FOOTBALL LEAGUE SECOND DIVISION
| POS |
Club/Team Name |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GD |
PTS |
| 1 |
BURNLEY |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2 |
NEWCASTLE UNITED |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 3 |
MANCHESTER CITY |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 4 |
NEWTON HEATH |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 5 |
WOOLWICH ARSENAL |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 6 |
SMALL HEATH |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 7 |
LEICESTER FOSSE |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 8 |
LUTON TOWN |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 9 |
GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 10 |
WALSALL |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 11 |
BLACKPOOL |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 12 |
GRIMSBY TOWN |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 13 |
BURTON SWIFTS |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 14 |
LINCOLN CITY |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 15 |
DARWEN |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 16 |
LOUGHBOROUGH |
34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
 |
- Division Champs, Club Entered into a Test Match
|
 |
- Club Entered into a Test Match
|
 |
- Re-elected to the 1897-98 League Second Division (See Notes Below)
|
 |
- Promoted from Non-League Football League (Luton Town)
|
 |
- Failed Re-election (None)
|
** Test Matches Notes **
The test matches were a kind of play-offs, in which the bottom 1st Division teams faced the top 2nd
Division teams. The 1st Division teams, if coming out as winners, would retain their places in the
division. If a 2nd Division team won, it would be considered for 1st Division membership through an
election process. Losing 2nd Division teams would stay in the 2nd Division.
** Test Match #1 (Round 1) **
Burnley (2nd Div. Champion) vs. Blackburn Rovers (1st Div. 15th place).
Burnley won the first round aggregate (5-0).
** Test Match #2 (Round 1)**
Newcastle United (2nd Div. 2nd place) vs. Stoke (1st Div. 16th place).
Stoke won the first round aggregate (2-2 draw).
** Test Match Consequences **
Burnley and Stoke City entered the last match needing a draw for promotion (or in Stoke's case to retain
their First Division place). A 0–0 draw ensued, reportedly 'The Match without a shot at goal' and the League
immediately withdrew the Test Match system in favour of automatic promotion and relegation. Ironically, the
League also decided to expand the top division to 18 teams after the Test Match series of 1897–98 and the
other two teams, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United also went into the top division for the following
season, negating the effect of Burnley and Stoke's reputed collusion. In the end, the test matches and their
results seem to have served no particular purpose. After this season the test matches were scrapped in favour
of direct promotion and relegation.
Other Notes ~ Gainsborough Trinity, Blackpool and Walsall were invited to join the Football League's
Second Division replacing the three clubs that failed election from last season. Also, Burton Swifts
and Lincoln City were both re-elected to play in the 1897-98 Second Division.
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1897-98 English Football League/Cup Winners
| League First Division |
- |
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Sheffield United |
| League Second Division |
- |
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Burnley |
| FA Cup |
- |
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Nottingham Forest |
| FA Amateur Cup |
- |
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Middlesbrough |
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CURRENT SEASON
1897-98 |
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CLICK HERE ...
To Visit The 1897-98 First Division Main Page.
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CLICK Any Years To Review League Standings
THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE (Divisions 2-4)
[Plus the Top Division of the Football Conference in England]
** NOTE ** The 1940-41 thru 1945-46 League Seasons cancelled due to World War II,
while clubs only completed 3 matches each before the 1939-40 Season was cancelled.
** NOTE ** The 1915-16 thru 1918-19 League Seasons cancelled due to World War I.
Click Here To View The ...
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