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      DIVISION 2  1896/97
      For full league and cup results  click on by club required.
      P W D L F A Pts
  Leading League goalscorers:
Tom Boucher & John Murphy
(both Notts County)
22 goals each

Woolwich Arsenal suffered a tragedy in November 1896 with the death of full-back
Joe Powell. He had suffered a broken arm in a United League match at Kettering Town with dirt entering the wound causing blood poisoning and tetanus. His arm had to be amputated but six days after being injured the twenty-six year old died at his home in Plumstead.
Injuries

Woolwich Arsenal (they bame Arsenal in 1914) suffered what still ranks as their worst ever League defeat - 0-8 at Loughborough
 (match report)

Darwen became the last side to complete a League season without drawing a match.

  Season Results 1 Notts County 30 19 4 7 92 43 42 Promoted
    Season Results 2 Manchester United 30 17 5 8 56 34 39 Test Series
    3 Grimsby Town 30 17 4 9 66 45 38
    4 Birmingham City 30 16 5 9 69 47 37
    Season Results 5 Newcastle United 30 17 1 12 56 52 35
    Season Results 6 Manchester City 30 12 8 10 58 50 32
    Season Results 7 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 7 11 50 47 31
    Season Results 8 Blackpool 30 13 5 12 59 56 31
    Season Results 9 Leicester City 30 13 4 13 59 56 30
    Season Results 10 Arsenal 30 13 4 13 68 70 30
    Season Results 11 Darwen 30 14 0 16 67 61 28
    Season Results 12 Walsall 30 11 4 15 53 69 26
    Season Results 13 Loughborough 30 12 1 17 50 64 25
    14 Burton Swifts 30 9 6 15 46 61 24 Re-election position
    15 Burton Wanderers 30 9 2 19 31 67 20 Re-election positionLeft League
    16 Lincoln City 30 5 2 23 27 85 12 Re-election position
   
   

The clubs on this page are listed in their modern names. For the same information but with clubs in their original names click here.
   
    Test Matches Test Series
   

Promotion and relegation between the two division was again decided by a series of Test Matches. As in the previous season the top two clubs in Division 2 and the bottom two in Division 1 met in a mini-league. Each club played four matches - home and away matches against the two sides from the other division. At the conclusion of the matches the first and second sides in the league played in Division 1 and the third and fourth sides in Division 2.
   
   
Sat Apr

17

 Notts County

1

 - 0 Sunderland
Mon Apr 19 Burnley 2 - 0 Manchester United
Mon Apr 19 Sunderland 0 - 0 Notts County
Wed Apr 21 Manchester United 2 - 0 Burnley
Sat Apr 24 Manchester United 1 - 1 Sunderland
Sat Apr 24 Notts County 1 - 1 Burnley
Mon Apr 26 Burnley 0 - 1 Notts County
Mon Apr 26 Sunderland 2 - 0 Manchester United
   
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
P W D L F A Pts
Notts County 4 2 2 0 3 1 6
Sunderland 4 1 2 1 3 2 4
Burnley 4 1 1 2 3 4 3
Manchester United 4 1 1 2 3 5 3
     
     
     
     
     
     

R The three League sides facing re-election came up against seven non-league clubs in the vote for League membership. Voting -

     
     
21 votes Lincoln City Re-elected to the League
15 Burton Swifts Re-elected to the League
13 Luton Town Elected to the League
11 Burslem Port Vale Not elected to the League
9 Burton Wanderers Not re-elected to the League
7 Nelson Not elected to the League
5 Glossop North End Not elected to the League
3 Fairfield Athletic Not elected to the League
2 Crewe Alexandra Not elected to the League
1 Millwall Athletic Not elected to the League