1978/79 Season Summary

The season of 1978-79 proved to be a surprising success, with 19 wins and only 11 defeats in the 44 League games played. A massive turnover of players meant that only John Higham and Chris Kisby remained of the regulars from the previous year, though Paul Birchall and (briefly) George Dewsnip were to return later in the season. Hughie Fisher had departed but his assistant Harry McNally, later to give great service at Chester City, proved a capable replacement as Manager. A ‘crowd’ of 296 were present at Holly Park, Garston to see the first foray into an unknown world, which resulted in a 1—0 win against South Liverpool.

The N.P.L. contained, at that time, all the crack outfits of the northern non-League scene — Altrincham, Boston United, Barrow, Stafford Rangers and the like. That Southport managed to finish in fifth place was a highly creditable performance but the real turning-point came at the end of the campaign with the formation of the Football Alliance. This was to be a new nationwide concept comprising the elite of all the regional leagues and would in time devolve into the Vauxhall Conference. Naturally enough, Southport were invited to become founder-members but the Board turned down the opportunity on the grounds that the additional travelling costs were prohibitive.
One must remember that at this time there was no ‘pyramid structure’ of automatic promotion and relegation to and from the Football League, so some justification for the decision could perhaps exist. Yet it obviously meant that Southport were distancing themselves still further from any hopes of ever recovering their League place. What was not anticipated, however, was the widespread alienation of the supporters that this decision would engender, with its consequent effects on playing staff morale and results on the pitch.

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Sources:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Mossley	44	32	5	7	117	48	69
2	Altrincham	44	25	11	8	93	39	61
3	Matlock Town	44	24	8	12	100	59	56
4	Scarborough	44	19	14	11	61	44	52
5	Southport	44	19	14	11	62	49	52
6	Boston United	44	17	18	9	40	33	52
7	Runcorn	44	21	9	14	79	54	51
8	Stafford Rangers	44	18	14	12	67	41	50
9	Goole Town	44	17	15	12	56	61	49
10	Northwich Vics	44	18	11	15	64	52	47
11	Lancaster City	44	17	12	15	62	54	46
12	Bangor City	44	15	14	15	65	66	44
13	Worksop Town	44	13	14	17	55	67	40
14	Workington	44	16	7	21	62	74	39
15	Netherfield	44	13	11	20	39	69	37
16	Barrow	44	14	9	21	47	78	37
17	Gainsborough Trinity	44	12	12	20	52	67	36
18	Morecambe	44	11	13	20	55	65	35
19	Frickley Ath	44	13	9	22	58	70	35
20	South Liverpool	44	12	10	22	48	85	34
21	Gateshead	44	11	11	22	42	63	33
22	Buxton	44	11	9	24	50	84	31
23	Macclesfield Town	44	8	10	26	40	92	26