1920–21 Football League

The Football League
Season 1920–21
Champions Burnley

The 19201921 season was the 29th season of The Football League.

The Football League Third Division is introduced, in effect the Third Division South of the following season, when Third Division North is introduced. This expands the League's operational radius all the way to the south coast of England.

Cardiff City are the first Welsh club to enter the League, and since they are the strongest club in Wales in the era, they are invited directly into the Second Division. Grimsby Town takes its place in the new Third Division, thereby being the first club relegated to the League's third tier. Leeds United is also elected into the Second Division to replace Leeds City after its debacle. Lincoln City is not re-elected to the Second Division and thus Port Vale's Second Division place is formalized as well.

Final league tables

The tables and results below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[1] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[2] with home and away statistics separated.

Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.

During the first five seasons of the league, that is, until the season 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.[2]

First Division

Football League
First Division
Season 1920–21
Champions Burnley (1st English title)
Relegated Derby County,
Bradford Park Avenue
FA Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur (2nd FA Cup title)
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1276 (2.76 per match)
Top goalscorer Joe Smith (Bolton Wanderers), 38 [3]
Biggest home win BurnleyAston Villa 7–1 (5 Feb 1921)
BurnleyOldham 7–1 (27 Nov 1920)
BurnleySheffield United 6–0 (25 Dec 1920)
LiverpoolPreston North End 6–0 (25 Sept 1920)
Biggest away win ArsenalSheffield United 2–6 (26 Mar 1921)
Aston VillaSunderland 1–5 (12 Feb 1921)
ChelseaTottenham 0–4 (16 Oct 1920)
Huddersfield TownArsenal 0–4 (20 Nov 1920)
Highest scoring NewcastleManchester United 6–3 (1 Jan 1921)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Burnley42173156166105232079362.194+4359
2Manchester City42192050135412203770501.400+2054
3Bolton Wanderers4215605317489243677531.453+2452
4Liverpool4211734117786221863351.800+2851
5Newcastle United4214344318678232766451.467+2150
6Tottenham Hotspur42152446164710243270481.458+2247
7Everton429844026858262966551.200+1147
8Middlesbrough4210652921768243253531.000±046
9Arsenal429843125669283859630.937–444
10Aston Villa42114639217311244963700.900–743
11Blackburn Rovers427953627669213257590.966–241
12Sunderland4211463419399234157600.950–341
13Manchester United429483426669304264680.941–440
14West Bromwich Albion428763123579233554580.931–440
15Bradford City4279538285610233561630.968–239
16Preston North End42104738255511234061650.938–439
17Huddersfield Town42114626164512163342490.857–739
18Chelsea4297535244611133448580.828–1039
19Oldham Athletic4269623263612266049860.570–3733
20Sheffield United42511522191713204942680.618–2630
21Derby County42312621232415113532580.552–2626
22Bradford Park Avenue42651029352316144143760.566–3324

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
League Champions
FA Cup Winners
Relegated

Results

Home ╲ Away ARS AST BLBBOLBRABPABURCHEDEREVEHUDLIVMCIMUNMIDNEWOLDPNESHUSUNTOTWBA
Arsenal 01 20 00 12 21 11 11 20 11 20 00 21 20 22 11 22 21 26 12 32 21
Aston Villa 50 30 20 12 41 00 30 10 13 00 02 31 34 01 00 30 10 40 15 42 00
Blackburn Rovers 22 01 22 23 10 13 00 20 00 12 11 02 20 32 33 51 22 11 20 11 51
Bolton Wanderers 11 50 21 11 20 11 31 10 42 31 10 30 11 62 31 11 30 22 62 10 30
Bradford City 31 30 34 22 21 20 11 22 22 02 00 12 11 01 11 13 62 40 22 10 11
Bradford Park Avenue 01 40 11 21 12 13 02 21 33 11 13 12 24 30 02 21 13 20 11 11 03
Burnley 10 71 41 31 14 10 40 21 11 30 10 21 10 21 31 71 20 60 22 20 11
Chelsea 12 51 12 10 31 41 11 11 01 11 11 21 12 11 20 11 11 21 31 04 30
Derby County 11 23 01 00 11 10 00 00 24 21 00 30 11 01 01 33 11 11 01 22 11
Everton 24 11 21 23 22 11 11 51 31 00 03 30 20 21 31 52 01 30 11 00 22
Huddersfield Town 04 10 00 00 10 00 10 20 20 01 12 01 52 01 13 31 10 10 00 20 51
Liverpool 30 41 20 23 21 01 00 21 11 10 41 42 20 00 01 52 60 22 00 11 00
Manchester City 31 31 00 31 10 10 30 10 00 20 32 32 30 21 31 31 51 21 31 20 40
Manchester United 11 13 01 23 11 51 03 31 30 12 20 11 11 01 20 41 10 21 30 01 14
Middlesbrough 21 14 11 41 21 21 00 00 10 31 20 01 31 24 00 12 00 22 20 10 01
Newcastle United 10 21 12 10 40 21 12 10 01 20 10 20 11 63 20 12 42 30 61 11 11
Oldham Athletic 11 11 10 00 20 10 22 12 21 01 12 00 20 22 33 00 02 00 21 25 03
Preston North End 01 61 42 12 11 33 03 01 21 10 01 23 01 00 20 32 40 20 11 41 21
Sheffield United 11 00 11 22 41 20 11 01 01 20 11 01 11 00 11 03 30 10 11 11 02
Sunderland 51 01 20 00 00 51 10 10 30 02 21 21 10 23 12 02 11 22 31 01 30
Tottenham Hotspur 21 12 12 52 20 20 12 50 20 20 10 10 20 41 22 20 51 12 41 00 10
West Bromwich Albion 34 21 11 21 20 01 20 11 30 12 30 11 22 02 01 00 00 03 11 41 31

