# 1963–64 in English football

The 1963–64 season was the 84th season of competitive football in England, from August 1963 to May 1964.

## Diary of the season

* 17 August 1963 – Reigning league champions Everton won the Charity Shield after a 4–0 win over FA Cup winners Manchester United.
* 14 September 1963 – George Best, a 17-year-old Northern Irish winger, makes his debut for Manchester United in their 1–0 First Division win over West Bromwich Albion.
* 23 October 1963 – an England versus Rest of the World XI match is staged to mark the centenary of The Football Association. Against a star-studded opposition team containing Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Denis Law, Lev Yashin and Eusébio, England won 2–1 with goals from Terry Paine and Jimmy Greaves, while Denis Law scored for the Rest of the World.
* 26 December 1963 – 66 goals were scored in the 10 First Division matches. Fulham were the biggest winners, defeating Ipswich Town 10–1.
* 5 April 1964 – Tottenham captain Danny Blanchflower, 38, announced his retirement from playing.
* 8 April 1964 – Blackburn Rovers are announced as England's participant in the 1964 edition of the International Soccer League.
* 11 April 1964 – Scotland beat England 1–0 in the British Home Championship to leave the two level on four points in the final table. Northern Ireland subsequently defeated Wales to finish level on points with the other two, thus ensuring that the title was shared between three nations.
* 12 April 1964 – The Sunday People publishes allegations that lead to a betting scandal. It reported that Mansfield Town player Jimmy Gauld had, over several years, systematically engaged in match fixing, and that many other players were involved.
* 18 April 1964 – Liverpool beat Arsenal 5–0 at Anfield to secure the title. In their penultimate game of the season, Ipswich Town lose 3–1 to Blackburn Rovers, confirming their relegation two years after winning the League championship.
* 22 April 1964 – Leicester City win the League Cup – their first major trophy – with a 4–3 aggregate victory over Stoke City.
* 25 April 1964 – On the final day of the Second Division season, Leeds United win 2–0 at Charlton Athletic and Sunderland fail to beat Grimsby Town, meaning Leeds were crowned champions.
* 2 May 1964 – West Ham United beat Preston North End 3–2 at Wembley to win the FA Cup for the first time. Trailing 2–1 at half time, West Ham scored two second half goals to deny Preston.

## Notable debutants

* 14 September 1963 – George Best, 17-year-old Northern Irish winger, makes his debut for Manchester United against West Bromwich Albion in the First Division.

## Notable retirements

* 5 April 1964 – Danny Blanchflower, 38-year-old Tottenham Hotspur captain.

## Honours

| Competition | Winner | Runner-up |
| First Division | Liverpool (6) | Manchester United |
| Second Division | Leeds United | Sunderland |
| Third Division | Coventry City | Crystal Palace |
| Fourth Division | Gillingham | Carlisle United |
| FA Cup | West Ham United (1) | Preston North End |
| League Cup | Leicester City (1) | Stoke City |
| Charity Shield | Everton | Manchester United |
| Home Championship | England, Scotland, Northern Ireland | England, Scotland, Northern Ireland |
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

## Awards

Football Writers' Association
* Footballer of the Year – Bobby Moore (West Ham United)
Top goalscorer
* Jimmy Greaves (Tottenham Hotspur), 35

## Football League
### First Division

Liverpool clinched the First Division title just two seasons after winning promotion, finishing four points ahead of runners-up Manchester United while defending champions Everton finished third.
Tottenham Hotspur managed to finish fourth despite not winning any silverware and being without many key players for much of the season due to injury, while captain Danny Blanchflower announced his retirement from playing just before the season's end. Tragedy then struck the club after the season was over, when forward John White was struck by lightning and killed on a North London golf course.
Chelsea enjoyed a strong return to the First Division by finishing fifth, while Leicester City finally got their hands on a major trophy by winning the League Cup.
With Alf Ramsey having now left Ipswich Town to manage the England team, Ipswich Town struggled badly under his successor Jackie Milburn, and went down in bottom place having conceded 121 goals just two seasons after being league champions. Bolton Wanderers, who had gradually faded away since the retirement of centre-forward Nat Lofthouse in 1960, also went down.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Liverpool | 42 | 26 | 5 | 11 | 92 | 45 | 2.044 | 57 | Qualified for the European Cup |
| 2 | Manchester United | 42 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 90 | 62 | 1.452 | 53 | Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| 3 | Everton | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 84 | 64 | 1.313 | 52 | Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 97 | 81 | 1.198 | 51 | |
| 5 | Chelsea | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 72 | 56 | 1.286 | 50 | |
| 6 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 84 | 67 | 1.254 | 49 | |
| 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 89 | 65 | 1.369 | 46 | |
| 8 | Arsenal | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 90 | 82 | 1.098 | 45 | |
| 9 | Burnley | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 71 | 64 | 1.109 | 44 | |
| 10 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 70 | 61 | 1.148 | 43 | |
| 11 | Leicester City | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 61 | 58 | 1.052 | 43 | |
| 12 | Sheffield United | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 61 | 64 | 0.953 | 43 | |
| 13 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 68 | 0.941 | 41 | |
| 14 | West Ham United | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 69 | 74 | 0.932 | 40 | Qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup |
| 15 | Fulham | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 58 | 65 | 0.892 | 39 | |
| 16 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 70 | 80 | 0.875 | 39 | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 77 | 78 | 0.987 | 38 | |
| 18 | Blackpool | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 52 | 73 | 0.712 | 35 | |
| 19 | Aston Villa | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 62 | 71 | 0.873 | 34 | |
| 20 | Birmingham City | 42 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 54 | 92 | 0.587 | 29 | |
| 21 | Bolton Wanderers | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 48 | 80 | 0.600 | 28 | Relegated to the Second Division |
| 22 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 9 | 7 | 26 | 56 | 121 | 0.463 | 25 | Relegated to the Second Division |

