After their expulsion from the FA Amateur Cup for "professionalism", Royal Artillery were then forced by the FA to field an entire team of amateur reserves for the remainder of the 1898–99 Southern League season, which resulted in Royal Artillery finishing bottom of the table at the end of the season. Royal Artillery then met Cowes F.C. in a relegation test match play-off. Cowes, from Division Two (South West) of the Southern League, defeated Royal Artillery 4-1, which earned Cowes a promotion to the Southern League Division One. Royal Artillery (Portsmouth) F.C. were then relegated after a single season in the Southern League's top division.