1955–56 Football League

Football League, Second Division
Season	1955–56
Champions	Sheffield Wednesday (4th title)
Promoted	Leeds United
Relegated	Hull City,; Plymouth Argyle
Matches played	462
Goals scored	1,628 (3.52 per match)
Top goalscorer	Willie Gardiner (Leicester City), 34
	← 1954–55 1956–57 →

Football League, First Division
Season	1955–56
Champions	Manchester United (4th English title)
Relegated	Huddersfield Town ; Sheffield United
European Cup 1956–57	Manchester United
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1955-58	Birmingham City
FA Cup winners	Manchester City (3rd FA Cup title)
Matches played	462
Goals scored	1,529 (3.31 per match)
Top goalscorer	Nat Lofthouse (Bolton Wanderers), 32
	← 1954–55 1956–57 →

The Football League
Season	1955–56
Champions	Manchester United
	← 1954–55 1956–57 →

The 1955–1956 season was the 57th completed 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. From the 1922–23 season on it was required of the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South.^[2]

First Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	F	A	GA	GD	Pts	Notes
1	Manchester United	42	18	3	0	51	20	7	7	7	32	31	83	51	1.627	+32	60	European Cup 1956–57 Preliminary round
2	Blackpool	42	13	4	4	56	27	7	5	9	30	35	86	62	1.387	+24	49
3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	42	15	2	4	51	27	5	7	9	38	38	89	65	1.369	+24	49
4	Manchester City	42	11	5	5	40	27	7	5	9	42	42	82	69	1.188	+13	46	1955–56 FA Cup winners
5	Arsenal	42	13	4	4	38	22	5	6	10	22	39	60	61	0.984	–1	46
6	Birmingham City	42	12	4	5	51	26	6	5	10	24	31	75	57	1.316	+18	45	Participated in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1955-58
7	Burnley	42	11	3	7	37	20	7	5	9	27	34	64	54	1.185	+10	44
8	Bolton Wanderers	42	13	3	5	50	24	5	4	12	21	34	71	58	1.224	+13	43
9	Sunderland	42	10	8	3	44	36	7	1	13	36	59	80	95	0.842	–15	43
10	Luton Town	42	12	4	5	44	27	5	4	12	22	37	66	64	1.031	+2	42
11	Newcastle United	42	12	4	5	49	24	5	3	13	36	46	85	70	1.214	+5	41
12	Portsmouth	42	9	8	4	46	38	7	1	13	32	47	78	85	0.918	–7	41
13	West Bromwich Albion	42	13	3	5	37	25	5	2	14	21	45	58	70	0.829	–12	41
14	Charlton Athletic	42	13	2	6	47	26	4	4	13	28	55	75	81	0.926	–6	40
15	Everton	42	11	5	5	37	29	4	5	12	18	40	55	69	0.797	–14	40
16	Chelsea	42	10	4	7	32	26	4	7	10	32	51	64	77	0.831	–13	39
17	Cardiff City	42	11	4	6	36	32	4	5	12	19	37	55	69	0.797	–14	39
18	Tottenham Hotspur	42	9	4	8	37	33	6	3	12	24	38	61	71	0.859	–10	37
19	Preston North End	42	6	5	10	32	36	8	3	10	41	36	73	72	1.014	+1	36
20	Aston Villa	42	9	6	6	32	29	2	7	12	20	40	52	69	0.754	–17	35
21	Huddersfield Town	42	9	4	8	32	30	5	3	13	22	53	54	83	0.651	–29	35
22	Sheffield United	42	8	6	7	31	35	4	3	14	32	42	63	77	0.818	–14	33

P = 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, qualified for European Cup
	FA Cup winners
	Welsh Cup winners
	Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1955-58
	Relegated

First Division results

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First Division maps

Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Locations of the Football League First Division 1955–1956 teams