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams

Second Division

Football League
Second Division
Season 1920–21
Champions Birmingham (2nd title)
Relegated Stockport County
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1061 (2.3 per match)
Top goalscorer Sydney (Syd) Puddefoot (West Ham), 29 [3]
Biggest home win West HamCoventry 7–0 (1 Jan 1921)
Biggest away win RotherhamBury 0–5 (11 Dec 1921)
Highest scoring RotherhamSouth Shields 5–4 (2 Oct 1920)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Birmingham4216415513867242579382.079+4158
2Cardiff City4213532791155322359321.844+2758
3Bristol City42143435125106141749291.690+2051
4Blackpool4212363219876222354421.286+1250
5West Ham United42135338116510131951301.700+2148
6Notts County4212543617669192355401.375+1547
7Clapton Orient4213623193711123343421.024+145
8South Shields42134441164611203061461.326+1544
9Fulham42144333122613103543470.915–442
10The Wednesday4297531146411173448481.000±041
11Bury42108329135214163645490.918–440
12Leicester City42108326112811133539460.848–740
13Hull City42710424183108193543530.811–1040
14Leeds United42115530143513103140450.889–538
15Wolverhampton Wanderers42114634245214154249660.742–1738
16Barnsley42910231171614173348500.960–236
17Port Vale427682819489153043490.878–636
18Nottingham Forest4296637263612112948550.873–736
19Rotherham County4289423214314143237530.698–1636
20Stoke4295726163612204046560.821–1035
21Coventry City4286724254512154539700.557–3135
22Stockport County4286730241614125142750.560–3330

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
New club in the league (see also Cardiff City)
Relegated

Results

Home ╲ Away BAR BIR BLPBRIBRYCARCLACOVFULHULLEELEINOTNTCPTVROTSSHSTPSTKWEDWHUWOL
Barnsley 11 01 11 50 02 10 22 31 00 11 21 00 22 30 21 11 20 10 00 11 32
Birmingham City 13 30 00 40 11 00 32 10 51 10 50 30 21 40 32 11 50 30 40 21 41
Blackpool 10 30 12 01 24 22 40 10 12 10 20 10 02 10 01 32 11 31 11 10 30
Bristol City 10 01 11 10 00 20 20 20 21 00 10 10 01 30 24 42 51 50 01 10 20
Bury 00 01 22 20 31 01 20 11 00 11 40 22 01 10 10 10 11 30 11 10 31
Cardiff City 32 21 00 10 21 00 01 30 00 10 20 30 11 12 10 10 30 01 10 00 20
Clapton Orient 32 11 00 00 10 20 00 30 11 10 20 21 30 00 20 10 50 32 10 01 01
Coventry City 31 04 02 21 10 24 11 02 32 11 10 00 11 00 01 10 11 10 23 01 40
Fulham 10 50 12 30 00 03 10 20 30 10 11 21 31 10 10 00 31 13 20 00 20
Hull City 30 10 21 20 11 20 30 11 00 01 11 03 11 11 11 02 11 11 11 21 01
Leeds United 00 10 20 01 10 12 21 40 00 11 31 11 30 31 10 12 02 00 20 12 30
Leicester City 20 30 01 00 40 20 21 01 11 00 11 20 03 00 11 20 00 31 21 10 00
Nottingham Forest 00 11 31 01 42 12 11 02 51 20 10 12 10 14 61 12 11 22 42 10 11
Notts County 10 00 12 22 21 12 31 11 21 41 12 11 20 01 10 20 30 30 30 11 21
Port Vale 11 02 01 02 30 00 40 00 00 40 20 00 01 12 11 02 61 21 10 12 23
Rotherham County 10 11 02 00 05 20 00 23 20 11 02 11 00 00 11 54 10 11 20 20 10
South Shields 32 30 10 00 20 01 30 41 30 00 30 43 01 10 61 10 31 11 23 00 12
Stockport County 32 03 22 02 12 25 60 30 11 22 31 00 10 10 00 01 00 20 01 20 12
Stoke City 32 12 11 00 01 00 01 41 12 13 40 11 40 10 01 20 00 10 01 10 10
The Wednesday 00 12 01 22 20 01 11 30 30 30 20 00 00 11 10 20 11 21 13 01 60
West Ham United 21 11 11 10 01 11 10 70 20 11 30 01 30 02 11 10 21 50 10 40 10
Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 03 31 00 21 13 02 10 10 13 30 30 21 10 22 30 30 20 33 12 12

