history of football in england

8/9/2019 History of Football in England

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History of football in England

TheHistory ofEnglish football is a long and detailed

one, as it is not only the national sport but England was

where the game was developed and codified. The mod-

ern global game ofFootballwas first codified in 1863 in

London. The impetus for this was to unify English pub-

lic school and university football games. There is evi-

dence for refereed, team football games being played in

English schools since at least 1581. An account of an

exclusively kicking football game from Nottinghamshire

in the 15th century bears similarity to football. England

can boast the earliest ever documented use of the Englishword football (1409) and the earliest reference to the

sport in French (1314). England is home to the oldest

football clubs in the world (dating from at least 1857),

the worlds oldest competition (theFA Cupfounded in

1871) and the first ever football league (1888). For these

reasons England is considered the home of the game of

football.[1]

1 12001800: Pre-codification

Main article:Medieval football

Footballs roots in England has been found in Medieval

football, which was played annually onShrovetide. It is

suggested that this game was derived from those played

inBrittanyandNormandy, and could have been brought

to England in theNorman Conquest. These games were

violent and largely ruleless. As a result, they were often

banned.

England is the origin of nearly all first accounts of features

of football:

In 1280 comes the first account of a kicking ballgame. This happened at Ulgham, near Ashington in

Northumberland, in which a player was killed as a result

of running against an opposing players dagger. This con-

firms that by the 13th century kicking ball games were

being played in England.

In 1314, comes the earliest reference to a game called

football whenNicholas de Farndone,Lord Mayor of the

City of London issued a decree on behalf of King Edward

IIbanning football. It was written in the French used by

the English upper classes at the time. A translation reads:

"[f]orasmuch as there is great noise in the city caused by

hustling over large foot balls [rageries de grosses pelotesde pee] in the fields of the public from which many evils

might arise which God forbid: we command and forbid

on behalf of the king, on pain of imprisonment, such

game to be used in the city in the future.

In 1409 King Henry IV of England gives us the first

documented use of the English word football when is-

sued a proclamation forbidding the levying of money for

foteball.[2]

At the end of the 15th century comes the earliest descrip-

tion of a football game. This account in Latin of a football

game contains a number of features of modern football

and comes fromCawston, Nottinghamshire, England. Itis included in a manuscript collection of the miracles of

King Henry VI of England. Although the precise date

is uncertain it certainly comes from between 1481 and

1500. This is the first account of an exclusively kicking

game and the first description ofdribbling: "[t]he game

at which they had met for common recreation is called by

some the foot-ball game. It is one in which young men,

in country sport, propel a huge ball not by throwing it into

the air but by striking it and rolling it along the ground,

and that not with their hands but with their feet ... kicking

in opposite directions The chronicler gives the earliest

reference to a football field, stating that: "[t]he bound-

aries have been marked and the game had started.[3]

In 1526 comes the first record of a pair of football boots

occurs whenHenry VIII of Englandordered a pair from

the Great Wardrobe in 1526.[4] The boots are no longer

in existence.

In 1581 comes the earliest account of football as an or-

ganised team sport.Richard Mulcaster, a student atEton

Collegein the early 16th century and later headmaster at

other English schools provides the earliest references to

teams (sides and parties), positions (standings), a

referee (judge over the parties) and a coach "(trayning

maister)". Mulcasters footeball had evolved from the

disordered and violent forms of traditional football:

[s]ome smaller number with such overlooking,

sorted into sides and standings, not meeting with

their bodies so boisterously to trie their strength:

nor shouldring or shuffing one an other so bar-

barously ... may use footeball for as much good

to the body, by the chiefe use of the legges.

Mulcaster also confirms that in the 16th century England

football was very popular and widespread: it had attained

greatnes. .. [and was] much used ... in all placesDespite this violence continued to be a problem.

For example, the parish archives of North Moreton,

1
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2 2 18001870: EARLY RULES

Oxfordshire for May 1595 state: Gunters son and ye

Gregorys fell together by ye years at football. Old Gunter

drew his dagger and both broke their heads, and they died

both within a fortnight after.

In 1602 the earliest reference to a game involving passing

the ball comes fromcornish hurling. In particular Carewtells us that: Then must he cast the ball (named Dealing)

to some one of his fellowes. In this case, however, the

pass is by hand, as in rugby football. Although there are

other allusions to ball passing in the 17th century liter-

ature, this is the only one which categorically states that

the ball was passed to another member of the same team.

There are no other explicit references to passing the ball

between members of the same team until the 1860s, how-

ever, in 1650 English puritanRichard Baxteralludes to

player to player passing of the ball during a football game

in his book Everlasting Rest: like a Football in the midst

of a crowd of Boys, tost about in contention from one to

another.[5]

The first references to goalscome from England in the

late 16th and early 17th centuries. In 1584 and 1602 re-

spectively,John Nordenand Richard Carewreferred to

goals inCornish hurling. Carew described how goals

were made: they pitch two bushes in the ground, some

eight or ten foote asunder; and directly against them, ten

or twelue [twelve] score off, other twayne in like distance,

which they terme their Goales.[6] He is also the first to

refer to goalkeeping.

The first direct references toscoring a goalcome from

England in the 17th century. For example, inJohn Day's

playThe Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green(performed circa

1600; published 1659): I'll play a gole atcamp-ball" (an

extremely violent variety of football, which was popular

inEast Anglia).[7] Similarly in a poem in 1613, Michael

Draytonrefers to when the Ball to throw, And drive it

to the Gole, in squadrons forth they goe. The concept

of football teams is mentioned by English PoetEdmund

Wallerin c1624: He mentions a a sort [i.e. company]of

lusty shepherds try their force at football, care of victory

... They ply their feet, and still the restless ball, Tossd to

and fro, is urged by them all[8] ". The last line suggests

that playing as a team emerged much earlier in English

football than previously thought.

Football continued to be outlawed in English cities, for

example the Manchester Lete Roll contains a resolution,

dated 12 October 1608: That whereas there hath been

heretofore great disorder in our towne of Manchester, and

the inhabitants thereof greatly wronged and charged with

makinge and amendinge of their glasse windows broken

yearlye and spoyled by a companye of lewd and disor-

dered psons vsing that unlawfull exercise of playinge with

the ffote-ball in ye streets of ye sd toune breakinge many

mens windowes and glasse at their plesures and other

great enormyties. Therefore, wee of this jurye doe order

that no manner of psons hereafter shall play or use thefooteball in any street within the said toune of Manch-

ester, subpnd to evye one that shall so use the same for

evye time xiid.

Although football was frequently outlawed in England,

it remained popular even with the ruling classes. For

example, during the reign of King James I of England

James Howellmentionshow Lord Willoughby and LordSunderland enjoyed playing football, for example:"Lord

Willoughby, and he, with so many of their servants ...

play'd a match at foot-ball against such a number of coun-

trymen, where my Lord of Sunderland being busy about

the ball, got a bruise in the breast[9]

Football continued to be popular throughout 17th cen-

tury England. For example in 1634 Davenant is quoted

(in Hones Table-Book) as remarking, I would now make

a safe retreat, but methinks Jam stopped by one of your

heroic gamea called football; which I conceive (under

your favor) not very conveniently civil in the streets, es-

pecially in such irregular and narrow roads as CrookedLane. Yet it argues your courage, much like your mil-

itary pastime of throwing at cocks, since you have long

allowed these two valiant exercises in the streets. Sim-

ilarly in 1638Thomas Randolphsuggests this in the fol-

lowing lines from one of his plays: Madam, you may in

time bring down his legs To the just size, now overgrown

with playing Too much at foot-ball.[10]

In 1660 comes the first objective study of football, given

in Francis Willughby's Book of Sports,[11] written in

about 1660. This account is particularly noteworthy as

he refers to football by its correct name and is the first

to describe the following: goals and a pitch (a close that

has a gate at either end. The gates are called Goals),

tactics (leaving some of their best players to guard the

goal), scoring (they that can strike the ball through their

opponents goal first win) and the way teams were se-

lected (the players being equally divided according to

their strength and nimbleness). He is the first to describe

a law of football: They often break one anothers shins

when two meet and strike both together against the ball,

and therefore there is a law that they must not strike higher

than the ball. His book includes the first (basic) diagram

illustrating a modern football pitch.

Football continued to be played in the later 17th century,

even in cities such as London. The great diaristSamuel

Pepys, for example, states in 1665 that in a London street

the streete being full of footballs.[12]

2 18001870: Early rules

Main article: Football The establishment of modern

codes of football

Football continued to be played in England throughout

the 19th century. For example, in 1838 a thirteen-year-old boy James Mills of Hamer Bottom near Rochdale

had his leg broken in three places while playing at
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3

football[13] His leg had to be amputated. In 1844 foot-

ball was evidently still popular in London. An advertise-

ment in the Guardian newspaper for 14 December states:

Wanted immediately a field for football in the neighbour-

hood of London Road or Oxford Street. In 1845 an in-

teresting reference fromDarwen, Lancashireshows how

football was popular among English factory workers: Astranger passing through it at noon time may see a num-

ber of young men and boys dressed in Fustian engaged in

the favourite sport of football.[14]

England was the first country in the world to develop cod-

ified football, coming about from a desire of its various

public schoolsto compete against each other. Previously,

each school had its own rules, which may have dated back

to the 15th or 16th centuries. The first attempts to come

up with single codes probably began in the 1840s, with

various meetings between school representatives attempt-

ing to come up with a set of rules with which all would

be happy. The first attempt wasThe Cambridge Rules,created in 1848; others developed their own sets, most

notablySheffield F.C.(1855) andJ.C. Thring(1862).[15]

These were moulded into one set in 1863 whenthe Foot-

ball Associationwas formed; though some clubs contin-

ued to play under theSheffield Rulesuntil 1878, and oth-

ers dissented to formRugby Unioninstead.

Logo of Sheffield F.C. The first side to play scientific football

The 1863 rules of the Football Association provides the

first reference in the English Language to the verb to

pass a ball.

C. W. Alcockbecame the first footballer ever to be ruled

off side on 31 March 1866, confirming that players were

probing ways of exploiting the new off side rule right from

the start.[16] The offside rule was introduced in 1866 into

the Football Association rules. It was almost identical to

the one that had been part of the Cambridge Rules.

The early Sheffield Rules were particularly important as

their offside system allowed poaching or sneaking andthus demonstrated the use of the forward pass: Players

known as kick throughs were positioned permanently

near the opponents goal to receive these balls. Accord-

ing to C.W. Alcock the Sheffield style gave birth to the

modern passing game. TheSheffield Rules of 1862later

included both crossbars and half time and free kicks were

introduced to their code in 1866.

The oldest existing football trophy in the world theYoudan Cup(1867).

The English introduced football into France in 1863,

founding their first club, as the following newspaper cut-

ting shows: A number of English gentlemen living in

Paris have lately organised a football club ... The foot-

ball contests take place in the Bois de Boulogne, by

permission of the authorities and surprise the French

amazingly[17]

3 18701888: The FA Cup and

professionalism

An offside rule had not been included in the 1863

FA rules. In 1867 a loose offside rule based

on the Cambridge rules was introduced, permitting

forward passing[18] Consequently, in the late 1860s

scientific team play and ball passing strategies started

to evolve, which created the modern game as we know

it. Teamwork and passing were the innovation of

the Royal Engineers AFC[19][19][20] By 1869 they were

work[ing] well together, backing up and benefiting

from cooperation.[21] By 1870 the Engineers were the

first team to use ball passing strategies: Lieut. Creswell,

who having brought the ball up the side then kicked it into

the middle to another of his side, who kicked it through

the posts the minute before time was called[22] Passing

was a regular feature of their style[23] and their skills in-

cluded turn[ing] the ball to colleagues and irreproach-

able organisation of forwards and defenders[24] By early

1872 the Engineers were the first football team renowned

for play[ing] beautifully together[25]

TheRoyal Engineers AFC(1872): thefirst passing side

TheFA Cupwas the first nationally organised competi-

tion. Aknockout cup, it began 1871, with the first win-ners being theWanderers. In those days professionalism

was banned, and the cup was dominated by service teams
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4 4 18881915: CREATION OF THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE

or old schoolboys teams (such as Old Etonians). The

Scottish Football Associationsplit from the FA in 1873.

In the early 1870s the modern team passing game was in-

vented by theSheffield FC, Royal Engineers A.F.C.[19][19]

and Scottish players of the era from Queens Park

FC.

[26][27][28]

This was the predecessor to the currentpassing, defensive game was known as theCombination

Gameand was spread around the world by British expa-

triates.

England was home to thefirst ever international football

match on 5 March 1870. The first match ended in a draw

and was one of a series of four matches between repre-

sentatives of England and Scotland atThe Oval, London.

These matches were arranged by the Football Associa-

tion, at the time the only national football body in the

world.

The origin of these games came in 1870 when CW

Alcock's challenged homegrown contenders in Scotlandagainst an English eleven. These challenges were issued

in Scottish newspapers, including the Glasgow Herald.

He received no response to these adverts. One response

to Alcocks challenges illustrates that soccer was eclipsed

in Scotland by other codes:

Mr Alcocks challenge to meet a Scotch

eleven on the borders sounds very well and is

doubtless well meant. But it may not be gen-

erally well known that Mr Alcock is a very

leading supporter of what is called the asso-

ciation game... devotees of the associationrules will find no foemen worthy of their steel

in Scotland.[29]

As a result he was forced to draw upon London-based

players with Scottish origins. One notable Scottish player

of the 1870 and 1871 games was Smith, a player of

Queens Park FC. This suggests that southern teams were

not so isolated from Glasgow players and style of play as

originally thought.

Alcock was categorical that although most players were

London based, this was dueto lack of response fromnorth

of the border:

I must join issue with your correspon-

dent in some instances. First, I assert that

of whatever the Scotch eleven may have been

composed the right to play wasopen to every

Scotchman[Alcocks italics] whether his lines

were cast North or South of the Tweed and

that if in the face of the invitations publicly

given through the columns of leading journals

of Scotland the representative eleven consisted

chiefly of Anglo-Scotians ... the fault lies on

the heads of the players of the north, not onthe management who sought the services of

all alike impartially. To call the team London

Scotchmen contributes nothing. The match

was, as announced, to all intents and purposes

between England and Scotland.[30]

The 1870 and 1871 matches are not currently recognised

by FIFA as official, however the Scotsman newspaper

certainly identified them as "international [The Scots-mans italics]"[31]

Alcock continued to pursue players from north of the

Tweed", inviting them in papers such as the Scotsman to

contact(for example)A F Kinnaird".[31]

At this time, however, it was unusual for national sides

to travel far for matches and even in the 1873 England

v Scotland game, the first FIFA recognised match in

England, only 3 Scottish players were not from English

sides[32] Alcock decided in order to further the interests

of the Association in Scotland, it was decided that during

the current season, a team should be sent to Glasgow toplay a match v Scotland[33]

The first official (i.e. currently recognised by FIFA) in-

ternational match would take place between Scotland and

England on 30 November 1872. This match was played

under the Football Association rules.

Englishman C. W. Alcock was responsible for instigat-

ing the worlds firstofficialfootball international in Glas-

gow on 30 November 1872. This match was played under

the Football Association rules and was drawn, however,

the following year England became the first team in the

world to win an international football match when they

beat Scotland in London.

The South Derbyshire Football Association was estab-

lished in March 1871[34]

This period in English football was dominated by con-

flict between those who supported professionalism, and

those who wanted the game to remain amateur. Clubs

in Scotland and Northern England generally supported

a professional game, as the working class of these re-

gions could not afford to miss work in order to play foot-

ball. InSouthern England, the game was more popular

with themiddle class, who supported "Corinthian" values

of amateurism. A number of clubs, such as Blackburn

Roversand Darwenwere accused of employing profes-

sionals, and the FA eventually legalised the practice in

1885, in order to avoid a split.

4 18881915: Creation of the Foot-

ball League

The new professionals needed more regular competi-

tive football in which they could compete, which led to

the creation of the Football League in 1888 by Aston

Villa director William McGregor. This was domi-nated by those clubs who had supported professional-

ism, and the twelve founding members consisted of six
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5

from Lancashire (Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Bolton

Wanderers, Accrington, Everton and Preston North

End) and six from the Midlands (Aston Villa, Derby

County, Notts County, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion

and Wolverhampton Wanderers). No sides from the

South or London initially participated.

Preston North End won the first ever Football League

championship without losing any of their 22 fixtures, and

won the FA Cup to complete the double. They retained

their league title the following year but by the turn of the

20th century they had been eclipsed by Aston Villa, who

had emulated Prestons double success in 1897. Other

Midlands sides, such as Wolves (1893 FA Cup winners)

and West Bromwich Albion (1888 & 1892 FA Cup win-

ners) were also successful during this era, as were Black-

burn Rovers, who won five FA Cups in the 1880s and

1890s.

In 1891 Liverpool engineer John Alexander Brodie in-vented the football net.

In 1892, a newDivision Twowas added, taking in more

clubs from around the country; Woolwich Arsenal be-

came the first League club from the capital in 1893; they

were also joined byLiverpoolthe same year. By 1898,

both divisions had been expanded to eighteen clubs.

Other rival leagues on a local basis were being eclipsed

by the Football League, though both theNorthern League

and theSouthern League- who provided the only ever

non-league FA Cup winnersTottenham Hotspurin 1901

- remained competitors in the pre-World War I era.

At the turn of the 20th century, clubs fromSheffieldwereparticularly successful, with Sheffield United winning a

title and two FA Cups, as well as losing to Tottenham in

the 1901 final; meanwhile The Wednesday (later Sheffield

Wednesday) won two titles and two FA Cups, despite be-

ing relegated in 1899 they were promoted the following

year. Clubs inTyne and Wearwere also at the forefront;

Sunderland had won four titles between 1892 and 1902,

and in the following decade Newcastle United won the ti-

tle three titles, in 1905, 1907 and 1909, and reached five

FA Cup finals in seven years between 1905 and 1911,

winning just the one, however. In additionBuryman-

aged a 60 win over Derby County in the 1903 FA Cup

Final, a record scoreline that stands to this day.

During the first decade of the 20th century,Manchester

City looked to be emerging as Englands top side after

winning the FA Cup for the first time in 1904, but it was

soon revealed that the club had been involved in finan-

cial irregularities, which included paying 6 or 7 a week

in wages to players when the national wage limit was 4

per week. The authorities were furious and rebuked the

club, dismissing five of its directors and banning four of

its players from ever turning out for the club again.

Instead, it was Citys neighbours United who were the

more successful during the early 20th century. Theyreached the First Division in 1906 and were crowned

league champions two years later. The following year,

1909, they won the FA Cup and they added another

league championship in 1911. A decline set in, however,

and there would be no major trophies for the red half of

Manchester for the next 37 years. Further domination

of the game by clubs from the north-west came in the

shape of Liverpool, who won two league titles in 1901 and

1906, and Everton, who won the FA Cup in 1906. Andin the run-up to World War I, Blackburn Rovers recorded

two league titles 1912 and 1914, before hostilities meant

professional football was suspended.

Clubs from the South fared poorly in comparison, though

in 1904 Woolwich Arsenal became the first club from

London to be promoted to the First Division, while a slew

of clubs from the capital joined the League (including

Clapton Orient, Chelsea, Fulham and Tottenham Hot-

spur), making it a properly nationwide competition; both

Chelsea and Spurs quickly gained promotion to the top

flight as well.

Woolwich Arsenal had struggled to attract high atten-

dances even after promotion to the First Division, and

so the clubs owners decided to relocate fromPlumstead,

South London, to anew stadiumin theHighburyarea of

North Londonin 1913. They were to play at this site for

93 years until relocating to theEmirates Stadiumnearby

in 2006.

On the international scene, theHome Nationscontinued

to play each other, withScotlandthe slightly more suc-

cessful of the four. When the countries combined to play

as Great Britain in theOlympic Games they were un-

beatable, winning all three pre-World War I football gold

medals. England played their first games against teams

outside of theBritish Islesin 1908.

5 19191939: Inter-war years

From 1920 to 1923 the Football League expanded fur-

ther, gaining a newThird Division(expanding quickly to

Division Three SouthandDivision Three North), with all

leagues now containing 22 clubs, making 88 in total. In

addition, in 1923Wembley Stadiumopened, and hosted

its first Cup final, between Bolton Wanderers and WestHam United, known today as the "White Horse Final";

Bolton won 20.

During the interwar years, Arsenal and Everton were the

two most dominant sides in English football, although

Huddersfield Towndid make history in 1926 by becom-

ing the first team to complete a hat-trick of successive

league titles. Arsenal would do the same in 1935. Man-

agerHerbert Chapmanwas involved with both of these

teams. He guided Huddersfield to the first two of their

league titles before taking over at Arsenal, where he

presided over the first two league titles, but he died just

before the third consecutive t itle was clinched.Everton had hit the headlines in 1928 by winning the

league championship thanks largely to the record break-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Chapmanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huddersfield_Town_A.F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Horse_Finalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wembley_Stadiumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Third_Division_Northhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Third_Division_Southhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Third_Divisionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isleshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Gameshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Nationshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_Stadiumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Londonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highburyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_Stadiumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Londonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumsteadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulham_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyton_Orient_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_United_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyne_and_Wearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheffieldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Football_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_League_(football)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Second_Divisionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Alexander_Brodiehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoke_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notts_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Midlandshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_North_End_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_North_End_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everton_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accrington_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnley_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancashire


6/17

6 6 19451961: THE END OF ENGLISH DOMINANCE

ing 60 league goals of 21-year-old centre-forwardDixie

Dean. He was helped by the new rules of the 1920s, in-

cluding the allowing of goals from acorner kick, and the

relaxing of theoffsiderule. Everton also won the league

twice more, in 1932 and 1939, and the FA Cup in 1933.

