1959–60 in English football

80th season of competitive football in England

Football in EnglandSeason| 1959–60

|

Men's football
First Division| Burnley
Second Division| Aston Villa
Third Division| Southampton
Fourth Division| Walsall
FA Cup| Wolverhampton Wanderers
Charity Shield| Wolverhampton Wanderers
| <- 1958–59 |  | 1960–61 ->

|
|

The 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.

## Diary of the season

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2009)

|

17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of lowly Liverpool, languishing in the lower depths of the Second Division, after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First Division.

1 December 1959: Bill Shankly of Huddersfield Town accepts the offer to become Second Division club Liverpool's new manager.[1]

25 December 1959: The last Football League games to be played on Christmas Day are held – Blackburn defeated Blackpool 1–0 in the First Division and Coventry beat Wrexham 5–3 in the Third Division.

15 March 1960 Second Division Manchester City pay Huddersfield Town a club record £55,000 transfer fee for Denis Law.[2][better source needed]

7 May 1960: Wolverhampton Wanderers defeat Blackburn Rovers 3–0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, with two goals from Norman Deeley and an own goal from Mick McGrath.

## Honours

[edit]

Competition | Winner | Runner-up

|
|

First Division | Burnley (2) | Wolverhampton Wanderers
Second Division | Aston Villa | Cardiff City
Third Division | Southampton | Norwich City
Fourth Division | Walsall | Notts County
FA Cup | Wolverhampton Wanderers (4) | Blackburn Rovers
Charity Shield | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Nottingham Forest
Home Championship |  England,  Scotland & Wales shared

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

## Awards

[edit]

Football Writers' Association

* Footballer of the Year – Bill Slater (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

## Football League

[edit]

Main article: 1959–60 Football League

### First Division

[edit]

Burnley failed to top the First Division all season, but pipped Wolves to top spot on the final day of their season to clinch the title. Wolves finished their season on 30-April on 54 points. Burnley's last game of the season was on Monday, 2 May, which they won to move to 55 points. The runners-up Wolves, while missing out on a third successive league title and becoming the first team this century to win the elusive double, went on to win the FA Cup this season. Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion and newly promoted Sheffield Wednesday completed the top five. Manchester United, last season's runners-up, dipped to seventh in the league this season despite 32 goals from forward Dennis Viollet and the mid-season signing of half-back Maurice Setters. Luton Town, last season's FA Cup finalists, went down in bottom place, and were joined in relegation by Leeds United.

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Burnley | 42  | 24  | 7  | 11  | 85  | 61  | 1.393  | 55  | Qualified for the European Cup
2  | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42  | 24  | 6  | 12  | 106  | 67  | 1.582  | 54  | Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup
3  | Tottenham Hotspur | 42  | 21  | 11  | 10  | 86  | 50  | 1.720  | 53  |
4  | West Bromwich Albion | 42  | 19  | 11  | 12  | 83  | 57  | 1.456  | 49
5  | Sheffield Wednesday | 42  | 19  | 11  | 12  | 80  | 59  | 1.356  | 49
6  | Bolton Wanderers | 42  | 20  | 8  | 14  | 59  | 51  | 1.157  | 48
7  | Manchester United | 42  | 19  | 7  | 16  | 102  | 80  | 1.275  | 45
8  | Newcastle United | 42  | 18  | 8  | 16  | 82  | 78  | 1.051  | 44
9  | Preston North End | 42  | 16  | 12  | 14  | 79  | 76  | 1.039  | 44
10  | Fulham | 42  | 17  | 10  | 15  | 73  | 80  | 0.913  | 44
11  | Blackpool | 42  | 15  | 10  | 17  | 59  | 71  | 0.831  | 40
12  | Leicester City | 42  | 13  | 13  | 16  | 66  | 75  | 0.880  | 39
13  | Arsenal | 42  | 15  | 9  | 18  | 68  | 80  | 0.850  | 39
14  | West Ham United | 42  | 16  | 6  | 20  | 75  | 91  | 0.824  | 38
15  | Everton | 42  | 13  | 11  | 18  | 73  | 78  | 0.936  | 37
16  | Manchester City | 42  | 17  | 3  | 22  | 78  | 84  | 0.929  | 37
17  | Blackburn Rovers | 42  | 16  | 5  | 21  | 60  | 70  | 0.857  | 37
18  | Chelsea | 42  | 14  | 9  | 19  | 76  | 91  | 0.835  | 37
19  | Birmingham City | 42  | 13  | 10  | 19  | 63  | 80  | 0.788  | 36
20  | Nottingham Forest | 42  | 13  | 9  | 20  | 50  | 74  | 0.676  | 35
21  | Leeds United | 42  | 12  | 10  | 20  | 65  | 92  | 0.707  | 34  | Relegated to the Second Division
22  | Luton Town | 42  | 9  | 12  | 21  | 50  | 73  | 0.685  | 30

