1937–38 Southern Football League

The 1937–38 season was the 40th in the history of the Southern League. Guildford City won the title. Ipswich Town were again the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League, and this time were successful.

Final table

Southern Football League

Season	1937-38
Champions	Guildford City (1st title)
Promoted	Ipswich Town
Relegated	none
Matches played	306
Goals scored	1212 (3.96 per match)
← 1936–37 1938–39 →

A total of 18 teams contest the division, including 15 sides from previous season and three new teams.

Newly elected teams:

• Colchester United from Eastern Counties League
• Bristol Rovers II
• Swindon Town II

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv1	Pts2	Notes
1	Guildford City	34	22	5	7	94	60	1.57	49
2	Plymouth Argyle II	34	18	9	7	98	58	1.69	45
3	Ipswich Town	34	19	6	9	89	54	1.65	44	Elected to the Football League
4	Yeovil & Petters United	34	14	14	6	72	45	1.6	42
5	Norwich City II	34	15	11	8	77	55	1.4	41
6	Colchester United	34	15	8	11	90	58	1.55	38
7	Bristol Rovers II	34	14	8	12	63	62	1.02	36
8	Swindon Town II	34	14	7	13	70	76	0.92	35
9	Tunbridge Wells Rangers	34	14	6	14	68	74	0.92	34
10	Aldershot II	34	10	12	12	42	55	0.76	32
11	Cheltenham Town	34	13	5	16	72	68	1.06	31
12	Exeter City II	34	13	5	16	71	75	0.95	31
13	Dartford	34	9	11	14	51	70	0.73	29
14	Bath City	34	9	9	16	45	65	0.69	27
15	Folkestone	34	10	6	18	58	82	0.71	26
16	Newport County II	34	10	6	18	56	86	0.65	26
17	Barry	34	8	7	19	50	88	0.56	23
18	Torquay United II	34	8	7	19	46	81	0.56	23

^{1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season.}

^{2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.}

Football League election

Ipswich Town were the only non-League club to apply for election to the Football League Third Division South. Having been unsuccessful the previous season, this time they won more votes than both Football League clubs, the first time a non-League club had topped an admission ballot since 1920.

Club	League	Votes
Ipswich Town	Southern League	36
Walsall	Football League Third Division South	34
Gillingham	Football League Third Division South	24