | Kings Langley | Southern League Premier Division South | 42 | 37 | 0.881 | Retention at Step 3 |
| 8 | Leatherhead | Isthmian League Premier Division | 42 | 36 | 0.857 | Relegation to Step 4 |
Source:
Step 4
Ten of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two clubs placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place on a points per game basis, were reprieved from contesting relegation play-offs. The FA granted third-placed Sheffield a reprieve after demoting Yorkshire Amateur from the Northern Premier League for non-compliance with Step 4 ground grading requirements. The remaining six teams contested one-off matches with six runners-up from Step 5 that had the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. Three winners of their matches stayed at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while three others lost theirs and were relegated to Step 5.The final points-per-game ranking of the 3rd-from-bottom-placed teams in Step 4 divisions was also as follows:
| Pos | Team | League | Pld | Pts | PPG | Qualification |
| 9 | Prescot Cables | Northern Premier League Division One West | 38 | 39 | 1.026 | Retention at Step 4 |
| 10 | Lancing | Isthmian League South East Division | 38 | 36 | 0.947 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| 11 | Sheffield | Northern Premier League Division One East | 36 | 33 | 0.917 | Retention at Step 4 |
| 12 | Witham Town | Isthmian League North Division | 38 | 33 | 0.863 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| 13 | Cinderford Town | Southern League Division One South | 36 | 31 | 0.861 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| 14 | Kempston Rovers | Southern League Division One Central | 38 | 29 | 0.763 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| 15 | Histon | Northern Premier League Division One Midlands | 38 | 24 | 0.632 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| 16 | Chalfont St Peter | Isthmian League South Central Division | 36 | 21 | 0.583 | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | Relegation match with a Step 5 team |
Source: