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1897–98 Football League

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The Football League
Season1897–98
ChampionsSheffield United
Relegatednone
New Club in LeagueLuton Town

The 1897–98 season was the tenth 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.

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
Season1897–98
ChampionsSheffield United
(1st English title)
RelegatedNone
FA Cup winnersNottingham Forest (1st FA Cup title)
Matches played240
Goals scored724 (3.02 per match)
Top goalscorerFred Wheldon (Aston Villa), 21
Biggest home winEverton – West Bromwich Albion 6–1 (27 Nov 1897)
Derby County – Nottingham Forest 5–0 (11 Apr 1898)
Wolverhampton Wanderers – The Wednesday 5–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away winLiverpool – Sheffield United 0–4 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoringThe Wednesday – Nottingham Forest 3–6 (1 Jan 1898)
Longest winning run7 matches
Sunderland (27 Dec 1897 – 19 Feb 1898)
Longest unbeaten run14 matches
Sheffield United (1 Sep 1897 – 11 Dec 1897)
Longest losing run5 matches
Stoke (6 Nov 1897 – 4 Dec 1897)
Highest attendance50,000
Aston Villa - Sheffield United (15 Jan 1898)
Lowest attendance1,000
West Bromwich Albion - Liverpool (13 Nov 1897)
Average attendance9,396

Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield United 30 9 4 2 27 14 8 4 3 29 17 1.806 42 League Champions
2 Sunderland 30 12 2 1 27 8 4 3 8 16 22 1.433 37
3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 10 4 1 36 14 4 3 8 21 27 1.390 35
4 Everton 30 11 3 1 33 12 2 6 7 15 27 1.231 35
5 The Wednesday 30 12 0 3 39 15 3 3 9 12 27 1.214 33
6 Aston Villa 30 12 1 2 47 21 2 4 9 14 30 1.196 33
7 West Bromwich Albion 30 8 5 2 25 16 3 5 7 19 29 0.978 32
8 Nottingham Forest 30 7 5 3 30 19 4 4 7 17 30 0.959 31 FA Cup Winners
9 Liverpool 30 7 4 4 27 16 4 2 9 21 29 1.067 28
10 Derby County 30 10 3 2 40 19 1 3 11 17 42 0.934 28
11 Bolton Wanderers 30 9 2 4 18 13 2 2 11 10 28 0.683 26
12 Preston North End 30 7 5 3 26 15 1 3 11 9 28 0.814 24
13 Notts County 30 4 6 5 23 23 4 2 9 13 23 0.783 24
14 Bury 30 8 3 4 25 19 0 5 10 14 32 0.765 24
15 Blackburn Rovers 30 4 7 4 20 22 3 3 9 19 32 0.722 24 Into test matches
16 Stoke 30 8 3 4 21 14 0 5 10 14 41 0.636 24
Source: [citation needed]

