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      DIVISION 2  1897/98
      For full league and cup results  click on by club required.
      P W D L F A Pts
  Leading League goalscorer:
Henry Boyd
 (Manchester United)
 23  goals 		  Season Results 1 Burnley 30 20 8 2 80 24 48 Promoted
    Season Results 2 Newcastle United 30 21 3 6 64 32 45 Promoted
    Season Results 3 Manchester City 30 15 9 6 66 36 39
    Season Results 4 Manchester United 30 16 6 8 64 35 38
    Season Results 5 Arsenal 30 16 5 9 69 49 37
    6 Birmingham City 30 16 4 10 58 50 36
    Season Results 7 Leicester City 30 13 7 10 46 35 33
    8 Luton Town 30 13 4 13 68 50 30
    Season Results 9 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 6 12 50 54 30
    Season Results 10 Walsall 30 12 5 13 58 58 29
    11 Blackpool 30 10 5 15 49 61 25
    12 Grimsby Town 30 10 4 16 52 62 24
    Season Results 13 Burton Swifts 30 8 5 17 38 69 21
    14 Lincoln City 30 6 5 19 43 82 17 Re-election position
    Season Results 15 Darwen 30 6 2 22 31 76 14 Re-election position
    Season Results 16 Loughborough 30 6 2 22 24 87 14 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.
     
     
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 Birmingham City Remain in Division 2
3 Manchester United Remain in Division 2
2 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.

Re-election position Turning to the bottom of the table the three clubs facing re-election came up against four non-league sides in the vote for League membership. Voting -

21 votes Lincoln City Re-elected to the League
18 Port Vale Elected to the League
16 Loughborough  Re-elected to the League
15 Darwen* Not re-elected to the League
13 New Brighton Tower Not elected to the League
3 Nelson Not elected to the League
1 Bristol City Not elected to the League

Subsequent to the above vote four new places became available in the Second Division with the re-organisation of the League. No vote was taken but Darwen* regained their League place along with newcomers Barnsley, Glossop and New Brighton Tower.