Their neighbours Liverpool had earlier won back-to-back

titles in 1922 and 1923, but were unable to sustain thissuccess. Arsenal remained successful in the 1930s, win-

ning several more trophies.

Sheffield Wednesday were also successful during the

1930s, winning the 192930 title, the FA Cup in 1935

and finishing in the top three in all but one season in the

period 193036. In addition, it was during this time that

a Welsh side won the FA Cup for the only time; Cardiff

Citybeating Arsenal 10 in the 1927 Final.

The national team remained strong, but lost their first

game to a non-British Isles country in 1929 (against Spain

in Madrid) and refused to compete in the initial WorldCups.

6 19451961: The end of English

dominance

English football reconvened in the years following the end

of World War II, when most clubs had closed down for a

period, with the 194546 FA Cup, which saw the compe-

tition played over two legs to make up for a lack of league

competition that season. The first post-war trophy wenttoDerby County, who beatCharlton Athletic41 in the

final. The league restarted in the194647 season, with

the first title going toLiverpool.

In the immediate post-war years, Arsenal won another

two titles and an FA Cup but after the second title win

in 1953, began to fade considerably and would not win

another trophy for nearly 20 years, although they did re-

main in the First Division throughout this time. Liverpool

won the first postwar league title, but suffered an even

more miserable fate and were relegated to the Second Di-

vision in 1954, where they spent the next eight seasons.

Portsmouthwere also successful; having won the FA Cupin the last season before the war, they won two titles in

a row in 194849 and 194950, but like Liverpool they

were relegated by the time the decade was out.

Manchester United re-emerged as a footballing force un-

der new managerMatt Busby. They won the FA Cup in

1948 and the league title in 1952, the clubs first trophies

since before the Great War. Key players in this team

includedJohnny Carey, Jack Rowleyand Stan Pearson.

Busbys next successful team was the "Busby Babes", so

called as the players were all young, rising through the

clubs youth system, developed as one of Englands finest

teams ever, with the likes of Bobby Charlton, DennisViollet, Tomm y Taylor andDuncan Edwards winning

two further titles in 1956 and 1957. Manchester United

also became the first English team to compete in the

newEuropean Cup, contested by champions of European

domestic leagues, reaching the semi-finals in 1957 and

1958.

But theMunich air disasteron 6 February 1958 resulted

in the deaths of eight players (including Edwards) andended the careers of two others, while Busby survived

with serious injuries. He built a new United side with a

mix of young players, Munich survivors and new sign-

ings, and five years later his rebuilding programme paid

off withFA Cupglory.

The other dominant team of the era was Wolverhamp-

ton Wanderers. Wolves, who had previously spent most

of the interwar period in the lower divisions, won three

league titles and two FA Cups under managerStan Cullis

and captain Billy Wright. Other Midlands sides also

enjoyed success after a barren period, including West

Bromwich Albions FACup win in 1954 (their first trophyin 23 years) and Aston Villa matching them with a Cup

win in 1957 (their first in 37 years). In addition, in 1951

Tottenham Hotspur became the first team in English foot-

ball to win the league title immediately after being pro-

moted, and Chelsea won their first and only league title

of the 20th century in 1955.

One of the most memorable matches of the era was

whenBlackpoolbeat Bolton Wanderers 43 in the 1953

FA Cup Final, in a match that came to be known as

the Matthews Final, for Blackpools mercurial winger

Stanley Matthews, even though it was Stan Mortensen

who scored a hat-trick that day; it remains Blackpools

only major honour.

English football as a whole, however, began to suffer at

this time, with tactical naivety setting in. The national

team were humiliated at their first World Cup in 1950, fa-

mously losing to theUSA10. This was followed by two

defeats in 1953 toHungary, who destroyed England6-3

at home, the first time England had lost at home to a non-

British Isles team, and 71 in Budapest, Englands biggest

ever defeat. The early European club competitions also

went without much English success, with the FA initially

unwilling to allow clubs to compete. No English team

reached aEuropean Cupfinal until 1968, which was the

same year that England got their first Fairs Cup success;

although English teams Birmingham City (twice) and a

London XIhad reached the first three finals of the com-

petition in its formative days.

Great players who rose to prominence during the 1950s

includeDuncan Edwards,Tommy Taylor,Bobby Charl-

ton,Denis Law,Bobby Robson,Norman Deeley, Peter

Sillett, Danny Blanchflower, Denis Compton and Joe

Mercer.

While Edwards and Taylor both lost their lives due to the

Munich tragedy, many older players naturally reached the

end of their illustrious careers at around the same time.These includeNat Lofthouse,Tom Finney,Billy Wright,

Stan Mortensen,Bert WilliamsandJohnny Carey.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Careyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Williamshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Mortensenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Wright_(footballer_born_1924)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Finneyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Lofthousehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Mercerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Mercerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Comptonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Blanchflowerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Silletthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Silletthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Deeleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Lawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Taylorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Edwardshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_XIhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapesthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_v_Hungary_(1953)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_v_Hungary_(1953)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_men%2527s_national_soccer_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Mortensenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Matthewshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackpool_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Wright_(footballer_born_1924)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Cullishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disasterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Edwardshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomm_y_Taylorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Viollethttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Viollethttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busby_Babeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Pearsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Rowleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Careyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Busbyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946%E2%80%9347_in_English_footballhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_FA_Cup_Finalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_Athletic_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945%E2%80%9346_FA_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madridhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_(association_football)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_kickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Deanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Dean


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7

Managers who achieved glory in the first 15 years of post-

war English football include Matt Busby,Tom Whittaker,

Stan Cullis,Ted DrakeandStan Seymour.

7 19631971: The golden age

The end of the 1950s had seen the beginning of the mod-

ernisation of English football, with the Divisions Three

North and South becoming the national Division Three

andDivision Fourin 1958. 1960 saw the introduction of

the League Cup (with the first winners beingAston Villa),

whilst Matt Busby built a new team for the 1960s star-

ring Munich survivor Bobby Charlton, youth team prod-

uctGeorge Best and British record signingDenis Law.

Meanwhile, successful sides of the 1950s like Wolves

started to decline, with relegation eventually coming in

1965. The decade was also less successful for the likes of

Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, who had been amongthe top sides of the early postwar years.

It was Tottenham Hotspur who became the dominant

force in English football in the early 1960s, winning the

elusive double of the League and FA Cup in 1961, retain-

ing the cup in 1962 and becoming the first British team

to win a European trophy, after their 51 victory over

Atltico Madridin the 1963 UEFA Cup Winners Cup

final. The captain of this side was Danny Blanchflower,

who retired in 1964, after which managerBill Nicholson

built a new side containing the likes of Jimmy Greaves

andTerry Venables, which won the FA Cup in 1967.