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

### Second Division

[edit]

Aston Villa earned an immediate return to the First Division as Second Division champions, and were joined in promotion by runners-up Cardiff City. Liverpool's change of manager from Phil Taylor to Bill Shankly was not enough to earn them promotion, as they finished in third place, eight points adrift of promotion. Huddersfield Town could only finish sixth in the Second Division despite the goals of brilliant young forward Denis Law, who was sold to Manchester City towards the end of the season for a national record fee.

Hull City and Bristol City went down to the Third Division.

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Aston Villa | 42  | 25  | 9  | 8  | 89  | 43  | 2.070  | 59  | Promoted to the First Division
2  | Cardiff City | 42  | 23  | 12  | 7  | 90  | 62  | 1.452  | 58
3  | Liverpool | 42  | 20  | 10  | 12  | 90  | 66  | 1.364  | 50  |
4  | Sheffield United | 42  | 19  | 12  | 11  | 68  | 51  | 1.333  | 50
5  | Middlesbrough | 42  | 19  | 10  | 13  | 90  | 64  | 1.406  | 48
6  | Huddersfield Town | 42  | 19  | 9  | 14  | 73  | 52  | 1.404  | 47
7  | Charlton Athletic | 42  | 17  | 13  | 12  | 90  | 87  | 1.034  | 47
8  | Rotherham United | 42  | 17  | 13  | 12  | 61  | 60  | 1.017  | 47
9  | Bristol Rovers | 42  | 18  | 11  | 13  | 72  | 78  | 0.923  | 47
10  | Leyton Orient | 42  | 15  | 14  | 13  | 76  | 61  | 1.246  | 44
11  | Ipswich Town | 42  | 19  | 6  | 17  | 78  | 68  | 1.147  | 44
12  | Swansea Town | 42  | 15  | 10  | 17  | 82  | 84  | 0.976  | 40
13  | Lincoln City | 42  | 16  | 7  | 19  | 75  | 78  | 0.962  | 39
14  | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42  | 13  | 12  | 17  | 67  | 76  | 0.882  | 38
15  | Scunthorpe United | 42  | 13  | 10  | 19  | 57  | 71  | 0.803  | 36
16  | Sunderland | 42  | 12  | 12  | 18  | 52  | 65  | 0.800  | 36
17  | Stoke City | 42  | 14  | 7  | 21  | 66  | 83  | 0.795  | 35
18  | Derby County | 42  | 14  | 7  | 21  | 61  | 77  | 0.792  | 35
19  | Plymouth Argyle | 42  | 13  | 9  | 20  | 61  | 89  | 0.685  | 35
20  | Portsmouth | 42  | 10  | 12  | 20  | 59  | 77  | 0.766  | 32
21  | Hull City | 42  | 10  | 10  | 22  | 48  | 76  | 0.632  | 30  | Relegated to the Third Division
22  | Bristol City | 42  | 11  | 5  | 26  | 60  | 97  | 0.619  | 27

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

### Third Division

[edit]

The Third Division promotion race was very much a two-horse race for much of the season, ending with Southampton going up as champions and Norwich City as runners-up.

Accrington Stanley, Wrexham, York City and Mansfield Town went down to the Fourth Division.

