1895–96 Football League

8th season of the Football League

Football league season

The Football LeagueSeason| 1895–96

|

Champions| Aston Villa
Relegated| Crewe Alexandra
Burslem Port Vale
Rotherham Town
New Club in League| Loughborough

← 1894–95

1896–97 →

The 1895–96 season was the eighth season of The Football League.

## Final league tables

[edit]

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

[edit]

Football league season

First DivisionSeason| 1895–96

|

Champions| Aston Villa
2nd title
Relegated| Small Heath
Matches played| 240
Goals scored| 807 (3.36 per match)
Top goalscorer| John Campbell
Steve Bloomer
(22 goals each)
Biggest home win| Derby County 8–0 Small Heath
(30 November 1895)
Sheffield United 8–0 Bury
(6 April 1896)
Biggest away win| The Wednesday 0–4 Derby County
(28 December 1895)
Highest scoring| Aston Villa 7–3 Small Heath
(7 September 1895)
Longest winning run| 9 matches
Everton
Longest unbeaten run| 14 matches
Everton
Longest losing run| 6 matches
Burnley
Small Heath
Highest attendance| 30,000
Everton 2–0 Aston Villa
(21 December 1895)
Lowest attendance| 560
West Bromwich Albion 3–2 Blackburn Rovers
(29 April 1896)
Average attendance| 7,682

← 1894–95

1896–97 →

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation

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1  | Aston Villa (C) | 30  | 20  | 5  | 5  | 78  | 45  | 1.733  | 45  |
2  | Derby County | 30  | 17  | 7  | 6  | 68  | 35  | 1.943  | 41
3  | Everton | 30  | 16  | 7  | 7  | 66  | 43  | 1.535  | 39
4  | Bolton Wanderers | 30  | 16  | 5  | 9  | 49  | 37  | 1.324  | 37
5  | Sunderland | 30  | 15  | 7  | 8  | 52  | 41  | 1.268  | 37
6  | Stoke | 30  | 15  | 0  | 15  | 56  | 47  | 1.191  | 30
7  | The Wednesday | 30  | 12  | 5  | 13  | 44  | 53  | 0.830  | 29
8  | Blackburn Rovers | 30  | 12  | 5  | 13  | 40  | 50  | 0.800  | 29
9  | Preston North End | 30  | 11  | 6  | 13  | 44  | 48  | 0.917  | 28
10  | Burnley | 30  | 10  | 7  | 13  | 48  | 44  | 1.091  | 27
11  | Bury | 30  | 12  | 3  | 15  | 50  | 54  | 0.926  | 27
12  | Sheffield United | 30  | 10  | 6  | 14  | 40  | 50  | 0.800  | 26
13  | Nottingham Forest | 30  | 11  | 3  | 16  | 42  | 57  | 0.737  | 25
14  | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30  | 10  | 1  | 19  | 61  | 65  | 0.938  | 21
15  | Small Heath (R) | 30  | 8  | 4  | 18  | 39  | 79  | 0.494  | 20  | Qualification for test matches
16  | West Bromwich Albion (O) | 30  | 6  | 7  | 17  | 30  | 59  | 0.508  | 19

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

### Results

[edit]

