1899–1900 in English football

8th season of competitive football in England

Football in EnglandSeason| 1899–1900

|

Men's football
First Division| Aston Villa
Second Division| The Wednesday
Southern League| Tottenham Hotspur
Northern League| Darlington
The Combination| Chirk AAA
Western League| Bristol Rovers
FA Cup| Bury
Sheriff of London Charity Shield| Shared between Aston Villa and Queen's Park
| <- 1898–99 |  | 1900–01 ->

|
|

The 1899–1900 season was the 29th season of competitive football in England.

## Events

[edit]

Chesterfield and Middlesbrough replaced Blackpool and Darwen in the Football League.[citation needed]

Glossop debuted in the First Division, becoming the smallest town ever to compete in the highest English football division. The team finished in bottom place and was relegated, becoming the first of six clubs that so far have only completed one season in the top flight.[note 1]

## Honours

[edit]

Competition | Winner

|

First Division | Aston Villa (5*)
Second Division | The Wednesday
FA Cup | Bury (1)
Home Championship |  Scotland

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

## League tables

[edit]

### First Division

[edit]

Main article: 1899–1900 Football League § First Division

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

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

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1  | Aston Villa (C) | 34  | 22  | 6  | 6  | 77  | 35  | 2.200  | 50  |
2  | Sheffield United | 34  | 18  | 12  | 4  | 63  | 33  | 1.909  | 48  |
3  | Sunderland | 34  | 19  | 3  | 12  | 50  | 35  | 1.429  | 41
4  | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 34  | 15  | 9  | 10  | 48  | 37  | 1.297  | 39
5  | Newcastle United | 34  | 13  | 10  | 11  | 53  | 43  | 1.233  | 36
6  | Derby County | 34  | 14  | 8  | 12  | 45  | 43  | 1.047  | 36
7  | Manchester City | 34  | 13  | 8  | 13  | 50  | 44  | 1.136  | 34
8  | Nottingham Forest | 34  | 13  | 8  | 13  | 56  | 55  | 1.018  | 34
9  | Stoke | 34  | 13  | 8  | 13  | 37  | 45  | 0.822  | 34
10  | Liverpool | 34  | 14  | 5  | 15  | 49  | 45  | 1.089  | 33
11  | Everton | 34  | 13  | 7  | 14  | 47  | 49  | 0.959  | 33
12  | Bury | 34  | 13  | 6  | 15  | 40  | 44  | 0.909  | 32
13  | West Bromwich Albion | 34  | 11  | 8  | 15  | 43  | 51  | 0.843  | 30
14  | Blackburn Rovers | 34  | 13  | 4  | 17  | 49  | 61  | 0.803  | 30
15  | Notts County | 34  | 9  | 11  | 14  | 46  | 60  | 0.767  | 29
16  | Preston North End | 34  | 12  | 4  | 18  | 38  | 48  | 0.792  | 28
17  | Burnley (R) | 34  | 11  | 5  | 18  | 34  | 54  | 0.630  | 27  | Relegation to the Second Division
18  | Glossop (R) | 34  | 4  | 10  | 20  | 31  | 74  | 0.419  | 18

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

### Second Division

[edit]

