Football League First Division  1895/96

Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts Notes
1st   Aston Villa 30 20 5 5 78 45 1.733 45 Champions
2nd   Derby County 30 17 7 6 68 35 1.943 41 Runners Up
3rd   Everton 30 16 7 7 66 43 1.535 39 -
4th   Bolton Wanderers 30 16 5 9 49 37 1.324 37 -
5th   Sunderland 30 15 7 8 52 41 1.268 37 -
6th   Stoke 30 15 0 15 56 47 1.191 30 -
7th   The Wednesday 30 12 5 13 44 53 0.830 29 -
8th   Blackburn Rovers 30 12 5 13 40 50 0.800 29 -
9th   Preston North End 30 11 6 13 44 48 0.917 28 -
10th   Burnley 30 10 7 13 48 44 1.091 27 -
11th   Bury 30 12 3 15 50 54 0.926 27 -
12th   Sheffield United 30 10 6 14 40 50 0.800 26 -
13th   Nottingham Forest 30 11 3 16 42 57 0.737 25 -
14th   Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 10 1 19 61 65 0.938 21 -
15th   Small Heath 30 8 4 18 39 79 0.494 20 ♦▼Relegated
16th   West Bromwich Albion 30 6 7 17 30 59 0.508 19 Retained

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Football League Test Match Series

Promotion and relegation between the two divisions was again decided by a series of Test Matches. As in the previous season the top two clubs in the Second Division and the bottom two in the First Division 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 the First Division and the third and fourth sides in Second Division.

Date Home Score Away
18/04/1896 Liverpool 4-0 Small Heath
18/04/1896 Manchester City 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
20/04/1896 Small Heath 0-0 Liverpool
20/04/1896 West Bromwich Albion 6-1 Manchester City
25/04/1896 Liverpool 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
25/04/1896 Manchester City 3-0 Small Heath
27/04/1896 Small Heath 8-0 Manchester City
27/04/1896 West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Liverpool

Football League Test Match Series Standings

Pos Club Pld W D L F A Pts Outcome
1st  Liverpool 4 2 1 1 6 2 5 Promoted
2nd  West Bromwich Albion 4 2 1 1 9 4 5 Retained
3rd  Small Heath 4 1 1 2 8 7 3 ♦▼Relegated
4th  Manchester City 4 1 1 2 5 15 3 Remained

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End of Season Notes

  Aston Villa finished as Football League First Division Champions (2nd Time)

  Derby County finished as Football League First Division Runners Up

 - West Bromwich Albion Retained their Football League First Division Place after finishing second in the Test Match Playoffs

 ▼Small Heath were Relegated to the Football League Second Division after finishing in the bottom two places in the Test Match Playoffs

 ▲Liverpool were Promoted from the Football League Second Division after finishing top in the Test Match Playoffs