Football Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England
which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90
to 1891–92
.
It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League
, which had begun in the 1888–89 season
, also with 12 member clubs. The Alliance covered a similar area to the League, stretching from the English Midlands
to the North West
, but also further east in Sheffield
, Grimsby
and Sunderland. Some of the clubs which originally founded the Alliance had played in The Combination
the year before, but that league collapsed as a result of the disarray and lack of organization. The president of the Football Alliance was John Holmes, also the president of The Wednesday
who were the first champions winning fifteen games out of twenty-two.
At the end of the Alliance's first season, when Stoke
dropped out of the Football League, the Alliance accepted them as a new member. The following year, Stoke and Darwen
, another Alliance club, were accepted into the League, taking its membership to 14 clubs.
In 1892 it was decided to formally merge the two leagues, and so the Football League Second Division
was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs. The existing League clubs, plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs, comprised the Football League First Division
.
Notes
1 Elected to Football League First Division
2 Elected to Football League Second Division
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90
1889-90 in English football
The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup....
to 1891–92
1891-92 in English football
The 1891–92 season was the 21st season of competitive football in England.-Events:Three new clubs joined the Football Alliance, following the expansion of the Football League to 14 teams, and the defection of Sunderland Albion to the Northern League...
.
It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, which had begun in the 1888–89 season
1888-89 in English football
The 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
, also with 12 member clubs. The Alliance covered a similar area to the League, stretching from the English Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
to the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, but also further east in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
and Sunderland. Some of the clubs which originally founded the Alliance had played in The Combination
The Combination
The Combination was a minor league during the early days of English football. It had two incarnations; the first ran only for the 1888–89 season for teams across the Northern England and the Midlands, and was wound up before completion. The second was created for the 1890–91 season, but disbanded...
the year before, but that league collapsed as a result of the disarray and lack of organization. The president of the Football Alliance was John Holmes, also the president of The Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
who were the first champions winning fifteen games out of twenty-two.
At the end of the Alliance's first season, when Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
dropped out of the Football League, the Alliance accepted them as a new member. The following year, Stoke and Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
, another Alliance club, were accepted into the League, taking its membership to 14 clubs.
In 1892 it was decided to formally merge the two leagues, and so the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs. The existing League clubs, plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs, comprised the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
Member clubs
| Club | Admitted | Resigned |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
Notes
1 Elected to Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
2 Elected to Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Football Alliance champions
| Season | Club |
|---|---|
| 1889–90 | The Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
| 1890–91 | Stoke Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
| 1891–92 | Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |