The 1981–82 Southern Football League season saw the league split into Midland and Southern Divisions for a third season. However, league restructuring for the forthcoming season meant that the top ten in each division (minus promoted clubs) would remain at the sixth level in a new Premier Division, whilst clubs finishing lower would be relegated to the re-established Division One Midlands and Division One South.
Contents
Nuneaton Borough won the Midland Division, whilst Wealdstone won the Southern Division, both earning promotion to the Alliance Premier League, having both also been relegated from the APL the previous season. Wealdstone were declared Southern League champions after defeating Nuneaton on penalties, after the two championship play-offs had finished 3–3 on aggregate (Wealdstone won 2–1 at home and Nuneaton won 1–0). They completed the double by also winning the League Cup.
At the end of the season Bedford Town folded, whilst Barry Town left to join the Welsh Football League.
Midland Division
The Midland Division featured one new club, Nuneaton Borough, who had been relegated from the Alliance Premier League.
Southern Division
The Southern Division featured two new clubs: