1895–96 Football League
8th season of the Football League
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The 1895–96 season was the eighth season of The Football League.
| Season | 1895–96 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aston Villa |
| Relegated | Crewe Alexandra Burslem Port Vale Rotherham Town |
| New Club in League | Loughborough |
← 1894–95 1896–97 → | |
Final league tables
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
| Season | 1895–96 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aston Villa 2nd title |
| Relegated | Small Heath |
| Matches | 240 |
| Goals | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Results
Maps
Second Division
| Season | 1895–96 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Liverpool |
| Promoted | Liverpool |
| Matches | 240 |
| Goals | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (R) | 30 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 43 | 78 | 0.551 | 18 | Resigned from league |
| 15 | Rotherham Town | 30 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 34 | 97 | 0.351 | 17 | Resigned from league and folded |
| 16 | Crewe Alexandra (R) | 30 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 30 | 95 | 0.316 | 13 | Resigned from league |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Results
Maps
Test Matches
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 changed from previous seasons, with the number of participants reduced from six to four (two from each division). Each First Division team played both Second Division teams in a mini league format. The top two finishers were then 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
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (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
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (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 |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Consequences
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.
Attendances
First Division
| # | Football club | Home games | Average attendance[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everton FC | 15 | 16,080 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 15 | 12,360 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 15 | 9,535 |
| 4 | The Wednesday | 15 | 8,975 |
| 5 | Derby County | 15 | 8,360 |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 15 | 7,810 |
| 7 | Bury FC | 15 | 7,800 |
| 8 | Stoke FC | 15 | 7,600 |
| 9 | Preston North End | 15 | 6,975 |
| 10 | Sheffield United | 15 | 6,865 |
| 11 | Nottingham Forest | 15 | 6,625 |
| 12 | Sunderland AFC | 15 | 6,210 |
| 13 | Small Heath FC | 15 | 6,065 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 15 | 6,005 |
| 15 | Burnley FC | 15 | 5,875 |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 15 | 5,660 |