1984–85 Football League

The Football League
Season 1984–85
Champions Everton

The 19841985 season was the 86th completed season of The Football League.

Season Overview

First Division

Howard Kendall’s Everton side beat neighbours Liverpool to the league championship, while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United followed closely behind. The blue half of Merseyside also collected the Cup Winners' Cup. Stoke City finished bottom of the First Division with just three league wins all season and just 17 points — a record low under the 3 points for a win system in any division, which would stand for twenty-one years. Norwich City and Sunderland — the two League Cup finalists — occupied the two other relegation places.

Liverpool manager Joe Fagan retired after the season and striker Kenny Dalglish was appointed player-manager.

Second Division

Jim Smith’s Oxford United side won a successive promotion as Second Division champions and reached the First Division after just 23 years as Football League members. Following them into the big time were Birmingham City and Manchester City.

Slipping out of the league’s second tier were Cardiff City, joined by Notts County and Wolverhampton Wanderers — both relegated for the second season in succession. Veteran manager Tommy Docherty had tried his hand at reversing financially troubled Wolves’ rapid decline at the Molineux, but without success.

Third Division

Bradford City’s Third Division championship glory was overshadowed on the final day of the season when a fire at their Valley Parade ground killed 56 spectators — including two followers of their opponents Lincoln City.

The other two promotion places in the Third Division were occupied by Millwall and Hull City.

Going down from the Third Division were Cambridge United (who won just four games all season), Orient, Burnley and Preston North End. Burnley and Preston were founder members of the Football League who had reached great heights in the past — just 25 years ago Burnley had been league champions. But those successes were now very much a distant memory as both clubs slid into the league’s fourth tier for the first time.

Swansea City, who had finished sixth in the First Division just three years earlier, continued to suffer as a result of their financial problems as they narrowly avoided a third successive relegation.

Fourth Division Overview

Chesterfield, Blackpool, Darlington and Bury were promoted to the Third Division after occupying the Fourth Division’s top four places.

The bottom four clubs, Halifax Town, Stockport County, Northampton Town (who had spent a season in the First Division some 20 years earlier) and Torquay United, all retained their league status after a successful re-election campaign at the expense of Alliance Premier League side Bath City who were placed 4th in the Alliance Premier League and were the highest placed team there that would have met the Football League’s requirements. Re-election results are given at the end of this article.

Final league tables and results

The tables and results below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated.

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. From the 1922–23 season on it was required of the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South. Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the re-election process has concerned the bottom four clubs in that division.[2]

First Division

Football League, First Division
Season 1984–85
Champions Everton (8th English title)
Relegated Norwich City
Stoke City
Sunderland
FA Cup winners Manchester United (6th FA Cup title)
European Cup 1985–86 No qualifications [notes 1][3]
European Cup Winners' Cup 1985–86 No qualifications[notes 1]
UEFA Cup 1985–86 No qualifications[notes 1]
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1288 (2.79 per match)
Top goalscorer Kerry Dixon (Chelsea), 24
Gary Lineker (Leicester City), 24 [4]
Biggest home win ChelseaCoventry City 6–2 (3 Nov 1984)
Biggest away win Aston VillaNottingham Forest 0–5 (5 Sep 1984)
Highest scoring QPRNewcastle United 5–5 (22 Sep 22 1984)
Longest winning run Everton (10 games)
Longest unbeaten run Everton (18 games)
Longest losing run Stoke City (10 games)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Everton 4216325817123630268843+4590Excluded from the European Cup 1985–86[notes 1]
2 Liverpool 4212453619107432166835+3377Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1985–86[notes 1]
3 Tottenham Hotspur 4211374631125432207851+2777Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1985–86[notes 1]
4 Manchester United 421362471394830347747+3076Excluded from the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup[notes 1]
5 Southampton 421344291867827295647+968Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1985–86[notes 1]
6 Chelsea 421335382059725286348+1566
7 Arsenal 4214523714541224356149+1266
8 Sheffield Wednesday 421272392157919245845+1365
9 Nottingham Forest 4213443518631221305648+864
10 Aston Villa 4210743420541226406060±056
11 Watford 421056483048933418171+1055
12 West Bromwich Albion 4211463623531322395862–455
13 Luton Town 4212544022341417395761–454
14 Newcastle United 4211463326291022445570–1552
15 Leicester City 4210473925521426486573–851
16 West Ham United 427862723641124455168–1751
17 Ipswich Town 428762720541219374657–1150
18 Coventry City 4211372922421518424764–1750
19 Queens Park Rangers 4211644130251412425372–1950
20 Norwich City 429662824441318404664–1849Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1985–86[notes 1] [notes 2]
21 Sunderland 427682026341420364062–2240
22 Stoke City 423315184105166502491–6717
  1. English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from the season 1985–86 on until the season 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster in 1985, involving
    Liverpool fans.
  2. Norwich City were 1985 League Cup winners and would normally have qualified for the UEFA Cup. They were nevertheless relegated.
Key
League Champions, excluded from European Cup
FA Cup winners, excluded from Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup spot, but excluded
League Cup winners, excluded from UEFA Cup, relegated
Relegated

First Division results

Home ╲ Away ARS AST CHECOVEVEIPSLEILIVLUTMUNNEWNORNOTQPRSHWSOUSTKSUNTOTWATWBAWHU
Arsenal 11 11 21 10 11 20 31 31 01 20 20 11 10 10 10 40 32 12 11 40 21
Aston Villa 00 42 10 11 21 01 00 01 30 40 22 05 52 30 22 20 10 01 11 31 00
Chelsea 11 31 62 01 20 30 31 20 13 10 12 10 10 21 02 11 10 11 23 31 30
Coventry City 12 03 10 41 10 20 02 10 03 11 00 13 30 10 21 40 01 11 31 21 12
Everton 20 21 34 21 11 30 10 21 50 40 30 50 20 11 22 40 41 14 40 41 30
Ipswich Town 21 30 20 00 02 20 00 11 11 11 20 10 11 12 01 51 02 03 33 20 01
Leicester City 14 50 11 51 12 21 01 22 23 23 20 10 40 31 12 00 20 12 11 21 10
Liverpool 30 21 43 31 01 20 12 10 01 31 40 10 11 02 11 20 11 01 43 00 30
Luton Town 31 10 00 20 20 31 40 12 21 22 31 12 20 12 11 20 21 22 32 12 22
Manchester United 42 40 11 01 11 30 21 11 20 50 20 20 30 12 00 50 22 10 11 20 51
Newcastle United 13 30 21 01 23 30 14 02 10 11 11 11 10 21 21 21 31 23 31 10 11
Norwich City 10 22 00 21 42 02 13 33 30 01 00 01 20 11 10 00 13 12 32 21 10
Nottingham Forest 20 32 20 20 10 20 21 02 31 32 00 31 20 00 20 11 31 12 11 12 12
Queens Park Rangers 10 20 22 21 00 30 43 02 23 13 55 22 30 00 04 20 10 22 20 31 42
Sheffield Wednesday 21 11 11 10 01 22 50 11 11 10 42 12 31 31 21 21 22 21 11 20 21
Southampton 10 20 10 21 12 30 31 11 10 00 10 21 10 11 03 00 10 10 12 43 23
Stoke City 20 13 01 01 02 02 22 01 04 21 01 23 14 02 21 13 22 01 13 00 24
Sunderland 00 04 02 00 12 12 04 03 30 32 00 21 02 30 00 31 10 10 11 11 01
Tottenham Hotspur 02 02 11 42 12 23 22 10 42 12 31 31 10 50 20 51 40 20 15 23 22
Watford 34 33 13 01 45 31 41 11 30 51 53 20 20 11 10 11 20 31 12 02 50
West Bromwich Albion 22 10 01 52 21 12 20 05 40 12 21 01 41 00 22 00 20 10 01 21 51
West Ham United 31 12 11 31 01 00 31 03 00 22 11 10 00 13 00 23 51 10 11 20 02

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

First Division maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1984–1985

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season 1984–85
Champions Oxford United (1st title)
Promoted Birmingham City,
Manchester City
Relegated Cardiff City,
Notts County,
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1255 (2.72 per match)
Top goalscorer John Aldridge (Oxford United), 30 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Oxford United 421821621577722218436+4884
2 Birmingham City 4212633015131729185933+2682
3 Manchester City 421443421677724246640+2674
4 Portsmouth 421164392598430256950+1974
5 Blackburn Rovers 421434381577728266641+2573
6 Brighton & Hove Albion 421362311176823235434+2072
7 Leeds United 421272371175929326643+2369
8 Shrewsbury Town 4212634522651021316653+1365 [notes2 1]
9 Fulham 4213353526651033386864+465
10 Grimsby Town 421317473257925327264+862
11 Barnsley 421173271239915304242±058
12 Wimbledon 429844029721231467175–458
13 Huddersfield Town 429572829651024355264–1255
14 Oldham Athletic 4210472723541222444967–1853
15 Crystal Palace 428762527451221384665–1948
16 Carlisle United 428582723531323445067–1747
17 Charlton Athletic 428763430351317335163–1245
18 Sheffield United 427683128381023385466–1244
19 Middlesbrough 426872226421519314157–1640
20 Notts County 4265102532421520414573–2837
21 Cardiff City 4253132442451223374779–3235
22 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4254121832351319473779–4233
  1. Shrewsbury Town were winners of the Welsh Cup winners this season, but as they are an English club, they did not earn a place in the Cup Winners' Cup.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Welsh Cup winners, not qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Relegated

Second Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BIR BLBBHACARCRLCHACRYFULGRIHUDLEEMCIMIDNTCOLDOXFPORSHUSHRWDNWOL
Barnsley 01 11 00 20 13 10 31 10 00 21 10 00 10 00 01 30 22 10 31 00 51
Birmingham City 00 02 11 20 20 21 30 22 21 10 10 00 32 21 01 00 01 41 00 42 10
Blackburn Rovers 00 21 20 21 40 30 01 21 31 13 21 01 30 10 11 11 01 31 31 20 30
Brighton & Hove Albion 00 20 31 10 41 21 10 20 00 01 11 00 12 21 20 00 11 10 10 21 51
Cardiff City 30 12 12 24 21 03 03 02 24 30 21 03 21 14 22 02 12 13 00 13 00
Carlisle United 20 21 01 03 01 11 10 30 11 01 22 00 03 22 25 01 30 11 20 61 01
Charlton Athletic 53 21 10 01 14 11 11 12 41 22 23 13 10 30 21 33 22 00 11 01 10
Crystal Palace 01 02 11 11 11 21 21 22 02 11 31 12 10 10 30 10 21 13 22 05 00
Fulham 11 01 32 20 32 32 00 22 21 21 02 32 21 10 31 10 13 10 12 31 12
Grimsby Town 10 10 11 24 63 10 21 13 24 51 02 41 31 20 41 12 23 02 21 21 51
Huddersfield Town 11 01 11 12 21 20 21 20 22 00 10 02 31 12 21 03 02 22 15 21 31
Leeds United 20 01 00 10 11 11 10 41 20 00 00 11 20 50 60 10 01 11 10 52 32
Manchester City 11 10 21 20 22 13 51 21 23 30 10 12 10 20 00 10 22 20 40 30 40
Middlesbrough 00 00 12 21 32 12 10 11 20 15 22 00 21 01 12 01 00 10 11 24 11
Notts County 02 13 03 12 02 30 00 00 21 11 02 12 32 32 00 20 13 00 13 23 41
Oldham Athletic 21 01 20 10 01 23 21 10 21 20 22 11 02 20 32 00 02 22 01 01 32
Oxford United 40 03 21 21 40 40 50 50 32 10 30 52 30 10 11 52 11 51 10 40 31
Portsmouth 00 13 22 11 00 31 01 11 44 32 32 31 12 10 31 51 21 21 30 10 01
Sheffield United 31 34 13 11 21 00 11 12 01 23 02 21 00 03 30 20 11 41 01 30 22
Shrewsbury Town 20 10 30 00 00 42 11 41 31 41 51 23 10 02 42 30 22 00 33 12 21
Wimbledon 33 12 11 10 21 30 13 32 11 11 01 22 22 11 32 10 13 32 50 41 11
Wolverhampton Wanderers 01 02 03 01 30 02 10 21 04 01 21 02 20 00 22 03 12 00 22 01 33

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1984–1985

Third Division

Football League, Third Division
Season 1984–85
Champions Bradford City (1st title)
Promoted Hull City,
Millwall
Relegated Burnley,
Cambridge United,
Orient,
Preston North End
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1503 (2.72 per match)
Top goalscorer Tommy Tynan (Plymouth Argyle), 31 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Bradford City 4615624423134633227745+3294 [notes3 1]
2 Millwall 461850441287829307342+3190
3 Hull City 461643462098632297849+2987
4 Gillingham 46155354291031026338062+1883
5 Bristol City 461724461977928287447+2781
6 Bristol Rovers 4615623713661129356648+1875
7 Derby County 4614724020561225346554+1170
8 York City 4613554222741228357057+1369
9 Reading 468783129115737336862+669
10 Bournemouth 4616344216381215305746+1168
11 Walsall 46977332296825305852+667
12 Rotherham United 4611663624751119315555±065
13 Brentford 4613554227391120376264–262
14 Doncaster Rovers 4611574233631430417274–259
15 Plymouth Argyle 4611753323471229426265–359
16 Wigan Athletic 4612653622381224426064–459
17 Bolton Wanderers 4612563822411831536975–654
18 Newport County 469683030471225375567–1252
19 Lincoln City 4681143220371318315051–151
20 Swansea City 4675113139561222415380–2747
21 Burnley 466893024551330496073–1346
22 Orient 467793036461321405176–2546
23 Preston North End 4695933414217185951100–4946
24 Cambridge United 4623181748261520473795–5821
  1. Bradford City v. Lincoln City was abandoned after 40 mins, the result stands.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Relegated

Third Division maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1984–1985

Fourth Division

Football League, Fourth Division
Season 1984–85
Champions Chesterfield (2nd title)
Promoted Blackpool,
Bury,
Darlington
Failed re-election None
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1478 (2.68 per match)
Top goalscorer John Clayton (Tranmere Rovers), 31 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1 Chesterfield 4616614013107624226435+2991
2 Blackpool 461571421597731247339+3486
3 Darlington 461643412289625276649+1785
4 Bury 461562462096830307650+2684
5 Hereford United 461625382169827266547+1877
6 Tranmere Rovers 4617155021721433458366+1775
7 Colchester United 461373492977938368765+2274
8 Swindon Town 4616434221551320376258+472
9 Scunthorpe United 4614636133581022298362+2171
10 Crewe Alexandra 4610763228851033416569–466
11 Peterborough United 4611752921571125325453+162
12 Port Vale 46118439243101022356159+260
13 Aldershot 4611663320621523435663–759
14 Mansfield Town 46108525153101016234138+357
15 Wrexham 4610673927531528436770–354
16 Chester City 4611393530461325426072–1254
17 Rochdale 468783330571122395569–1453
18 Exeter City 469773027471227525779–2253
19 Hartlepool United 4610673429441520385467–1352
20 Southend United 468873034531528495883–2550
21 Halifax Town 4693112632621516374269–2750
22 Stockport County 4611574026231818535879–2147
23 Northampton Town 46101123232441521425374–2147
24 Torquay United 4651171824431620393863–2541
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
New club in the league (none)
Re-elected
Failed re-election (none)

Fourth Division maps

Election/Re-election to the Football League

This year Wealdstone, the winners of the Alliance Premier League, could not apply for election because they did not meet Football League requirements. 2nd placed Nuneaton could not apply either for the same reasons, and neither could 3rd placed Dartford, so 4th placed Bath City won the right to apply for election to the Football League to replace one of the four bottom sides in the 1984–85 Football League Fourth Division. The vote went as follows:

Club Final Position Votes
Northampton Town 23rd (Fourth Division) 52
Stockport County 22nd (Fourth Division) 50
Torquay United 24th (Fourth Division) 50
Halifax Town 21st (Fourth Division) 48
Bath City 4th (Alliance Premier League) 8

As a result of this, all four Football League teams were re-elected, and Bath City were denied membership of the Football League.

See also

References

  1. "England 1984–85". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from the season 1985–86 on until the season 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster in 1985, involving
    Liverpool fans.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
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