1897–98 Football League

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013} The 18971898 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 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

First Division
Season 1897–98
Champions Sheffield United
(1st English title) and as of 2010 last title
Relegated None
FA Cup winners Nottingham Forest (1st FA Cup title)
Matches played 240
Goals scored 724 (3.02 per match)
Top goalscorer Fred Wheldon (Aston Villa), 21
Biggest home win EvertonWest Brom 6–1 (27 Nov 1897)
Derby CountyNottingham Forest 5–0 (11 Apr 1898)
WolverhamptonThe Wednesday 5–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away win LiverpoolSheffield United 0–4 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoring The WednesdayNottingham Forest 3–6 (1 Jan 1898)
Longest winning run 7 matches
Sunderland (27 Dec 1897 – 19 Feb 1898)
Longest unbeaten run 14 matches
Sheffield United (1 Sep 1897 – 11 Dec 1897)
Longest losing run 5 matches
Stoke (6 Nov 1897 – 4 Dec 1897)
Highest attendance 50.000
Aston Villa - Sheffield United (15 Jan 1898)
Lowest attendance 1.000
West Bromwich Albion - Liverpool F.C. (13 Nov 1897)
Average attendance 9.396
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Sheffield United309422714843291756311.806+2542
2Sunderland301221278438162243301.433+1337
3Wolverhampton Wanderers3010413614438212757411.390+1635
4Everton3011313312267152748391.231+935
5The Wednesday3012033915339122751421.214+933
6Aston Villa3012124721249143061511.196+1033
7West Bromwich Albion308522516357192944450.978–132
8Nottingham Forest307533019447173047490.959–231
9Liverpool307442716429212948451.067+328
10Derby County30103240191311174257610.934–428
11Bolton Wanderers3092418132211102828410.683–1326
12Preston North End307532615131192835430.814–824
13Notts County304652323429132336460.783–1024
14Bury3083425190510143239510.765–1224
15Blackburn Rovers304742022339193239540.722–1524
16Stoke3083421140510144135550.636–2024

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
Into test matches

First Division results

Home ╲ Away AST BLB BOLBRYDEREVELIVNOTNTCPNESHUSTKSUNWEDWBAWOL
Aston Villa 51 32 31 41 30 31 20 42 40 12 11 43 52 43 12
Blackburn Rovers 43 13 11 11 11 21 11 01 10 11 11 21 11 13 23
Bolton Wanderers 20 12 00 33 10 02 20 10 10 01 21 10 03 20 21
Bury 12 10 21 40 01 02 22 00 10 25 33 10 30 32 21
Derby County 31 31 10 22 51 31 50 12 31 11 41 22 12 32 32
Everton 21 11 21 42 30 30 20 10 11 14 11 20 10 61 30
Liverpool 40 01 11 22 42 31 12 20 00 04 40 02 40 11 10
Nottingham Forest 31 31 20 31 34 22 23 11 41 11 31 11 10 01 11
Notts County 23 00 12 21 11 32 32 13 11 13 40 01 00 22 22
Preston North End 31 14 00 21 50 11 11 30 31 13 00 20 20 11 12
Sheffield United 10 52 40 11 21 00 12 11 01 21 43 10 11 20 21
Stoke City 00 21 20 31 21 20 22 12 20 12 21 01 21 00 02
Sunderland 00 21 20 21 21 00 10 40 20 10 31 40 10 02 32
The Wednesday 30 41 30 30 31 21 42 36 31 21 01 40 01 30 20
West Bromwich Albion 11 11 20 10 31 22 21 20 03 31 20 20 22 02 22
Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 32 20 30 20 23 21 00 31 30 11 42 42 50 11

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

Test matches 1898

The test matches were a kind of play-offs, in which the bottom 1st Division teams faced the top 2nd Division teams. The 1st Division teams, if coming out as winners, would retain their places in the division. If a 2nd Division team won, it would be considered for 1st Division membership through an election process. Losing 2nd Division teams would stay in the 2nd Division.

