1896–97 in English football

The 1896–97 season was the 26th season of competitive football in England.

Football in England
Season1896–97
Men's football
First DivisionAston Villa
Second DivisionNotts County
Northern LeagueMiddlesbrough
Midland LeagueDoncaster Rovers
Southern LeagueSouthampton St. Mary's
FA CupAston Villa
FA Amateur CupOld Carthusians
England

Overview

Aston Villa became the second team (after Preston North End) to complete "the Double" of winning the Football League Championship and the FA Cup. No other team would complete the double for 64 years.

The Aston Villa team of 1897 that won The Double.

The Cup Final was played on 10 April 1897 between Aston Villa and Everton. At the start of the day, the top of the league table looked thus:[1]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Aston Villa 27 18 5 4 64 38 1.684 41
2 Derby County 26 15 4 7 66 43 1.535 34
3 Sheffield United 28 12 10 6 40 27 1.481 34
4 Preston North End 26 11 10 5 55 37 1.486 32
5 Liverpool 29 12 8 9 46 38 1.211 32
Source:

Consequently, with a total of 30 league games to play in the season, only Derby County had any "mathematical" possibility of overtaking Aston Villa to take the title. To do so, they would have needed to take at least seven points from their remaining four games, with Aston Villa losing their remaining three games. In the event, Derby lost 1–0 at Bury and Aston Villa were thus confirmed as League Champions on the same day that they went on to win the Cup. As a result, Villa became the first, and so far, only team to date to achieve the league and cup "double" on the same day.

Honours
CompetitionWinner
First DivisionAston Villa (3*)
Second DivisionNotts County
FA CupAston Villa (3)
Home Championship Scotland

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

Football League
Main article: 1896–97 Football League

First Division
Main article: 1896–97 Football League § First Division

The First Division was won by Aston Villa.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Aston Villa (C) 30 21 5 4 73 38 1.921 47
2 Sheffield United 30 13 10 7 42 29 1.448 36
3 Derby County 30 16 4 10 70 50 1.400 36
4 Preston North End 30 11 12 7 55 40 1.375 34
5 Liverpool 30 12 9 9 46 38 1.211 33
6 The Wednesday 30 10 11 9 42 37 1.135 31
7 Everton 30 14 3 13 62 57 1.088 31
8 Bolton Wanderers 30 12 6 12 40 43 0.930 30
9 Bury 30 10 10 10 39 44 0.886 30
10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 11 6 13 45 41 1.098 28
11 Nottingham Forest 30 9 8 13 44 49 0.898 26
12 West Bromwich Albion 30 10 6 14 33 56 0.589 26
13 Stoke 30 11 3 16 48 59 0.814 25
14 Blackburn Rovers 30 11 3 16 35 62 0.565 25
15 Sunderland (O) 30 7 9 14 34 47 0.723 23 Qualification for test matches
16 Burnley (R) 30 6 7 17 43 61 0.705 19
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Second Division
Main article: 1896–97 Football League § Second Division

Notts County won the Second Division and were elected to the First Division after winning a Test Match against Burnley. Following the failure of Rotherham Town, Burslem Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra to be re-elected into the Football League, Blackpool and Gainsborough Trinity joined the Second Division. Walsall (formerly Walsall Town Swifts) also returned after a season away.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Notts County (C, O, P) 30 19 4 7 92 43 2.140 42 Qualification for test matches
2 Newton Heath 30 17 5 8 56 34 1.647 39
3 Grimsby Town 30 17 4 9 66 45 1.467 38
4 Small Heath 30 16 5 9 69 47 1.468 37
5 Newcastle United 30 17 1 12 56 52 1.077 35
6 Manchester City 30 12 8 10 58 50 1.160 32
7 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 7 11 50 47 1.064 31
8 Blackpool 30 13 5 12 59 56 1.054 31
9 Leicester Fosse 30 13 4 13 59 57 1.035 30
10 Woolwich Arsenal 30 13 4 13 68 70 0.971 30
11 Darwen 30 14 0 16 67 61 1.098 28
12 Walsall 30 11 4 15 54 69 0.783 26
13 Loughborough 30 12 1 17 50 64 0.781 25
14 Burton Swifts 30 9 6 15 46 61 0.754 24 Re-elected
15 Burton Wanderers (R) 30 9 2 19 31 67 0.463 20 Not re-elected
16 Lincoln City 30 5 2 23 27 85 0.318 12 Re-elected
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Southern League
Main article: 1896–97 Southern Football League

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Southampton St.Mary's[lower-alpha 1] 20 15 5 0 63 18 3.500 35
2 Millwall Athletic 20 13 5 2 63 24 2.625 31
3 Chatham Town 20 13 1 6 54 29 1.862 27
4 Tottenham Hotspur 20 9 4 7 43 29 1.483 22
5 Gravesend United 20 9 4 7 35 34 1.029 22
6 Swindon Town 20 8 3 9 33 37 0.892 19
7 Reading 20 8 3 9 31 49 0.633 19
8 New Brompton 20 7 2 11 32 42 0.762 16
9 Northfleet 20 5 4 11 24 46 0.522 14 Relegation test matches
10 Sheppey United 20 5 1 14 34 47 0.723 11
11 Wolverton L&NWR 20 2 0 18 17 74 0.230 4
12 Royal Ordnance Factories 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 Resigned from league after seven matches, record expunged
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Notes:
  1. Changed name to Southampton at end of season

References
  1. This table was extrapolated from the final table, after excluding the results from 10 April onwards.
  2. Phil Soar. Tottenham Hotspur The Official Illustrated History 1882-1995. Hamlyn. p. 233. ISBN 0-600-58706-1.
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