1897–98 Football League

The 1897–98 season was the tenth season of The Football League.

The Football League

Season	1897–98
Champions	Sheffield United
Relegated	none
New Club in League	Luton Town
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

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

Season	1897–98
Champions	Sheffield United 1st English title
Matches played	240
Goals scored	724 (3.02 per match)
Top goalscorer	Fred Wheldon (21 goals)
Biggest home win	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)
Biggest away win	Liverpool 0–4 Sheffield United (5 February 1898)
Highest scoring	The Wednesday 3–6 Nottingham Forest (1 January 1898)
Longest winning run	7 matches Sunderland
Longest unbeaten run	14 matches Sheffield United
Longest losing run	5 matches Stoke
Highest attendance	50,000 Aston Villa 1–2 Sheffield United (15 January 1898)
Lowest attendance	1,000 West Bromwich Albion 2–1 Liverpool (13 November 1897)
Average attendance	9,396
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Relegation
1	Sheffield United (C)	30	17	8	5	56	31	1.806	42
2	Sunderland	30	16	5	9	43	30	1.433	37
3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	30	14	7	9	57	41	1.390	35
4	Everton	30	13	9	8	48	39	1.231	35
5	The Wednesday	30	15	3	12	51	42	1.214	33
6	Aston Villa	30	14	5	11	61	51	1.196	33
7	West Bromwich Albion	30	11	10	9	44	45	0.978	32
8	Nottingham Forest	30	11	9	10	47	49	0.959	31
9	Liverpool	30	11	6	13	48	45	1.067	28
10	Derby County	30	11	6	13	57	61	0.934	28
11	Bolton Wanderers	30	11	4	15	28	41	0.683	26
12	Preston North End	30	8	8	14	35	43	0.814	24
13	Notts County	30	8	8	14	36	46	0.783	24
14	Bury	30	8	8	14	39	51	0.765	24
15	Blackburn Rovers[a]	30	7	10	13	39	54	0.722	24	Qualification for test matches
16	Stoke (O)	30	8	8	14	35	55	0.636	24

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners
Notes:

1. Blackburn Rovers were initially relegated but were later reprieved due to the First Division expanding to 18 teams for the following season.

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	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:
Legend: 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

Second Division

Season	1897–98
Champions	Burnley
Promoted	Burnley Newcastle United
Matches played	240
Goals scored	860 (3.58 per match)
Top goalscorer	Henry Boyd (23 goals)[1]
Biggest home win	Manchester City 9–0 Burton Swifts (16 April 1898)
Biggest away win	Loughborough 0–5 Gainsborough Trinity (5 February 1898)
Highest scoring	Luton Town 9–3 Lincoln City (18 December 1897) Burnley 9–3 Loughborough (28 March 1898)
Longest winning run	7 matches Manchester City
Longest unbeaten run	16 matches Burnley
Longest losing run	11 matches Darwen Loughborough
← 1896–97 1898–99 →

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Burnley (C, O, P)	30	20	8	2	80	24	3.333	48	Qualification for test matches
2	Newcastle United (O, P)	30	21	3	6	64	32	2.000	45
3	Manchester City	30	15	9	6	66	36	1.833	39
4	Newton Heath	30	16	6	8	64	35	1.829	38
5	Woolwich Arsenal	30	16	5	9	69	49	1.408	37
6	Small Heath	30	16	4	10	58	50	1.160	36
7	Leicester Fosse	30	13	7	10	46	35	1.314	33
8	Luton Town	30	13	4	13	68	50	1.360	30
9	Gainsborough Trinity	30	12	6	12	50	54	0.926	30
10	Walsall	30	12	5	13	58	58	1.000	29
11	Blackpool	30	10	5	15	49	61	0.803	25
12	Grimsby Town	30	10	4	16	52	62	0.839	24
13	Burton Swifts	30	8	5	17	38	69	0.551	21
14	Lincoln City	30	6	5	19	43	82	0.524	17	Re-elected
15	Darwen	30	6	2	22	31	76	0.408	14
16	Loughborough	30	6	2	22	24	87	0.276	14

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

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

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: 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 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

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	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.Tooltip Aggregate score	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,^[2] and Association Football^[3] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Stoke	4	2	1	1	4	2	+2	5	Elected to play in First Division
2	Burnley	4	2	1	1	5	3	+2	5
3	Newcastle United	4	2	0	2	9	6	+3	4	To remain in Second Division, eventually elected to First Division
4	Blackburn Rovers	4	1	0	3	5	12	−7	2

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

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 were elected into the top division for the following season,^[4] 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