1896–97 Football League
9th season of the Football League
Football league season
| Season | 1896–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aston Villa |
| Relegated | Burton Wanderers |
| New club in league | Blackpool, Gainsborough Trinity, Walsall |
← 1895–96 1897–98 → | |
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
Football league season
| Season | 1896–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aston Villa 3rd English title |
| Relegated | Burnley |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Goals scored | 751 (3.13 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Steve Bloomer (24 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Derby County 8–1 West Bromwich Albion (25 December 1896) Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn Rovers (9 January 1897) |
| Biggest away win | Blackburn Rovers 1–5 Aston Villa (28 November 1896) |
| Highest scoring | Derby 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 run | 6 matches Everton |
| Longest unbeaten run | 12 matches Aston Villa |
| Longest losing run | 6 matches Everton |
| Highest attendance | 40,000 Everton 2–1 Liverpool (3 October 1896) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,000 Nottingham Forest 4–1 Burnley (24 October 1896) Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn Rovers (9 January 1897) |
| Average attendance | 7,734 |
← 1895–96 1897–98 → | |
| 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
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.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Maps
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Locations of the Football League First Division teamsSecond Division
Football league season
| Season | 1896–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Notts County |
| Promoted | Notts County |
| Relegated | Burton Wanderers |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Goals scored | 907 (3.78 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | John Murphy Tom Boucher (22 goals each)[1] |
| Biggest home win | Darwen 12–0 Walsall (26 December 1896) |
| Biggest away win | Walsall 1–6 Small Heath (24 October 1896) |
| Highest scoring | Darwen 12–0 Walsall (26 December 1896) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Notts County Small Heath |
| Longest unbeaten run | 10 matches Newton Heath |
| Longest losing run | 12 matches Lincoln City |
← 1895–96 1897–98 → | |
| 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
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.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Maps
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Locations of the Football League Second Division teamsTest 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[2] and Association Football,[3] 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
- ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
- ^ Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
- ^ A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.
External links
- Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.
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