1939–40 in English football

none July 2020 July 2020 England 1939–40 Football League First Division abandoned Football League Second Division abandoned FA Cup abandoned 1938–39 1940–41 yes The 1939–40 season was the 65th season of competitive football in England. It was suspended in September after the outbreak of World War II. Overview World War II broke out early into this season. On 4th September the Government announced a ban on Sport to prevent crowds gathering. Over thirty mid-week League fixtures were called-off.Ban on Sport, Birmingham Evening Mail, 4 September 1939, p3 Most competitions, including the Football League, were abandoned. The Football League's Scheme for War-time football proposed to limit gates to 8,000 or 15,000 in evacuation areas. With their large overheads, Aston Villa and Sunderland announced their intention to close down.Big Names in Football that will not be seen in War-Time Liverpool Echo, 30 September 1939, p2 A few leagues, such as the Northern League, did manage to complete a season, but more than half of the teams were unable to fulfil all their fixtures and resigned.July 2020 Blackpool sat at the top of the First Division table at the time the abandonment occurred.Football Statistics Archive The FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round was played, but with hostilities declared before replays took place, that competition too was abandoned. Entry fees received for the 1939–40 Cup were honoured for the next Cup in 1945–46.July 2020 Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead. Regional league competitions were set up. Appearances in these tournaments do not count in players' official records. The FA Cup was resumed for the 1945–46 season and The Football League for the 1946–47 season.July 2020 Honours Wartime After the abandonment of the football programme, the league was split into ten mini regional leagues. A national cup competition was also held. CompetitionWinnerNorth West LeagueBuryNorth East LeagueHuddersfield TownWest LeagueStoke CityEast Midland LeagueChesterfieldMidland LeagueWolverhampton WanderersSouth West LeaguePlymouth ArgyleSouth A LeagueArsenalSouth B LeagueQueens Park RangersSouth C LeagueTottenham HotspurSouth D LeagueCrystal PalaceFootball League War CupWest Ham United League tables North West League main WDL Q 2 y BUR Bury PNE Preston North End BPL Blackpool BTW Bolton Wanderers OHA Oldham Athletic BNY Burnley BRW Barrow BBR Blackburn Rovers ROC Rochdale SPT Southport CAR Carlisle United ACC Accrington Stanley 16 2 4 64 30 15 2 5 58 27 13 6 3 73 36 13 4 5 55 30 11 2 9 55 61 9 5 8 48 43 8 4 10 54 57 7 4 11 37 40 5 5 12 38 58 5 4 13 34 62 4 4 14 38 68 2 6 14 31 73 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 North East League main WDL Q 2 y HUD Huddersfield Town NCU Newcastle United MID Middlesbrough BPA Bradford PA LSU Leeds United BFC Bradford City HLC Hull City YKC York City DLT Darlington HPU Hartlepools United HFX Halifax Town 15 4 1 54 22 12 1 7 59 39 9 4 7 49 42 10 2 7 44 38 9 3 6 36 27 8 4 7 41 37 8 1 11 35 41 8 1 11 36 51 6 3 10 44 56 6 1 13 27 47 3 2 14 28 53 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 West League main WDL Q 2 y STK Stoke City LIV Liverpool EVE Everton MU Manchester United MC Manchester City WRE Wrexham NBR New Brighton PVL Port Vale CHE Chester CRW Crewe Alexandra SPC Stockport County TRA Tranmere Rovers 13 5 4 57 41 12 5 5 66 40 12 4 6 64 33 14 0 8 74 41 12 4 6 73 41 10 5 7 45 50 10 3 9 55 52 10 2 10 52 56 7 5 10 40 51 6 1 15 44 79 4 3 15 45 79 2 3 17 41 93 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 East Midland League main WDL Q 2 y CHE Chesterfield BAR Barnsley SHE Sheffield United GRI Grimsby Town MAN Mansfield Town DON Doncaster Rovers LIN Lincoln City ROT Rotherham United WED Sheffield Wednesday NOT Nottingham Forest NTC Notts County 14 2 4 69 23 10 5 5 43 29 12 1 7 46 34 10 2 8 40 44 9 3 8 49 48 7 4 9 37 45 9 0 11 42 53 7 4 9 24 42 5 5 10 33 42 5 4 11 37 43 6 2 12 40 57 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 Midland League main WDL Q 2 y WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers WBA West Bromwich Albion COV Coventry City BIR Birmingham LUT Luton Town NHP Northampton Town LEI Leicester City WAL Walsall 19 3 6 76 44 18 4 6 87 51 13 3 12 68 57 12 5 11 56 60 10 4 14 76 88 7 8 13 48 59 7 6 15 51 71 7 5 16 51 83 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 South West League main WDL Q 2 y PLY Plymouth Argyle TOR Torquay United BRR Bristol Rovers NPC Newport County SWI Swindon Town SWA Swansea Town CAR Cardiff City BRC Bristol City 16 4 8 72 41 14 6 8 73 62 9 10 9 62 55 12 4 12 70 63 10 8 10 66 63 10 6 12 54 60 6 13 9 45 63 7 5 16 57 92 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 South A League main WDL Q 2 y ARS Arsenal WHU West Ham United MIL Millwall WAT Watford NOR Norwich City CHA Charlton Athletic CRY Crystal Palace CLA Clapton Orient TOT Tottenham Hotspur SEU Southend United 13 4 1 62 22 12 1 5 57 33 8 5 5 46 38 9 3 6 44 38 7 6 5 41 36 8 1 9 61 58 5 3 10 39 56 5 3 10 28 60 5 2 11 37 43 4 0 14 30 61 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 South B League main WDL Q 2 y QPR Queens Park Rangers BBA Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic CHL Chelsea REA Reading BRE Brentford FUL Fulham POR Portsmouth ALD Aldershot BHA Brighton & Hove Albion SHP Southampton 12 2 4 49 26 11 2 5 52 37 9 5 4 44 37 10 2 6 47 42 8 2 8 42 41 7 4 7 50 51 7 2 9 37 42 5 4 9 38 49 5 1 12 42 53 4 0 14 41 64 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 South C League main WDL Q 2 y TOT Tottenham Hotspur WHU West Ham United ARS Arsenal BRE Brentford MIL Millwall CHA Charlton Athletic FUL Fulham SHP Southampton CHL Chelsea POR Portsmouth 11 4 3 43 30 10 4 4 53 28 9 5 4 41 26 8 4 6 42 34 7 5 6 36 30 7 4 7 39 36 8 1 9 38 42 5 3 10 28 55 4 3 11 33 53 3 3 12 26 45 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 South D League main WDL Q 2 y CRY Crystal Palace QPR Queens Park Rangers WAT Watford SEU Southend United BBA Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic ALD Aldershot CLA Clapton Orient NOR Norwich City REA Reading BHA Brighton & Hove Albion 13 1 4 64 30 10 3 5 38 28 7 7 4 41 29 8 3 7 41 37 8 2 8 40 41 7 3 8 38 36 7 3 8 33 45 6 4 8 33 36 6 2 10 31 42 2 4 12 30 65 green1 C complete https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/final/f1939-40.html Season 1939-40 English Football Archive 26 March 2022 See also England national football team results (unofficial matches) References Smales Ken Nottingham Forest: The Official Statistical History Pineapple Books 2006 The 1940s 1939 Category:Wartime seasons in English football