1897–98 in English football

Football in England
Season	1897–98
Men's football
First Division	Sheffield United
Second Division	Burnley
Northern League	Stockton
Midland League	Mexborough
Southern League	Southampton
FA Cup	Nottingham Forest
FA Amateur Cup	Middlesbrough
Sheriff of London; Charity Shield	Shared between Corinthian; and Sheffield United

The 1897–98 season was the 27th season of competitive football in England.

Honours[]

Competition	Winner
First Division	Sheffield United (1)
Second Division	Burnley
FA Cup	Nottingham Forest (1)
Home Championship	England

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

Football League[]

First Division[]

Sheffield United won the First Division to become champions of English football for the only time in their history.

Pos	Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification
1	Sheffield United	30	17	8	5	56	31	1.806	42	League Champions
2	Sunderland	30	16	5	9	43	30	1.433	37
3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	30	14	7	9	57	41	1.390	35
4	Everton	30	13	9	8	48	39	1.231	35
5	The Wednesday	30	15	3	12	51	42	1.214	33
6	Aston Villa	30	14	5	11	61	51	1.196	33
7	West Bromwich Albion	30	11	10	9	44	45	0.978	32
8	Nottingham Forest	30	11	9	10	47	49	0.959	31	FA Cup Winners
9	Liverpool	30	11	6	13	48	45	1.067	28
10	Derby County	30	11	6	13	57	61	0.934	28
11	Bolton Wanderers	30	11	4	15	28	41	0.683	26
12	Preston North End	30	8	8	14	35	43	0.814	24
13	Notts County	30	8	8	14	36	46	0.783	24
14	Bury	30	8	8	14	39	51	0.765	24
15	Blackburn Rovers	30	7	10	13	39	54	0.722	24	Into test matches
16	Stoke	30	8	8	14	35	55	0.636	24	Into test matches

Source:^{[citation needed]}

Second Division[]

This was the final season of using 'Test Matches' to decide relegation and promotion between the divisions. The Second Division was won by Burnley; both they and runners-up Newcastle United were promoted to the expanded First Division, rendering the results of the end of season Test Matches meaningless. From the 1898–99 season onwards, automatic relegation and promotion of the bottom two/top two sides from each division was introduced.

Luton Town replaced Burton Wanderers.

Pos	Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification
1	Burnley	30	20	8	2	80	24	3.333	48^[a]	Division Champions, into test matches
2	Newcastle United	30	21	3	6	64	32	2.000	45^[a]	Into test matches
3	Manchester City	30	15	9	6	66	36	1.833	39
4	Newton Heath	30	16	6	8	64	35	1.829	38
5	Woolwich Arsenal	30	16	5	9	69	49	1.408	37
6	Small Heath	30	16	4	10	58	50	1.160	36
7	Leicester Fosse	30	13	7	10	46	35	1.314	33
8	Luton Town^[b]	30	13	4	13	68	50	1.360	30
9	Gainsborough Trinity	30	12	6	12	50	54	0.926	30
10	Walsall	30	12	5	13	58	58	1.000	29
11	Blackpool	30	10	5	15	49	61	0.803	25
12	Grimsby Town	30	10	4	16	52	62	0.839	24
13	Burton Swifts	30	8	5	17	38	69	0.551	21
14	Lincoln City	30	6	5	19	43	82	0.524	17	Re-elected
15	Darwen	30	6	2	22	31	76	0.408	14
16	Loughborough	30	6	2	22	24	87	0.276	14

Source: ^[1]
Notes:

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Promoted to the expanded First Division.
^ New club in the league

References[]

^ League Division Two table at close of 1897–98 season. 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 September 2017. Select date if required via dropdown menus.

[table_hth_BUR0.74998786102514-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Promoted to the expanded First Division.

[table_note_LUT0.74998786102514-2] New club in the league

[3] League Division Two table at close of 1897–98 season. 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 September 2017. Select date if required via dropdown menus.

[a]

[b]

[1]