Fellow London side West Ham United were also success-

ful, with the England trio ofBobby Moore,Geoff Hurst

and Martin Petershelping them win the 1964 FA Cup

and the 1965 Cup Winners Cup. All three would go on

to play a key role in an even bigger success for their coun-

try.

The English national side showed signs of improving

with Alf Ramsey taking over as head coach following

a respectable quarter final appearance at the1962 FIFA

World Cup. Ramsey confidently predicted that at the next

tournament, England would win the trophy, and they did

just that.The1966 World Cup saw England win the World Cup

in acontroversial 42 victoryoverWest Germany. The

three goals scored byGeoff Hurst within 120 minutes,

of which some are controversial, are the onlyhat trickto

be achieved in a World Cup final to date. Bobby Moore

was the captain on that day, whilst Munich air crash sur-

vivor Bobby Charlton also played. Moores West Ham

colleagues Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters scored that day.

The World Cup as a whole was highly successful, with

the successes of theNorth Korea team, the fouls of the

Uruguay team, the skill ofEusbioand the famous quote

They think its all over ... it is nowentering Englands col-lective memory.

The period also saw the first English successes in Euro-

pean club football, begun with Manchester Uniteds 4

1 European Cup victory over S.L. Benfica, and Leeds

United'sInter-Cities Fairs Cupvictory, both in 1968. In-

deed, Leeds win set off a series of 6 consecutive wins in

the competition (which was renamed theUEFA Cupin

1971) for English clubs, with the 1972 final being held

between two of them, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolver-hampton Wanderers.

During this time, a number of different teams competed

for league and cup success. Manchester City enjoyed suc-

cess at the same time as their rivals United, winning the

First Division title for only the second time in 1968, and

the FA Cup the year after that, and a double of the Cup

Winners Cup and League Cup in 1970. Leeds Fairs Cup

success was no isolated effort;Don Revie's side also won

a League Cup in 1968 and the league title the season after.

Liverpool underBill Shanklyhad won promotion in 1962

and soon after won the league title in 1964, and again in

1966, with an FA Cup in between; their neighbours Ever-ton meanwhile had similar success but on a smaller scale,

taking two league titles in 1963 and 1970, and the FA

Cup in 1966.

Players who dominated the English scene during the

1960s includeBobby Moore,Geoff Hurst,Bobby Charl-

ton, George Best, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Francis

Lee,Jeff Astle,Gordon BanksandRoger Hunt.

The decade also saw the illustrious careers of many

famous older players drawing to a close. These in-

clude Danny Blanchflower, Harry Gregg, Dennis Viol-

let, Norman Deeley, Peter McParland, Noel Cantwell,

Bert Trautmann, Jimmy Adamson, Syd Owen, and the

50-year-oldStanley Matthews.

Successful managers of the 1960s include Matt Busby,

Bill Nicholson, Harry Catterick, Bill Shankly, Don Revie,

Joe MercerandRon Greenwood.

The 1970s began with Everton as league champions,

whileChelseawon their first ever FA Cup. A year later,

Arsenal became the second club of the century to win

the double. 1972 sawDerby Countywin the league title

for the first time under the management ofBrian Clough,

while Leeds United continued to enjoy success as FA Cup

winners and Stoke City lifted the League Cup to claim thefirst major trophy of their history.

8 19721985: The rise of Liverpool

The1970s was an odd decade in English football, with the

national team disappointing but English clubs enjoying

great success in European competitions. They failed to

qualify for the 1974 and 1978 World Cups and only made

the second round in 1982. English club sides, however,

dominated on the continent. Altogether, in the 1970s,

English clubs won eight European titles and lost out infour finals; whilst from 1977 to 1984 English clubs won

seven out of eight European Cups.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoke_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cloughhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Greenwoodhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Mercerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Reviehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Shanklyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Catterickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nicholson_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Busbyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Matthewshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Owenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Adamsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Trautmannhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Cantwellhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_McParlandhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Deeleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Viollethttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Viollethttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Gregghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Blanchflowerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Hunthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Bankshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Astlehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Leehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Leehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Greaveshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Lawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Besthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Hursthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Moorehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Shanklyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Reviehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-Cities_Fairs_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_United_A.F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_United_A.F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.L._Benficahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Think_It%2527s_All_Overhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eus%C3%A9biohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Moorehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat_trickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Hursthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_World_Cup_Finalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_FIFA_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_FIFA_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Ramseyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Petershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Hursthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Moorehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Venableshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Greaveshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nicholson_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Blanchflowerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cup_Winners%2527_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atl%C3%A9tico_Madridhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Hotspurhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackpool_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Lawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Besthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Division_Fourhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Seymourhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Drakehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Cullishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Whittaker_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Busby


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8 8 19721985: THE RISE OF LIVERPOOL

London clubs had enjoyed a strong start to the decade,

with Arsenal and Chelsea winning silverware, whileWest

Ham Unitedwon their second FA Cup in 1975. Arsenal

reached the FA Cup final three years in a row from 1978,

but only had one win.

However, the dominant team in England in this periodwas Liverpool, winning league titles in 1973, 1976, 1977,

1979, 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1984. They also collected

three European Cups, three FA Cups and four League

Cups, under Shankly and his successorBob Paisley, who

retired as manager in 1983 to be succeeded by veteran

coach Joe Fagan. Players such as Emlyn Hughes and Alan

Hansen helped Liverpool have a solid and reliable side,

whose skill and talent was supported by a strong work

ethic and the famous boot room identity. Kevin Kee-

ganwas Liverpools leading striker for much of the 1970s

before being sold to HSV Hamburgin 1977 and being

replaced by Kenny Dalglish. The midfield was boosted

towards the end of the decade by the arrival of GraemeSouness, and the early 1980s spawned further new stars

including high-scoring striker Ian Rush, talented mid-

fielderCraig Johnstonand skilful defenderSteve Nicol.

The other notably successful teams of the era wereDerby

County, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Aston Villa.

Derby, led by Brian Clough and then Dave Mackay, were

the only team other than Liverpool to win the league

more than once in the 1970s and also reached the semi-

final of the European Cup in the 197273 season, though

they faded rapidly towards the end of the decade, go-

ing down in 1980. Forest, led by Brian Clough (who

had an infamous 44-day stint atLeeds United after re-signing at Derby), took over at theCity Groundin Jan-

uary 1975 when Forest were a struggling Second Divi-

sion side; in 1977 he took them into the First Division

and they won the league title a year later, followed by two

successiveEuropean Cuptriumphs and also adding two

League Cups. Everton began the 1970s on a high note

as league champions in 1970, but rarely featured in the

race for the major trophies until they won theFA Cup

underHoward Kendallin 1984. They added the league

title andEuropean Cup Winners Cup a year later. As-

ton Villa had bounced back from relegation to the Third

Division in 1970, winning promotion to the top flight in1975 and a League Cup the same year, and again in 1977.

They went on to win the 1981 league title and the year af-

ter won the European Cup, becoming the fourth English

club to do so, beatingBayern Munich10 inRotterdam.

Between 1965 and 1974 Leeds had been the most con-

sistent club side in English football, winning two league

titles, as well as five runners-up places, had never finished

outside the top four and had reached nine major finals,

and 4 other semi-finals, as well as winning the FA cup in

1972, however this success would end with the departure

of Don Revie for the England national team 1974, and

apart from a final flurry in the 1975 European cup final,they won no more trophies and were relegated in 1982.

