1896–97 Football League

The Football League
Season 1896–97
Champions Aston Villa
Relegated Burton Wanderers

The 18961897 season was the ninth season of The Football League.

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 CountyWest Brom 8–1 (25 Dec 1896)
Sheffield UnitedBlackburn 7–0 (9 Jan 1897)
Biggest away win BlackburnAston Villa 1–5 (28 Nov 1896)
Highest scoring Derby CountyWest Brom 8–1 (25 Dec 1896)
Derby CountyBury 7–2 (26 Sept 1896)
EvertonWest 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
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Aston Villa30103236161122372273381.921+3547
2Sheffield United306452216762201342291.448+1336
3Derby County3010234522627252870501.400+2036
4Preston North End308433521384201955401.375+1534
5Liverpool307622510537212846381.211+833
6The Wednesday309422911177132642371.135+531
7Everton308164229627202862571.088+531
8Bolton Wanderers307352218537182540430.930–330
9Bury307532515357142939440.886–530
10Wolverhampton Wanderers306452614528192745411.098+428
11Nottingham Forest308343016159143344490.898–526
12West Bromwich Albion307261816348154033560.589–2326
13Stoke3083430183012184148590.814–1125
14Blackburn Rovers308162725321083735620.565–2725
15Sunderland304652121339132634470.723–1323
16Burnley[3]3045625252211183643610.705–1819

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
League Champions
FA Cup Winners, see Aston Villa
Into test matches

Results

Home ╲ Away AST BLB BOLBURBRYDEREVELIVNOTPNESHUSTKSUNWEDWBAWOL
Aston Villa 30 62 03 11 21 12 00 32 31 22 21 21 40 20 50
Blackburn Rovers 15 10 32 12 52 42 10 00 04 13 21 12 40 12 20
Bolton Wanderers 12 00 21 20 13 20 14 00 31 02 40 10 21 22 12
Burnley 34 01 02 10 23 21 41 22 22 11 13 11 11 50 03
Bury 02 30 22 11 10 31 12 20 00 01 42 11 11 30 32
Derby County 13 60 10 32 72 01 32 11 22 13 51 10 21 81 43
Everton 23 03 23 60 12 52 21 31 34 12 42 52 21 63 00
Liverpool 33 40 02 12 31 20 00 30 00 00 10 30 22 00 30
Nottingham Forest 24 21 20 41 30 12 30 20 00 22 40 21 22 01 12
Preston North End 01 31 23 53 22 02 41 11 32 10 30 53 22 00 40
Sheffield United 00 70 10 10 22 22 12 11 03 02 10 30 20 01 13
Stoke City 02 10 23 32 30 22 23 61 30 21 20 01 00 22 21
Sunderland 42 01 11 11 01 12 11 43 22 11 01 41 00 21 03
The Wednesday 13 60 00 10 20 20 41 12 30 10 11 43 00 31 00
West Bromwich Albion 31 10 10 30 00 14 14 01 40 11 01 12 10 02 10
Wolverhampton Wanderers 12 11 40 20 11 10 01 12 41 11 11 12 01 20 61

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

Maps

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 [4]
Biggest home win DarwenWalsall 12–0 (26 Dec 1896)
Biggest away win WalsallSmall Heath 1–6 (24 Oct 1896)
Highest scoring DarwenWalsall 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)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Notts County[5]3012126018735322592432.140+4942
2Newton Heath3011403710618192456341.647+2239
3Grimsby Town3012214415528223066451.467+2138
4Small Heath308343623825332469471.468+2237
5Newcastle United30131142134011143956521.077+435
6Manchester City3010323915258193558501.160+832
7Gainsborough Trinity3010233516258153150471.064+331
8Blackpool30113139162211204059561.054+331
9Leicester Fosse30112244202211153759561.054+330
10Woolwich Arsenal3010144220339265068700.971–230
11Darwen30130254161014134567611.098+628
12Walsall3082537253210174453690.768–1626
13Loughborough30100537142112135050640.781–1425
14Burton Swifts3074433202211134146610.754–1524
15Burton Wanderers308162222111394531670.463–3620
16Lincoln City3042917271014105827850.318–5812

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, into test matches
Into test matches
New club in the league
Re-elected
Failed re-election or resigned

Results

Home ╲ Away BLP BRS BRWDRWGAIGRILEILINLOUMCINEWNWHNTCSMHWALWOO
Blackpool 30 50 10 11 10 30 31 41 22 41 42 32 13 32 11
Burton Swifts 20 11 20 40 00 21 40 31 50 30 35 14 11 13 12
Burton Wanderers 31 10 10 32 51 21 20 01 11 01 12 03 26 10 03
Darwen 23 51 30 32 31 41 41 51 31 21 02 21 20 120 41
Gainsborough Trinity 20 41 21 24 11 02 70 20 11 20 20 32 13 20 41
Grimsby Town 22 30 30 42 11 41 31 81 31 32 20 31 21 01 31
Leicester Fosse 21 30 21 41 00 42 41 42 33 50 10 23 01 41 63
Lincoln City 31 11 23 10 02 03 21 02 01 12 13 11 13 21 23
Loughborough 41 02 60 42 10 14 02 30 20 30 20 01 20 12 80
Manchester City 42 31 21 41 41 31 40 30 11 12 00 14 30 50 11
Newcastle United 41 21 30 51 12 30 31 21 41 30 20 22 43 20 20
Newton Heath 20 11 30 31 20 42 21 31 60 21 40 11 11 20 11
Notts County 31 61 50 40 20 13 60 80 31 33 31 30 12 52 74
Small Heath 13 12 32 51 22 01 22 12 30 31 31 10 31 33 52
Walsall 22 52 20 40 11 01 11 50 51 32 02 23 13 16 53
Woolwich Arsenal 42 30 30 10 61 42 21 62 20 12 51 02 23 23 11

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

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[6] and Association Football,[7] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A GD Pts
1Notts County422031+26
2Sunderland412132+14
3Burnley411234–13
4Newton Heath411235–23
Key
Elected to play in First Division
Invited to play in Second Division

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.

See also

References

  1. "England 1896–97". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. 1 2 Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. Not re-elected due to test match results. Invited to join Second Division.
  4. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  5. Elected to First Division on the basis of test match results.
  6. Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
  7. A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.
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