1996–97 South Midlands League
The 1996–97 South Midlands League season was 68th and the last in the history of South Midlands League.
At the end of the season the league was merged with Spartan League to form Spartan South Midlands Football League. For the first season of the new league clubs from the South Midlands League and the Spartan League were separated: all the South Midlands League Premier Division clubs formed Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division North, while clubs from South Midlands League Senior Division formed Spartan South Midlands League Senior Division and clubs from South Midlands League Division One formed Spartan South Midlands League Division One North. Following first season of the new league regional Premier divisions and divisions One were merged.
Premier Division
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Potters Bar Town |
← 1995–96 1997–98 (Spartan South Midlands League) → | |
The Premier Division featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with one new club, promoted from the Senior Division:
- Bedford United, promoted from the Senior Division
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Potters Bar Town (C) | 28 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 53 | 18 | +35 | 62 | Joined SSML Premier Division North |
| 2 | Brache Sparta | 28 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 54 | 20 | +34 | 62 | |
| 3 | Arlesey Town | 28 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 49 | 20 | +29 | 55 | |
| 4 | Toddington Rovers | 28 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 45 | 29 | +16 | 46 | |
| 5 | Buckingham Athletic | 28 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 45 | |
| 6 | Royston Town | 28 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 45 | |
| 7 | London Colney | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 47 | 41 | +6 | 44 | |
| 8 | Bedford United | 28 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 44 | 49 | −5 | 38 | |
| 9 | Welwyn Garden City | 28 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 45 | 44 | +1 | 36 | |
| 10 | Harpenden Town | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 32 | 33 | −1 | 34 | |
| 11 | Milton Keynes | 28 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 36 | −11 | 31 | |
| 12 | Letchworth | 28 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 | 50 | −15 | 28 | |
| 13 | Langford | 28 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 56 | −34 | 24 | |
| 14 | Hoddesdon Town | 28 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 30 | 55 | −25 | 22 | |
| 15 | Biggleswade Town | 28 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 21 | 74 | −53 | 9 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Senior Division
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Leverstock Green |
← 1995–96 1997–98 (Spartan South Midlands League) → | |
The Senior Division featured 13 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with one new club, promoted from Division One:
Also, ACD changed name to A C D Tridon.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leverstock Green (C) | 26 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 54 | 19 | +35 | 60 | Joined SSML Senior Division |
| 2 | Holmer Green | 26 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 71 | 21 | +50 | 55 | |
| 3 | Tring Athletic | 26 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 62 | 29 | +33 | 54 | |
| 4 | Stony Stratford Town | 26 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 60 | 46 | +14 | 50 | |
| 5 | New Bradwell St Peter | 26 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 49 | 30 | +19 | 46 | |
| 6 | Houghton Town | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 31 | 32 | −1 | 38 | |
| 7 | Mercedes Benz | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 48 | 38 | +10 | 37 | |
| 8 | Risborough Rangers | 26 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 35 | 50 | −15 | 37 | |
| 9 | Winslow United | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 40 | 51 | −11 | 35 | |
| 10 | Kent Athletic | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 46 | 57 | −11 | 32 | |
| 11 | Ampthill Town | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 33 | 57 | −24 | 23 | |
| 12 | A C D Tridon | 26 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 33 | 56 | −23 | 21 | Did not join Spartan South Midlands League |
| 13 | Totternhoe | 26 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 62 | −35 | 15 | Joined SSML Senior Division |
| 14 | The 61 FC Luton | 26 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 26 | 67 | −41 | 9 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Division One
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Biggleswade United |
| Promoted | Biggleswade United Caddington |
← 1995–96 1997–98 (Spartan South Midlands League) → | |
Division One featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:
- Bedford Eagles
- Biggleswade United
- Luton Old Boys
- Mursley United
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biggleswade United (C, P) | 34 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 116 | 35 | +81 | 82 | Promoted to the SSML Senior Division |
| 2 | Caddington (P) | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 89 | 45 | +44 | 72[a] | |
| 3 | De Havilland | 34 | 22 | 5 | 7 | 88 | 52 | +36 | 71 | Joined SSML Division One North |
| 4 | Crawley Green Sports | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 77 | 51 | +26 | 64 | |
| 5 | Old Bradwell United | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 69 | 49 | +20 | 63 | |
| 6 | Emberton | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 67 | 46 | +21 | 62 | |
| 7 | Bedford Eagles | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 79 | 48 | +31 | 57[b] | |
| 8 | Scot | 34 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 49 | 57 | −8 | 52 | |
| 9 | Walden Rangers | 34 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 70 | 46 | +24 | 48 | |
| 10 | Buckingham United | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 66 | 75 | −9 | 45 | |
| 11 | Bridger Packaging | 34 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 61 | 74 | −13 | 43 | |
| 12 | Luton Old Boys | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 37 | |
| 13 | Old Dunstablians | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 62 | 85 | −23 | 36 | |
| 14 | Leighton Athletic | 34 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 50 | 75 | −25 | 32 | |
| 15 | Flamstead | 34 | 8 | 6 | 20 | 44 | 80 | −36 | 30 | |
| 16 | Abbey National | 34 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 39 | 92 | −53 | 24 | |
| 17 | Mursley United | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 53 | 91 | −38 | 23[b] | |
| 18 | Pitstone & Ivinghoe | 34 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 26 | 94 | −68 | 18 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Notes: