1896–97 Western Football League
Encyclopedia
The 1896–97 season was the fifth in the history of the Western Football League
, which had been known as the Bristol & District league until 1895.
Warmley
were the Division One champions for the fourth time in five years, and also began competing in the Southern League during this season. Eastville Wanderers won Division Two in only their second season in the league.
At the end of this season the league was restructured, with a new Professional Section being formed, taking five clubs from Division One and three new clubs joining. Division One and Division Two remained as the Amateur Section, with four clubs being promoted from Division Two to Division One, and several new clubs joining both divisions.
and Swindon Wanderers left, Cardiff were expelled and Mangotsfield
were relegated to Division Two.
* Eastville Rovers had two points deducted for fielding an ineligible player.
Reserves, St George
Reserves and Warmley
Reserves left the league and Frenchay resigned.
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
3 The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
, which had been known as the Bristol & District league until 1895.
Warmley
Warmley F.C.
Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George....
were the Division One champions for the fourth time in five years, and also began competing in the Southern League during this season. Eastville Wanderers won Division Two in only their second season in the league.
At the end of this season the league was restructured, with a new Professional Section being formed, taking five clubs from Division One and three new clubs joining. Division One and Division Two remained as the Amateur Section, with four clubs being promoted from Division Two to Division One, and several new clubs joining both divisions.
Division One
One new club joined Division One for this season, though the number of clubs was reduced from 12 to nine after GloucesterGloucester City A.F.C.
Gloucester City Association Football Club is an English semi-professional association football club currently based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in South West England, via groundshare agreement....
and Swindon Wanderers left, Cardiff were expelled and Mangotsfield
Mangotsfield F.C.
Mangotsfield Football Club was an association football club founded in 1888 in the village of Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire in England. They were a founder member of the Bristol & District League in 1892, where they played for six years before being disbanded in 1898.Several attempts were made to...
were relegated to Division Two.
- Bristol South EndBristol City F.C.Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warmley Warmley F.C. Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George.... |
16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 9 | 4.67 | 28 | Moved to new Professional Section |
| 2 | Bristol South End Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 22 | 1.27 | 22 | Moved to new Professional Section |
| 3 | Bedminster Bedminster F.C. Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895... |
16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 32 | 16 | 2 | 18 | |
| 4 | St George Roman Glass St George F.C. Roman Glass St George F.C. is a football club based in the Bristol suburb of St George, Bristol, England. Founded in 1872, they are the oldest club in Bristol... |
16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 27 | 23 | 1.17 | 17 | Moved to new Professional Section |
| 5 | Eastville Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 25 | 23 | 1.09 | 14* | Moved to new Professional Section |
| 6 | Trowbridge Town Trowbridge Town F.C. Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:... |
16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 30 | 0.7 | 13 | Moved to new Professional Section |
| 7 | St Paul's | 16 | |3 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 31 | 0.93 | 11 | |
| 8 | Staple Hill Staple Hill F.C. Staple Hill F.C. was an English football club based in Staple Hill, Bristol. The club joined the Bristol & District League in 1893–94, that league's second season, before it was renamed the Western League in 1895. Joint runners-up in Division One in 1895–96, Staple Hill were placed in Division Two... |
16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 39 | 0.46 | 10 | |
| 9 | Clifton Clifton Association F.C. Clifton Association Football Club, later known as Clifton Football Club, was a football club based in the Clifton area of Bristol in the late 19th century.... |
16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 19 | 48 | 0.4 | 9 |
Division Two
One new team joined Division Two this season, though the number of clubs was reduced from 11 to seven after Cumberland, CliftonClifton Association F.C.
Clifton Association Football Club, later known as Clifton Football Club, was a football club based in the Clifton area of Bristol in the late 19th century....
Reserves, St George
Roman Glass St George F.C.
Roman Glass St George F.C. is a football club based in the Bristol suburb of St George, Bristol, England. Founded in 1872, they are the oldest club in Bristol...
Reserves and Warmley
Warmley F.C.
Warmley F.C. was a football club based in Warmley, near Kingswood, England. They were formed in 1882. They are widely regarded as playing the first organised football match in the Bristol region against St George....
Reserves left the league and Frenchay resigned.
- MangotsfieldMangotsfield F.C.Mangotsfield Football Club was an association football club founded in 1888 in the village of Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire in England. They were a founder member of the Bristol & District League in 1892, where they played for six years before being disbanded in 1898.Several attempts were made to...
, relegated from Division One
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv1 | Pts2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastville Wanderers (P) | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 9 | 2.78 | 18 | Promoted to Division One (Amateur) |
| 2 | Barton Hill (P) | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 7 | 4 | 17 | Promoted to Division One (Amateur) |
| 3 | Mangotsfield Mangotsfield F.C. Mangotsfield Football Club was an association football club founded in 1888 in the village of Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire in England. They were a founder member of the Bristol & District League in 1892, where they played for six years before being disbanded in 1898.Several attempts were made to... (P) |
12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 1.44 | 15 | Promoted to Division One (Amateur) |
| 4 | Fishponds (P) | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 1.06 | 13 | Promoted to Division One (Amateur) |
| 5 | Bedminster Bedminster F.C. Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895... Reserves |
12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 20 | 0.95 | 13 | |
| 6 | Eastville Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... Reserves |
12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 33 | 0.21 | 5 | Left the league at the end of the season |
| 7 | Staple Hill Staple Hill F.C. Staple Hill F.C. was an English football club based in Staple Hill, Bristol. The club joined the Bristol & District League in 1893–94, that league's second season, before it was renamed the Western League in 1895. Joint runners-up in Division One in 1895–96, Staple Hill were placed in Division Two... Reserves |
12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 34 | 0.23 | 3 | Left the league at the end of the season |
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up to and including the 1976–77 season.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
3 The tables as published at the time contained errors, hence the totals do not balance in some columns.