1969–70 in English football

The 1969–70 season was the 90th season of competitive football in England.

Football in England
Season1969–70
Men's football
First DivisionEverton F.C.
Second DivisionHuddersfield Town F.C.
Third DivisionLeyton Orient F.C.
Fourth DivisionChesterfield F.C.
FA CupSunderland
League CupManchester City
Charity ShieldLeeds United F.C.
← 1968–69 1970–71 →

FA Cup
Main article: 1969–70 FA Cup

Chelsea won the cup by beating Leeds United 2–1 in a replay at Old Trafford after a 2–2 draw at Wembley Stadium. In the replay Leeds took the lead through Mick Jones before an equaliser from Peter Osgood forced the replay to extra-time. David Webb then scored the winner in the 104th minute to give Chelsea a first ever FA Cup triumph.

Manchester United beat Watford 2–0 at Highbury in the first ever third-place playoff, held the day before the final.

A number of non-league clubs made it to the Third Round i.e. Brentwood, Hillingdon Borough and South Shields as well as Sutton United who reached the Fourth Round before losing 6–0 to Leeds United.

George Best scored six goals for Manchester United in their 8–2 victory over Northampton Town in the Fifth Round. He received a match ball signed by all of the opposition players as a souvenir, and later donated it to the club's museum.

League Cup
Main article: 1969–70 Football League Cup

Manchester City won the League Cup by beating West Bromwich Albion 2–1 after extra time. Second Division Carlisle United enjoyed a run to the semifinals of the competition but lost to Albion. In the other semi Manchester City beat local rivals Manchester United.

Star players

The FWA Footballer of the Year was awarded to Billy Bremner who was the outstanding player of the season despite the failure of Leeds to win any trophies. Jeff Astle of West Bromwich Albion finished the season as Division One top scorer by netting 25 goals. Albert Kinsey of Wrexham was overall league top-scorer, hitting 27 goals for the Fourth Division outfit.

Star managers

National team

England took part in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, qualifying from their group after beating Romania and Czechoslovakia but losing to Brazil. The team then went out in the quarterfinals after losing 3–2 (after extra time) to West Germany. Preparations had been damaged after star defender Bobby Moore was arrested in Bogotá over later disproven allegations of theft.

Honours
CompetitionWinnerRunner-up
First DivisionEverton (7*)Leeds United
Second DivisionHuddersfield TownBlackpool
Third DivisionOrientLuton Town
Fourth DivisionChesterfieldWrexham
FA CupChelsea (1)Leeds United
League CupManchester City (1)West Bromwich Albion
Charity ShieldLeeds UnitedManchester City
Home Championship England,  Scotland &  Wales

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

Football League
Main article: 1969–70 Football League

First Division

Everton, one of the English game's dominant forces during the 1960s, had a strong start to the 1970s as league champions by a nine-point margin ahead of runners-up Leeds United, who had gone into the final stages of the season in contention for three major trophies but had failed to win any of them. They were beaten in an FA Cup final replay by Chelsea, who lifted the trophy for the first time in a season where they finished third. Derby County's return to the First Division after many years away saw them finish an impressive fourth under the management of Brian Clough. Liverpool completed the top five, while Coventry City recorded their best finish yet by finishing sixth under the management of former Manchester United captain Noel Cantwell.

Manchester United finished eighth under their new manager Wilf McGuinness, who had succeeded the retiring Sir Matt Busby in the close season.