Home \ Away  | AST | BLB | BOL | BUR | BRY | DER | EVE | NOT | PNE | SHU | SMH | STK | SUN | WED | WBA | WOL

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Aston Villa |  | 3–1  | 2–0  | 5–1  | 2–0  | 4–1  | 4–3  | 3–1  | 1–0  | 2–2  | 7–3 | 5–2  | 2–1  | 2–1  | 1–0 | 4–1
Blackburn Rovers | 1–1  |  | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–2  | 0–2  | 2–3  | 2–0  | 3–0 | 1–0  | 2–1  | 3–1  | 2–4  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 3–1
Bolton Wanderers | 2–2  | 1–1 |  | 1–0 | 2–4 | 2–1  | 3–1  | 2–1  | 1–0 | 4–1  | 4–1  | 3–1  | 1–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 4–0
Burnley | 3–4  | 6–0 | 1–2 |  | 3–0  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 0–0  | 1–0 | 5–0  | 1–1  | 2–0  | 0–0  | 2–0  | 3–0  | 3–1
Bury | 5–3  | 2–0  | 0–3 | 3–4  |  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 4–5  | 0–1  | 1–2  | 6–1  | 3–0  | 3–0
Derby County | 2–2  | 0–0  | 2–1  | 5–1  | 2–1  |  | 2–1  | 4–0 | 1–0  | 0–2  | 8–0  | 2–1  | 2–0  | 3–1  | 4–1  | 5–2
Everton | 2–0  | 0–2  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 3–2  | 2–2  |  | 6–2  | 3–2  | 5–0  | 3–0  | 7–2  | 1–0  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 2–0
Nottingham Forest | 0–2  | 4–2  | 0–0  | 2–1  | 5–0  | 2–5 | 2–1  |  | 0–1  | 3–1  | 3–0  | 4–0  | 3–1  | 1–0  | 2–0  | 3–2
Preston North End | 4–3  | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1  | 1–0  | 1–1  | 6–0  |  | 4–3  | 3–2  | 0–1  | 4–1  | 0–1  | 0–0  | 4–3
Sheffield United | 2–1  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 1–1  | 8–0  | 1–1  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 2–1  |  | 2–0  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 1–1 | 2–0  | 2–1
Small Heath | 1–4 | 2–1  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 1–0  | 1–3  | 0–3  | 1–0  | 5–2  | 2–1  |  | 1–2  | 0–1  | 1–1  | 2–2 | 3–2
Stoke | 1–2  | 3–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 0–2  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 4–0  | 4–0  | 6–1  |  | 5–0  | 5–0  | 3–1 | 4–1
Sunderland | 2–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 3–1  | 0–0  | 2–2  | 3–0  | 1–1  | 4–1  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 4–1  |  | 2–1  | 7–1  | 2–2
The Wednesday | 1–3  | 3–0  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 1–3  | 0–4  | 3–1  | 3–0  | 1–1  | 1–0 | 3–0  | 2–1  | 3–0  |  | 5–3  | 3–1
West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | 3–2  | 2–3  | 0–2  | 1–3  | 0–0  | 0–3  | 3–1  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1  | 2–3  |  | 2–1
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | 1–2  | 5–0  | 5–1  | 1–0  | 2–0  | 2–3  | 6–1  | 2–1  | 4–1  | 7–2 | 1–0 | 1–3  | 4–0  | 1–2 |

Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

### Maps

[edit]

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Burnley

Bury

Derby County

Everton

Nottingham Forest

Preston North End

Sheffield United

The Wednesday (Sheffield)

Small Heath (Birmingham)

Stoke

Sunderland

West Bromwich Albion

Wolverhampton Wanderers

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the Football League First Division teams

## Second Division

[edit]

Football league season

Second DivisionSeason| 1895–96

|

Champions| Liverpool
Promoted| Liverpool
Matches played| 240
Goals scored| 943 (3.93 per match)
Top goalscorer| George Allan
(26 goals)
Biggest home win| Liverpool 10–1 Rotherham Town
(18 February 1896)
Biggest away win| Burton Swifts 0–7 Liverpool
(29 February 1896)
Crewe Alexandra 0–7 Liverpool
(28 March 1896)
Highest scoring| Darwen 10–2 Rotherham Town
(13 January 1896)
Longest winning run| 10 matches
Liverpool
Longest unbeaten run| 10 matches
Burton Wanderers
Liverpool
Longest losing run| 6 matches
Lincoln City

← 1894–95

1896–97 →

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation

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1  | Liverpool (C, O, P) | 30  | 22  | 2  | 6  | 106  | 32  | 3.313  | 46  | Qualification for test matches
2  | Manchester City | 30  | 21  | 4  | 5  | 63  | 38  | 1.658  | 46
3  | Grimsby Town | 30  | 20  | 2  | 8  | 82  | 38  | 2.158  | 42  |
4  | Burton Wanderers | 30  | 19  | 4  | 7  | 69  | 40  | 1.725  | 42
5  | Newcastle United | 30  | 16  | 2  | 12  | 73  | 50  | 1.460  | 34
6  | Newton Heath | 30  | 15  | 3  | 12  | 66  | 57  | 1.158  | 33
7  | Woolwich Arsenal | 30  | 14  | 4  | 12  | 58  | 42  | 1.381  | 32
8  | Leicester Fosse | 30  | 14  | 4  | 12  | 57  | 44  | 1.295  | 32
9  | Darwen | 30  | 12  | 6  | 12  | 72  | 67  | 1.075  | 30
10  | Notts County | 30  | 12  | 2  | 16  | 57  | 54  | 1.056  | 26
11  | Burton Swifts | 30  | 10  | 4  | 16  | 39  | 69  | 0.565  | 24
12  | Loughborough | 30  | 9  | 5  | 16  | 40  | 66  | 0.606  | 23
13  | Lincoln City | 30  | 9  | 4  | 17  | 53  | 75  | 0.707  | 22
14  | Burslem Port Vale | 30  | 7  | 4  | 19  | 43  | 78  | 0.551  | 18  | Resigned from league
15  | Rotherham Town | 30  | 7  | 3  | 20  | 34  | 97  | 0.351  | 17
16  | Crewe Alexandra | 30  | 5  | 3  | 22  | 30  | 95  | 0.316  | 13

