A New Super League?

Did you know that in January 1981, the Southern League and Isthmian League planned a new `Super League`?

The season before (1979/80), the Alliance Premier League had been formed and the Southern League lost thirteen of its top clubs, who joined seven clubs from the Northern Premier League to form the new league.

But an exciting set of proposals were drawn up which could lead the cream of both the Southern and Isthmian Leagues forming a `Super League` for the start of the 1982/83 season.

The new league, to be called the Semi-Professional Football League (South), looked certain to be launched when it was announced in January 1981.

It was proposed that the new league would consist of 22 or 24 clubs, and be made up on the lines of proportional representation.

That would give the Southern League eight places, the Isthmian fourteen and leave the way clear for a possible two other clubs.

Instrumental in setting up the new league was then-Southern League chairman David Setterfield and secretary Bill Dellow and their Isthmian counterparts Barry East and Alan Turvey.

Dellow himself had been pleasantly surprised at the way the negotiations with the Isthmian League had gone.

He said at the time: “In a way, I am a little puzzled by it!

“There was a time when people from the Isthmian and Southern Leagues would not walk on the same pavement, and it is no secret that the two leagues do not get on well together.

“But now things are different, the FA suggested that leagues should start to talk and that is what we have done.”

Indeed, it added up to an exciting prospect for the Southern League, as change will be the operative word during the next two seasons.

For the league are set to revert back to a Premier Division in 1981/82, with the return of two regional divisions we well.

Dellow added: “Nothing has been worked out as to how the constitution for a Premier Division would come about. Logically it would be the top eleven in each division at the end of the 1980/81 season.”

The Southern League had talks with the West Midlands (Regional) League, the Wessex League and the Hellenic League about the possibility of becoming feeder leagues of the Southern League.

So, in effect, the new league would complete a Pyramid system for non-League football in the south.

At the top would be the new Semi-Professional League (South), then will come the Southern and Isthmian Leagues and then the feeder leagues.

Dellow continued: “One of the nice things about the new Semi-Professional League is that both the Southern and Isthmian Leagues will keep their own identity, and because of the traditions of both set-ups, that it very important.”

The new league would operate a four up, four down system with two teams from the Southern League and two from the Isthmian being promoted into it.

However, there would be a unique relegation system, as the two lowest Southern and Isthmian sides in the new league would be relegated, which meant that a team might not finish in the bottom four – but sill face relegation!

It was proposed that the new league would be run by the officers of the present Southern and Isthmian Leagues, with Bill Dellow as treasurer designate and Alan Turvey as secretary designate.

Dellow concluded: “What is tremendous is that the idea of the new league was accepted 100 per cent by both the Southern and Isthmian league clubs.

“I feel the idea is a sure-fire winner. Of course, there is still a lot of talking to be done, but everything has been agreed in principle.

“I am absolutely confident it will come about”.

But will it? The saga continues in the next piece!