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams

Third Division

Football League
Third Division
Season 1920–21
Champions Crystal Palace (1st title)
Failed re-election None
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1133 (2.45 per match)
Top goalscorer John Conner (Crystal Palace), 28
Ernie Simms (Luton Town), 28
George Whitworth (Northampton Town), 28 [3]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Crystal Palace4215424517975251770342.059+3659
2Southampton42145246105115181864282.286+3654
3Queens Park Rangers4214433811858232161321.906+2953
4Swindon Town4214525117759223273491.490+2452
5Swansea Town4291023219957242656451.244+1151
6Watford4214434015641119295944.341+1548
7Millwall421155258768172242301.400+1247
8Merthyr Town42135346202109142960491.224+1145
9Luton Town42146151152613104161561.089+544
10Bristol Rovers42153351223414173568571.193+1143
11Plymouth Argyle42107425131146102135341.029+143
12Portsmouth42108328142712183446480.958–239
13Grimsby Town42125432163414174349590.831–1039
14Northampton Town42114632234413275259750.787–1638
15Newport County4285820236411234143640.672–2137
16Norwich City42910231141614133944530.830–936
17Southend United42132632201614124144610.721–1736
18Brighton & Hove Albion42116428203216144142610.689–1936
19Exeter City4297527151812123939540.722–1535
20Reading4284926224314163742590.712–1731
21Brentford4279527232316154442670.627–2530
22Gillingham4269619242316155034740.459–4028

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
Division Champions, promoted
New club in the league: all except Grimsby Town
Re-elected
Failed re-election (none)

Results

Home ╲ Away BRE BHA BROCRYEXEGILGRILUTMERMILNPCNORNORPLYPORQPRREASOUSTDSWASWIWAT
Brentford 20 00 04 00 33 50 10 00 10 22 11 31 00 12 02 32 11 22 12 01 10
Brighton & Hove Albion 40 20 02 11 10 13 11 00 10 10 32 20 10 30 21 22 11 10 11 03 03
Bristol Rovers 21 31 21 50 20 20 50 11 12 32 42 22 20 22 30 32 12 21 12 31 20
Crystal Palace 42 32 30 21 41 20 21 30 32 20 51 10 00 30 00 20 11 23 01 10 22
Exeter City 30 10 10 11 21 11 10 33 40 01 40 11 11 00 01 01 10 00 12 10 12
Gillingham 13 10 10 01 21 21 00 00 00 14 25 00 01 11 12 10 11 11 21 11 11
Grimsby Town 20 22 31 10 20 20 01 11 02 11 20 11 11 03 21 20 30 10 02 30 30
Luton Town 20 32 12 22 30 50 31 10 00 22 31 40 11 22 21 60 11 40 30 20 10
Merthyr Town 31 41 22 21 71 61 31 41 01 12 10 00 00 21 31 10 11 20 03 22 20
Millwall 00 01 20 01 20 40 01 00 00 10 10 20 00 10 00 20 01 42 02 50 10
Newport County 31 04 02 01 20 10 21 20 03 31 11 20 00 10 13 01 00 11 11 01 02
Northampton Town 62 10 12 22 33 20 41 10 22 02 02 10 11 10 03 10 20 10 20 12 01
Norwich City 00 30 11 01 00 21 00 30 00 20 30 33 00 22 20 20 01 31 11 32 11
Plymouth Argyle 10 50 21 01 00 31 00 10 21 02 51 02 11 20 10 11 00 00 10 00 02
Portsmouth 02 30 10 00 21 22 21 30 00 00 02 20 21 11 00 22 01 30 30 11 10
Queens Park Rangers 10 40 21 30 21 01 20 41 42 00 20 12 20 40 00 20 00 20 11 10 12
Reading 21 01 21 10 01 12 41 01 20 01 40 40 01 11 10 00 04 11 13 23 00
Southampton 30 10 40 11 30 30 01 11 50 11 00 31 10 10 20 22 12 30 30 40 41
Southend 41 20 10 02 00 10 31 11 01 12 21 12 31 21 21 10 10 10 12 13 41
Swansea Town 11 00 22 00 21 20 31 11 10 00 12 22 52 30 00 13 21 11 20 11 21
Swindon Town 10 20 21 13 11 11 00 91 30 41 50 21 42 11 52 01 20 32 30 00 20
Watford 10 10 21 11 00 31 42 10 10 10 51 71 20 11 32 02 12 00 30 30 01

Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division South London teams

See also

References

  1. "England 1920-21". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. 1 2 Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. 1 2 3 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
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