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

### Results

[edit]

Home \ Away  | BPV | BRS | BRW | CRE | DRW | GRI | LEI | LIN | LIV | LOU | MCI | NEW | NWH | NTC | ROT | WOO

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Burslem Port Vale |  | 1–0  | 2–2  | 2–1 | 3–3  | 1–4  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 5–4  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 2–0  | 3–0  | 0–4  | 4–0  | 0–2
Burton Swifts | 2–1  |  | 0–2  | 1–1  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 0–2  | 4–0  | 0–7  | 1–2  | 1–4  | 3–1  | 4–1  | 0–0  | 2–0  | 3–2
Burton Wanderers | 2–1  | 2–1  |  | 4–0  | 3–0  | 2–1  | 0–0  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 4–0  | 4–1  | 0–3  | 5–1  | 1–3  | 6–1  | 4–1
Crewe Alexandra | 3–2 | 1–3  | 0–1  |  | 3–1  | 0–1  | 1–1  | 2–2  | 0–7  | 1–2  | 0–2  | 3–0  | 0–2  | 5–1  | 3–2  | 0–1
Darwen | 8–2  | 3–0  | 3–0  | 6–1  |  | 3–3  | 4–1  | 5–0  | 0–4  | 1–1  | 2–3  | 4–4  | 3–0  | 2–0  | 10–2  | 1–1
Grimsby Town | 6–1  | 3–0  | 2–1  | 2–0  | 5–0  |  | 7–1  | 4–2 | 1–0  | 2–0  | 5–0  | 2–1  | 4–2  | 3–0  | 4–0 | 1–1
Leicester Fosse | 5–0  | 2–1  | 1–3  | 4–1  | 2–3  | 1–2  |  | 1–3  | 2–0  | 5–0  | 1–2  | 2–0  | 3–0  | 2–1  | 8–0  | 1–0
Lincoln City | 4–2  | 1–2  | 1–2  | 6–2  | 1–0  | 2–5 | 2–3  |  | 0–1  | 4–1  | 1–2  | 4–0  | 2–0  | 2–3 | 5–0  | 1–1
Liverpool | 5–1  | 6–1  | 4–1  | 6–1  | 0–0  | 3–1  | 3–1  | 6–1  |  | 1–0  | 3–1 | 5–1  | 7–1 | 3–0  | 10–1  | 3–0
Loughborough | 3–0  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 4–1  | 4–1  | 0–1  | 1–4  | 3–0  | 2–4  |  | 2–4  | 1–0  | 3–3  | 1–3  | 3–0  | 2–1
Manchester City | 1–0  | 1–1  | 1–1  | 4–0  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 2–0  | 4–0  | 1–1 | 5–1  |  | 5–2  | 2–1 | 2–0  | 2–0  | 1–0
Newcastle United | 4–2  | 5–0  | 4–0  | 6–0  | 7–2  | 1–5  | 1–0  | 5–0  | 1–0  | 3–0  | 4–1  |  | 2–1  | 5–1  | 6–1  | 3–1
Newton Heath | 2–1  | 5–0  | 1–2  | 5–0  | 4–0  | 3–2  | 2–0  | 5–5  | 5–2 | 2–0  | 1–1 | 2–1  |  | 3–0  | 3–0  | 5–1
Notts County | 7–2  | 5–0  | 1–4  | 6–0  | 4–1  | 5–3  | 1–2  | 2–0  | 2–3 | 2–0  | 3–0  | 0–1  | 0–2  |  | 0–0  | 3–4
Rotherham Town | 0–2  | 1–4  | 1–6  | 4–0  | 3–0  | 1–0 | 2–0  | 2–2  | 0–5  | 4–0  | 2–3  | 1–1  | 2–3  | 1–0  |  | 3–0
Woolwich Arsenal | 2–1  | 5–0  | 3–0  | 7–0  | 1–3  | 3–1  | 1–1  | 4–0  | 0–2  | 6–0  | 0–1  | 2–1  | 2–1 | 2–0  | 5–0  |

