1978–79 Southern Football League
The 1978–79 Southern Football League season was the 76th in the history of the league, an English football competition.
Worcester City won the championship, winning their first Southern League title. At the end of the season the Alliance Premier League was established as a new, national top division of non-League football. Thirteen clubs from the Premier Division joined the new league, leading to a restructuring of the Southern League for the next season, in which it was divided solely into Midland and Southern divisions.
Due to the forthcoming changes, there was no relegation or promotion between the Southern League's divisions, although the Premier Division clubs that remained in the Southern League had effectively been relegated one level, being placed in the Midland or Southern divisions the following season. Several clubs left the Division One North at the end of the season to join the Northern Premier League, which had also lost clubs to the new Alliance Premier League, whilst Premier Division club Atherstone Town folded.
Premier Division
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs:- Two clubs promoted from Division One North:
- *Bridgend Town
- *Witney Town
- Two clubs promoted from Division One South:
- *Dorchester Town
- *Margate
League table
Division One North
Division One North consisted of 20 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and three new clubs:- Alvechurch, joined from the West Midlands League
- Bedford Town, relegated from the Premier Division
- Grantham, relegated from the Premier Division
League table
Division One South
Division One South expanded up to 21 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs:- Dover, relegated from the Premier Division
- Dunstable, transferred from the Midland Division
- Gosport Borough, promoted from the Hampshire League
- Minehead, relegated from the Premier Division
League table
Football League election
Runners-up Kettering Town were the only Southern League club to apply for election to the Football League. However, all four Football League clubs were re-elected.| Club | League | Votes |
| Doncaster Rovers | Football League Division Four | 50 |
| Crewe Alexandra | Football League Division Four | 49 |
| Darlington | Football League Division Four | 43 |
| Halifax Town | Football League Division Four | 37 |
| Altrincham | Northern Premier League | 13 |
| Kettering Town | Southern League | 12 |