1955–56 in English football

The 1955–56 season was the 76th season of competitive football in England.

The season ended with success for both Manchester clubs, as City won the FA Cup and Manchester United won the First Division title by an 11-point margin.

Overview

Defending league champions Chelsea decided not to compete in the new European Champions Cup, following opposition from the Football League about the participation of English clubs in the competition.

The league title is taken by a Manchester United side with an average age of just 22, which finished an incredible 11 points ahead of their nearest contenders Blackpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It was a Manchester double for trophies, with Manchester City winning the FA Cup, with goalkeeper Bert Trautmann famously playing on despite suffering what was later diagnosed as a broken neck in a collision with a Birmingham City player.

Awards

Football Writers' Association

Top goalscorer

Honours

CompetitionWinnerRunner-up
First DivisionManchester United (4)Blackpool
Second DivisionSheffield WednesdayLeeds United
Third Division NorthGrimsby TownDerby County
Third Division SouthLeyton OrientBrighton & Hove Albion
FA CupManchester City (3)Birmingham City
Charity ShieldChelseaNewcastle United
Home ChampionshipShared by England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

League table

First Division

Manchester United won the First Division title by 11 points, featuring a squad of players with an average of just 22, with manager Matt Busby's emphasis on youth paying dividends and answering the critics who felt that his policy would not be able to maintain United's place among the game's elite. Second place was occupied by Blackpool, with Stanley Matthews still a dominant presence in the team in his 41st year, while Wolves finished third, FA Cup winners Manchester City finished fourth, and Arsenal completed the top five. Birmingham City finished sixth to record their best ever final position.

Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town finished the season relegated.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Manchester United422510783511.62760
2Blackpool422091386621.38749
3Wolverhampton Wanderers422091389651.36949
4Manchester City4218101482691.18846
5Arsenal4218101460610.98446
6Birmingham City421891575571.31645
7Burnley421881664541.18544
8Bolton Wanderers421871771581.22443
9Sunderland421791680950.84243
10Luton Town421781766641.03142
11Newcastle United421771885701.21441
12Portsmouth421691778850.91841
13West Bromwich Albion421851958700.82941
14Charlton Athletic421761975810.92640
15Everton4215101755690.79740
16Chelsea4214111764770.83139
17Cardiff City421591855690.79739
18Tottenham Hotspur421572061710.85937
19Preston North End421482073721.01436
20Aston Villa4211131852690.75435
21Huddersfield Town421472154830.65135
22Sheffield United421292163770.81833

Second Division

Sheffield Wednesday crossed paths with their cross city rivals to return to the First Division by winning the Second Division title, joined by runners-up Leeds United. Liverpool narrowly missed out on a First Division comeback by finishing third.

Plymouth Argyle and Hull City were relegated.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Sheffield Wednesday4221138101621.62955
2Leeds United422361380601.33352
3Liverpool422161585631.34948
4Blackburn Rovers422161584651.29248
5Leicester City422161594781.20548
6Bristol Rovers422161584701.20048
7Nottingham Forest421991468631.07947
8Lincoln City4218101479651.21546
9Fulham422061689791.12746
10Swansea Town422061683811.02546
11Bristol City421971680641.25045
12Port Vale4216131360581.03445
13Stoke City422041871621.14544
14Middlesbrough421681876780.97440
15Bury421681886900.95640
16West Ham United4214111774691.07239
17Doncaster Rovers4212111969960.71935
18Barnsley4211121947840.56034
19Rotherham United421292156750.74733
20Notts County421192255820.67131
21Plymouth Argyle421082454870.62128
22Hull City421062653970.54626

Third Division North

Grimsby Town clinched the Third Division North title and secured promotion to the Second Division.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Grimsby Town46316976292.62168
2Derby County4628711110552.00063
3Accrington Stanley462591292571.61459
4Hartlepools United462651581601.35057
5Southport4623111266531.24557
6Chesterfield462541794661.42454
7Stockport County462191690611.47551
8Bradford City4618131578641.21949
9Scunthorpe & Lindsey United462081875631.19048
10Workington461991875631.19047
11York City461991885721.18147
12Rochdale4617131666840.78647
13Gateshead4617111877840.91745
14Wrexham4616102066730.90442
15Darlington461692160730.82241
16Tranmere Rovers461692159840.70241
17Chester City4613141952820.63440
18Mansfield Town4614112184811.03739
19Halifax Town4614112166760.86839
20Oldham Athletic4610181876860.88438
21Carlisle United461582371950.74738
22Barrow461292561830.73533
23Bradford Park Avenue4613726611220.50033
24Crewe Alexandra4691027501050.47628

Third Division South

Leyton Orient reached the Second Division by finished top of the Third Division South by a single point, one point ahead of Brighton and two points ahead of Ipswich Town.

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Leyton Orient462989106492.16366
2Brighton & Hove Albion4629710112502.24065
3Ipswich Town4625147106601.76764
4Southend United4621111488801.10053
5Torquay United4620121486631.36552
6Brentford4619141369661.04552
7Norwich City4619131486821.04951
8Coventry City462091773601.21749
9Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic4619101763511.23548
10Gillingham4619101769710.97248
11Northampton Town462071967710.94447
12Colchester United4618111776810.93847
13Shrewsbury Town4617121769661.04546
14Southampton461882091811.12344
15Aldershot4612161870900.77840
16Exeter City4615102158770.75340
17Reading461592270790.88639
18Queens Park Rangers4614112164860.74439
19Newport County461592258790.73439
20Walsall461582368840.81038
21Watford4613112252850.61237
22Millwall4615625831000.83036
23Crystal Palace4612102454830.65134
24Swindon Town468142434780.43630

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

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