1897–98 Football League

The Football League

Season	1897–98
Champions	Sheffield United
Relegated	none
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

The 1897–1898 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

Football League
First Division

Season	1897–98
Champions	Sheffield United (1st English title) and as of 2016 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	Everton – West Brom 6–1 (27 Nov 1897) Derby County – Nottingham Forest 5–0 (11 Apr 1898) Wolverhampton – The Wednesday 5–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away win	Liverpool – Sheffield United 0–4 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoring	The Wednesday – Nottingham 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
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

Pos	Team	Pld		W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		F	A	GA	GD		Pts
1	Sheffield United	30		9	4	2	27	14		8	4	3	29	17		56	31	1.806	+25		42
2	Sunderland	30		12	2	1	27	8		4	3	8	16	22		43	30	1.433	+13		37
3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	30		10	4	1	36	14		4	3	8	21	27		57	41	1.390	+16		35
4	Everton	30		11	3	1	33	12		2	6	7	15	27		48	39	1.231	+9		35
5	The Wednesday	30		12	0	3	39	15		3	3	9	12	27		51	42	1.214	+9		33
6	Aston Villa	30		12	1	2	47	21		2	4	9	14	30		61	51	1.196	+10		33
7	West Bromwich Albion	30		8	5	2	25	16		3	5	7	19	29		44	45	0.978	–1		32
8	Nottingham Forest	30		7	5	3	30	19		4	4	7	17	30		47	49	0.959	–2		31
9	Liverpool	30		7	4	4	27	16		4	2	9	21	29		48	45	1.067	+3		28
10	Derby County	30		10	3	2	40	19		1	3	11	17	42		57	61	0.934	–4		28
11	Bolton Wanderers	30		9	2	4	18	13		2	2	11	10	28		28	41	0.683	–13		26
12	Preston North End	30		7	5	3	26	15		1	3	11	9	28		35	43	0.814	–8		24
13	Notts County	30		4	6	5	23	23		4	2	9	13	23		36	46	0.783	–10		24
14	Bury	30		8	3	4	25	19		0	5	10	14	32		39	51	0.765	–12		24
15	Blackburn Rovers	30		4	7	4	20	22		3	3	9	19	32		39	54	0.722	–15		24
16	Stoke	30		8	3	4	21	14		0	5	10	14	41		35	55	0.636	–20		24

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

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 City

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

Maps

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Bury

Derby County

Everton

Liverpool

Nottingham Forest

Notts County

Preston North End

Sheffield United

The Wednesday (Sheffield)

Stoke

Sunderland

West Bromwich Albion

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Football League
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 [3]
Biggest home win	Manchester City – Burton Swifts 9–0 (16 Apr 1898)
Biggest away win	Loughborough – Gainsborough Trinity 0–5 (5 Feb 1898)
Highest scoring	Burnley – Loughborough 9–3 (28 Mar 1898) Luton Town – Lincoln 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)
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

Pos	Team	Pld		W	D	L	F	A		W	D	L	F	A		F	A	GA	GD		Pts
1	Burnley[4]	30		14	1	0	64	13		6	7	2	16	11		80	24	3.333	+56		48
2	Newcastle United[4]	30		14	0	1	43	10		7	3	5	21	22		64	32	2.000	+32		45
3	Manchester City	30		10	4	1	45	15		5	5	5	21	21		66	36	1.833	+30		39
4	Newton Heath	30		11	2	2	42	10		5	4	6	22	25		64	35	1.829	+29		38
5	Woolwich Arsenal	30		10	4	1	41	14		6	1	8	28	35		69	49	1.408	+20		37
6	Small Heath	30		11	1	3	37	18		5	3	7	21	32		58	50	1.160	+8		36
7	Leicester Fosse	30		8	5	2	26	11		5	2	8	20	24		46	35	1.314	+11		33
8	Luton Town	30		10	2	3	50	13		3	2	10	18	37		68	50	1.360	+18		30
9	Gainsborough Trinity	30		10	4	1	30	12		2	2	11	20	42		50	54	0.926	–4		30
10	Walsall	30		9	3	3	42	15		3	2	10	16	43		58	58	1.000	±0		29
11	Blackpool	30		8	4	3	32	15		2	1	12	17	46		49	61	0.803	–12		25
12	Grimsby Town	30		9	1	5	44	24		1	3	11	8	38		52	62	0.839	–10		24
13	Burton Swifts	30		7	3	5	25	21		1	2	12	13	48		38	69	0.551	–31		21
14	Lincoln City	30		6	3	6	27	27		0	2	13	16	55		43	82	0.524	–39		17
15	Darwen	30		4	1	10	21	32		2	1	12	10	44		31	76	0.408	–45		14
16	Loughborough	30		5	2	8	15	26		1	0	14	9	61		24	87	0.276	–63		14

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)

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

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

Blackpool

Burnley

Burton Swifts

Darwen

Gainsborough Trinity

Grimsby Town

Leicester Fosse

Lincoln City

Loughborough

Luton Town

Manchester City

Newcastle

Newton Heath (Manchester)

Small Heath (Birmingham)

Walsall

Woolwich Arsenal

Locations of the Football League Second Division teams

Test matches

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

Second Round

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
(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		F	A	GD	Pts
1	Stoke	4		2	1	1		4	2	+2	5
2	Burnley	4		2	1	1		5	3	+2	5
3	Newcastle United	4		2	0	2		9	6	+3	4
4	Blackburn Rovers	4		1	0	3		5	12	–7	2

Key
	Elected to play in First Division
	To remain in Second Division, eventually promoted to First Division

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.

See also

• 1897-98 in English football
• 1897 in association football
• 1898 in association football

References

1. "England 1897–98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
2. 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 2010-10-31.
4. Promoted to the expanded First Division.
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.

External links

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