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1896–97 Football League

The Football League
Season1896–97
ChampionsAston Villa
RelegatedBurton Wanderers
New club in leagueBlackpool,
Gainsborough Trinity,
Walsall

The 1896–97 season was the ninth season of The Football League.

Final league tables

Beginning in the 1894–95 season, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

During the first six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.

First Division

First Division
Season1896–97
ChampionsAston Villa
3rd English title
RelegatedBurnley
Matches played240
Goals scored751 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorerSteve Bloomer
(22 goals)[1]
Biggest home winDerby County 8–1 West Bromwich Albion
(25 December 1896)
Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn Rovers
(9 January 1897)
Biggest away winBlackburn Rovers 1–5 Aston Villa
(28 November 1896)
Highest scoringDerby County 7–2 Bury
(26 September 1896)
Derby County 8–1 West Bromwich Albion
(25 December 1896)
Everton 6–3 West Bromwich Albion
(17 April 1897)
Longest winning run6 matches
Everton
Longest unbeaten run12 matches
Aston Villa
Longest losing run6 matches
Everton
Highest attendance40,000
Everton 2–1 Liverpool
(3 October 1896)
Lowest attendance1,000
Nottingham Forest 4–1 Burnley
(24 October 1896)
Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn Rovers
(9 January 1897)
Average attendance7,734

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Aston Villa (C) 30 21 5 4 73 38 1.921 47
2 Sheffield United 30 13 10 7 42 29 1.448 36
3 Derby County 30 16 4 10 70 50 1.400 36
4 Preston North End 30 11 12 7 55 40 1.375 34
5 Liverpool 30 12 9 9 46 38 1.211 33
6 The Wednesday 30 10 11 9 42 37 1.135 31
7 Everton 30 14 3 13 62 57 1.088 31
8 Bolton Wanderers 30 12 6 12 40 43 0.930 30
9 Bury 30 10 10 10 39 44 0.886 30
10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 11 6 13 45 41 1.098 28
11 Nottingham Forest 30 9 8 13 44 49 0.898 26
12 West Bromwich Albion 30 10 6 14 33 56 0.589 26
13 Stoke 30 11 3 16 48 59 0.814 25
14 Blackburn Rovers 30 11 3 16 35 62 0.565 25
15 Sunderland (O) 30 7 9 14 34 47 0.723 23 Qualification for test matches
16 Burnley (R) 30 6 7 17 43 61 0.705 19
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ Away AST BLB BOL BUR BRY DER EVE LIV NOT PNE SHU STK SUN WED WBA WOL
Aston Villa 3–0 6–2 0–3 1–1 2–1 1–2 0–0 3–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 2–1 4–0 2–0 5–0
Blackburn Rovers 1–5 1–0 3–2 1–2 5–2 4–2 1–0 0–0 0–4 1–3 2–1 1–2 4–0 1–2 2–0
Bolton Wanderers 1–2 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–4 0–0 3–1 0–2 4–0 1–0 2–1 2–2 1–2
Burnley 3–4 0–1 0–2 1–0 2–3 2–1 4–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 5–0 0–3
Bury 0–2 3–0 2–2 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 0–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 3–0 3–2
Derby County 1–3 6–0 1–0 3–2 7–2 0–1 3–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 5–1 1–0 2–1 8–1 4–3
Everton 2–3 0–3 2–3 6–0 1–2 5–2 2–1 3–1 3–4 1–2 4–2 5–2 2–1 6–3 0–0
Liverpool 3–3 4–0 0–2 1–2 3–1 2–0 0–0 3–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 3–0 2–2 0–0 3–0
Nottingham Forest 2–4 2–1 2–0 4–1 3–0 1–2 3–0 2–0 0–0 2–2 4–0 2–1 2–2 0–1 1–2
Preston North End 0–1 3–1 2–3 5–3 2–2 0–2 4–1 1–1 3–2 1–0 3–0 5–3 2–2 0–0 4–0
Sheffield United 0–0 7–0 1–0 1–0 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–1 0–3 0–2 1–0 3–0 2–0 0–1 1–3
Stoke 0–2 1–0 2–3 3–2 3–0 2–2 2–3 6–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 0–0 2–2 2–1
Sunderland 4–2 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 4–3 2–2 1–1 0–1 4–1 0–0 2–1 0–3
The Wednesday 1–3 6–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–2 3–0 1–0 1–1 4–3 0–0 3–1 0–0
West Bromwich Albion 3–1 1–0 1–0 3–0 0–0 1–4 1–4 0–1 4–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 1–0 0–2 1–0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–2 4–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 2–0 6–1
Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Second Division
Season1896–97
ChampionsNotts County
PromotedNotts County
RelegatedBurton Wanderers
Matches played240
Goals scored907 (3.78 per match)
Top goalscorerJohn Murphy
Tom Boucher
(22 goals each)[2]
Biggest home winDarwen 12–0 Walsall
(26 December 1896)
Biggest away winWalsall 1–6 Small Heath
(24 October 1896)
Highest scoringDarwen 12–0 Walsall
(26 December 1896)
Longest winning run6 matches
Notts County
Small Heath
Longest unbeaten run10 matches
Newton Heath
Longest losing run12 matches
Lincoln City

