Football : Season Details : 1889

Final English Top Division Football (soccer) Table and Cup Final(s).

Legend
Clubs in BLUE were relegated.
Points: 2 for a win; 1 for a draw.
History is in the form A-B:
A is the number of occasions that the club has been in the Top Division;
B is the number of consecutive seasons in the Top Division.
Abbreviations:
FAC FA Cup
W Winner(s); F Finalist(s).

Position Club Points History Notes
1
 Preston North End
40
1-1
 FAC-W
2
 Aston Villa
29
1-1
  
3
 Wolverhampton Wanderers
28
1-1
 FAC-F
4
 Blackburn Rovers
26
1-1
  
5
 Bolton Wanderers
22
1-1
  
6
 West Bromwich Albion
22
1-1
  
7
 Accrington Stanley
20
1-1
  
8
 Everton
20
1-1
  
9
 Burnley
17
1-1
  
10
 Derby County
16
1-1
  
11
 Notts County
12
1-1
  
12
 Stoke
12
1-1
  

Stoke would later become Stoke City

FA Cup Final Preston North End 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

History

When football became professional, clubs wanted to have regular games rather than the odd FA Cup games. Twelve of the best clubs set up a league. Each club would play every other club twice, once at home, once away. A draw would be worth 1 point, a win 2 points. The club with the most points would be League Champions and would win a trophy. In the event of two clubs having the same number of points, goal average would decide position. Goal average is calculated by dividing the number of goals scored by the number of goals conceded.

The twelve founder members of the League are all from either the Midlands or the North West. None are from southern England or London. Of these twelve, most would go on to dominate the English game. Accrington Stanley are the exception. They went out of business in 1962 after spending most of the 20th Century struggling.

In the first season, Preston North End completed the double by winning the League and the FA Cup in the same season. They won the League without losing a game (not equalled since) and won the FA Cup without conceading a goal in any round (only repeated once more in 1903). Their winning margin of 11 points was not equalled until 1956.

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