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Southampton | 46  | 26  | 9  | 11  | 106  | 75  | 1.413  | 61  | Promoted to the Second Division
2  | Norwich City | 46  | 24  | 11  | 11  | 82  | 54  | 1.519  | 59
3  | Shrewsbury Town | 46  | 18  | 16  | 12  | 97  | 75  | 1.293  | 52  |
4  | Grimsby Town | 46  | 18  | 16  | 12  | 87  | 70  | 1.243  | 52
5  | Coventry City | 46  | 21  | 10  | 15  | 78  | 63  | 1.238  | 52
6  | Brentford | 46  | 21  | 9  | 16  | 78  | 61  | 1.279  | 51
7  | Bury | 46  | 21  | 9  | 16  | 64  | 51  | 1.255  | 51
8  | Queens Park Rangers | 46  | 18  | 13  | 15  | 73  | 54  | 1.352  | 49
9  | Colchester United | 46  | 18  | 11  | 17  | 83  | 74  | 1.122  | 47
10  | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 46  | 17  | 13  | 16  | 72  | 72  | 1.000  | 47
11  | Reading | 46  | 18  | 10  | 18  | 84  | 77  | 1.091  | 46
12  | Southend United | 46  | 19  | 8  | 19  | 76  | 74  | 1.027  | 46
13  | Newport County | 46  | 20  | 6  | 20  | 80  | 79  | 1.013  | 46
14  | Port Vale | 46  | 19  | 8  | 19  | 80  | 79  | 1.013  | 46
15  | Halifax Town | 46  | 18  | 10  | 18  | 70  | 72  | 0.972  | 46
16  | Swindon Town | 46  | 19  | 8  | 19  | 69  | 78  | 0.885  | 46
17  | Barnsley | 46  | 15  | 14  | 17  | 65  | 66  | 0.985  | 44
18  | Chesterfield | 46  | 18  | 7  | 21  | 71  | 84  | 0.845  | 43
19  | Bradford City | 46  | 15  | 12  | 19  | 66  | 74  | 0.892  | 42
20  | Tranmere Rovers | 46  | 14  | 13  | 19  | 72  | 75  | 0.960  | 41
21  | York City | 46  | 13  | 12  | 21  | 57  | 73  | 0.781  | 38  | Relegated to the Fourth Division
22  | Mansfield Town | 46  | 15  | 6  | 25  | 81  | 112  | 0.723  | 36
23  | Wrexham | 46  | 14  | 8  | 24  | 68  | 101  | 0.673  | 36
24  | Accrington Stanley | 46  | 11  | 5  | 30  | 57  | 123  | 0.463  | 27

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

### Fourth Division

[edit]

Walsall sealed the Fourth Division title and with it a place in the Third Division. They were joined in the higher division by Notts County, Torquay United and Watford.

Gateshead were voted out of the Football League and replaced by ambitious Southern League side Peterborough United, who boasted a 30,000-capacity stadium.

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Walsall | 46  | 28  | 9  | 9  | 102  | 60  | 1.700  | 65  | Promoted to the Third Division
2  | Notts County | 46  | 26  | 8  | 12  | 107  | 69  | 1.551  | 60
3  | Torquay United | 46  | 26  | 8  | 12  | 84  | 58  | 1.448  | 60
4  | Watford | 46  | 24  | 9  | 13  | 92  | 67  | 1.373  | 57
5  | Millwall | 46  | 18  | 17  | 11  | 84  | 61  | 1.377  | 53  |
6  | Northampton Town | 46  | 22  | 9  | 15  | 85  | 63  | 1.349  | 53
7  | Gillingham | 46  | 21  | 10  | 15  | 74  | 69  | 1.072  | 52
8  | Crystal Palace | 46  | 19  | 12  | 15  | 84  | 64  | 1.313  | 50
9  | Exeter City | 46  | 19  | 11  | 16  | 80  | 70  | 1.143  | 49
10  | Stockport County | 46  | 19  | 11  | 16  | 58  | 54  | 1.074  | 49
11  | Bradford Park Avenue | 46  | 17  | 15  | 14  | 70  | 68  | 1.029  | 49
12  | Rochdale | 46  | 18  | 10  | 18  | 65  | 60  | 1.083  | 46
13  | Aldershot | 46  | 18  | 9  | 19  | 77  | 74  | 1.041  | 45
14  | Crewe Alexandra | 46  | 18  | 9  | 19  | 79  | 88  | 0.898  | 45
15  | Darlington | 46  | 17  | 9  | 20  | 63  | 73  | 0.863  | 43
16  | Workington | 46  | 14  | 14  | 18  | 68  | 60  | 1.133  | 42
17  | Doncaster Rovers | 46  | 16  | 10  | 20  | 69  | 76  | 0.908  | 42
18  | Barrow | 46  | 15  | 11  | 20  | 77  | 87  | 0.885  | 41
19  | Carlisle United | 46  | 15  | 11  | 20  | 51  | 66  | 0.773  | 41
20  | Chester | 46  | 14  | 12  | 20  | 59  | 77  | 0.766  | 40
21  | Southport | 46  | 10  | 14  | 22  | 48  | 92  | 0.522  | 34  | Re-elected
22  | Gateshead | 46  | 12  | 9  | 25  | 58  | 86  | 0.674  | 33  | Not re-elected
23  | Oldham Athletic | 46  | 8  | 12  | 26  | 41  | 83  | 0.494  | 28  | Re-elected
24  | Hartlepools United | 46  | 10  | 7  | 29  | 59  | 109  | 0.541  | 27

