For this season the league was restructured again after many clubs left the league. The Professional Section of last season was renamed Division One, and the two-division Amateur Section became one single division, Division Two.
Swindon Town were the champions of Division One, and also competed in the Southern League during this season, along with Southampton and Bedminster. Trowbridge Town and multiple champions Warmley also competed in both leagues, but both clubs disbanded during the season. The Division Two champions for the first time were Staple Hill.[1]
Division One
Two new clubs joined Division One, which was reduced to seven clubs from eight after Bristol City, Reading and Eastleigh left.
^Trowbridge Town (October 1898) and Warmley (January 1899) resigned during the season, and their records were expunged. Trowbridge's record had been P5 W0 D0 L5 GF4 GA18 Pts0 and Warmley's was P5 W2 D0 L3 GF6 GA15 Pts4[1]
Division Two (Amateur)
This eight-club division was a merger of the old Amateur Section Divisions One and Two, containing the surviving clubs from both divisions, plus two new clubs:
Source: [citation needed] Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing. Notes:
^The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.[1]