Search

1896–97 Football League

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

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

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
(24 goals)
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

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGAvPtsRelegation
1Aston Villa (C)30215473381.92147
2Sheffield United301310742291.44836
3Derby County301641070501.40036
4Preston North End301112755401.37534
5Liverpool30129946381.21133
6The Wednesday301011942371.13531
7Everton301431362571.08831
8Bolton Wanderers301261240430.93030
9Bury3010101039440.88630
10Wolverhampton Wanderers301161345411.09828
11Nottingham Forest30981344490.89826
12West Bromwich Albion301061433560.58926
13Stoke301131648590.81425
14Blackburn Rovers301131635620.56525
15Sunderland (O)30791434470.72323Qualification for test matches
16Burnley (R)30671743610.70519
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ AwayASTBLBBOLBURBRYDEREVELIVNOTPNESHUSTKSUNWEDWBAWOL
Aston Villa3–06–20–31–12–11–20–03–23–12–22–12–14–02–05–0
Blackburn Rovers1–51–03–21–25–24–21–00–00–41–32–11–24–01–22–0
Bolton Wanderers1–20–02–12–01–32–01–40–03–10–24–01–02–12–21–2
Burnley3–40–10–21–02–32–14–12–22–21–11–31–11–15–00–3
Bury0–23–02–21–11–03–11–22–00–00–14–21–11–13–03–2
Derby County1–36–01–03–27–20–13–21–12–21–35–11–02–18–14–3
Everton2–30–32–36–01–25–22–13–13–41–24–25–22–16–30–0
Liverpool3–34–00–21–23–12–00–03–00–00–01–03–02–20–03–0
Nottingham Forest2–42–12–04–13–01–23–02–00–02–24–02–12–20–11–2
Preston North End0–13–12–35–32–20–24–11–13–21–03–05–32–20–04–0
Sheffield United0–07–01–01–02–22–21–21–10–30–21–03–02–00–11–3
Stoke0–21–02–33–23–02–22–36–13–02–12–00–10–02–22–1
Sunderland4–20–11–11–10–11–21–14–32–21–10–14–10–02–10–3
The Wednesday1–36–00–01–02–02–04–11–23–01–01–14–30–03–10–0
West Bromwich Albion3–11–01–03–00–01–41–40–14–01–10–11–21–00–21–0
Wolverhampton Wanderers1–21–14–02–01–11–00–11–24–11–11–11–20–12–06–1
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)[1]
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

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGAvPtsQualification or relegation
1Notts County (C, O, P)30194792432.14042Qualification for test matches
2Newton Heath30175856341.64739
3Grimsby Town30174966451.46738
4Small Heath30165969471.46837
5Newcastle United301711256521.07735
6Manchester City301281058501.16032
7Gainsborough Trinity301271150471.06431
8Blackpool301351259561.05431
9Leicester Fosse301341359571.03530
10Woolwich Arsenal301341368700.97130
11Darwen301401667611.09828
12Walsall301141554690.78326
13Loughborough301211750640.78125
14Burton Swifts30961546610.75424Re-elected
15Burton Wanderers (R)30921931670.46320Not re-elected
16Lincoln City30522327850.31812Re-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 \ AwayBLPBRSBRWDRWGAIGRILEILINLOUMCINEWNWHNTCSMHWALWOO
Blackpool3–05–01–01–11–03–03–14–12–24–14–23–21–33–21–1
Burton Swifts2–01–12–04–00–02–14–03–15–03–03–51–41–11–31–2
Burton Wanderers3–11–01–03–25–12–12–00–11–10–11–20–32–61–00–3
Darwen2–35–13–03–23–14–14–15–13–12–10–22–12–012–04–1
Gainsborough Trinity2–04–12–12–41–10–27–02–01–12–02–03–21–32–04–1
Grimsby Town2–23–03–04–21–14–13–18–13–13–22–03–12–10–13–1
Leicester Fosse2–13–02–14–10–04–24–14–23–35–01–02–30–14–16–3
Lincoln City3–11–12–31–00–20–32–10–20–11–21–31–11–32–12–3
Loughborough4–10–26–04–21–01–40–23–02–03–02–00–12–01–28–0
Manchester City4–23–12–14–14–13–14–03–01–11–20–01–43–05–01–1
Newcastle United4–12–13–05–11–23–03–12–14–13–02–02–24–32–02–0
Newton Heath2–01–13–03–12–04–22–13–16–02–14–01–11–12–01–1
Notts County3–16–15–04–02–01–36–08–03–13–33–13–01–25–27–4
Small Heath1–31–23–25–12–20–12–21–23–03–13–11–03–13–35–2
Walsall2–25–22–04–01–10–11–15–05–13–20–22–31–31–65–3
Woolwich Arsenal4–23–03–01–06–14–22–16–22–01–25–10–22–32–31–1
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 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
(2nd Div. Champions) Notts County1–0Sunderland (1st Div. 15th)1–0
Sat 17 Apr		0–0
Mon 19 Apr
(1st Div. 16th) Burnley2–2Newton Heath (2nd Div. 2nd)2–0
Mon 19 Apr		0–2
Wed 21 Apr

Second round

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
(1st Div. 16th) Burnley1–2Notts County (2nd Div. Champions)0–1
Sat 24 Apr		1–1
Mon 26 Apr
(2nd Div. 2nd) Newton Heath1–3Sunderland (1st Div. 15th)1–1
Sat 24 Apr		0–2
Mon 26 Apr

Test match summary

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football[2] and Association Football,[3] present the following table with the heading given above.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Notts County422031+26Elected to play in First Division
2Sunderland412132+14
3Burnley411234−13Invited to play in Second Division
4Newton Heath411235−23
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

  • Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.
Retrieved from "https:https://www.search.com.vn/wiki/index.php?lang=en&q=1896–97_Football_League&oldid=1187175196"
🔥 Top keywords: Main PageSpecial:SearchPage 3Wikipedia:Featured picturesHouse of the DragonUEFA Euro 2024Bryson DeChambeauJuneteenthInside Out 2Eid al-AdhaCleopatraDeaths in 2024Merrily We Roll Along (musical)Jonathan GroffJude Bellingham.xxx77th Tony AwardsBridgertonGary PlauchéKylian MbappéDaniel RadcliffeUEFA European Championship2024 ICC Men's T20 World CupUnit 731The Boys (TV series)Rory McIlroyN'Golo KantéUEFA Euro 2020YouTubeRomelu LukakuOpinion polling for the 2024 United Kingdom general electionThe Boys season 4Romania national football teamNicola CoughlanStereophonic (play)Gene WilderErin DarkeAntoine GriezmannProject 2025