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1955–1956

Second Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	F	A	GA	GD	Pts
1	Sheffield Wednesday	42	13	5	3	60	28	8	8	5	41	34	101	62	1.629	+39	55
2	Leeds United	42	17	3	1	51	18	6	3	12	29	42	80	60	1.333	+20	52
3	Liverpool	42	14	3	4	52	25	7	3	11	33	38	85	63	1.349	+22	48
4	Blackburn Rovers	42	13	4	4	55	29	8	2	11	29	36	84	65	1.292	+19	48
5	Leicester City	42	15	3	3	63	23	6	3	12	31	55	94	78	1.205	+19	48
6	Bristol Rovers	42	13	3	5	53	33	8	3	10	31	37	84	70	1.200	+16	48
7	Nottingham Forest	42	9	5	7	30	26	10	4	7	38	37	68	63	1.079	+14	47
8	Lincoln City	42	14	5	2	49	17	4	5	12	30	48	79	65	1.215	+5	46
9	Fulham	42	15	2	4	59	27	5	4	12	30	52	89	79	1.127	+14	46
10	Swansea Town	42	14	4	3	49	23	6	2	13	34	58	83	81	1.025	+10	46
11	Bristol City	42	14	4	3	49	20	5	3	13	31	44	80	64	1.250	+2	45
12	Port Vale	42	12	4	5	38	21	4	9	8	22	37	60	58	1.034	+2	45
13	Stoke City	42	13	2	6	47	27	7	2	12	24	35	71	62	1.145	+16	44
14	Middlesbrough	42	11	4	6	46	31	5	4	12	30	47	76	78	0.974	–2	40
15	Bury	42	9	5	7	44	39	7	3	11	42	51	86	90	0.956	–4	40
16	West Ham United	42	12	4	5	52	27	2	7	12	22	42	74	69	1.072	+5	39
17	Doncaster Rovers	42	11	5	5	45	30	1	6	14	24	66	69	96	0.719	–27	35
18	Barnsley	42	10	5	6	33	35	1	7	13	14	49	47	84	0.560	–37	34
19	Rotherham United	42	7	5	9	29	34	5	4	12	27	41	56	75	0.747	–19	33
20	Notts County	42	8	5	8	39	37	3	4	14	16	45	55	82	0.671	–27	31
21	Plymouth Argyle	42	7	6	8	33	25	3	2	16	21	62	54	87	0.621	–33	28
22	Hull City	42	6	4	11	32	45	4	2	15	21	52	53	97	0.546	–44	26

P = 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, promoted
	Promoted
	Relegated

Second Division results

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Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division 1955–1956 teams

Third Division North

Football League, Third Division North
Season	1955–56
Champions	Grimsby Town (2nd title)
Failed re-election	none
Matches played	552
Goals scored	1,771 (3.21 per match)
Top goalscorer	Bob Crosbie (Grimsby Town), 36 ^[3]
← 1954–55 1956–57 →

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	F	A	GA	GD	Pts
1	Grimsby Town	46	20	1	2	54	10	11	5	7	22	19	76	29	2.621	+47	68
2	Derby County	46	18	4	1	67	23	10	3	10	43	32	110	55	2.000	+55	63
3	Accrington Stanley	46	17	4	2	61	19	8	5	10	31	38	92	57	1.614	+35	59
4	Hartlepools United	46	18	2	3	47	15	8	3	12	34	45	81	60	1.350	+21	57
5	Southport	46	12	9	2	39	18	11	2	10	27	35	66	53	1.245	+13	57
6	Chesterfield	46	18	1	4	61	21	7	3	13	33	45	94	66	1.424	+28	54
7	Stockport County	46	16	4	3	65	22	5	5	13	25	39	90	61	1.475	+29	51
8	Bradford City	46	16	5	2	57	25	2	8	13	21	39	78	64	1.219	+14	49
9	Scunthorpe & Lindsey United	46	12	4	7	40	26	8	4	11	35	37	75	63	1.190	+12	48
10	Workington	46	13	4	6	47	20	6	5	12	28	43	75	63	1.190	+12	47
11	York City	46	12	4	7	44	24	7	5	11	41	48	85	72	1.181	+13	47
12	Rochdale	46	13	5	5	46	39	4	8	11	20	45	66	84	0.786	–12	47
13	Gateshead	46	15	4	4	56	32	2	7	14	21	52	77	84	0.917	–7	45
14	Wrexham	46	11	5	7	37	28	5	5	13	29	45	66	73	0.904	–7	42
15	Darlington	46	11	6	6	41	28	5	3	15	19	45	60	73	0.822	–13	41
16	Tranmere Rovers	46	11	4	8	33	25	5	5	13	26	59	59	84	0.702	–25	41
17	Chester	46	10	8	5	35	33	3	6	14	17	49	52	82	0.634	–30	40
18	Mansfield Town	46	13	6	4	59	21	1	5	17	25	60	84	81	1.037	+3	39
19	Halifax Town	46	10	6	7	40	27	4	5	14	26	49	66	76	0.868	–10	39
20	Oldham Athletic	46	7	12	4	48	36	3	6	14	28	50	76	86	0.884	–10	38
21	Carlisle United	46	11	3	9	45	36	4	5	14	26	59	71	95	0.747	–24	38
22	Barrow	46	11	6	6	44	25	1	3	19	17	58	61	83	0.735	–22	33
23	Bradford Park Avenue	46	13	4	6	47	38	0	3	20	14	84	61	122	0.500	–61	33
24	Crewe Alexandra	46	9	4	10	32	35	0	6	17	18	70	50	105	0.476	–55	28