Main article: 1899–1900 Football League § Second Division

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation

|
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1  | The Wednesday (C, P) | 34  | 25  | 4  | 5  | 84  | 22  | 3.818  | 54  | Promotion to the First Division
2  | Bolton Wanderers (P) | 34  | 22  | 8  | 4  | 79  | 25  | 3.160  | 52
3  | Small Heath | 34  | 20  | 6  | 8  | 78  | 38  | 2.053  | 46  |
4  | Newton Heath | 34  | 20  | 4  | 10  | 63  | 27  | 2.333  | 44
5  | Leicester Fosse | 34  | 17  | 9  | 8  | 53  | 36  | 1.472  | 43
6  | Grimsby Town | 34  | 17  | 6  | 11  | 67  | 46  | 1.457  | 40
7  | Chesterfield Town | 34  | 16  | 6  | 12  | 65  | 60  | 1.083  | 38
8  | Woolwich Arsenal | 34  | 16  | 4  | 14  | 61  | 43  | 1.419  | 36
9  | Lincoln City | 34  | 14  | 8  | 12  | 46  | 43  | 1.070  | 36
10  | New Brighton Tower | 34  | 13  | 9  | 12  | 66  | 58  | 1.138  | 35
11  | Burslem Port Vale | 34  | 14  | 6  | 14  | 39  | 49  | 0.796  | 34
12  | Walsall | 34  | 12  | 8  | 14  | 50  | 55  | 0.909  | 32
13  | Gainsborough Trinity | 34  | 9  | 7  | 18  | 47  | 75  | 0.627  | 25
14  | Middlesbrough | 34  | 8  | 8  | 18  | 39  | 69  | 0.565  | 24
15  | Burton Swifts | 34  | 9  | 6  | 19  | 43  | 84  | 0.512  | 24
16  | Barnsley | 34  | 8  | 7  | 19  | 46  | 79  | 0.582  | 23  | Re-elected
17  | Luton Town (R) | 34  | 5  | 8  | 21  | 40  | 75  | 0.533  | 18  | Not re-elected
18  | Loughborough (R) | 34  | 1  | 6  | 27  | 18  | 100  | 0.180  | 8

Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

## National team

[edit]

For the last round of international matches in the Victorian era, the England national football team played all three matches in the 1900 British Home Championship away from home.

### Ireland

[edit]

For the match against Ireland, played at Lansdowne Road, Dublin on 17 March 1900, the England team were confidently expecting an easy win after five successive victories, including winning 13–2 the previous year.[1] The England selectors chose five debutantes, including four of the five forwards. Dan Cunliffe of Southern League Portsmouth, made his solitary England appearance at inside right, with his Portsmouth teammate Matt Reilly in goal for the Irish. Another Southern League player, Archie Turner of Southampton played the first of his two internationals at outside right, while on the left were Charlie Sagar of Bury and Fred Priest of Sheffield United, with the experienced Gilbert Smith in the centre. Priest's Sheffield United colleague, Harry Johnson played the first of his six internationals at Right-half.

In the event, the game was far more difficult than expected, with England only managing a 2–0 victory,[1] with goals from debutantes Johnson and Sagar.[2]

### Wales

[edit]

Nine days later, the England team travelled to Cardiff to compete against Wales with four new players. Arthur Chadwick of Southampton represented the Southern League, playing the first of his two internationals at centre half. The other three debutantes were up front, with Corinthians Geoffrey Plumpton Wilson and Tip Foster, lining up alongside their club captain, G. O. Smith, and Alf Spouncer of Nottingham Forest making his only England appearance on the left wing.

While the visitors were expected to win with ease, the Welsh "fought magnificently"[1] to hold the English to a draw with Billy Meredith's 55th-minute strike cancelling out Wilson's third-minute goal.[3]

### Scotland

[edit]

As Scotland had defeated both the Welsh and Irish by large scores, England needed a victory at Celtic Park if they were to retain the British Home Championship. They made only three changes from the side that had defeated the Welsh, bringing in Jack Plant of Bury to replace Alf Spouncer on the left, and recalling Ernest Needham (replacing Howard Spencer in defence) and Steve Bloomer in place of Tip Foster.

Scotland were "determined to succeed against the visitors"[1] following defeats in the two previous meetings. In front of a world record crowd of 63,000, the Scots did not disappoint their supporters with Robert McColl scoring a hat trick (his third for Scotland), with Bloomer scoring England's consolation.[4] Scotland thus defeated all three of their competitors, enabling them to take the championship.

