1939–40 Football League
The abandoned 1939–40 season would have been the 48th season of The Football League. The kick-off in all divisions took place on Saturday 26 August 1939.[1] On Friday 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On Saturday 2 September 1939, all divisions of the Football League played their third game of the season.[1] These would be the last fixtures before abandonment following the British declaration of war on Germany on Sunday 3 September 1939. Large gatherings of crowds were suspended with the implementation of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939.
Season | 1939–40 |
---|---|
Champions | N/A (season abandoned) |
← 1938–39 1946–47 → |
Blackpool were leading the First Division when the season was abandoned.[2]
League tables when season was abandoned
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[2] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[1] with home and away statistics separated.
Match results are drawn from Rothmans for all divisions.[1]
First Division
Season | 1939–40 |
---|---|
Matches played | 33 |
Goals scored | 83 (2.52 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Ted Drake Tommy Lawton (4 goals)[3] |
Biggest home win | Manchester United 4–0 Grimsby Town (26 August 1939) Stoke City 4–0 Charlton Athletic (26 Aug 1939) |
Biggest away win | Aston Villa 1–2 Everton (28 August 1939) Stoke City 1–2 Bolton Wanderers (28 August 1939) Sunderland 1–2 Huddersfield Town (30 August 1939) 0–1: three matches |
Highest scoring | Arsenal 5–2 Sunderland (2 September 1939) |
← 1938–39 1946–47 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Blackpool | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 6 | |
2 | Sheffield United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3.000 | 5 | |
3 | Arsenal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2.000 | 5 | |
4 | Liverpool | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 4 | |
5 | Everton | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 4 | |
6 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
7 | Derby County | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 4 | |
8 | Charlton Athletic | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 4 | |
9 | Stoke City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1.750 | 3 | |
10 | Manchester United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 3 | |
11 | Chelsea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 3 | |
12 | Brentford | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 | |
13 | Grimsby Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 3 | |
14 | Aston Villa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 2 | |
15 | Sunderland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 0.857 | 2 | |
16 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 2 | |
17 | Huddersfield Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0.667 | 2 | |
18 | Portsmouth | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 2 | |
19 | Preston North End | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 2 | |
20 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 1 | |
21 | Middlesbrough | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0.375 | 1 | Reprieved from relegation |
22 | Leeds United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Results
Second Division
Season | 1939–40 |
---|---|
Matches played | 32 |
Goals scored | 102 (3.19 per match) |
Biggest home win | Newcastle United 8–1 Swansea Town (2 September 1939) |
Biggest away win | Bradford Park Avenue 0–3 Luton Town (30 August 1939) |
Highest scoring | Newcastle United 8–1 Swansea Town (2 September 1939) |
← 1938–39 1946–47 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Luton Town | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7.000 | 5 | No promotion[lower-alpha 1] |
2 | Birmingham | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.000 | 5 | |
3 | Leicester City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
4 | Plymouth Argyle | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | 4 | |
5 | Coventry City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | 4 | |
6 | West Ham United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 4 | |
7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
8 | Nottingham Forest | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1.000 | 4 | |
9 | Manchester City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 3 | |
10 | Millwall | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 3 | |
11 | Newport County | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 3 | |
12 | West Bromwich Albion | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1.000 | 3 | |
13 | Bury | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 3 | |
14 | Newcastle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | 2 | |
15 | Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | |
16 | Barnsley | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0.875 | 2 | |
17 | Southampton | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 2 | |
18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 2 | |
19 | Swansea Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 0.455 | 2 | |
20 | Fulham | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 1 | |
21 | Burnley | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.333 | 1 | No relegation[lower-alpha 1] |
22 | Bradford Park Avenue | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.286 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- There was no promotion or relegation as the season was abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.
Results
Third Division North
Season | 1939–40 |
---|---|
Matches played | 31 |
Goals scored | 87 (2.81 per match) |
← 1938–39 1946–47 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Accrington Stanley | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6.000 | 6 |
2 | Halifax Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6.000 | 5 |
3 | Chester | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2.500 | 5 |
3 | Darlington | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2.500 | 5 |
5 | New Brighton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.200 | 4 |
6 | Rochdale | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.000 | 4 |
7 | Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 |
8 | Wrexham | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.500 | 3 |
9 | Tranmere Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1.000 | 3 |
10 | Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.857 | 3 |
11 | Rotherham United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.833 | 3 |
12 | Carlisle United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1.000 | 2 |
12 | Hull City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 2 |
14 | Gateshead | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.857 | 2 |
15 | Barrow | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.800 | 2 |
15 | Doncaster Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 |
15 | Southport | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.800 | 2 |
18 | Oldham Athletic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.600 | 2 |
19 | Hartlepools United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.250 | 2 |
20 | York City | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.600 | 1 |
21 | Bradford City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.500 | 1 |
22 | Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0 |
Results
Third Division South
Season | 1939–40 |
---|---|
Matches played | 32 |
Goals scored | 102 (3.19 per match) |
← 1938–39 1946–47 → |
Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Reading | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4.000 | 5 |
2 | Crystal Palace | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1.667 | 5 |
3 | Notts County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2.000 | 4 |
4 | Exeter City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.667 | 4 |
5 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1.250 | 4 |
6 | Cardiff City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1.000 | 4 |
7 | Clapton Orient | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0.889 | 4 |
8 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.250 | 3 |
9 | Ipswich Town | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 3 |
9 | Southend United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 3 |
9 | Walsall | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 |
12 | Norwich City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1.000 | 3 |
12 | Torquay United | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 3 |
14 | Bristol City | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 |
15 | Mansfield Town | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 |
16 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.800 | 2 |
16 | Watford | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.800 | 2 |
18 | Northampton Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0.167 | 2 |
19 | Aldershot | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.600 | 1 |
20 | Swindon Town | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 | 1 |
21 | Bristol Rovers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0.286 | 1 |
22 | Port Vale | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 1 |
Results
References
- Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
- "England 1938-39". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
- "The English National Football Archive". www.enfa.co.uk.