Manchester City managed only a mid table finish but lifted the League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland finished the season relegated.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Everton 42 29 8 5 72 34 2.118 66 Qualified for the European Cup
2 Leeds United 42 21 15 6 84 49 1.714 57 Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
3 Chelsea 42 21 13 8 70 50 1.400 55 Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup
4 Derby County 42 22 9 11 64 37 1.730 53[lower-alpha 1]
5 Liverpool 42 20 11 11 65 42 1.548 51 Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
6 Coventry City 42 19 11 12 58 48 1.208 49
7 Newcastle United 42 17 13 12 57 35 1.629 47
8 Manchester United 42 14 17 11 66 61 1.082 45
9 Stoke City 42 15 15 12 56 52 1.077 45
10 Manchester City 42 16 11 15 55 48 1.146 43 Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup[lower-alpha 2]
11 Tottenham Hotspur 42 17 9 16 54 55 0.982 43
12 Arsenal 42 12 18 12 51 49 1.041 42 Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup[lower-alpha 3]
13 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 12 16 14 55 57 0.965 40
14 Burnley 42 12 15 15 56 61 0.918 39
15 Nottingham Forest 42 10 18 14 50 71 0.704 38
16 West Bromwich Albion 42 14 9 19 58 66 0.879 37
17 West Ham United 42 12 12 18 51 60 0.850 36
18 Ipswich Town 42 10 11 21 40 63 0.635 31
19 Southampton 42 6 17 19 46 67 0.687 29
20 Crystal Palace 42 6 15 21 34 68 0.500 27
21 Sunderland 42 6 14 22 30 68 0.441 26 Relegated to the Second Division
22 Sheffield Wednesday 42 8 9 25 40 71 0.563 25
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Derby County were banned from the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup due to financial irregularities.
  2. Manchester City qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as the trophy holders.
  3. Arsenal qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as the trophy holders.

Second Division

Huddersfield Town clinched the Second Division title by a comfortable margin to secure their return to the First Division, and were joined by Blackpool as runners-up. Leicester City just missed out on an immediate return to the First Division, while Middlesbrough's recent upturn in fortunes meant that they came just three points short of ending their lengthy absence from the top flight. Swindon Town, the previous season's surprise winners of the League Cup, recorded their best finish yet by finishing fifth in the Second Division.

Aston Villa and Preston North End, two clubs with illustrious histories and a host of major trophies between them, went down to the Third Division for the first time. Watford, a side with a much more modest history, won their battle against relegation but most impressively reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Huddersfield Town 42 24 12 6 68 37 1.838 60 Promoted to the First Division
2 Blackpool 42 20 13 9 56 45 1.244 53
3 Leicester City 42 19 13 10 64 50 1.280 51
4 Middlesbrough 42 20 10 12 55 45 1.222 50
5 Swindon Town 42 17 16 9 57 47 1.213 50
6 Sheffield United 42 22 5 15 73 38 1.921 49
7 Cardiff City 42 18 13 11 61 41 1.488 49
8 Blackburn Rovers 42 20 7 15 54 50 1.080 47
9 Queens Park Rangers 42 17 11 14 66 57 1.158 45
10 Millwall 42 15 14 13 56 56 1.000 44
11 Norwich City 42 16 11 15 49 46 1.065 43
12 Carlisle United 42 14 13 15 58 56 1.036 41
13 Hull City 42 15 11 16 72 70 1.029 41
14 Bristol City 42 13 13 16 54 50 1.080 39
15 Oxford United 42 12 15 15 35 42 0.833 39
16 Bolton Wanderers 42 12 12 18 54 61 0.885 36
17 Portsmouth 42 13 9 20 66 80 0.825 35
18 Birmingham City 42 11 11 20 51 78 0.654 33
19 Watford 42 9 13 20 44 57 0.772 31
20 Charlton Athletic 42 7 17 18 35 76 0.461 31
21 Aston Villa 42 8 13 21 36 62 0.581 29 Relegated to the Third Division
22 Preston North End 42 8 12 22 43 63 0.683 28
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Third Division

Orient and Luton Town went up from the Third Division as champions and runners-up respectively.