Date  | Venue  | Opponents  | Score*  | Comp  | England scorers

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17 March 1900  | Lansdowne Road, Dublin (A)  |  Ireland | 2–0[2] | BHC  | Harry Johnson (Sheffield United) (12 mins), Charlie Sagar (Bury) (16 mins)
26 March 1900  | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff (A)  |  Wales | 1–1[3] | BHC  | Geoffrey Wilson (Corinthian) (3 mins)
7 April 1900  | Celtic Park, Glasgow (A)  |  Scotland | 1–4[4] | BHC  | Steve Bloomer (Derby County) (35 mins)

* England score given first

Key

* A = Away match
* BHC = British Home Championship

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The others are Leyton Orient in 1962–63, Northampton Town in 1965–66, Carlisle United in 1974–75, Swindon Town in 1993–94 and Barnsley in 1997–98

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Gibbons, Philip (2001). Association Football in Victorian England – A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900. Upfront Publishing. pp. 462–463. ISBN 1-84426-035-6.
2. ^ a b "Ireland 0 England 2 (match summary)". www.englandstats.com. 17 March 1900. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
3. ^ a b "Wales 1 England 1 (match summary)". www.englandstats.com. 26 March 1900. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
4. ^ a b "Scotland 4 England 1 (match summary)". www.englandstats.com. 7 April 1900. Retrieved 21 January 2009.

* v
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Seasons in English football

1870s|

|  |  |  1871–72 |  1872–73 |  1873–74 |  1874–75 |  1875–76 |  1876–77 |  1877–78 |  1878–79

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1880s|

|  1879–80 |  1880–81 |  1881–82 |  1882–83 |  1883–84 |  1884–85 |  1885–86 |  1886–87 |  1887–88 |  1888–89

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1890s|

|  1889–90 |  1890–91 |  1891–92 |  1892–93 |  1893–94 |  1894–95 |  1895–96 |  1896–97 |  1897–98 |  1898–99

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1900s|

|  1899–1900 |  1900–01 |  1901–02 |  1902–03 |  1903–04 |  1904–05 |  1905–06 |  1906–07 |  1907–08 |  1908–09

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1910s|

|  1909–10 |  1910–11 |  1911–12 |  1912–13 |  1913–14 |  1914–15 |  1915–16 |  1916–17 |  1917–18 |  1918–19

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1920s|

|  1919–20 |  1920–21 |  1921–22 |  1922–23 |  1923–24 |  1924–25 |  1925–26 |  1926–27 |  1927–28 |  1928–29

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1930s|

|  1929–30 |  1930–31 |  1931–32 |  1932–33 |  1933–34 |  1934–35 |  1935–36 |  1936–37 |  1937–38 |  1938–39

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1940s|

|  1939–40 |  1940–41 |  1941–42 |  1942–43 |  1943–44 |  1944–45 |  1945–46 |  1946–47 |  1947–48 |  1948–49

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1950s|

|  1949–50 |  1950–51 |  1951–52 |  1952–53 |  1953–54 |  1954–55 |  1955–56 |  1956–57 |  1957–58 |  1958–59

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1960s|

|  1959–60 |  1960–61 |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69

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1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–2000 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  2024–25 |  |  |  |

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Italics denote wartime and nationally suspended seasons.

* v
* t
* e

1899–1900 in English football

« 1898–99

1900–01 »

FA competitions|

* FA Cup
* Qualifying rounds
* Final
* Charity Shield

Football and Southern Leagues|

* Football League
* First Division
* Second Division
* Southern League

Lower leagues|

* Northern League
* The Combination
* Western League

Related to national team|

* Home Championship

Club seasons

First Division|

* Aston Villa
* Blackburn Rovers
* Burnley
* Bury
* Derby County
* Everton
* Glossop
* Liverpool
* Manchester City
* Newcastle United
* Nottingham Forest
* Notts County
* Preston North End
* Sheffield United
* Stoke
* Sunderland
* West Bromwich Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Barnsley
* Bolton Wanderers
* Burslem Port Vale
* Burton United
* Chesterfield
* Gainsborough Trinity
* Grimsby Town
* Leicester Fosse
* Lincoln City
* Loughborough
* Luton Town
* New Brighton Tower
* Newton Heath
* Middlesbrough
* Small Heath
* Walsall
* The Wednesday
* Woolwich Arsenal

Southern League|

* Bedminster
* Brentford
* Bristol City
* Bristol Rovers
* Gravesend United
* Millwall
* New Brompton
* Portsmouth
* Queens Park Rangers
* Reading
* Sheppey United
* Southampton
* Swindon Town
* Thames Ironworks
* Tottenham Hotspur
* Watford

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