De beste clubs uit de competitie verhuisden naar deze nieuwe landelijke competitie, en toen er binnen de Conference nog twee regionale divisies werden opgezet, verloor de Southern League ook de rest van haar glans. ###>With its clubs seeking a more regular means of advancing to the Football League, in 1979 the Southern League became a feeder to the new Football Conference along with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League, and the top Southern clubs of the day joined the new league.