1977–78 Western Football League

Football league season

Western Football LeagueSeason| 1977–78

|

Champions| Falmouth Town (Premier Division)
Keynsham Town (Division One)

← 1976–77

1978–79 →

The 1977–78 season was the 76th in the history of the Western Football League.

The league champions for the fourth time in their history, and the fourth season in succession, were Falmouth Town. They became the first club to win the Western League four times in a row. The champions of Division One were Keynsham Town.[1]

This season was the first in which goal difference decided places for teams which were level on points.[1]

## Final tables[edit]

### Premier Division[edit]

The Premier Division remained at eighteen clubs after Taunton Town left to join the Southern League, and Westland-Yeovil were relegated to the First Division. Two clubs joined:

* Saltash United, champions of the First Division.
* Shepton Mallet Town, runners-up in the First Division.
* Clevedon changed their name to Clevedon Town.

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Falmouth Town | 34  | 26  | 5  | 3  | 98  | 30  | +68  | 83  |
2  | Bideford | 34  | 25  | 8  | 1  | 86  | 25  | +61  | 83
3  | Barnstaple Town | 34  | 18  | 10  | 6  | 75  | 37  | +38  | 64
4  | Saltash United | 34  | 17  | 7  | 10  | 66  | 53  | +13  | 58
5  | Bridport | 34  | 14  | 13  | 7  | 44  | 21  | +23  | 55
6  | Clevedon Town | 34  | 16  | 9  | 9  | 62  | 41  | +21  | 55[a]
7  | Frome Town | 34  | 14  | 8  | 12  | 43  | 39  | +4  | 50
8  | Paulton Rovers | 34  | 15  | 5  | 14  | 55  | 52  | +3  | 50
9  | Weston-super-Mare | 34  | 14  | 8  | 12  | 44  | 48  | −4  | 50
10  | Exeter City Reserves  | 34  | 11  | 13  | 10  | 48  | 41  | +7  | 46
11  | Bridgwater Town | 34  | 12  | 9  | 13  | 53  | 56  | −3  | 45
12  | Tiverton Town | 34  | 8  | 10  | 16  | 47  | 61  | −14  | 34
13  | Shepton Mallet Town | 34  | 9  | 6  | 19  | 52  | 93  | −41  | 33
14  | Glastonbury | 34  | 9  | 5  | 20  | 46  | 77  | −31  | 32
15  | Mangotsfield United | 34  | 7  | 10  | 17  | 50  | 75  | −25  | 31
16  | Welton Rovers | 34  | 8  | 6  | 20  | 34  | 68  | −34  | 30
17  | Dawlish | 34  | 6  | 10  | 18  | 39  | 67  | −28  | 28
18  | St Luke's College | 34  | 1  | 10  | 23  | 20  | 78  | −58  | 13  | Disbanded at the end of the season

Source:[citation needed]
Notes:

1. ^ Clevedon Town had two points deducted for fielding an ineligible player.

### First Division[edit]

The First Division was increased from eighteen to nineteen clubs, after Saltash United and Shepton Mallet Town were promoted to the Premier Division. Three clubs joined:

* Bristol Manor Farm, from the Somerset Senior League.
* Odd Down
* Westland-Yeovil, relegated from the Premier Division.

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Keynsham Town (P) | 36  | 23  | 10  | 3  | 77  | 22  | +55  | 79  | Promoted to the Premier Division
2  | Clandown (P) | 36  | 22  | 4  | 10  | 77  | 36  | +41  | 70
3  | Ilminster Town (P) | 36  | 21  | 6  | 9  | 69  | 47  | +22  | 69
4  | Bristol Manor Farm | 36  | 20  | 5  | 11  | 67  | 38  | +29  | 65  |
5  | Devizes Town | 36  | 20  | 5  | 11  | 73  | 52  | +21  | 65
6  | Torquay United Reserves  | 36  | 18  | 5  | 13  | 69  | 53  | +16  | 59
7  | Portway Bristol | 36  | 17  | 8  | 11  | 57  | 42  | +15  | 59
8  | Melksham Town | 36  | 17  | 7  | 12  | 76  | 60  | +16  | 58
9  | Ottery St Mary | 36  | 17  | 6  | 13  | 55  | 55  | 0  | 57
10  | Larkhall Athletic | 36  | 15  | 8  | 13  | 58  | 66  | −8  | 53
11  | Exmouth Town | 36  | 13  | 7  | 16  | 41  | 55  | −14  | 46
12  | Brixham United | 36  | 11  | 9  | 16  | 62  | 79  | −17  | 41[a]
13  | Chard Town | 36  | 12  | 5  | 19  | 56  | 81  | −25  | 41
14  | Westland-Yeovil | 36  | 8  | 12  | 16  | 40  | 52  | −12  | 36
15  | Odd Down | 36  | 9  | 9  | 18  | 52  | 75  | −23  | 36
16  | Yeovil Town Reserves  | 36  | 9  | 8  | 19  | 52  | 65  | −13  | 35
17  | Heavitree United | 36  | 9  | 5  | 22  | 32  | 64  | −32  | 32
18  | Swanage Town & Herston | 36  | 6  | 11  | 19  | 48  | 85  | −37  | 29
19  | Chippenham Town | 36  | 8  | 4  | 24  | 40  | 74  | −34  | 28

