1893–94 Football League

The Football League
Season1893–94
ChampionsAston Villa
RelegatedMiddlesbrough Ironopolis
Northwich Victoria
New Clubs in LeagueLiverpool,
Newcastle United,
Woolwich Arsenal,
Middlesbrough Ironopolis,
Rotherham Town

The 1893–94 season was the sixth season of The Football League.

Final league tables

Beginning with the season 1894–95, 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. Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95.

During the first five seasons of the league, the re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league.[1]

Match results are drawn from The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[2] and Rothmans[1] for the First Division and Rothmans for the Second Division. The result of the match on 25 November 1893 between Wolves and Stoke is given in many newspapers as a win for Wolves by 4–2, which is the result included in these tables and the book published by the Football League in 1937–38. Most subsequent lists of scores depend on that publication. The Times on Monday, the 27th gives the score as 5–2 and local Midland newspapers also show 5–2, listing the five goal scorers. This curious discrepancy has never been explained.

The Second Division was expanded from twelve to fifteen teams, with the election of Liverpool, Middlesbrough Ironopolis, Newcastle United, Rotherham Town and Woolwich Arsenal and the resignation of Accrington and Bootle. Woolwich Arsenal became the first team from the south of England to participate in the Football League.

First Division

First Division
Season1893–94
ChampionsAston Villa
1st title
RelegatedDarwen
Newton Heath
Matches played240
Goals scored939 (3.91 per match)
Top goalscorerJack Southworth
(27 goals)
Biggest home winAston Villa 9–0 Darwen
(26 December 1893)
Biggest away winWolverhampton Wanderers 0–8 West Bromwich Albion
(27 December 1893)
Highest scoringEverton 8–1 Darwen
(21 October 1893)
West Bromwich Albion 3–6 Aston Villa
(21 October 1893)
Everton 8–1 The Wednesday
(23 December 1893)
Aston Villa 9–0 Darwen
(26 December 1893)
Burnley 3–6 Aston Villa
(7 April 1894)
Longest winning run6 matches
Aston Villa
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Longest unbeaten run7 matches
Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Longest losing run11 matches
Newton Heath
Highest attendance27,500
Everton 7–1 Sunderland
(30 September 1893)
Lowest attendance400
Derby County 2–1 Darwen
(18 November 1893)
Average attendance7,012

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Aston Villa (C) 30 19 6 5 84 42 2.000 44
2 Sunderland 30 17 4 9 72 44 1.636 38
3 Derby County 30 16 4 10 73 62 1.177 36
4 Blackburn Rovers 30 16 2 12 69 53 1.302 34
5 Burnley 30 15 4 11 61 51 1.196 34
6 Everton 30 15 3 12 90 57 1.579 33
7 Nottingham Forest 30 14 4 12 57 48 1.188 32
8 West Bromwich Albion 30 14 4 12 66 59 1.119 32
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 14 3 13 52 63 0.825 31
10 Sheffield United 30 13 5 12 47 61 0.770 31
11 Stoke 30 13 3 14 65 79 0.823 29
12 The Wednesday 30 9 8 13 48 57 0.842 26
13 Bolton Wanderers 30 10 4 16 38 52 0.731 24
14 Preston North End (O) 30 10 3 17 44 56 0.786 23 Qualification for test matches
15 Darwen (R) 30 7 5 18 37 83 0.446 19
16 Newton Heath (R) 30 6 2 22 36 72 0.500 14
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ Away AST BLB BOL BUR DRW DER EVE NWH NOT PNE SHU STK SUN WED WBA WOL
Aston Villa 2–1 2–3 4–0 9–0 1–1 3–1 5–1 3–1 2–0 4–0 5–1 2–1 3–0 3–2 1–1
Blackburn Rovers 2–0 0–1 3–2 4–1 0–2 4–3 4–0 6–1 1–0 4–1 5–0 4–3 5–1 3–0 3–0
Bolton Wanderers 0–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 2–0
Burnley 3–6 1–0 2–1 5–1 3–1 2–1 4–1 3–1 4–1 4–1 4–0 1–0 0–1 3–0 4–2
Darwen 1–1 2–3 1–3 0–0 2–3 3–3 1–0 0–4 2–1 3–3 3–1 0–3 2–1 2–1 3–1
Derby County 0–3 5–2 6–1 3–3 2–1 7–3 2–0 3–4 2–1 2–1 5–2 1–4 3–3 2–3 4–1
Everton 4–2 2–2 3–2 4–3 8–1 1–2 2–0 4–0 2–3 2–3 6–2 7–1 8–1 7–1 3–0
Newton Heath 1–3 5–1 2–2 3–2 0–1 2–6 0–3 1–1 1–3 0–2 6–2 2–4 1–2 4–1 1–0
Nottingham Forest 1–2 0–0 1–0 5–0 4–1 4–2 3–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 2–0 1–2 1–0 2–3 7–1
Preston North End 2–5 0–1 1–0 1–2 4–1 1–0 2–4 2–0 0–2 3–0 3–3 1–2 1–0 3–1 1–3
Sheffield United 3–0 3–2 4–2 1–0 2–1 1–2 0–3 3–1 0–2 1–1 3–3 1–0 1–1 0–2 3–2
Stoke 3–3 3–1 5–0 4–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 2–1 5–0 2–0 4–1 3–1 0–3
Sunderland 1–1 2–3 2–1 2–2 4–0 5–0 1–0 4–1 2–0 6–3 4–1 4–0 1–1 2–1 6–0
The Wednesday 2–2 4–2 2–1 0–1 5–0 4–0 1–1 0–1 1–0 3–0 1–2 4–1 2–2 2–4 1–4
West Bromwich Albion 3–6 2–1 5–2 1–1 2–2 0–1 3–1 3–1 3–0 2–0 3–1 4–2 2–3 2–2 0–0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 5–1 2–1 1–0 2–1 2–4 2–0 2–0 3–1 0–0 3–4 4–2 2–1 3–1 0–8
Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