Other clubs did not fare as well in the 1970s; Manchester

United began to decline after Matt Busbys retirement in

1969 and were relegated in 1974. However, they were

promoted back the following season, and reached three

cup finals in four years (1976, 1977 and 1979), though

they only won the 1977 final. United went on to finish

second twice during the 1980s and won another FA Cupin 1983, but the league title continued to elude them -

they had not won it since 1967.

On the other hand, their neighbours City struggled in the

early 1980s after doing relatively well in the 1970s. They

were FA Cup runners-up in 1981, but heavy spending on

players who rarely lived up to their price tags did the club

no favours and they were relegated in 1983 and again in

1987, reclaiming their First Division status after two sea-

sons on both occasions, although it would be more than

20 years before they began to seriously compete among

the leading English clubs again.

Meanwhile, Chelsea were also going through a turbulent

time after winning the FA Cup in 1970 and the Euro-

pean Cup Winners Cup in 1971. Financial problems and

the loss of key players meant they spent most of 1970s

and 1980s bouncing between the First and Second Di-

visions. In 1983, they only narrowly avoided relegation

to the Third Division, but were promoted the following

year.

Wolves, who had arguably been the best team of the

1950s and were still a reasonable force in 1980 (when

they finished sixth and won the League Cup), suffered

a spectacular decline which began in 1984 and ended in

1986 with three successive relegations that saw them in

the Fourth Division for the first time. They were not alone

in suffering a relegation hat-trick; Bristol City had com-

pleted the first such humiliation in 1982, though they were

admittedly a far smaller club whose relegation in 1980

came after just four years in the top flight after an ab-

sence of 65 years.

Wolves were one of several once-great sides to endure a

decline during the 1970s and early 1980s. Huddersfield

Town (who complete the first league title hat-trick during

the 1920s) were relegated from the First Division in 1971

and fell into the Fourth Division in 1975, not winning

promotion until 1980. Portsmouth (league champions in

1949 and 1950) fell into the Fourth Division in 1978 as

an almost bankrupt side, but climbed out of it in 1980

and within five years were in the hunt for a First Divi-

sion comeback. Derby County were league champions in

1972 and 1975, but a rapid decline saw them fall into the

Second Division in 1980 and the Third Division in 1984.

Burnley, league champions as recently as 1960, fell into

the Fourth Division in 1985, and with the introduction of

automatic relegation from the Football League, narrowly

avoided relegation to theFootball Conference(the high-

est division of non league football since its formation in

1979) in 1987.

The period was also marked by some surprise FA Cup
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Conferencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnley_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotterdamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayern_Munichhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cup_Winners%2527_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Kendallhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Groundhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_United_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_Forest_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_County_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Nicolhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Johnstonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Rushhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Sounesshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Sounesshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Dalglishhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_SVhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Keeganhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Keeganhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hansenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hansenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emlyn_Hugheshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Faganhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Paisleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Ham_United_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Ham_United_F.C.


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9

wins by lower-division teams over top-flight sides; these

included Sunderland (beating Leeds United in 1973),

Southampton (beating Manchester United in 1976) and

West Ham United (beating Arsenal in 1980). Bobby

Robson'sIpswich Townwere another successful smaller

club, winning the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup in

1981. They also came second in the league in 1981 and1982.

During this period transfer fees began to rise rapidly as

more money entered the game;Trevor Francis became

Britains first million-pound rated footballer in 1979.

1979 also saw the formation of theFootball Conference.

This was the first national league to develop below the

Football League, and was the beginning of a formalisa-

tion of theEnglish football pyramid. The first seven Con-

ference champions failed to gain election to the Football

League, but in 1986 it was decided that the following

years champions would be automatically promoted to the

league to replace the Fourth Divisions bottom side ...

The re-election system saw Cambridge United elected to

the league in 1970, Hereford United in 1972, Wimbledon

in 1977 and Wigan Athletic in 1978. Cambridge reached

the Second Division in 1978 and were a competent side

at this level for five seasons before a terrible decline saw

them fall back into the Fourth Division in 1985, although

they did enjoy a swift but brief revival in the early 1990s

which took them to the brink of top division football.

Hereford reached the Second Division after just four

years of league membership, only to endure back-to-back

relegations which pushed them back into the Fourth Di-

vision in 1978. Wimbledons first two promotions from

the Fourth Division ended in relegation after just one sea-

son, but by 1984 they had reached the Second Division

and their biggest successes were yet to come.

Players who dominated the English scene during the

1970s and early 1980s include Kevin Keegan, Kenny

Dalglish,Graeme Souness,Peter Shilton,Bryan Robson,

John Wark,Liam Brady,Steve Perryman,Glenn Hoddle

andAlan Hansen.

Older players whose careers finished during this time

include Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, George Best,

Denis Law,Jimmy Greaves,Billy Bremner,Jack Charl-ton,Emlyn Hughes,Gordon BanksandAlex Stepney.

Successful managers of this era include Bill Shankly,Bob

Paisley,Don Revie,John Lyall,Brian Clough,Ron Saun-

ders, Ron Atkinson, Bobby Robson andKeith Burkin-

shaw.

9 19861991: The end of an era

During the 1970s and 1980s, the spectre ofhooliganism

had begun to haunt English football. TheHeysel Stadiumdisasterwas the epitome of this, with English hooligans

mixing with poor policing and an old stadium to cause the

deaths of 39 Juventus fans during the 1985 European Cup

final. This led to English teams being banned from Euro-

pean football for five years, and Liverpool - the club in-

volved - being banned for six. Attendances also suffered

throughout the league, with hooliganism and therecession

being seen as the key factors. Teams in the north of Eng-

land, the region with some of the worst unemploymentrates nationally, suffered a particularly sharp decline in

attendances, which did their financial position no favours.

Even when English teams were re-admitted, it was not

until 1995 that they regained all of their lost places. And

it took a while for English teams to re-establish them-

selves in Europe. Although Manchester Unitedwon the

European Cup Winners Cupin thefirst season after the

ban was lifted, theEuropean Cupwas not won by an En-

glish club until 1999 15 years after the last triumph.

The Hillsborough disaster, which also involved Liver-

pool, though not related to hooliganism but caused by badpolicing, an outdated stadium and anti-hooligan fences

led to 96 deaths and more than 300 injuries at the FA

Cup semi-final in April 1989. These two tragedies led to

a modernisation of English football and English grounds

by the mid 1990s. Efforts were made to remove hooli-

gans from English football, whilst theTaylor Reportled

to the grounds of all top level clubs becoming all-seater.

Match attendances, which had been in decline since the

1970s, were beginning to recover by the turn of the 1990s

thanks to the improving image of football as well as

the strengthened national economy and falling unemploy-

ment after the crises of the 1970s and the first half of the

1980s.

On the field, Liverpools domination was coming to an

end; it also saw the culmination of the phenomenal rise

ofWimbledon, who rose from the Fourth Division to the

First in just four seasons, before finishing sixth in their

inaugural season in the top flight and beating Liverpool

10 in the 1988 FA Cup final, one of the competitions

biggest shocks. Another team to make an improbably

quick rise from Fourth to First Divisions was Swansea

City, who had climbed three divisions between 1977 and

1981. They finished sixth in their first top division cam-

paign, but were relegated the following year and in 1986

fell back into the Fourth Division. Watfordhad reached

the First Division for the first time in 1982 and finished

league runners-up in their first season at this level and

were FA Cup runners-up a year later, but were relegated

in 1988.

