Football Alliance
Founded | 1889 |
---|---|
Folded | 1892 |
Country | England |
Number of teams | 12 |
The Football Alliance was an
History
In 1888, the same year
Foundation
Several of The Combination founders met after the final Combination board meeting to discuss a new combination; four of those who agreed in principle to form a new league,
The nine founder clubs (eight bolded in the table below) originally decided to form the Alliance, originally under the name of the Northern Counties League,
Alliance seasons
At the end of the Alliance's first season, in accordance with the rules agreed at the start of the season, the bottom four clubs - Walsall Town Swifts, Small Heath, Long Eaton Rangers, and Nottingham Forest - had to apply for re-election, and, unlike the rule in the Football League the previous season, they were not allowed to vote; seven clubs (
The following year, Stoke and
At the end of the 1890-91 season, Sunderland Albion resigned in protest at having to pay half of the train fare of visiting clubs,[10] and the bottom four clubs were re-elected back into the Alliance. To fill the three vacancies, eight clubs applied; Ardwick, Bury, Burton Swifts, Gainsborough Trinity, Middlesbrough,[11] Northwich Victoria, Lincoln City, and Sheffield United. The successful clubs were Ardwick, Burton Swifts, and Lincoln City[12] - the last by one vote.
Merger into the Football League
In 1892 it was decided to merge the two leagues, and so the Football League Second Division was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs; the only Alliance club not to apply to join the League was the insolvent Birmingham St George's.[13] The existing League clubs, plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs, comprised the Football League First Division.
Member clubs
Club | Admitted | Resigned |
---|---|---|
Ardwick | 1891 | 18922 |
Birmingham St George's | 1889 | 1892 |
Bootle | 1889 | 18922 |
Burton Swifts | 1891 | 18922 |
Crewe Alexandra | 1889 | 18922 |
Darwen | 1889 | 18911 |
Grimsby Town | 1889 | 18922 |
Lincoln City | 1891 | 18922 |
Long Eaton Rangers | 1889 | 1890 |
Newton Heath | 1889 | 18921 |
Nottingham Forest | 1889 | 18921 |
Small Heath | 1889 | 18922 |
Stoke | 1890 | 18911 |
Sunderland Albion | 1889 | 1891 |
The Wednesday | 1889 | 18921 |
Walsall Town Swifts | 1889 | 18922 |
- Notes
1 Elected to Football League First Division
2 Elected to Football League Second Division
Football Alliance champions
Season | Winners |
---|---|
1889–90 | The Wednesday |
1890–91 | Stoke |
1891–92 | Nottingham Forest |
References
- ^ Whittle, Paul (4 April 2020). "The Football Alliance: Teams Who Didn't Make the League". THE 1888 LETTER: Football Then And Now. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- ISBN 1-899468-16-1.
- ^ "Football Notes". Birmingham Mail: 4. 8 April 1889.
- ^ "A Rival Football League". Derby Daily Telegraph: 2. 10 May 1889.
- ^ "A Rival Football League". Nottinghamshire Guardian: 3. 18 May 1889.
- ^ "The Football Alliance". Sheffield Independent: 8. 29 May 1889.
- ^ "Football Alliance". Sheffield Independent: 8. 12 May 1890.
- ^ "Sports and Pastimes". Nottingham Evening Post: 4. 14 August 1890.
- ^ "Threatened Expulsion of Stoke". Sheffield Independent: 7. 7 March 1891.
- ^ "Football Alliance". Liverpool Mercury: 7. 11 May 1891.
- ^ The Manchester Evening News uniquely suggests the applicant was Middlesbrough Ironopolis; in practice it may have been a joint application for both teams.
- ^ "The Football Alliance". Birmingham Daily Post: 7. 11 May 1891.
- ^ "The Football League". Sheffield Independent: 7. 14 May 1892.