1896–97 Football League

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

The Football League

Season	1896–97
Champions	Aston Villa
Relegated	Burton Wanderers
New club in league	Blackpool, Gainsborough Trinity, Walsall
← 1895–96 1897–98 →

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.

Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.

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

Season	1896–97
Champions	Aston Villa (3rd English title)
Relegated	Burnley
FA Cup winners	Aston Villa (3rd FA Cup title)
Matches played	240
Goals scored	751 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorer	Steve Bloomer (Derby County), 24
Biggest home win	Derby County –West Brom 8–1 (25 Dec 1896) Sheffield United –Blackburn 7–0 (9 Jan 1897)
Biggest away win	Blackburn – Aston Villa 1–5 (28 Nov 1896)
Highest scoring	Derby County – West Brom 8–1 (25 Dec 1896) Derby County – Bury 7–2 (26 Sept 1896) Everton – West Brom 6–3 (17 Apr 1897)
Longest winning run	6 matches Everton (19 Dec 1896 – 6 Feb 1897)
Longest unbeaten run	12 matches Aston Villa (3 Oct 1896 – 2 Jan 1897)
Longest losing run	6 matches Everton (6 Feb 1897 – 16 Apr 1897)
Highest attendance	40,000 Everton - Liverpool F.C. (3 Oct 1896)
Lowest attendance	1,000 Nottingham Forest - Burnley (24 Oct 1896) Sheffield United - Blackburn Rovers (9 Jan 1897)
Average attendance	7,734
← 1895–96 1897–98 →

Pos	Team	Pld	HW	HD	HL	HGF	HGA	AW	AD	AL	AGF	AGA	GR	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

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Burnley

Bury

Derby County

Everton

Liverpool

Nottingham Forest

Preston North End

Sheffield United

The Wednesday (Sheffield)

Stoke

Sunderland

West Bromwich Albion

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Football League
Second Division

Season	1896–97
Champions	Notts County (1st title)
Promoted	Notts County
Failed re-election	Burton Wanderers
Matches played	240
Goals scored	907 (3.78 per match)
Top goalscorer	Tom Boucher (Notts County), 22 John Murphy (Notts County), 22 [3]
Biggest home win	Darwen –Walsall 12–0 (26 Dec 1896)
Biggest away win	Walsall –Small Heath 1–6 (24 Oct 1896)
Highest scoring	Darwen –Walsall 12–0 (26 Dec 1896)
Longest winning run	6 matches Small Heath (13 Mar 1897 – 16 Apr 1897) Notts County (19 Dec 1896 – 27 Feb 1897)
Longest unbeaten run	10 matches Newton Heath (9 Jan 1897 – 10 Apr 1897)
Longest losing run	12 matches Lincoln City F.C. (21 Sep 1896 – 16 Jan 1897)
← 1895–96 1897–98 →

Pos	Team	Pld	HW	HD	HL	HGF	HGA	AW	AD	AL	AGF	AGA	GR	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

Blackpool

Burton Swifts

Burton Wanderers

Darwen

Gainsborough Trinity

Grimsby Town

Leicester Fosse

Lincoln City

Loughborough

Manchester City

Newcastle

Newton Heath (Manchester)

Notts County

Small Heath (Birmingham)

Walsall

Woolwich Arsenal

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

• 1896-97 in English football
• 1896 in association football
• 1897 in association football

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.

External links

• Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.