Results

Home \ Away AST BLB BOL BRY DER EVE LIV NOT NTC PNE SHU STK SUN WED WBA WOL
Aston Villa 5–1 3–2 3–1 4–1 3–0 3–1 2–0 4–2 4–0 1–2 1–1 4–3 5–2 4–3 1–2
Blackburn Rovers 4–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–3 2–3
Bolton Wanderers 2–0 1–2 0–0 3–3 1–0 0–2 2–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 0–3 2–0 2–1
Bury 1–2 1–0 2–1 4–0 0–1 0–2 2–2 0–0 1–0 2–5 3–3 1–0 3–0 3–2 2–1
Derby County 3–1 3–1 1–0 2–2 5–1 3–1 5–0 1–2 3–1 1–1 4–1 2–2 1–2 3–2 3–2
Everton 2–1 1–1 2–1 4–2 3–0 3–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–4 1–1 2–0 1–0 6–1 3–0
Liverpool 4–0 0–1 1–1 2–2 4–2 3–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 0–4 4–0 0–2 4–0 1–1 1–0
Nottingham Forest 3–1 3–1 2–0 3–1 3–4 2–2 2–3 1–1 4–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–1
Notts County 2–3 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–1 3–2 3–2 1–3 1–1 1–3 4–0 0–1 0–0 2–2 2–2
Preston North End 3–1 1–4 0–0 2–1 5–0 1–1 1–1 3–0 3–1 1–3 0–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–2
Sheffield United 1–0 5–2 4–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 0–1 2–1 4–3 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Stoke 0–0 2–1 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–0 2–2 1–2 2–0 1–2 2–1 0–1 2–1 0–0 0–2
Sunderland 0–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 0–0 1–0 4–0 2–0 1–0 3–1 4–0 1–0 0–2 3–2
The Wednesday 3–0 4–1 3–0 3–0 3–1 2–1 4–2 3–6 3–1 2–1 0–1 4–0 0–1 3–0 2–0
West Bromwich Albion 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 2–0 0–3 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 3–2 2–0 3–0 2–0 2–3 2–1 0–0 3–1 3–0 1–1 4–2 4–2 5–0 1–1
Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Football League
Second Division
Season1897–98
ChampionsBurnley (1st title)
PromotedBurnley
Newcastle United
Failed re-electionNone
Matches played240
Goals scored860 (3.58 per match)
Top goalscorerHenry Boyd (Newton Heath), 23 [3]
Biggest home winManchester City – Burton Swifts 9–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away winLoughborough – Gainsborough Trinity 0–5 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoringBurnley – Loughborough 9–3 (28 Mar 1898)
Luton Town – Lincoln City 9–3 (18 Dec 1897)
Longest winning run7 matches
Manchester City (1 Sep 1897 – 16 Oct 1897)
Longest unbeaten run16 matches
Burnley (30 Oct 1897 – 19 Mar 1898)
Longest losing run11 matches
Darwen (12 Feb 1898 – 23 Apr 1898)
Loughborough (3 Jan 1898 – 8 Apr 1898)

Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts Qualification
1 Burnley 30 14 1 0 64 13 6 7 2 16 11 3.333 48[a] Division Champions, into test matches
2 Newcastle United 30 14 0 1 43 10 7 3 5 21 22 2.000 45[a] Into test matches
3 Manchester City 30 10 4 1 45 15 5 5 5 21 21 1.833 39
4 Newton Heath 30 11 2 2 42 10 5 4 6 22 25 1.829 38
5 Woolwich Arsenal 30 10 4 1 41 14 6 1 8 28 35 1.408 37
6 Small Heath 30 11 1 3 37 18 5 3 7 21 32 1.160 36
7 Leicester Fosse 30 8 5 2 26 11 5 2 8 20 24 1.314 33
8 Luton Town[b] 30 10 2 3 50 13 3 2 10 18 37 1.360 30
9 Gainsborough Trinity 30 10 4 1 30 12 2 2 11 20 42 0.926 30
10 Walsall 30 9 3 3 42 15 3 2 10 16 43 1.000 29
11 Blackpool 30 8 4 3 32 15 2 1 12 17 46 0.803 25
12 Grimsby Town 30 9 1 5 44 24 1 3 11 8 38 0.839 24
13 Burton Swifts 30 7 3 5 25 21 1 2 12 13 48 0.551 21
14 Lincoln City 30 6 3 6 27 27 0 2 13 16 55 0.524 17 Re-elected
15 Darwen 30 4 1 10 21 32 2 1 12 10 44 0.408 14
16 Loughborough 30 5 2 8 15 26 1 0 14 9 61 0.276 14
Source: [4]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Promoted to the expanded First Division.
  2. ^ New club in the league