First Round

Team 1 Agg. 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

Final

Team 1 Agg. 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

Third Place

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
(1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers 4–7 Newcastle United (2nd Div. 2nd) 4–3
Thu 28 Apr
0–4
Sat 30 Apr

Test Match Summary

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football,[3] and Association Football[4] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A GD Pts
1Stoke421142+25
2Burnley421153+25
3Newcastle United420296+34
4Blackburn Rovers4103512–72
Key
Elected to play in First Division
To remain in Second Division, eventually promoted to First Division

Test Match 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 also went into the top division for the following season, 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.

Second Division

Second Division
Season 1897–98
Champions Burnley (1st title)
Promoted Burnley
Newcastle United
Failed re-election None
Matches played 240
Goals scored 860 (3.58 per match)
Top goalscorer Henry Boyd (Newton Heath), 23 [5]
Biggest home win Manchester CityBurton Swifts 9–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away win LoughboroughGainsborough Trinity 0–5 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoring BurnleyLoughborough 9–3 (28 Mar 1898)
Luton TownLincoln City 9–3 (18 Dec 1898)
Longest winning run 7 matches
Manchester City F.C. (1 Sep 1897 – 16 Oct 1897)
Longest unbeaten run 16 matches
Burnley (30 Oct 1897 – 19 Mar 1898)
Longest losing run 11 matches
Darwen (12 Feb 1898 – 23 Apr 1898)
Loughborough (3 Jan 1898 – 8 Apr 1898)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Burnley[6]3014106413672161180243.333+5648
2Newcastle United[6]3014014310735212264322.000+3245
3Manchester City3010414515555212166361.833+3039
4Newton Heath3011224210546222564351.829+2938
5Woolwich Arsenal3010414114618283569491.408+2037
6Small Heath3011133718537213258501.160+836
7Leicester Fosse308522611528202446351.314+1133
8Luton Town30102350133210183768501.360+1830
9Gainsborough Trinity30104130122211204250540.926–430
10Walsall3093342153210164358581.000±029
11Blackpool3084332152112174649610.803–1225
12Grimsby Town309154424131183852620.839–1024
13Burton Swifts3073525211212134838690.551–3121
14Lincoln City3063627270213165543820.524–3917
15Darwen30411021322112104431760.408–4514
16Loughborough305281526101496124870.276–6314

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 (none)

Second Division results

Home ╲ Away BLP BUR BRSDRWGAIGRILEILINLOULUTMCINEWNWHSMHWALWOO
Blackpool 11 21 10 50 11 21 50 40 10 02 23 01 41 11 33
Burnley 51 20 61 11 60 40 21 93 40 31 30 63 41 41 50
Burton Swifts 21 02 20 11 40 23 11 30 21 00 31 04 13 32 12
Darwen 31 01 12 24 10 12 32 21 02 24 13 23 11 12 14
Gainsborough Trinity 41 00 32 31 20 10 40 40 33 10 13 21 00 11 10
Grimsby Town 30 21 72 50 42 00 42 70 13 34 20 13 31 12 14
Leicester Fosse 41 01 11 01 31 10 31 40 11 00 11 11 20 31 21
Lincoln City 32 11 30 22 21 11 14 23 42 21 23 10 12 02 23
Loughborough 02 02 32 01 05 21 11 42 20 03 01 00 02 21 13
Luton Town 31 20 11 30 40 60 01 93 70 30 31 22 12 60 02
Manchester City 33 11 90 50 30 30 21 31 30 21 11 01 33 32 41
Newcastle United 20 01 31 10 52 40 42 30 31 41 20 20 40 21 41
Newton Heath 40 00 40 32 10 21 20 50 51 12 11 01 31 60 51
Small Heath 23 22 21 51 43 02 21 40 10 42 01 10 21 60 21
Walsall 60 12 40 50 30 11 21 31 30 50 22 23 11 12 32
Woolwich Arsenal 21 11 30 31 40 41 03 22 40 30 22 00 51 42 40

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.

See also

References

  1. "England 1897–98". 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. Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168.
  4. A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.
  5. "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  6. 1 2 Promoted to the expanded First Division.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, February 22, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.