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      DIVISION 1  1897/98
     
      P W D L F A Pts
 

Leading League goalscorer:
Fred Wheldon
 (Aston Villa)
21 goals

   Results 1 Sheffield United 30 17 8 5 56 31 42
    Results 2 Sunderland 30 16 5 9 43 30 37
    Results 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 14 7 9 57 41 35
    Results 4 Everton 30 13 9 8 48 39 35
    5 Sheffield Wednesday 30 15 3 12 51 42 33
    Results 6 Aston Villa 30 14 5 11 61 51 33
    7 West Bromwich Albion 30 11 10 9 44 45 32
    Results 8 Nottingham Forest 30 11 9 10 47 49 31
    Results 9 Liverpool 30 11 6 13 48 45 28
    10 Derby County 30 11 6 13 57 61 28
    11 Bolton Wanderers 30 11 4 15 28 41 26
    12 Preston North End 30 8 8 14 35 43 24
    13 Notts County 30 8 8 14 36 46 24
    14 Bury 30 8 8 14 39 51 24
    15 Blackburn Rovers 30 7 10 13 39 54 24 Test Series
    16 Stoke 30 8 8 14 35 55 24 Test Series
     
      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.
     
     
Wed Apr

20

 Newcastle United

2

 - 1 Stoke
Thu Apr 21 Blackburn Rovers 1 - 3 Burnley
Sat Apr 23 Burnley 2 - 0 Blackburn Rovers
Sat Apr 23 Stoke 1 - 0 Newcastle United
Tue Apr 26 Burnley 0 - 2 Stoke
Thu Apr 28 Blackburn Rovers 4 - 3 Newcastle United
Sat Apr 30 Newcastle United 4 - 0 Blackburn Rovers
Sat Apr 30 Stoke 0 - 0 Burnley
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
P W D L F A Pts
Stoke 4 2 1 1 4 2 5
Burnley 4 2 1 1 5 3 5
Newcastle United 4 2 0 2 9 6 4
Blackburn Rovers 4 1 0 3 5 12 2
     
     
     
     
     

Following the end of the Test Series and the controversial 'fixed' play-off match between Stoke and Burnley it was agreed that each division would increase by two places. This was achieved by two more clubs moving from the Second to First Divisions and four new places being added to the Second Division. A vote was taken to decide which addition two clubs would move to the First Division, voting -

     
     
27 votes Blackburn Rovers Voted into Division 1
18 Newcastle United Voted into Division 1
10 Manchester City Remain in Division 2
4 Small Heath Remain in Division 2
3 Newton Heath Remain in Division 2
2 Woolwich Arsenal Remain in Division 2
     
     
     
     

So as a result of the changes all four clubs who played in the Test Series secured a place in the First Division. In future years promotion and relegation replaced the Test Series.

 


"I'd been ill and hadn't trained for a week and I'd been out of the team for three weeks before that, so I wasn't sharp. I got cramp before half-time as well. But I'm not one to make excuses."
Clinton Morrison

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