Football League First Division 1897/98
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | 
Sheffield
United |
30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 56 | 31 | 1.806 | 42 | Champions |
| 2nd |
Sunderland |
30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 43 | 30 | 1.433 | 37 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Wolverhampton
Wanderers |
30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 57 | 41 | 1.390 | 35 | - |
| 4th | Everton |
30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 48 | 39 | 1.231 | 35 | - |
| 5th | The
Wednesday |
30 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 51 | 42 | 1.214 | 33 | - |
| 6th | Aston
Villa |
30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 61 | 51 | 1.196 | 33 | - |
| 7th | West
Bromwich Albion |
30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 44 | 45 | 0.978 | 32 | - |
| 8th | Nottingham
Forest |
30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 47 | 49 | 0.959 | 31 | - |
| 9th | Liverpool |
30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 48 | 45 | 1.067 | 28 | - |
| 10th | Derby
County |
30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 57 | 61 | 0.934 | 28 | - |
| 11th | Bolton
Wanderers |
30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 28 | 41 | 0.683 | 26 | - |
| 12th | Preston
North End |
30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 35 | 43 | 0.814 | 24 | - |
| 13th | Notts
County |
30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 36 | 46 | 0.783 | 24 | - |
| 14th | Bury |
30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 39 | 51 | 0.765 | 24 | - |
| 15th |
Blackburn
Rovers |
30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 39 | 54 | 0.722 | 24 | Retained Status |
| 16th |
Stoke |
30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 35 | 55 | 0.636 | 24 | Retained Status |
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Football League Test Match Series |
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- Competing Clubs, First Division: Blackburn Rovers and Stoke, Second Division: Burnley and Newcastle United |
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| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| 20/04/1898 | Newcastle United | 2-1 | Stoke |
| 21/04/1898 | Blackburn Rovers | 1-3 | Burnley |
| 23/04/1898 | Burnley | 2-0 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 23/04/1898 | Stoke | 1-0 | Newcastle United |
| 26/04/1898 | Burnley | 0-2 | Stoke |
| 28/04/1898 | Blackburn Rovers | 4-3 | Newcastle United |
| 30/04/1898 | Newcastle United | 4-0 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 30/04/1898 | Stoke | 0-0 | Burnley |
Football League Test Match Series Standings
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Outcome |
| 1st | Stoke | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | Retained First Division Status |
| 2nd | Burnley | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 | ▲Promoted to First Division |
| 3rd | Newcastle United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 4 | Remained in Second Division |
| 4th | Blackburn Rovers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 2 | Relegated from First Division |
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Election for First Division Status |
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| 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. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 27 | Blackburn Rovers | ▲Voted into First Division |
| 18 | Newcastle United | ▲Voted into First Division |
| 10 | Manchester City | Remained in Second Division |
| 4 | Small Heath | Remained in Second Division |
| 3 | Newton Heath | Remained in Second Division |
| 2 | Woolwich Arsenal | Remained in Second Division |
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End of Season Notes |
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♦ Sheffield United finished as Football League First Division Champions (1st Time) |
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♦ Sunderland finished as Football League First Division Runners Up |
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- Blackburn Rovers Retained their Football League First Division Place via the Vote |
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- Stoke Retained their Football League First Division Place after finishing top in the Test Match Playoffs |
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▲Burnley were Promoted from the Football League Second Division after finishing second in the Test Match Playoffs |
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▲Newcastle United were Elected from the Football League Second Division via the Vote |
| - The First Division was extended to 18 clubs for the start of the 1898/99 Season |
| - The Test Match Playoffs were scrapped at the end of the 1897/98 Season and replaced by Automatic Promotion and Relegation |