Results

Home \ Away BLP BUR BRS DRW GAI GRI LEI LIN LOU LUT MCI NEW NWH SMH WAL WOO
Blackpool 1–1 2–1 1–0 5–0 1–1 2–1 5–0 4–0 1–0 0–2 2–3 0–1 4–1 1–1 3–3
Burnley 5–1 2–0 6–1 1–1 6–0 4–0 2–1 9–3 4–0 3–1 3–0 6–3 4–1 4–1 5–0
Burton Swifts 2–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–3 1–1 3–0 2–1 0–0 3–1 0–4 1–3 3–2 1–2
Darwen 3–1 0–1 1–2 2–4 1–0 1–2 3–2 2–1 0–2 2–4 1–3 2–3 1–1 1–2 1–4
Gainsborough Trinity 4–1 0–0 3–2 3–1 2–0 1–0 4–0 4–0 3–3 1–0 1–3 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–0
Grimsby Town 3–0 2–1 7–2 5–0 4–2 0–0 4–2 7–0 1–3 3–4 2–0 1–3 3–1 1–2 1–4
Leicester Fosse 4–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 3–1 1–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–1
Lincoln City 3–2 1–1 3–0 2–2 2–1 1–1 1–4 2–3 4–2 2–1 2–3 1–0 1–2 0–2 2–3
Loughborough 0–2 0–2 3–2 0–1 0–5 2–1 1–1 4–2 2–0 0–3 0–1 0–0 0–2 2–1 1–3
Luton Town 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–0 4–0 6–0 0–1 9–3 7–0 3–0 3–1 2–2 1–2 6–0 0–2
Manchester City 3–3 1–1 9–0 5–0 3–0 3–0 2–1 3–1 3–0 2–1 1–1 0–1 3–3 3–2 4–1
Newcastle United 2–0 0–1 3–1 1–0 5–2 4–0 4–2 3–0 3–1 4–1 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–1 4–1
Newton Heath 4–0 0–0 4–0 3–2 1–0 2–1 2–0 5–0 5–1 1–2 1–1 0–1 3–1 6–0 5–1
Small Heath 2–3 2–2 2–1 5–1 4–3 0–2 2–1 4–0 1–0 4–2 0–1 1–0 2–1 6–0 2–1
Walsall 6–0 1–2 4–0 5–0 3–0 1–1 2–1 3–1 3–0 5–0 2–2 2–3 1–1 1–2 3–2
Woolwich Arsenal 2–1 1–1 3–0 3–1 4–0 4–1 0–3 2–2 4–0 3–0 2–2 0–0 5–1 4–2 4–0
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

class=notpageimage|
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.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
(1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers 1–5 Burnley (2nd Div. Champions) 1–3
Thu 21 Apr 		0–2
Sat 23 Apr
(2nd Div. 2nd) Newcastle United 2–2 Stoke (1st Div. 16th) 2–1
Wed 20 Apr 		0–1
Sat 23 Apr

Second round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
(2nd Div. Champions) Burnley 0–2 Stoke (1st Div. 16th) 0–2
Tue 26 Apr 		0–0
Sat 30 Apr
(1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers 4–7 Newcastle United (2nd Div. 2nd) 4–3
Thu 28 Apr 		0–4
Sat 30 Apr

Summary

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football,[5] and Association Football[6] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Stoke 4 2 1 1 4 2 +2 5 Elected to play in First Division
2 Burnley 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 5
3 Newcastle United 4 2 0 2 9 6 +3 4 To remain in Second Division, eventually elected to First Division
4 Blackburn Rovers 4 1 0 3 5 12 −7 2
Source: [citation needed]

Consequences

Burnley and Stoke City entered the last match needing a draw for promotion (or in Stoke's case to retain their First Division place). A 0–0 draw ensued, reportedly 'The Match without a shot at goal' and the League immediately withdrew the Test Match system in favour of automatic promotion and relegation. Ironically, the League also decided to expand the top division to 18 teams after the Test Match series of 1897–98 and the other two teams, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United were elected into the top division for the following season,[7] negating the effect of Burnley and Stoke's reputed collusion. In the end, the test matches and their results seem to have served no particular purpose. After this season the test matches were scrapped in favour of direct promotion and relegation.

See also

References

  1. ^ "England 1897–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ a b 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 31 October 2010.
  4. ^ League Division Two table at close of 1897–98 season. 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 September 2017. Select date if required via dropdown menus.
  5. ^ Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
  6. ^ A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.
  7. ^ Andy Kelly. "Arsenal's 1919 Election – Tottenham's Final Argument Mythbusted". thearsenalhistory.com.

Notes

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