Stockport County, Barrow, Southport and Bournemouth went down to the Fourth Division.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Orient 46 25 12 9 67 36 1.861 62 Promoted to the Second Division
2 Luton Town 46 23 14 9 77 43 1.791 60
3 Bristol Rovers 46 20 16 10 80 59 1.356 56
4 Fulham 46 20 15 11 81 55 1.473 55
5 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 23 9 14 57 43 1.326 55
6 Mansfield Town 46 21 11 14 70 49 1.429 53
7 Barnsley 46 19 15 12 68 59 1.153 53
8 Reading 46 21 11 14 87 77 1.130 53
9 Rochdale 46 18 10 18 69 60 1.150 46
10 Bradford City 46 17 12 17 57 50 1.140 46
11 Doncaster Rovers 46 17 12 17 52 54 0.963 46
12 Walsall 46 17 12 17 54 67 0.806 46
13 Torquay United 46 14 17 15 62 59 1.051 45
14 Rotherham United 46 15 14 17 62 54 1.148 44
15 Shrewsbury Town 46 13 18 15 62 63 0.984 44
16 Tranmere Rovers 46 14 16 16 56 72 0.778 44
17 Plymouth Argyle 46 16 11 19 56 64 0.875 43
18 Halifax Town 46 14 15 17 47 63 0.746 43
19 Bury 46 15 11 20 75 80 0.938 41
20 Gillingham 46 13 13 20 52 64 0.813 39
21 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 46 12 15 19 48 71 0.676 39 Relegated to the Fourth Division
22 Southport 46 14 10 22 48 66 0.727 38
23 Barrow 46 8 14 24 46 81 0.568 30
24 Stockport County 46 6 11 29 27 71 0.380 23
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Fourth Division

Chesterfield climbed out of the Fourth Division as champions, and went up along with Wrexham, Swansea City and Port Vale.

Bradford Park Avenue were voted out of the Football League and replaced by Cambridge United. In February, Swansea Town were renamed Swansea City after Swansea received city status.[1]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Chesterfield 46 27 10 9 77 32 2.406 64 Promoted to the Third Division
2 Wrexham 46 26 9 11 84 49 1.714 61
3 Swansea City 46 21 18 7 66 45 1.467 60
4 Port Vale 46 20 19 7 61 33 1.848 59
5 Brentford 46 20 16 10 58 39 1.487 56
6 Aldershot 46 20 13 13 78 65 1.200 53
7 Notts County 46 22 8 16 73 62 1.177 52
8 Lincoln City 46 17 16 13 66 52 1.269 50
9 Peterborough United 46 17 14 15 77 69 1.116 48
10 Colchester United 46 17 14 15 64 63 1.016 48
11 Chester 46 21 6 19 58 66 0.879 48
12 Scunthorpe United 46 18 10 18 67 65 1.031 46
13 York City 46 16 14 16 55 62 0.887 46
14 Northampton Town 46 16 12 18 64 55 1.164 44
15 Crewe Alexandra 46 16 12 18 51 51 1.000 44
16 Grimsby Town 46 14 15 17 54 58 0.931 43
17 Southend United 46 15 10 21 59 85 0.694 40
18 Exeter City 46 14 11 21 57 59 0.966 39
19 Oldham Athletic 46 13 13 20 60 65 0.923 39
20 Workington 46 12 14 20 46 64 0.719 38
21 Newport County 46 13 11 22 53 74 0.716 37 Re-elected
22 Darlington 46 13 10 23 53 73 0.726 36
23 Hartlepool 46 10 10 26 42 82 0.512 30
24 Bradford Park Avenue 46 6 11 29 41 96 0.427 23 Not re-elected
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Top goalscorers

First Division

Second Division

Third Division

Fourth Division

European football

Arsenal won the Inter Cities Fairs Cup final, beating R.S.C. Anderlecht 4–3 on aggregate. Manchester City won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, defeating Górnik Zabrze of Poland 2–1 at the Prater Stadium in Vienna to complete a double triumph. Leeds United reached the semi-final of the European Cup, but lost 3–1 on aggregate to Scottish champions Celtic.[4]

References
  1. "Swansea City". FootballSite.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  2. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  3. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  4. "Season 1969-70". EUROPEAN CUP HISTORY.COM. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
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