A number of other small clubs achieved success at this

time. Charlton Athletic, who were forced to leave The

Valley and ground-share with West Ham for safety rea-

sons in 1985, won promotion to the First Division in 1986

after an exile of nearly 30 years. They defied the odds by

remaining at this level until their luck finally ran out and

they were relegated in 1990. Norwich City went down to

the Second Division in 1985 but that blow was cushioned

by a League Cup triumph. They returned to the top flight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swansea_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swansea_City_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Reporthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_disasterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990%E2%80%9391_in_English_footballhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990%E2%80%9391_in_English_footballhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Cup_Winners%2527_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_United_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_1980s_recessionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juventushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disasterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disasterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_hooliganismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Burkinshawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Burkinshawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Atkinsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Saundershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Saundershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cloughhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lyallhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Reviehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Paisleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Paisleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Shanklyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Stepneyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Bankshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emlyn_Hugheshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bremnerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Greaveshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Lawhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Besthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Moorehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hansenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Hoddlehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Perrymanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Bradyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Warkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shiltonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Sounesshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Dalglishhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Dalglishhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Keeganhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_football_league_systemhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Conferencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Francishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipswich_Town_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Robson


10/17

10 9 19861991: THE END OF AN ERA

a year later and finished fifth on their comeback, also

coming fourth and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in

1989. They reached another FA Cup semi-final in 1992.

Oxford United, who had only joined the Football League

in 1962, reached the First Division in 1985 and lifted the

League Cup the following season. They went back down

again in 1988, the same year that Middlesbrough reachedthe First Division a mere two seasons after almost going

out of business as a Third Division side. Luton Town,

who began the latest of several spells as a First Division

side in 1982, won theFootball League Cup- their first

major trophy - in 1988 at the expense of a much more

fancied Arsenal side.

Many fallen giants fell on hard times during the later

part of the 1980s. Burnley and Preston North End (both

Football League founders with five league titles between

them), were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1985.

Preston were promoted back to the Third Division in

1987, but that year saw Burnley narrowly avoid becomingthe first team to suffer automatic relegation to the Con-

ference (that humiliation was endured by Lincoln City in-

stead) and it was not until 1992 that Burnley won promo-

tion from the basement division.

One fallen giant to enjoy something of a resurgence in this

era was Derby County. They had been relegated to the

Third Division in 1984, just nine years after being league

champions, but back-to-back promotions saw them back

in the First Division in 1987. They emerged as surprise

title contenders in 198889 and finished fifth, only miss-

ing out on a UEFA Cup place due to the ban on English

clubs in European competition. But Derby were unable tosustain their run of success, and went down to the Second

Division in 1991.

In 1986, Wolverhampton Wanderers fell into the Fourth

Division for the first time in their history, and became

only the second English team to endure three succes-

sive relegations. By 1989, they had won promotion to

the Second Division almost single-handedly thanks to the

goalscoring exploits of strikerSteve Bull, who became

the first English footballer to score 50 or more competi-

tive goals in successive seasons. Local businessmanJack

Hayward took the club over in 1990, and declared his am-

bition to restore Wolves as a major footballing force.

Bolton Wanderers, four times FA Cup winners, were rel-

egated to the Fourth Division in 1987, the same year that

Sunderland fell into the Third Division for the first time

in their history. Both teams, however, won promotion

at the first attempt. Burnleys recovery was more steady;

they did not climb out of the leagues basement division

until 1992 and did not reclaim their top flight status until

2009, only surviving for one season at this level.

With Liverpools fortunes waning,George GrahamsAr-

senal started to win trophies again, with a League Cup

in 1987 and two league titles, in 1989 and 1991, the for-

mer being won in the final minute of the final game of

the seasonagainst title rivals Liverpool, with young mid-

fielderMichael Thomasscoring the crucial goal. Arsenal

would go on to be the first side to pick up the Cup Dou-

ble in 1993, and followed it with a Cup Winners Cup the

year after.

Arsenals neighbours Tottenham were also successful,

winning the FA Cup in 199091, with midfielder PaulGascoigneproving the hero in the semi-finals against Ar-

senal before injuring himself in the final against Notting-

ham Forest. Tottenham boughtBarcelona's high-scoring

EnglandstrikerGary Linekerin 1989, and he continued

his excellent form over three years at the club before leav-

ing to finish his career in Japan.

Leeds had finally won promotion back to the top flight in

1990 and underHoward Wilkinsonthey won the 1991

92 league title. Wilkinson is still the most recent En-

glish manager to win the league championship. However,

the departure of Eric Cantona to Manchester United,

amongst other factors, meant they were unable to makea regular challenge for the title following the creation of

the Premier League, although they did survive at this level

for 12 seasons and achieved regular top five finishes.

Manchester Uniteds six-year trophyless run had ended in

1983 when managerRon Atkinson(appointed in 1981)

guided them to FA Cup glory. They achieved another tri-

umph two years later, but had still gone without a league

title since 1967. 10 successive league wins at the start

of the 198586 season suggested that the title was on its

way back toOld Trafford, but Uniteds form fell away as

they finished fourth and Liverpool sealed the title. A ter-

rible start to the 198687 season cost Atkinson his job

in early November, whenAlex Fergusonwas recruited

fromAberdeen. Ferguson strengthened the squad in the

1987 close season and the first stages of the new season

and things were looking good as Fergusons first full sea-

son as manager saw United finished second behind run-

away champions Liverpool. Further signings after this

improvement suggested that the title was even closer for

United, but a series of injuries blighted the side and they

finished 11th in 1989. Uniteds wait for silverware ended

in 1990 when they won their 7th FA Cup, and a year later

they won the European Cup Winners Cup, but it had now

been well over 20 years since the league title had been

Uniteds.

Despite failure to qualify for Euro 1984 (the first major

tournament since the appointment ofBobby Robsonas

manager), England continued to improve as the 1980s

wore on, losing controversially toArgentinain the1986

World Cupand unluckily on penalties toGermanyin the

semi-finals of the1990 World Cup, eventually finishing

fourth. This success for the national team, and the gradu-

ally improving grounds, helped to reinvigorate footballs

popularity. Attendances rose from the late 1980s and

continued to do so as football moved into the business

era.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the emergence of nu-

merous young players who went on to reach great heights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_World_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_F.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fergusonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Traffordhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Atkinsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Cantonahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Wilkinsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Linekerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_national_football_teamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelonahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gascoignehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gascoignehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Thomas_(footballer_born_1967)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_0%E2%80%932_Arsenal_(26_May_1989)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_0%E2%80%932_Arsenal_(26_May_1989)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Graham_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Haywardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Haywardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bullhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Cup


11/17

11

in the game. These includePaul Gascoigne,David Platt,

Matt Le Tissier,Lee Sharpe,Ryan GiggsandPaul Mer-

son.