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Locations of the Football League First Division teams

Second Division

Second Division
Season1893–94
ChampionsLiverpool
PromotedLiverpool
Small Heath
Matches played210
Goals scored861 (4.1 per match)
Top goalscorerFrank Mobley
(23 goals)[3]
Biggest home winNotts County 9–1 Crewe Alexandra
(17 February 1894)
Small Heath 10–2 Ardwick
(17 March 1894)
Biggest away winNorthwich Victoria 0–7 Small Heath
(6 January 1894)
Highest scoringBurton Swifts 8–5 Walsall Town Swifts
(24 February 1894)
Longest winning run9 matches
Liverpool
Longest unbeaten run28 matches
Liverpool
Longest losing run10 matches
Northwich Victoria

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Liverpool (C, O, P) 28 22 6 0 77 18 4.278 50 Qualification for test matches
2 Small Heath (O, P) 28 21 0 7 103 44 2.341 42
3 Notts County 28 18 3 7 70 31 2.258 39
4 Newcastle United 28 15 6 7 66 39 1.692 36
5 Grimsby Town 28 15 2 11 71 58 1.224 32
6 Burton Swifts 28 14 3 11 79 61 1.295 31
7 Burslem Port Vale 28 13 4 11 66 64 1.031 30
8 Lincoln City 28 11 6 11 59 58 1.017 28
9 Woolwich Arsenal 28 12 4 12 52 55 0.945 28
10 Walsall Town Swifts 28 10 3 15 51 61 0.836 23
11 Middlesbrough Ironopolis[a] 28 8 4 16 37 72 0.514 20 Dissolved
12 Crewe Alexandra 28 6 7 15 42 73 0.575 19 Re-elected
13 Ardwick 28 8 2 18 47 71 0.662 18
14 Rotherham Town 28 6 3 19 44 91 0.484 15
15 Northwich Victoria 28 3 3 22 30 98 0.306 9 Resigned from league
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
Notes:
  1. ^ Middlesbrough Ironopolis was liquidated at the end of the season.

Results

Home \ Away ARD BPV BRS CRE GRI LIN LIV MII NEW NOR NTC ROT SMH WAL WOO
Ardwick 8–1 1–4 1–2 4–1 0–1 0–1 6–1 2–3 4–2 0–0 3–2 0–1 3–0 0–1
Burslem Port Vale 4–2 3–1 4–2 6–1 5–3 2–2 4–0 1–1 3–2 1–0 2–3 5–0 1–2 2–1
Burton Swifts 5–0 5–3 6–1 0–3 1–3 1–1 7–0 3–1 6–2 0–2 4–1 0–2 8–5 6–2
Crewe Alexandra 1–1 1–1 1–2 3–3 1–1 0–5 5–0 1–1 3–0 0–2 2–0 3–5 1–1 0–0
Grimsby Town 5–0 4–0 2–1 3–2 2–4 0–1 2–1 0–0 7–0 5–2 7–1 2–1 5–2 3–1
Lincoln City 6–0 2–2 1–1 6–1 1–2 1–1 2–3 2–1 4–1 0–2 1–1 2–5 0–2 3–0
Liverpool 3–0 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 4–0 6–0 5–1 4–0 2–1 5–1 3–1 3–0 2–0
Middlesbrough Ironopolis 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–0 2–6 0–0 0–2 1–1 2–1 0–0 6–1 3–0 1–1 3–6
Newcastle United 2–1 2–1 4–1 2–1 4–1 5–1 0–0 7–2 3–0 3–0 4–0 0–2 2–0 6–0
Northwich Victoria 1–4 1–5 1–1 1–2 0–1 0–3 2–3 2–1 5–3 0–1 1–1 0–7 1–0 2–2
Notts County 5–0 6–1 6–2 9–1 3–0 1–2 1–1 3–0 3–1 6–1 4–2 3–1 2–0 3–2
Rotherham Town 1–3 0–1 2–5 1–4 4–3 2–8 1–4 4–1 2–1 5–4 0–2 2–3 3–2 1–1
Small Heath 10–2 6–0 6–1 6–1 5–2 6–0 3–4 2–1 1–4 8–0 3–0 4–3 4–0 4–1
Walsall 5–2 0–5 3–4 5–1 5–0 5–2 1–1 1–0 1–2 3–0 2–1 3–0 1–3 1–2
Woolwich Arsenal 1–0 4–1 0–2 3–2 3–1 4–0 0–5 1–0 2–2 6–0 1–2 3–0 1–4 4–0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

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Locations of the Football League Second Division teams

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 First Division teams, if coming out as winners, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team won, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process at the expense of a losing First Division team. Losing Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.

Liverpool (2nd Div. Champions)2–0Newton Heath (1st Div. 16th)
Attendance: 5,000
Small Heath (2nd Div. 2nd)3–1Darwen (1st Div. 15th)
Attendance: 3,000
Preston North End (1st Div. 14th)4–0Notts County (2nd Div. 3rd)
Attendance: 8,000

Consequences

Of the winners, Liverpool and Small Heath (later known as Birmingham City F.C.) were elected into the First Division, while Preston North End remained there.

Of the losers Darwen and Newton Heath (later known as Manchester United F.C.) continued in the Second Division, while Notts County remained there.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  2. ^ "England 1893–94". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  3. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  • "England 1893–94". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  • Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.