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

[edit]

Burslem Port Vale

Burton Swifts

Burton Wanderers

Crewe Alexandra

Darwen

Grimsby Town

Leicester Fosse

Lincoln City

Liverpool

Loughborough

Manchester City

Newcastle

Newton Heath (Manchester)

Notts County

Rotherham Town

Woolwich Arsenal

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the Football League Second Division teams

## Test Matches

[edit]

The Football League test matches were a set of play-offs, in which the bottom First Division teams faced the top Second Division teams.

The format had changed from previous seasons, with the number of participants has reduced from six to four (two from each division). Now, 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

[edit]

Team 1  | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2  | 1st leg  | 2nd leg

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(2nd Div. Champions) Liverpool | 4–0 | Small Heath (1st Div. 15th)  | 4–0
Sat 18 Apr | 0–0
Mon 20 Apr
(2nd Div. 2nd) Manchester City | 2–7 | West Bromwich Albion (1st Div. 16th)  | 1–1
Sat 18 Apr | 1–6
Mon 20 Apr

### Second round

[edit]

Team 1  | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2  | 1st leg  | 2nd leg

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(2nd Div. Champions) Liverpool | 2–2 | West Bromwich Albion (1st Div. 16th)  | 2–0
Sat 25 Apr | 0–2
Mon 27 Apr
(2nd Div. 2nd) Manchester City | 3–8 | Small Heath (1st Div. 15th)  | 3–0
Sat 25 Apr | 0–8
Mon 27 Apr

### Summary

[edit]

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football[1] and Association Football,[2] present the following table with the heading given above.

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

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1  | Liverpool | 4  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 6  | 2  | +4  | 5  | Elected to play in First Division
2  | West Bromwich Albion | 4  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 9  | 4  | +5  | 5
3  | Small Heath | 4  | 1  | 1  | 2  | 8  | 7  | +1  | 3  | Invited to play in Second Division
4  | Manchester City | 4  | 1  | 1  | 2  | 5  | 15  | −10  | 3

Source: [citation needed]

### Consequences

[edit]

It is likely that the league decided on re-election to the First Division and on promotion and relegation on the basis of the summary table above. It is not clear why all the four teams did not play each other, since it would only have required two more matches for each of them. It seems those teams who had lost in the first round hardly had any chance of ending up among the top teams in this system, and the election outcome effectively seems to have confirmed the first round results.

* Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, winners of the first round matches, and appearing on the top of the summary table, were elected to play in the 1st Division the following season.
* Small Heath and Manchester City, who lost in the first round, were not elected to play in 1st Division, but were invited to play in the 2nd Division.

## See also

[edit]

* 1895–96 in English football
* 1895 in association football
* 1896 in association football

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984, p. 167.
2. ^ A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two, p. 235. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960.

## External links

[edit]

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

* v
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* v
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1895–96 in English football

« 1894–95

1896–97 »

FA competitions|

* FA Cup
* Qualifying rounds
* Final

Football and Southern Leagues|

* Football League
* First Division
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Lower leagues|

* Northern League
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Related to national team|

* Home Championship

Club seasons

First Division|

* Aston Villa
* Blackburn Rovers
* Bolton Wanderers
* Burnley
* Bury
* Derby County
* Everton
* Nottingham Forest
* Preston North End
* Sheffield United
* Small Heath
* Stoke
* Sunderland
* The Wednesday
* West Bromwich Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Burslem Port Vale
* Burton Swifts
* Burton United
* Crewe Alexandra
* Darwen
* Grimsby Town
* Leicester Fosse
* Lincoln City
* Liverpool
* Loughborough
* Manchester City
* Newcastle United
* Newton Heath
* Notts County
* Rotherham Town
* Woolwich Arsenal

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* Clapton
* Ilford
* Luton Town
* Millwall Athletic
* New Brompton
* Reading
* Royal Ordnance
* Southampton St Mary's
* Swindon Town

Others|

* Eastville Rovers
* Thames Ironworks

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« 1894–95

1896–97 »

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* England
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*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GAv]: Goal average
*[Pts]: Points
*[Agg.]: Aggregate score
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template