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

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[1] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[2] with home and away statistics separated.

Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. 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 five seasons of the league, that is until the season, 1893–94, 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.[2]

First Division
Football League
First Division
Season1896–97
ChampionsAston Villa
(3rd English title)
RelegatedBurnley
FA Cup winnersAston Villa (3rd FA Cup title)
Matches played240
Goals scored751 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorerSteve Bloomer (Derby County), 24
Biggest home winDerby County – West Brom 8–1 (25 Dec 1896)
Sheffield United – Blackburn Rovers 7–0 (9 Jan 1897)
Biggest away winBlackburn Rovers – Aston Villa 1–5 (28 Nov 1896)
Highest scoringDerby County – West Bromwich Albion 8–1 (25 Dec 1896)
Derby County – Bury 7–2 (26 Sept 1896)
Everton – West Bromwich Albion 6–3 (17 Apr 1897)
Longest winning run6 matches
Everton (19 Dec 1896 – 6 Feb 1897)
Longest unbeaten run12 matches
Aston Villa (3 Oct 1896 – 2 Jan 1897)
Longest losing run6 matches
Everton (6 Feb 1897 – 16 Apr 1897)
Highest attendance40,000
Everton - Liverpool (3 Oct 1896)
Lowest attendance1,000
Nottingham Forest - Burnley (24 Oct 1896)
Sheffield United - Blackburn Rovers (9 Jan 1897)
Average attendance7,734
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts Qualification
1 Aston Villa 30 10 3 2 36 16 11 2 2 37 22 1.921 47[lower-alpha 1] League Champions
2 Sheffield United 30 6 4 5 22 16 7 6 2 20 13 1.448 36
3 Derby County 30 10 2 3 45 22 6 2 7 25 28 1.400 36
4 Preston North End 30 8 4 3 35 21 3 8 4 20 19 1.375 34
5 Liverpool 30 7 6 2 25 10 5 3 7 21 28 1.211 33
6 The Wednesday 30 9 4 2 29 11 1 7 7 13 26 1.135 31
7 Everton 30 8 1 6 42 29 6 2 7 20 28 1.088 31
8 Bolton Wanderers 30 7 3 5 22 18 5 3 7 18 25 0.930 30
9 Bury 30 7 5 3 25 15 3 5 7 14 29 0.886 30
10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 6 4 5 26 14 5 2 8 19 27 1.098 28
11 Nottingham Forest 30 8 3 4 30 16 1 5 9 14 33 0.898 26
12 West Bromwich Albion 30 7 2 6 18 16 3 4 8 15 40 0.589 26
13 Stoke 30 8 3 4 30 18 3 0 12 18 41 0.814 25
14 Blackburn Rovers 30 8 1 6 27 25 3 2 10 8 37 0.565 25
15 Sunderland 30 4 6 5 21 21 3 3 9 13 26 0.723 23 Into test matches
16 Burnley 30 4 5 6 25 25 2 2 11 18 36 0.705 19[lower-alpha 2]
Source:
Notes:
  1. FA Cup Winners
  2. Not re-elected due to test match results. Invited to join Second Division.

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:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps
Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division
Football League
Second Division
Season1896–97
ChampionsNotts County (1st title)
PromotedNotts County
Failed re-electionBurton Wanderers
Matches played240
Goals scored907 (3.78 per match)
Top goalscorerTom Boucher (Notts County), 22
John Murphy (Notts County), 22 [3]
Biggest home winDarwen–Walsall 12–0 (26 Dec 1896)
Biggest away winWalsall – Small Heath 1–6 (24 Oct 1896)
Highest scoringDarwen–Walsall 12–0 (26 Dec 1896)
Longest winning run6 matches
Small Heath (13 Mar 1897 – 16 Apr 1897)
Notts County (19 Dec 1896 – 27 Feb 1897)
Longest unbeaten run10 matches
Newton Heath (9 Jan 1897 – 10 Apr 1897)
Longest losing run12 matches
Lincoln City (21 Sep 1896 – 16 Jan 1897)
Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts Qualification
1 Notts County 30 12 1 2 60 18 7 3 5 32 25 2.140 42[lower-alpha 1] Division Champions, into test matches
2 Newton Heath 30 11 4 0 37 10 6 1 8 19 24 1.647 39 Into test matches
3 Grimsby Town 30 12 2 1 44 15 5 2 8 22 30 1.467 38
4 Small Heath 30 8 3 4 36 23 8 2 5 33 24 1.468 37
5 Newcastle United 30 13 1 1 42 13 4 0 11 14 39 1.077 35
6 Manchester City 30 10 3 2 39 15 2 5 8 19 35 1.160 32
7 Gainsborough Trinity[lower-alpha 2] 30 10 2 3 35 16 2 5 8 15 31 1.064 31
8 Blackpool[lower-alpha 2] 30 11 3 1 39 16 2 2 11 20 40 1.054 31
9 Leicester Fosse 30 11 2 2 44 20 2 2 11 15 37 1.035 30
10 Woolwich Arsenal 30 10 1 4 42 20 3 3 9 26 50 0.971 30
11 Darwen 30 13 0 2 54 16 1 0 14 13 45 1.098 28
12 Walsall[lower-alpha 2] 30 8 2 5 37 25 3 2 10 17 44 0.783 26
13 Loughborough 30 10 0 5 37 14 2 1 12 13 50 0.781 25
14 Burton Swifts 30 7 4 4 33 20 2 2 11 13 41 0.754 24 Re-elected
15 Burton Wanderers 30 8 1 6 22 22 1 1 13 9 45 0.463 20 Failed re-election or resigned
16 Lincoln City 30 4 2 9 17 27 1 0 14 10 58 0.318 12 Re-elected
Source:
Notes:
  1. Elected to First Division on the basis of test match results.
  2. New club in the league

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
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. 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. 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[4] and Association Football,[5] 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:

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. "England 1896–97". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  4. Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
  5. 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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