The 1988–89 Southern Football League season was the 86th in the history of the league, an English football competition.
Merthyr Tydfil won the Premier Division and earned promotion to the Football Conference, whilst Coventry Sporting, Wellingborough Town, Mile Oak Rovers, Tonbridge and Ruislip left the league at the end of the season.
Premier Division The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 16 clubs from the previous season and six new clubs: Two clubs promoted from the Midland Division: Merthyr Tydfil Moor Green
Two clubs promoted from the Southern Division: Dover Athletic Waterlooville
Two clubs relegated from the Football Conference: Bath City Wealdstone
League table
Midland Division The Midland Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 17 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs: Two clubs relegated from the Premier Division: Nuneaton Borough Willenhall Town
Plus: Ashtree Highfield, promoted from the Midland Combination Spalding United, promoted from the United Counties League Tamworth, promoted from the West Midlands League
Also, at the end of the season Forest Green Rovers was renamed Stroud and Ashfield Hightree was renamed Sandwell Borough.
League table
Southern Division The Southern Division consisted of 22 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season and four new clubs: Two clubs relegated from the Premier Division: Chelmsford City Witney Town
Two clubs transferred from the Midland Division: Buckingham Town Trowbridge Town
At the end of the season Thanet United reverted name to Margate.
League table
See also Southern Football League 1988–89 Isthmian League 1988–89 Northern Premier League
References RSSF – Southern Football League archive