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Notts County (C, O, P) 30 19 4 7 92 43 2.140 42 Qualification for test matches
2 Newton Heath 30 17 5 8 56 34 1.647 39
3 Grimsby Town 30 17 4 9 66 45 1.467 38
4 Small Heath 30 16 5 9 69 47 1.468 37
5 Newcastle United 30 17 1 12 56 52 1.077 35
6 Manchester City 30 12 8 10 58 50 1.160 32
7 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 7 11 50 47 1.064 31
8 Blackpool 30 13 5 12 59 56 1.054 31
9 Leicester Fosse 30 13 4 13 59 57 1.035 30
10 Woolwich Arsenal 30 13 4 13 68 70 0.971 30
11 Darwen 30 14 0 16 67 61 1.098 28
12 Walsall 30 11 4 15 54 69 0.783 26
13 Loughborough 30 12 1 17 50 64 0.781 25
14 Burton Swifts 30 9 6 15 46 61 0.754 24 Re-elected
15 Burton Wanderers (R) 30 9 2 19 31 67 0.463 20 Not re-elected
16 Lincoln City 30 5 2 23 27 85 0.318 12 Re-elected
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ Away BLP BRS BRW DRW GAI GRI LEI LIN LOU MCI NEW NWH NTC SMH WAL WOO
Blackpool 3–0 5–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 3–0 3–1 4–1 2–2 4–1 4–2 3–2 1–3 3–2 1–1
Burton Swifts 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–0 0–0 2–1 4–0 3–1 5–0 3–0 3–5 1–4 1–1 1–3 1–2
Burton Wanderers 3–1 1–0 1–0 3–2 5–1 2–1 2–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–3 2–6 1–0 0–3
Darwen 2–3 5–1 3–0 3–2 3–1 4–1 4–1 5–1 3–1 2–1 0–2 2–1 2–0 12–0 4–1
Gainsborough Trinity 2–0 4–1 2–1 2–4 1–1 0–2 7–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–2 1–3 2–0 4–1
Grimsby Town 2–2 3–0 3–0 4–2 1–1 4–1 3–1 8–1 3–1 3–2 2–0 3–1 2–1 0–1 3–1
Leicester Fosse 2–1 3–0 2–1 4–1 0–0 4–2 4–1 4–2 3–3 5–0 1–0 2–3 0–1 4–1 6–3
Lincoln City 3–1 1–1 2–3 1–0 0–2 0–3 2–1 0–2 0–1 1–2 1–3 1–1 1–3 2–1 2–3
Loughborough 4–1 0–2 6–0 4–2 1–0 1–4 0–2 3–0 2–0 3–0 2–0 0–1 2–0 1–2 8–0
Manchester City 4–2 3–1 2–1 4–1 4–1 3–1 4–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 1–4 3–0 5–0 1–1
Newcastle United 4–1 2–1 3–0 5–1 1–2 3–0 3–1 2–1 4–1 3–0 2–0 2–2 4–3 2–0 2–0
Newton Heath 2–0 1–1 3–0 3–1 2–0 4–2 2–1 3–1 6–0 2–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1
Notts County 3–1 6–1 5–0 4–0 2–0 1–3 6–0 8–0 3–1 3–3 3–1 3–0 1–2 5–2 7–4
Small Heath 1–3 1–2 3–2 5–1 2–2 0–1 2–2 1–2 3–0 3–1 3–1 1–0 3–1 3–3 5–2
Walsall 2–2 5–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 5–0 5–1 3–2 0–2 2–3 1–3 1–6 5–3
Woolwich Arsenal 4–2 3–0 3–0 1–0 6–1 4–2 2–1 6–2 2–0 1–2 5–1 0–2 2–3 2–3 1–1
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Football League Second Division teams

Test Matches

The Football League test matches were a set of play-offs, in which the bottom First Division teams faced the top Second Division teams. Each First Division team plays both Second Division teams in a mini league format, the top two finishers would then be considered for election for First Division membership whilst the bottom two finishers would be invited to play in the Second Division.

The First Division teams, if finishing in the top two, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team does so, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process. Bottom-two Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.

First round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
(2nd Div. Champions) Notts County 1–0 Sunderland (1st Div. 15th) 1–0
Sat 17 Apr 		0–0
Mon 19 Apr
(1st Div. 16th) Burnley 2–2 Newton Heath (2nd Div. 2nd) 2–0
Mon 19 Apr 		0–2
Wed 21 Apr

Second round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
(1st Div. 16th) Burnley 1–2 Notts County (2nd Div. Champions) 0–1
Sat 24 Apr 		1–1
Mon 26 Apr
(2nd Div. 2nd) Newton Heath 1–3 Sunderland (1st Div. 15th) 1–1
Sat 24 Apr 		0–2
Mon 26 Apr

Test match summary

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football[3] and Association Football,[4] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Notts County 4 2 2 0 3 1 +2 6 Elected to play in First Division
2 Sunderland 4 1 2 1 3 2 +1 4
3 Burnley 4 1 1 2 3 4 −1 3 Invited to play in Second Division
4 Newton Heath 4 1 1 2 3 5 −2 3
Source: [citation needed]

Test match consequences

It is likely that the league decided on re-election to the First Division and on promotion and relegation on the basis of the summary table above.

  • Notts County won both fixtures and were elected to play in the 1st Division the following season.
  • Coming from the 2nd Division, Newton Heath apparently would have needed a win in order to advance. It appears that in this case, a draw, the preference was given to Burnley, who came to the test matches from a higher division.
  • Sunderland salvaged through re-elections its position in the 1st Division, having won in the second round of the test matches. It was the fate of Newton Heath to remain in the 2nd Division.

See also

References

  1. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  2. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  3. ^ Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
  4. ^ A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.
  • Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.
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