### Second Division

Leeds United returned to the First Division after seven years away by clinching the Second Division title under ambitious manager Don Revie, while Sunderland's six-year exile from the First Division was ended by promotion as Second Division runners-up.
Grimsby Town and Scunthorpe United slipped into the Third Division.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Leeds United | 42 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 71 | 34 | 2.088 | 63 | Promoted to the First Division |
| 2 | Sunderland | 42 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 81 | 37 | 2.189 | 61 | Promoted to the First Division |
| 3 | Preston North End | 42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 79 | 54 | 1.463 | 56 | |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 76 | 70 | 1.086 | 48 | |
| 5 | Southampton | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 100 | 73 | 1.370 | 47 | |
| 6 | Manchester City | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 84 | 66 | 1.273 | 46 | |
| 7 | Rotherham United | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 90 | 78 | 1.154 | 45 | |
| 8 | Newcastle United | 42 | 20 | 5 | 17 | 74 | 69 | 1.072 | 45 | |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 79 | 70 | 1.129 | 43 | |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 67 | 52 | 1.288 | 41 | |
| 11 | Northampton Town | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 60 | 0.967 | 41 | |
| 12 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 57 | 64 | 0.891 | 40 | |
| 13 | Derby County | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 67 | 0.836 | 39 | |
| 14 | Swindon Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 69 | 0.826 | 38 | |
| 15 | Cardiff City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 56 | 81 | 0.691 | 38 | |
| 16 | Leyton Orient | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 54 | 72 | 0.750 | 36 | |
| 17 | Norwich City | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 64 | 80 | 0.800 | 35 | |
| 18 | Bury | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 57 | 73 | 0.781 | 35 | |
| 19 | Swansea Town | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 63 | 74 | 0.851 | 33 | |
| 20 | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 45 | 67 | 0.672 | 32 | |
| 21 | Grimsby Town | 42 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 47 | 75 | 0.627 | 32 | Relegated to the Third Division |
| 22 | Scunthorpe United | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 52 | 82 | 0.634 | 30 | Relegated to the Third Division |

### Third Division

Coventry City made the breakthrough into the Second Division as champions of the Third Division, finishing level on points at the top of the league with Crystal Palace.
Notts County, Wrexham, Crewe Alexandra and Millwall were all relegated to the Fourth Division.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Coventry City | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 98 | 61 | 1.607 | 60 | Promoted to the Second Division |
| 2 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 73 | 51 | 1.431 | 60 | Promoted to the Second Division |
| 3 | Watford | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 79 | 59 | 1.339 | 58 | |
| 4 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 46 | 24 | 8 | 14 | 79 | 58 | 1.362 | 56 | |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 84 | 64 | 1.313 | 55 | |
| 6 | Reading | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 79 | 62 | 1.274 | 52 | |
| 7 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 76 | 62 | 1.226 | 51 | |
| 8 | Hull City | 46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 73 | 68 | 1.074 | 49 | |
| 9 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 73 | 70 | 1.043 | 48 | |
| 10 | Peterborough United | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 75 | 70 | 1.071 | 47 | |
| 11 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 73 | 80 | 0.913 | 47 | |
| 12 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 91 | 79 | 1.152 | 46 | |
| 13 | Port Vale | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 49 | 1.082 | 46 | |
| 14 | Southend United | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 77 | 78 | 0.987 | 45 | |
| 15 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 76 | 78 | 0.974 | 45 | |
| 16 | Brentford | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 87 | 80 | 1.088 | 44 | |
| 17 | Colchester United | 46 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 70 | 68 | 1.029 | 43 | |
| 18 | Luton Town | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 64 | 80 | 0.800 | 42 | |
| 19 | Walsall | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 59 | 76 | 0.776 | 40 | |
| 20 | Barnsley | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 68 | 94 | 0.723 | 39 | |
| 21 | Millwall | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 53 | 67 | 0.791 | 38 | Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| 22 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 50 | 77 | 0.649 | 34 | Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| 23 | Wrexham | 46 | 13 | 6 | 27 | 75 | 107 | 0.701 | 32 | Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| 24 | Notts County | 46 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 45 | 92 | 0.489 | 27 | Relegated to the Fourth Division |

