# 1897–98 Football League

The 1897–98 season was the tenth season of The Football League.

## 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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Sheffield United (C) | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 56 | 31 | 1.806 | 42 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | Qualification for test matches |
| 16 | Stoke (O) | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 35 | 55 | 0.636 | 24 | Qualification for test matches |
* ↑ Blackburn Rovers were initially relegated but were later reprieved due to the First Division expanding to 18 teams for the following season.

### Results

| Home \ Away | AST | BLB | BOL | BRY | DER | EVE | LIV | NOT | NTC | PNE | SHU | STK | SUN | WED | WBA | WOL |
| Aston Villa | | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 4–3 | | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2–0 | 1–2 | | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Bury | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–5 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Derby County | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
| Everton | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–0 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 6–1 | 3–0 |
| Liverpool | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Notts County | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Preston North End | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Sheffield United | 1–0 | 5–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 4–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Stoke | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Sunderland | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| The Wednesday | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–6 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 2–0 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | | 2–2 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | |

### Maps
## Second Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Burnley (C, O, P) | 30 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 80 | 24 | 3.333 | 48 | Qualification for test matches |
| 2 | Newcastle United (O, P) | 30 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 64 | 32 | 2.000 | 45 | Qualification for 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 | 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 | Re-elected |
| 16 | Loughborough | 30 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 87 | 0.276 | 14 | Re-elected |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BLP | BUR | BRS | DRW | GAI | GRI | LEI | LIN | LOU | LUT | MCI | NEW | NWH | SMH | WAL | WOO |
| Blackpool | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Burnley | 5–1 | | 2–0 | 6–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 9–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 6–3 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 |
| Burton Swifts | 2–1 | 0–2 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 |
| Darwen | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 4–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Grimsby Town | 3–0 | 2–1 | 7–2 | 5–0 | 4–2 | | 0–0 | 4–2 | 7–0 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Leicester Fosse | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Lincoln City | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Loughborough | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 |
| Luton Town | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 9–3 | 7–0 | | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 |
| Manchester City | 3–3 | 1–1 | 9–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–1 |
| Newcastle United | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 |
| Newton Heath | 4–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 6–0 | 5–1 |
| Small Heath | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 6–0 | 2–1 |
| Walsall | 6–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 3–2 |
| Woolwich Arsenal | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 4–0 | |

### 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. Each First Division team plays both Second Division teams in a mini league format, the top two finishers would then be 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.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| (1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers | 1–5 | Burnley (2nd Div. Champions) | 1–3 Thu 21 Apr | 0–2 Sat 23 Apr |
| (2nd Div. 2nd) Newcastle United | 2–2 | Stoke (1st Div. 16th) | 2–1 Wed 20 Apr | 0–1 Sat 23 Apr |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| (2nd Div. Champions) Burnley | 0–2 | Stoke (1st Div. 16th) | 0–2 Tue 26 Apr | 0–0 Sat 30 Apr |
| (1st Div. 15th) Blackburn Rovers | 4–7 | Newcastle United (2nd Div. 2nd) | 4–3 Thu 28 Apr | 0–4 Sat 30 Apr |

### Summary

Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football, and Association Football present the following table with the heading given above.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Stoke | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 | Elected to play in First Division |
| 2 | Burnley | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | Elected to play in First Division |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 4 | To remain in Second Division, eventually elected to First Division |
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 2 | To remain in Second Division, eventually elected to First Division |

### 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 were elected 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.