Source: The system of using goal difference to separate two teams tied on points was used for the first time this season. The points system: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(P) Promoted
Notes:

1. ^ Brixham United had one point deducted for fielding an ineligible player.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Robinson, Michael (ed.), Non-League Football Tables 1889–2006, Soccer Books, 2006

* v
* t
* e

Western Football League

2023–24
clubs|

| Premier Division|

* Barnstaple Town
* Bridgwater United
* Brixham
* Buckland Athletic
* Clevedon Town
* Falmouth Town
* Helston Athletic
* Ilfracombe Town
* Millbrook
* Nailsea & Tickenham
* Oldland Abbotonians
* Saltash United
* Shepton Mallet
* St Blazey
* Street
* Torpoint Athletic
* Wellington
* Welton Rovers

|

Division One|

* AEK Boco
* Bishop Sutton
* Bitton
* Bradford Town
* Brislington
* Bristol Telephones
* Cadbury Heath
* Cheddar
* Cribbs Reserves
* Gillingham Town
* Hallen
* Hengrove Athletic
* Keynsham Town
* Longwell Green Sports
* Middlezoy Rovers
* Odd Down
* Portishead Town
* Radstock Town
* Shirehampton
* Warminster Town
* Wells City
* Wincanton Town

Seasons|

* 1892–93
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* 1972–73
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* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
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* 1983–84
* 1984–85
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* v
* t
* e

1977–78 in English football

« 1976–77

1978–79 »

National teams|

* Ron Greenwood
* Home Championship
* 1978 FIFA World Cup (qualification)

League competitions|

| Levels 1–4|

* Football League (First Division, Second Division, Third Division, Fourth Division)

|

Levels 5–6|

* Isthmian League (Premier, One)
* Northern Premier League (level 5 only)
* Southern League (Premier, One North, One South)

Levels 7–9|

* Isthmian League (Two)
* Athenian League (level 7 only)
* Cheshire County League (level 7 only)
* Eastern Counties League (level 7 only)
* Essex Senior League (level 7 only)
* Hellenic League (Premier, One)
* Kent League (level 7 only)
* Lancashire Combination (level 7 only)
* London Spartan League (Premier, Senior)
* Midland Football Combination (level 7 only)
* Midland League (Premier, One)
* Northern League (level 7 only)
* South Midlands League (Premier, One)
* Sussex County League (One, Two)
* United Counties League (Premier, One, Two)
* West Midlands (Regional) League (level 7 only)
* Western League (Premier, One)
* Yorkshire League (One, Two, Three)

Cup competitions|

| FA cups|

* FA Cup (Qualifying rounds, Final)
* Charity Shield
* FA Trophy (Final)

|

Football League cups|

* League Cup (Final)

European competitions|

* European Cup
* UEFA Cup
* European Cup Winners' Cup
* Anglo-Scottish Cup

Club seasons

First Division|

* Arsenal
* Aston Villa
* Birmingham City
* Bristol City
* Chelsea
* Coventry City
* Derby County
* Everton
* Ipswich Town
* Leeds United
* Leicester City
* Liverpool
* Manchester City
* Manchester United
* Middlesbrough
* Newcastle United
* Norwich City
* Nottingham Forest
* Queens Park Rangers
* West Bromwich Albion
* West Ham United
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Blackburn Rovers
* Blackpool
* Bolton Wanderers
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Bristol Rovers
* Burnley
* Cardiff City
* Charlton Athletic
* Crystal Palace
* Fulham
* Hull City
* Luton Town
* Mansfield Town
* Millwall
* Notts County
* Oldham Athletic
* Orient
* Sheffield United
* Southampton
* Stoke City
* Sunderland
* Tottenham Hotspur

Third Division|

* Bradford City
* Bury
* Cambridge United
* Carlisle United
* Chester
* Chesterfield
* Colchester United
* Exeter City
* Gillingham
* Hereford United
* Lincoln City
* Oxford United
* Peterborough United
* Plymouth Argyle
* Port Vale
* Portsmouth
* Preston North End
* Rotherham United
* Sheffield Wednesday
* Shrewsbury Town
* Swindon Town
* Tranmere Rovers
* Walsall
* Wrexham

Fourth Division|

* Aldershot
* Barnsley
* Bournemouth
* Brentford
* Crewe Alexandra
* Darlington
* Doncaster Rovers
* Grimsby Town
* Halifax Town
* Hartlepool United
* Huddersfield Town
* Newport County
* Northampton Town
* Reading
* Rochdale
* Scunthorpe United
* Southend United
* Southport
* Stockport County
* Swansea City
* Torquay United
* Watford
* Wimbledon
* York City

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template