### Fourth Division

Gillingham finished champions of the Fourth Division, ahead of runners-up Carlisle United on goal average. They enjoyed a narrow lead over third placed Workington and fourth placed Exeter City. Bradford City bounced back from having to apply for re-election to just missing out on promotion in the space of a season.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Gillingham | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 59 | 30 | 1.967 | 60 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 113 | 58 | 1.948 | 60 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 3 | Workington | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 76 | 52 | 1.462 | 59 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 4 | Exeter City | 46 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 62 | 37 | 1.676 | 58 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 5 | Bradford City | 46 | 25 | 6 | 15 | 76 | 62 | 1.226 | 56 | |
| 6 | Torquay United | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 80 | 54 | 1.481 | 51 | |
| 7 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 85 | 73 | 1.164 | 51 | |
| 8 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 71 | 52 | 1.365 | 50 | |
| 9 | Aldershot | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 83 | 78 | 1.064 | 48 | |
| 10 | Halifax Town | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 77 | 77 | 1.000 | 48 | |
| 11 | Lincoln City | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 67 | 75 | 0.893 | 47 | |
| 12 | Chester | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 65 | 60 | 1.083 | 46 | |
| 13 | Bradford Park Avenue | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 75 | 81 | 0.926 | 45 | |
| 14 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 70 | 75 | 0.933 | 42 | |
| 15 | Newport County | 46 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 64 | 73 | 0.877 | 42 | |
| 16 | Chesterfield | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 57 | 71 | 0.803 | 42 | |
| 17 | Stockport County | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 50 | 68 | 0.735 | 42 | |
| 18 | Oxford United | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 59 | 63 | 0.937 | 41 | |
| 19 | Darlington | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 66 | 93 | 0.710 | 40 | |
| 20 | Rochdale | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 56 | 59 | 0.949 | 39 | |
| 21 | Southport | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 63 | 88 | 0.716 | 39 | Re-elected |
| 22 | York City | 46 | 14 | 7 | 25 | 52 | 66 | 0.788 | 35 | Re-elected |
| 23 | Hartlepools United | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 54 | 93 | 0.581 | 33 | Re-elected |
| 24 | Barrow | 46 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 51 | 93 | 0.548 | 30 | Re-elected |

### Top goalscorers

First Division
* Jimmy Greaves (Tottenham Hotspur) – 35 goals
Second Division
* Ron Saunders (Portsmouth) – 33 goals
Third Division
* Alfie Biggs (Bristol Rovers) – 30 goals
Fourth Division
* Hughie McIlmoyle (Carlisle United) – 39 goals

## European club competitions
### European Champions' Cup

* Everton – Preliminary round

### UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

* Manchester United – Quarter-finals
* Tottenham Hotspur – Second round

### Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

* Arsenal – Second round
* Sheffield Wednesday – Second round

## National team

The England national football team had an eventful season with a shared victory in the 1964 British Home Championship, another success against a Rest of the World XI in one of the most famous matches ever played at Wembley and a tour of the Americas upon the season's conclusion which culminated in a dire performance in Brazil during the 1964 Taça de Nações.

### American tour

Taça das Nações

### Other matches

| Date | Opposition | Venue | Competition | Result | Score |
| 12 October 1963 | Wales | Ninian Park, Cardiff | British Championship | Won | 4–0 |
| 23 October 1963 | Rest of the World XI | Wembley | Friendly | Won | 2–1 |
| 20 November 1963 | Northern Ireland | Wembley | British Championship | Won | 8–3 |
| 11 April 1964 | Scotland | Hampden Park, Glasgow | British Championship | Lost | 0–1 |
| 6 May 1964 | Uruguay | Wembley | Friendly | Won | 2–1 |
| 17 May 1964 | Portugal | Estádio Nacional, Lisbon | Friendly | Won | 4–3 |
| 24 May 1964 | Republic of Ireland | Dalymount Park, Dublin | Friendly | Won | 3–1 |