1896–97 Newton Heath F.C. season

The 1896–97 season was Newton Heath's fifth season in the Football League and their third in the Second Division.[1] They finished second in the league, which earned them a chance for promotion back to the First Division. United played two Test matches against each of the bottom two teams from the First Division, but although they beat Burnley at Bank Street, they were unable to overcome Sunderland and remained in the Second Division. In the FA Cup, the Heathens managed to reach the third round, before losing 2–0 to Derby County for the second year in a row.

Newton Heath
1896–97 season
SecretaryA. H. Albut
StadiumBank Street
Second Division2nd
FA CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Joe Cassidy (17)

All:
Joe Cassidy (25)
Highest home attendance18,000 vs Manchester City (25 December 1896)
Lowest home attendance3,000 vs Burton Swifts (9 January 1897)
3,000 vs Darwen (2 March 1897)
3,000 vs Woolwich Arsenal (22 March 1897)
Average home league attendance6,636

The club also entered teams in the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups in 1896–97. They were knocked out of the Lancashire Cup in the second round, losing 2–1 away to Burnley. In the Manchester Cup, they received a bye to the third round, where they beat Manchester City, before losing 2–0 to Bury in the semi-finals.

Second Division

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
1 September 1896 Gainsborough Trinity H 2–0 McNaught (2) 4,000
5 September 1896 Burton Swifts A 5–3 Brown, Bryant, Cassidy, Draycott, McNaught 3,000
7 September 1896 Walsall H 2–0 Cassidy, Donaldson 7,000
12 September 1896 Lincoln City H 3–1 Cassidy (2), Donaldson 2,000
19 September 1896 Grimsby Town A 0–2 3,000
21 September 1896 Walsall A 3–2 Brown, Draycott, McNaught 7,000
26 September 1896 Newcastle United H 4–0 Cassidy (3), Donaldson 7,000
3 October 1896 Manchester City A 0–0 20,000
10 October 1896 Small Heath H 1–1 Draycott 7,000
17 October 1896 Blackpool A 2–4 Bryant, Draycott 5,000
21 October 1896 Gainsborough Trinity A 0–2 4,000
24 October 1896 Burton Wanderers H 3–0 Cassidy (3) 4,000
7 November 1896 Grimsby Town H 4–2 Cassidy (2), Donaldson, Jenkyns 5,000
28 November 1896 Small Heath A 0–1 4,000
19 December 1896 Notts County A 0–3 5,000
25 December 1896 Manchester City H 2–1 Donaldson, Smith 18,000
26 December 1896 Blackpool H 2–0 Cassidy (2) 9,000
28 December 1896 Leicester Fosse A 0–1 8,000
1 January 1897 Newcastle United A 0–2 17,000
9 January 1897 Burton Swifts H 1–1 Donaldson 3,000
6 February 1897 Loughborough H 6–0 Smith (2), Boyd, Donaldson, Draycott, Jenkyns 5,000
20 February 1897 Leicester Fosse H 2–1 Boyd, Donaldson 8,000
2 March 1897 Darwen H 3–1 Cassidy (2), Boyd 3,000
13 March 1897 Darwen A 2–0 Cassidy, Gillespie 2,000
20 March 1897 Burton Wanderers A 2–1 Gillespie, Lowe (o.g.) 3,000
22 March 1897 Woolwich Arsenal H 1–1 Boyd 3,000
27 March 1897 Notts County H 1–1 Bryant 10,000
1 April 1897 Lincoln City A 3–1 Jenkyns (3) 1,000
3 April 1897 Woolwich Arsenal A 2–0 Boyd, Donaldson 6,000
10 April 1897 Loughborough A 0–2 3,000

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Notts County (C, O, P) 30 19 4 7 92 43 2.140 42 Qualification for test matches
2 Newton Heath 30 17 5 8 56 34 1.647 39
3 Grimsby Town 30 17 4 9 66 45 1.467 38
4 Small Heath 30 16 5 9 69 47 1.468 37
5 Newcastle United 30 17 1 12 56 52 1.077 35
6 Manchester City 30 12 8 10 58 50 1.160 32
7 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 7 11 50 47 1.064 31
8 Blackpool 30 13 5 12 59 56 1.054 31
9 Leicester Fosse 30 13 4 13 59 57 1.035 30
10 Woolwich Arsenal 30 13 4 13 68 70 0.971 30
11 Darwen 30 14 0 16 67 61 1.098 28
12 Walsall 30 11 4 15 54 69 0.783 26
13 Loughborough 30 12 1 17 50 64 0.781 25
14 Burton Swifts 30 9 6 15 46 61 0.754 24 Re-elected
15 Burton Wanderers (R) 30 9 2 19 31 67 0.463 20 Not re-elected
16 Lincoln City 30 5 2 23 27 85 0.318 12 Re-elected
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Test matches

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
19 April 1897 Burnley A 0–2 10,000
21 April 1897 Burnley H 2–0 Boyd, Jenkyns 7,000
24 April 1897 Sunderland H 1–1 Boyd 18,000
26 April 1897 Sunderland A 0–2 6,000

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
12 December 1896 First round qualifying West Manchester H 7–0 Cassidy (2), Gillespie (2), Rothwell (2), Bryant 6,000
2 January 1897 Second round qualifying Nelson H 3–0 Cassidy, Donaldson, Gillespie 5,000
15 January 1897 Third round qualifying Blackpool H 2–2 Gillespie, Donaldson 1,500
20 January 1897 Third round qualifying
replay
Blackpool A 2–1 Cassidy, Boyd 1,500
30 January 1897 First round Kettering Town H 5–1 Cassidy (3), Donaldson (2) 5,000
13 February 1897 Second round Southampton St. Mary's A 1–1 Donaldson 8,000
17 February 1897 Second round
replay
Southampton St. Mary's H 3–1 Bryant (2), Cassidy 7,000
27 February 1897 Third round Derby County A 0–2 12,000

References

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  1. ^ "Newton Heath Season 1896–97". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2012.