English League Tables
1895/96 Tables◄ 1896/97 Tables ►1897/98 Tables
Football League First Division 1896/97
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Aston Villa | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 73 | 38 | 1.921 | 47 | Champions |
| 2nd | Sheffield United | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 42 | 29 | 1.448 | 36 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Derby County | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 36 | - |
| 4th | Preston North End | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 55 | 40 | 1.375 | 34 | - |
| 5th | Liverpool | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 46 | 36 | 1.211 | 33 | - |
| 6th | The Wednesday | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 37 | 1.135 | 31 | - |
| 7th | Everton | 30 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 62 | 57 | 1.088 | 31 | - |
| 8th | Bolton Wanderers | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 40 | 43 | 0.930 | 30 | - |
| 9th | Bury | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | 44 | 0.886 | 30 | - |
| 10th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 45 | 41 | 1.098 | 28 | - |
| 11th | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 44 | 49 | 0.898 | 26 | - |
| 12th | West Bromwich Albion | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 33 | 56 | 0.589 | 26 | - |
| 13th | Stoke | 30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 48 | 59 | 0.814 | 25 | - |
| 14th | Blackburn Rovers | 30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 35 | 62 | 0.565 | 25 | - |
| 15th | Sunderland | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 34 | 47 | 0.723 | 23 | Retained Status |
| 16th | Burnley | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 43 | 61 | 0.705 | 19 | ▼Relegated |
Football League Second Division 1896/97
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Notts County | 30 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 92 | 43 | 2.140 | 42 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Newton Heath | 30 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 56 | 34 | 1.647 | 39 | Remained |
| 3rd | Grimsby Town | 30 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 66 | 45 | 1.467 | 38 | - |
| 4th | Small Heath | 30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 69 | 47 | 1.468 | 37 | - |
| 5th | Newcastle United | 30 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 56 | 52 | 1.077 | 35 | - |
| 6th | Manchester City | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 58 | 50 | 1.160 | 32 | - |
| 7th | Gainsborough Trinity | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 50 | 47 | 1.064 | 31 | - |
| 8th | Blackpool | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 59 | 56 | 1.054 | 31 | - |
| 9th | Leicester Fosse | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 59 | 57 | 1.054 | 30 | - |
| 10th | Woolwich Arsenal | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 68 | 70 | 0.971 | 30 | - |
| 11th | Darwen | 30 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 67 | 61 | 1.098 | 28 | - |
| 12th | Walsall | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 54 | 69 | 0.768 | 26 | - |
| 13th | Loughborough | 30 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 50 | 64 | 0.781 | 25 | - |
| 14th | Burton Swifts | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 46 | 61 | 0.754 | 24 | Re Elected |
| 15th | Burton Wanderers | 30 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 31 | 67 | 0.463 | 20 | ▼Not Re Elected |
| 16th | Lincoln City | 30 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 27 | 85 | 0.318 | 12 | Re Elected |
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Election for League Membership |
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| The three bottom clubs were required to seek re-election to the League. They were joined in the vote for League membership by 7 non-league clubs. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 21 | 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 |
1895/96 Tables◄ 1896/97 Tables ►1897/98 Tables