Football League test matches were a series of post-season football play-off matches organised by the Football League, to determine the membership of each division, between the worst finishers of the First Division and the best of the Second Division. They were first contested at the end of the 1892–93 season, following the inaugural season of the Second Division, and were replaced with automatic promotion and relegation from 1898–99.
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Unlike the modern-day English Football League play-offs, which is only contested between the four teams below the automatic promotion places in each division, test matches involved the bottom teams of the First Division and the top teams of the Second Division going head-to-head. This meant that the Second Division champions were not guaranteed top-flight football, as was the case with Small Heath in 1893. On no occasion has all of the Second Division and First Division sides been either respectively promoted and relegated or remained in the same division in any season through this system.
From 1893 to 1895, six teams competed for three places in the top division. Each team played one match against the corresponding team from the other division (Second Division champions versus the bottom First Division side, and so on) at a neutral venue, usually close to the designated home team. The winners of each game were considered for election for First Division membership for the following season, whilst the losers were invited to the Second Division.
From 1896 until 1898, the series was revamped with into a mini league format, with four teams competing for two First Division places. The Second Division sides played both First Division teams on a home-and-away basis. When the proceedings have concluded, the top two finishers were elected into the First Division and the bottom two were invited to the Second Division for the following season. As the 1898–99 First Division was expanded to include two more teams, the 1898 test match series was ultimately a dead rubber as all four competing teams were elected into the top tier.
More information Small Heath D2 1st, 1–1 ...
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More information Newton Heath D1 16th, 5–2 ...
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Newton Heath remain in the First Division, Small Heath remain in the Second Division.
More information Darwen D2 3rd, 3–2 ...
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Darwen elected to the First Division, Notts County invited to the Second Division.
More information Sheffield United D2 2nd, 1–0 ...
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Sheffield United elected to the First Division, Accrington invited to the Second Division.[Note 1]
More information Liverpool D2 1st, 2–0 ...
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Liverpool elected to the First Division, Newton Heath invited to the Second Division.
More information Small Heath D2 2nd, 3–1 ...
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Small Heath elected to the First Division, Darwen invited to the Second Division.
More information Preston North End D1 14th, 4–0 ...
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Preston North End remain in the First Division, Notts County remain in the Second Division.
More information Bury D2 1st, 1–0 ...
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Bury elected to the First Division, Liverpool invited to the Second Division.
More information Derby County D1 15th, 2–1 ...
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Derby County remain in the First Division, Notts County remain in the Second Division.
More information Stoke D1 14th, 3–0 ...
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Stoke remain in the First Division, Newton Heath remain in the Second Division.
More information Liverpool D2 1st, 4–0 ...
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More information Manchester City D2 2nd, 1–1 ...
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More information Small Heath D1 15th, 0–0 ...
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More information West Bromwich Albion D1 16th, 6–1 ...
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More information Liverpool D2 1st, 2–0 ...
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More information Manchester City D2 2nd, 3–0 ...
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More information West Bromwich Albion D1 16th, 2–0 ...
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More information Small Heath D1 15th, 8–0 ...
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More information Pos., Team ...
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More information Key, Note ...
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Second Division champions |
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Second Division team |
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Elected to play in the First Division |
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Invited to play in the Second Division |
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More information Notts County D2 1st, 1–0 ...
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More information Burnley D1 16th, 2–0 ...
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More information Sunderland D1 15th, 0–0 ...
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More information Newton Heath D2 2nd, 2–0 ...
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More information Burnley D1 16th, 0–1 ...
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More information Newton Heath D2 2nd, 1–1 ...
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More information Notts County D2 1st, 1–1 ...
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More information Sunderland D1 15th, 2–0 ...
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Table
More information Pos., Team ...
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More information Key, Note ...
Key | Note |
Bold |
Second Division champions |
Italic |
Second Division team |
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Elected to play in the First Division |
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Invited to play in the Second Division |
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More information Newcastle United D2 2nd, 2–1 ...
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More information Blackburn Rovers D1 15th, 1–3 ...
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More information Stoke D1 16th, 1–0 ...
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More information Burnley D2 1st, 2–0 ...
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More information Burnley D2 1st, 0–2 ...
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More information Blackburn Rovers D1 15th, 4–3 ...
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More information Stoke D1 16th, 0–0 ...
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More information Newcastle United D2 2nd, 4–0 ...
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Table
More information Pos., Team ...
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More information Key, Note ...
Key | Note |
Bold |
Second Division champions |
Italic |
Second Division team |
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Elected to play in the First Division |
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All teams were elected to the 1898–99 Football League First Division as the league was expanded by two teams.
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Accrington subsequently resigned from the Football League
- Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin: Encyclopedia of British Football, Willow Books, London. Fourth, updated and revised edition, 1984
- A. H. Fabian & Green, Geoffrey: Association Football, Volume Two. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1960