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

### Top goalscorers

[edit]

First Division

* Dennis Viollet (Manchester United) – 32 goals[3]

Second Division

* Brian Clough (Middlesbrough) – 39 goals[3]

Third Division

* Derek Reeves (Southampton) – 39 goals[4]

Fourth Division

* Cliff Holton (Watford) – 42 goals[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A timeline for Liverpool Football Club - LFChistory - Stats galore for Liverpool FC!".
2. ^ "15 March 1960 – Sometimes, You Have To Spend Money To Make Money". thisdayinfootballhistory.blogspot.com. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
3. ^ a b "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
4. ^ a b "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 June 2017.

* v
* t
* e

Seasons in English football

1870s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1880s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1890s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1900s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1910s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1920s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1930s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1940s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1950s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1960s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1970s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1980s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2000s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2010s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Italics denote wartime and nationally suspended seasons.

* v
* t
* e

1959–60 in English football

« 1958–59

1960–61 »

FA competitions|

* FA Cup (Qualifying rounds
* Final)
* Charity Shield
* FA Amateur Cup

Football League|

* Football League (First Division
* Second Division
* Third Division
* Fourth Division)

Lower leagues|

* Hellenic League
* Isthmian League
* Northern League
* Southern League
* Spartan League
* Western League

European competitions|

* European Cup
* Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

Related to national team|

* Walter Winterbottom
* Home Championship

Club seasons

First Division|

* Arsenal
* Birmingham City
* Blackburn Rovers
* Blackpool
* Bolton Wanderers
* Burnley
* Chelsea
* Everton
* Fulham
* Leeds United
* Leicester City
* Luton Town
* Manchester City
* Manchester United
* Newcastle United
* Nottingham Forest
* Preston North End
* Sheffield Wednesday
* Tottenham Hotspur
* West Bromwich Albion
* West Ham United
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Aston Villa
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Bristol City
* Bristol Rovers
* Cardiff City
* Charlton Athletic
* Derby County
* Huddersfield Town
* Hull City
* Ipswich Town
* Leyton Orient
* Lincoln City
* Liverpool
* Middlesbrough
* Plymouth Argyle
* Portsmouth
* Rotherham United
* Scunthorpe United
* Sheffield United
* Stoke City
* Sunderland
* Swansea Town

Third Division|

* Accrington Stanley
* Barnsley
* Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
* Bradford City
* Brentford
* Bury
* Chesterfield
* Colchester United
* Coventry City
* Grimsby Town
* Halifax Town
* Mansfield Town
* Newport County
* Norwich City
* Port Vale
* Queens Park Rangers
* Reading
* Shrewsbury Town
* Southampton
* Southend United
* Swindon Town
* Tranmere Rovers
* Wrexham
* York City

Fourth Division|

* Aldershot
* Barrow
* Bradford Park Avenue
* Carlisle United
* Chester
* Crewe Alexandra
* Crystal Palace
* Darlington
* Doncaster Rovers
* Exeter City
* Gateshead
* Gillingham
* Hartlepools United
* Millwall
* Northampton Town
* Notts County
* Oldham Athletic
* Rochdale
* Southport
* Stockport County
* Torquay United
* Walsall
* Watford
* Workington

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