A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Season | 1969–70 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Everton |
| Relegated | Bradford Park Avenue |
← 1968–69 1970–71 → | |
The 1969–70 season was the 71st completed season of The Football League.
Everton won their seventh league title, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United with Chelsea in third and newly promoted Derby County in fourth. Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland were both relegated.
In the Second Division Huddersfield Town claimed the divisional title and were promoted along with runners-up Blackpool. Aston Villa endured the worst season in their history and were relegated to the Third Division for the first time, along with bottom club Preston North End, for whom it was also a first relegation to the third tier.
In the Third Division Orient won the title and were promoted along with Luton Town, who had finished third the previous season. As usual four teams were relegated, with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Southport, Barrow and Stockport County all making the drop.
In the Fourth Division Chesterfield won the title and were promoted along with Wrexham, Swansea City and Port Vale. Bradford Park Avenue lost their application for re-election and were replaced by Cambridge United.
Final league tables and results
Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.[1]
Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the bottom four teams of that division have been required to apply for re-election.[2]
First Division
| Season | 1969–70 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Everton 7th English title |
| Relegated | Sunderland Sheffield Wednesday |
| European Cup | Everton |
| Cup Winners' Cup | Chelsea Manchester City |
| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | Leeds United Liverpool Coventry City Newcastle United Arsenal |
| Watney Cup | Derby County Manchester United |
| Matches played | 462 |
| Goals scored | 1,212 (2.62 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jeff Astle (25 goals)[3] |
← 1968–69 1970–71 → | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everton (C) | 42 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 72 | 34 | 2.118 | 66 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Leeds United | 42 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 84 | 49 | 1.714 | 57 | Qualification for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round |
| 3 | Chelsea | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 55 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[a] |
| 4 | Derby County | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 64 | 37 | 1.730 | 53 | Qualification for the Watney Cup[b] |
| 5 | Liverpool | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 65 | 42 | 1.548 | 51 | Qualification for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round |
| 6 | Coventry City | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 48 | 1.208 | 49 | |
| 7 | Newcastle United | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 57 | 35 | 1.629 | 47 | |
| 8 | Manchester United | 42 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 66 | 61 | 1.082 | 45 | Qualification for the Watney Cup[b] |
| 9 | Stoke City | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 56 | 52 | 1.077 | 45 | |
| 10 | Manchester City | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 55 | 48 | 1.146 | 43 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[c] |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 54 | 55 | 0.982 | 43 | |
| 12 | Arsenal | 42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 51 | 49 | 1.041 | 42 | Qualification for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round |
| 13 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 55 | 57 | 0.965 | 40 | |
| 14 | Burnley | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 56 | 61 | 0.918 | 39 | |
| 15 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 50 | 71 | 0.704 | 38 | |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 58 | 66 | 0.879 | 37 | |
| 17 | West Ham United | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 51 | 60 | 0.850 | 36 | |
| 18 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 40 | 63 | 0.635 | 31 | |
| 19 | Southampton | 42 | 6 | 17 | 19 | 46 | 67 | 0.687 | 29 | |
| 20 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 34 | 68 | 0.500 | 27 | |
| 21 | Sunderland (R) | 42 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 30 | 68 | 0.441 | 26 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Sheffield Wednesday (R) | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 40 | 71 | 0.563 | 25 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1969–70 FA Cup winners.
- ^ a b Derby County and Manchester United qualified for the Watney Cup as the two teams with the most goals that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.
- ^ Manchester City qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1969–70 European Cup Winners' Cup winners.