P = 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, promoted
	New club in the league (none)
	Re-elected
	Failed re-election (none)

Third Division North results

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Third Division North maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division North teams 1955–1956

Third Division South

Football League, Third Division South
Season	1955–56
Champions	Leyton Orient (1st title)
Failed re-election	none
Matches played	552
Goals scored	1,772 (3.21 per match)
Top goalscorer	Sammy Collins (Torquay United), 40 ^[3]
← 1954–55 1956–57 →

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	F	A	GA	GD	Pts
1	Leyton Orient	46	18	3	2	76	20	11	5	7	30	29	106	49	2.163	+57	66
2	Brighton & Hove Albion	46	20	2	1	73	16	9	5	9	39	34	112	50	2.240	+62	65
3	Ipswich Town	46	16	6	1	59	28	9	8	6	47	32	106	60	1.767	+46	64
4	Southend United	46	16	4	3	58	25	5	7	11	30	55	88	80	1.100	+8	53
5	Torquay United	46	11	10	2	48	21	9	2	12	38	42	86	63	1.365	+23	52
6	Brentford	46	11	8	4	40	30	8	6	9	29	36	69	66	1.045	+3	52
7	Norwich City	46	15	4	4	56	31	4	9	10	30	51	86	82	1.049	+4	51
8	Coventry City	46	16	4	3	54	20	4	5	14	19	40	73	60	1.217	+13	49
9	Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic	46	13	6	4	39	14	6	4	13	24	37	63	51	1.235	+12	48
10	Gillingham	46	12	3	8	38	28	7	7	9	31	43	69	71	0.972	–3	48
11	Northampton Town	46	14	3	6	44	27	6	4	13	23	44	67	71	0.944	–3	47
12	Colchester United	46	14	4	5	56	37	4	7	12	20	44	76	81	0.938	–5	47
13	Shrewsbury Town	46	12	9	2	47	21	5	3	15	22	45	69	66	1.045	+3	46
14	Southampton	46	13	6	4	60	30	5	2	16	31	51	91	81	1.123	+10	44
15	Aldershot	46	9	9	5	36	33	3	7	13	34	57	70	90	0.778	–20	40
16	Exeter City	46	10	6	7	39	30	5	4	14	19	47	58	77	0.753	–19	40
17	Reading	46	10	2	11	40	37	5	7	11	30	42	70	79	0.886	–9	39
18	Queens Park Rangers	46	10	7	6	44	32	4	4	15	20	54	64	86	0.744	–22	39
19	Newport County	46	12	2	9	32	26	3	7	13	26	53	58	79	0.734	–21	39
20	Walsall	46	13	5	5	43	28	2	3	18	25	56	68	84	0.810	–16	38
21	Watford	46	8	5	10	31	39	5	6	12	21	46	52	85	0.612	–23	37
22	Millwall	46	13	4	6	56	31	2	2	19	27	69	83	100	0.830	–17	36
23	Crystal Palace	46	7	3	13	27	32	5	7	11	27	51	54	83	0.651	–29	34
24	Swindon Town	46	4	10	9	18	22	4	4	15	16	56	34	78	0.436	–44	30

P = 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, promoted
	New club in the league (none)
	Re-elected
	Failed re-election (none)

Third Division South results

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Third Division South maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division South teams 1955–1956

Locations of the Football League Third Division South London teams 1955–1956

References

^ "England 1955-56". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
^ ^a ^b Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.

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

[rsssf-1] "England 1955-56". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.

[Rothmans-2] Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.

[topscorers-3] "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e 1955–56 in European football (UEFA)
« 1954–55 1956–57 »
Domestic leagues	Albania '55 '56 Austria Belgium Bulgaria '55 '56 Czechoslovakia '55 '56 Denmark England Finland '55 '56 France East Germany '55 '56 West Germany (Finals) Greece Hungary '55 '56 Iceland '55 '56 Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway Poland '55 '56 Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania '55 '56 Scotland Soviet Union '55 '56 Spain Sweden Switzerland Yugoslavia
Domestic cups	Belgium Bulgaria Denmark England Finland '55 '56 France East Germany '56 West Germany Greece Hungary Iceland '55 '56 Luxembourg Northern Ireland Norway '55 '56 Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania '55 '56 Scotland Soviet Union '55 Spain Switzerland Wales Yugoslavia '55
League cups	Scotland
UEFA competitions	European Cup (Final)
Non-UEFA competitions	Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (Group stage) Mitropa Cup

Final league tables

First Division

First Division results

First Division maps

Second Division

Second Division results

Second Division maps

Third Division North

Third Division North results

Third Division North maps

Third Division South

Third Division South results

Third Division South maps

See also

References