Established great players who were still playing the top in

the early 1990s includeIan Rush,Peter Beardsley,Bryan

Robson,Steve Bruce,Neville SouthallandRay Wilkins.This era also saw many famous names hanging up their

boots after long and illustrious careers. These include

Ray Clemence,Gary Bailey, Alan Hansen,Craig John-

ston,Norman Whiteside,Andy GrayandBilly Bonds.

Successful managers of this era includeKenny Dalglish,

George Graham, Howard Kendall, Howard Wilkinson,

Alex Ferguson, Bobby Gould, John Lyall, Jim Smith,

Maurice EvansandDave Bassett.

10 19922001: The PremierLeague and Sky Television

TheFA Premier Leaguewas formed in 1992 when the

top twenty two clubs in English football broke away from

the football league, in order to increase their incomes and

make themselves more competitive on a European stage.

By selling TV rights separately to theFootball League,

the clubs increased their income and exposure. The Pre-

mier League became the top level of English football, and

Division One (later renamed theFootball League Cham-

pionship) fell to the second level.Manchester United were the first Premiership winners,

their first title in 26 years, and under Alex Ferguson,

they dominated English football during the 1990s, win-

ning five league titles (including two doubles), one League

Cup, oneCup Winners Cupand, in 1999, a unique tre-

ble: the FA Cup, League and Champions League all in

one season. Their success was made even more remark-

able by the high number of players who came up simul-

taneously through their youth system, including brothers

Garyand Philip Neville, Paul Scholesand David Beck-

ham. This success continued in the new millennium.

Uniteds main challengers for the title in the PremierLeagues first few years were Blackburn Rovers, led by

star strikerAlan Shearer, also won their first league title

since World War I in 199495, and Newcastle United,

who famously conceded a 10-point lead at Christmas

to lose the title to United in 199596. Newcastle had

reached the Premiership in 1993 as Division One champi-

ons, and in their first Premiership campaign finished third

to qualify for the UEFA Cup. They finished second in

1996 and again in 1997, but by the end of the decade had

wallowed away to mid table.

Blackburn failed to sustain their success after the 1995

title triumph, and in 1999 they were relegated to DivisionOne, although they won promotion two years later and

won the League Cup a year after that.

A number of other teams challenged for the title in the

early Premiership years. Aston Villa finished second in

1993, but declined over the next two seasons (despite a

League Cup victory in 1994). They enjoyed a revival

in 1996, winning the League Cup and finishing fourth

in the Premiership, and by 1999 had qualified for the

UEFA Cup five times in seven seasons, though their con-tinental form had been unconvincing. Norwich City were

surprise title contenders in 199293 under new manager

Mike Walker, leading the table at several stages before

finishing third - and doing so entered the UEFA Cup for

the first time in their history. They achieved a shock win

over Bayern Munich before being eliminated by Inter Mi-

lan, but were unable to keep up their good progress and

in 1995 fell into Division One. By the end of the decade,

they had yet to make a Premiership comeback.

Many teams that had succeed in the 1970s and 1980s did

not fare as well in the Premiership. Liverpool were unable

to dominate the decade as they had done in the 1970s and1980s; after their 1990 title win, their only other trophies

of the decade were the FA Cup in 1992 and the League

Cup in 1995; they finished as low as eighth in 1994 and

although they did finish sixth in the first season of the

Premier League, they had spent much of that season in

the bottom half of the table. Everton fared no better, al-

though they won the FA Cup in 1995, beating Manch-

ester United, they were involved in no less than three rel-

egation battles during the decade (once staying up only on

goal difference) and never finished higher than sixth in the

league. After a promising start to the decade which in-

cluded two fifth place finish, Manchester City also foughtrelegation, but lost, slipping into the Division One in 1996

and Division Two in 1998. But two successive promo-

tions saw them back in the Premiership for the 200001

season. Nottingham Forest were relegated from the Pre-

mier League three times, in 1993 (when Brian Clough re-

tired as manager), 1997 and 1999, and unlike City have

yet to return. Both City and Forest endured brief spells

in the leagues third tier.

Arsenal began the Premier League with moderate league

form (a shortage of goals restricting them to 10th place)

but excellent form in thecups, as they becamethe first En-

glish team to win both domestic cups in the same season- beating Sheffield Wednesday 21 in both finals. They

won the Cup Winners Cup a year later, but manager

George Grahamwas sacked the following February af-

ter admitting to receiving a bung when signing Danish

midfielderJohn Jensenin 1992. They reached the Cup

Winners Cup final for the second year running under

temporary managerStewart Houston, but finished 12th

in the Premiership. They reached fifth the following sea-

son under new manager Bruce Rioch, who was sacked

for a dispute with the directors soon afterwards and re-

placed byFrenchman Arsne Wenger. Under Wenger,

they won the double in 1998 to become only the second

team in English football to repeat this triumph - though,unlike Manchester United two years earlier, with an en-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Wengerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Riochhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart_Houstonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jensenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Graham_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_Milanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_Milanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayern_Munichhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Walker_(Welsh_footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Shearerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Beckhamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Beckhamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Scholeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Nevillehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Nevillehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_Winners%2527_Cuphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fergusonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Championshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Championshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Leaguehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Bassetthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Evans_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Smith_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lyallhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Gouldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fergusonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Wilkinsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Kendallhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Graham_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Dalglishhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bondshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Gray_(footballer_born_1955)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Whitesidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Johnstonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Johnstonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hansenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Baileyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Clemencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Wilkinshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Southallhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Brucehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Robsonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Beardsleyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Rushhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mersonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mersonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Giggshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Sharpehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Le_Tissierhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Platt_(footballer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gascoigne


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12 11 2003PRESENT: FINANCIAL POLARISATION

tirely different set of players.

English football grew wealthier and more popular than

ever before, with clubs spending tens of millions of

pounds on players and on their wages, which rose to

over 100,000 a week for the top stars. This also made

it harder for promoted clubs to establish themselves atthe top flight. In 1993, newly promoted Middlesbrough

lost their top flight status after just one season, while

Blackburn finished fourth and Ipswich finished 16th (hav-

ing occupied fourth place in February). In 1994, newly

promoted Swindon went down after winning just five

games all season and conceding 100 goals. Newcastle,

meanwhile, qualified for the UEFA Cup in third place

and West Ham achieved a respectable 13th place finish.

In 1995, newly promoted Nottingham Forest matched

Newcastles success by coming third and qualifying for

the UEFA Cup, while Crystal Palace and Leicester City

went straight back down. In 1996, newly promoted

Bolton Wanderers went straight back down, while Mid-dlesbrough attained a secure 12th place (they would have

finished even higher had it not been for a dismal mid-

season run of form which saw them endure 10 defeats

from 11 games). In 1997, newly promoted Leicester

City finished ninth and won the League Cup, while Derby

County finished 12th, but Sunderland went straight back

down. In 1998, all three newly promoted teams - Bolton

Wanderers, Barnsley and Crystal Palace - were relegated

straight back to Division One. In 1999, Middlesbrough

attained an impressive ninth place finish, but Charlton

Athletic and Nottingham Forest were relegated.

The Premier League was decreased from 22 to 20 clubsin 1995.

The national team over this period varied in their success,

failing to qualify for the 1994 World Cup but reaching the

semi-finals inEuro 96, losing on penalties to Germany at

the semi-final stage. They also achieved automatic qual-

ification for

history of football in england

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