1897–98 Football League

10th season of the Football League May 2023 July 2013 The Football League 1897–98 Sheffield United none New Club in League Luton Town 1896–97 1898–99 The 1897–98 season was the tenth season of The Football League. Final league tables Beginning in the 1894–95 season, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). 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 six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), 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. First Division First Division 1897–98 Sheffield United1st English title Fred Wheldon(21 goals) Everton 6–1 West Bromwich Albion(27 November 1897)Derby County 5–0 Nottingham Forest(11 April 1898)Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–0 The Wednesday(16 April 1898) Liverpool 0–4 Sheffield United(5 February 1898) The Wednesday 3–6 Nottingham Forest(1 January 1898) 240 724 7 matchesSunderland 14 matchesSheffield United 5 matchesStoke 50,000Aston Villa 1–2 Sheffield United(15 January 1898) 1,000West Bromwich Albion 2–1 Liverpool(13 November 1897) 9,396 1896–97 1898–99 main WDL First Division World Football SHU, SUN, WOL, EVE, THW, AVL, WBA, NFO, LIV, DER, BOL, PNE, NTC, BRY, BLA, STK 1st TSM TSM complete 14 5 11 61 51 7 10 13 39 54 11 4 15 28 41 8 8 14 39 51 11 6 13 57 61 13 9 8 48 39 11 6 13 48 45 11 9 10 47 49 8 8 14 36 46 8 8 14 35 43 17 8 5 56 31 8 8 14 35 55 16 5 9 43 30 15 3 12 51 42 11 10 9 44 45 14 7 9 57 41 C O Blackburn Rovers were initially relegated but were later reprieved due to the First Division expanding to 18 teams for the following season. Aston Villa Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Bury Derby County Everton Liverpool Nottingham Forest Notts County Preston North End Sheffield United Stoke Sunderland The Wednesday West Bromwich Albion Wolverhampton Wanderers 5 2 y 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored R yellow red1 Qualification for test matches Results main FBR grey 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 complete Maps England none 369 Locations of the Football League First Division teams England 52.49 -1.88 right England 53.75 -2.48 right England 53.59 -2.56 right England 53.58 -2.295 right England 52.92 -1.476 right England 53.48 -2.97 right England 53.53 -2.99 right England 53.01 -1.137 right England 52.942 -1.137 right England 53.75 -2.7 right England 53.00 -2.18 right England 54.914 -1.388 right England 53.38 -1.47 right England 53.32 -1.47 right England 52.509 -1.964 right England 52.59 -2.13 right 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 Second Division Second Division 1897–98 Burnley BurnleyNewcastle United Henry Boyd(23 goals)https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html English League Leading Goalscorers Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation 2010-10-31 Manchester City 9–0 Burton Swifts(16 April 1898) Loughborough 0–5 Gainsborough Trinity(5 February 1898) Luton Town 9–3 Lincoln City(18 December 1897)Burnley 9–3 Loughborough(28 March 1898) 240 860 7 matchesManchester City 16 matchesBurnley 11 matchesDarwenLoughborough 1896–97 1898–99 main WDL Second Division BUR, NEW, MCI, NEH, WOO, SMH, LEF, LUT, GAI, WAL, BLP, GRI, BSW, LIN, DRW, LOU TSM TSM RET RET RET complete 10 5 15 49 61 20 8 2 80 24 8 5 17 38 69 6 2 22 31 76 12 6 12 50 54 10 4 16 52 62 13 7 10 46 35 6 5 19 43 82 6 2 22 24 87 13 4 13 68 50 15 9 6 66 36 21 3 6 64 32 16 6 8 64 35 16 4 10 58 50 12 5 13 58 58 16 5 9 69 49 C, O, P O, P Blackpool Burnley Burton Swifts Darwen Gainsborough Trinity Grimsby Town Leicester Fosse Lincoln City Loughborough Luton Town Manchester City Newcastle United Newton Heath Small Heath Walsall Woolwich Arsenal 5 2 y 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored QR green1 Qualification for test matches red2 Re-elected Results main FBR grey 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 Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980. Maps England none 369 Locations of the Football League Second Division teams England 53.81 -3.05 right England 53.79 -2.25 right England 52.80 -1.68 right England 53.698 -2.461 right England 53.40 -0.77 right England 53.56 -0.068 right England 52.62 -1.14 right England 53.23 -0.54 right England 52.77 -1.204 right England 51.9 -0.433 right England 53.47 -2.22 right England 53.47 -2.30 right England 54.98 -1.62 right England 52.56 -1.82 right England 52.58 -1.98 right England 51.50 0.068 right 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 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 (1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers 1–5 Burnley (2nd Div. Champions) 1–3Thu 21 Apr 0–2Sat 23 Apr (2nd Div. 2nd) Newcastle United 2–2 Stoke (1st Div. 16th) 2–1Wed 20 Apr 0–1Sat 23 Apr 1939 Second round (2nd Div. Champions) Burnley 0–2 Stoke (1st Div. 16th) 0–2Tue 26 Apr 0–0Sat 30 Apr 1939 (1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers 4–7 Newcastle United (2nd Div. 2nd) 4–3Thu 28 Apr 0–4Sat 30 Apr 1939 Summary Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football,Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 168. and Association FootballA. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 236. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960. present the following table with the heading given above. main WDL Q 5 2 STK Stoke BUR Burnley NEW Newcastle United BLB Blackburn Rovers 2 1 1 4 2 2 1 1 5 3 2 0 2 9 6 1 0 3 5 12 #FFFF99 Elected to play in First Division D1 D1 #ffcccc To remain in Second Division, eventually elected to First Division D2 D2 complete 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.Cooke Martyn The most boring game in history? The origins of promotion and relegation in English association football https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/football/the-most-boring-game-in-history-the-origins-of-promotion-and-relegation-in-english-association-football/ playingpasts.co.uk 17 January 2026 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,http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=13431/ Arsenal’s 1919 Election – Tottenham’s Final Argument Mythbusted thearsenalhistory.com Andy Kelly 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. Attendances Source:https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/eng/aveeng1898.htm Historical attendances www.european-football-statistics.co.uk Division One No. Club Average 1 Everton FC 17,390 2 Aston Villa FC 15,870 3 Liverpool FC 12,935 4 Sheffield United FC 11,565 5 Sunderland AFC 10,970 6 The Wednesday 9,140 7 Derby County FC 8,805 8 Bolton Wanderers FC 8,190 9 Notts County FC 8,060 10 Blackburn Rovers FC 7,845 11 Nottingham Forest FC 7,645 12 Stoke FC 7,350 13 West Bromwich Albion FC 7,070 14 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 7,025 15 Preston North End FC 6,685 16 Bury FC 6,380 See also 1897–98 in English football 1897 in association football 1898 in association football References Notes note External links Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980. 1897–98 League