227:) applied for admission. Stoke, who had just failed re-election to the Football League, was admitted in place of Long Eaton Rangers, and the other bottom four clubs were re-elected. The prizes awarded to the champions included a blue silk flag, with a white border, 12 feet by 6 feet, with the words "Alliance Champions" on it.
193:
did not attend, it was assumed
Sunderland did not intend to play; and Witton, South Shore, Burslem Port Vale, Derby Midland, Halliwell, and Long Eaton Rangers applied to join in its place. After Long Eaton Rangers and Witton tied in the voting, the casting vote of the chairman (Harry Mitchell of
202:
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
241:
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, and the bottom four clubs were re-elected back into the
Alliance. To fill the three vacancies, eight clubs applied;
234:, another Alliance club, were accepted into the Football League, taking its membership to 14 clubs. Stoke's biggest challenge in winning the title was the threat of expulsion from the Alliance, as Stoke had arranged a friendly with League club
278:
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. The existing League clubs, plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs, comprised the
102:. However, while the Football League quickly proved a success, the Combination lacked central organisation, with poor planning and unfulfilled fixtures, and failed to complete its first season, finishing in April 1889 without a winner.
165:
in the table below) originally decided to form the
Alliance, originally under the name of the Northern Counties League, and considered applications from 6 clubs to fill the remaining three places.
110:
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,
1683:
1716:
941:
130:, originally considered too distant, was brought back into the fold. The remaining clubs then established the Football Alliance, to begin in the
1773:
1778:
1534:
1529:
1504:
1607:
1602:
1597:
1592:
1587:
1582:
1577:
1572:
1567:
1562:
1557:
1552:
266:, Lincoln City, and Sheffield United. The successful clubs were Ardwick, Burton Swifts, and Lincoln City - the last by one vote.
1709:
934:
1001:
1514:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
1524:
1519:
1509:
1499:
1494:
1489:
1484:
1479:
739:. 'Definitive' Club Histories. with Allen Kristensen and Tony Brown (2nd ed.). Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 11.
1702:
927:
744:
710:
189:
missing out. The clubs attended a meeting at the
Midland Hotel in Derby in May 1889 to arrange fixtures, but, as
958:
637:
275:
238:
which clashed with an
Alliance match at Nottingham Forest, and refused to pay the £10 fine imposed for so doing.
1471:
950:
632:
325:
280:
1747:
1742:
1737:
880:
682:
670:
658:
1653:
1647:
1642:
1637:
1632:
1627:
1622:
1617:
1612:
131:
75:
71:
1768:
255:
663:
586:
155:
466:
263:
178:
919:
687:
565:
506:
485:
525:
386:
306:
243:
95:
63:
8:
87:
405:
367:
346:
259:
251:
231:
139:
123:
119:
94:
was established by clubs who had been excluded from the
Football League, initiated by
740:
447:
426:
224:
190:
170:
1544:
220:
208:
135:
111:
675:
546:
204:
166:
91:
154:. The president of the Football Alliance was John Holmes, also the president of
182:
1762:
186:
1694:
607:
235:
212:
174:
127:
134:. The Alliance covered a similar area to the League, stretching from the
151:
735:
Shury, Alan; Brian
Landamore (2005) . "History of Newton Heath F.C.".
158:
who were the first champions winning fifteen games out of twenty-two.
247:
216:
143:
115:
324:
883:; in practice it may have been a joint application for both teams.
147:
67:
949:
879:
The Manchester Evening News uniquely suggests the applicant was
99:
606:
274:
In 1892 it was decided to merge the two leagues, and so the
465:
564:
505:
98:
secretary J. G. Hall, and announced at the Royal Hotel in
711:"The Football Alliance: Teams Who Didn't Make the League"
618:
613:
599:
594:
578:
573:
557:
552:
538:
533:
517:
512:
498:
493:
477:
472:
458:
453:
439:
434:
418:
413:
397:
392:
378:
373:
359:
354:
338:
333:
317:
312:
385:
585:
366:
484:
446:
425:
734:
524:
203:
season, they were not allowed to vote; seven clubs (
194:
Mitchell St George's) was in favour of the Rangers.
269:
1760:
305:
404:
345:
642:
545:
1724:
1710:
935:
951:Second level English football league seasons
1717:
1703:
942:
928:
708:
1761:
715:THE 1888 LETTER: Football Then And Now
702:
1698:
923:
1774:Defunct football leagues in England
197:
13:
1779:Sports leagues established in 1889
70:which ran for three seasons, from
14:
1790:
850:"Threatened Expulsion of Stoke".
177:were elected in the ballot, with
959:Football League Second Division
901:
886:
873:
858:
737:The Definitive Newton Heath F.C
638:Football League Second Division
286:
276:Football League Second Division
270:Merger into the Football League
126:, did not in fact do so, while
1472:Football League First Division
843:
828:
813:
798:
783:
768:
753:
728:
709:Whittle, Paul (4 April 2020).
633:Football League First Division
281:Football League First Division
230:The following year, Stoke and
161:The nine founder clubs (eight
1:
695:
105:
1545:Football League Championship
7:
790:"A Rival Football League".
775:"A Rival Football League".
643:Football Alliance champions
142:, but also further east in
10:
1795:
81:
1733:
1679:
1663:
1543:
1470:
957:
893:"The Football Alliance".
805:"The Football Alliance".
48:
40:
32:
24:
881:Middlesbrough Ironopolis
792:Nottinghamshire Guardian
908:"The Football League".
837:Nottingham Evening Post
835:"Sports and Pastimes".
86:In 1888, the same year
327:Birmingham St George's
910:Sheffield Independent
895:Birmingham Daily Post
865:"Football Alliance".
852:Sheffield Independent
822:Sheffield Independent
820:"Football Alliance".
807:Sheffield Independent
777:Derby Daily Telegraph
839:: 4. 14 August 1890.
256:Gainsborough Trinity
64:association football
608:Walsall Town Swifts
175:Walsall Town Swifts
88:the Football League
21:
854:: 7. 7 March 1891.
764:: 4. 8 April 1889.
760:"Football Notes".
467:Long Eaton Rangers
264:Northwich Victoria
179:Long Eaton Rangers
19:
1769:Football Alliance
1756:
1755:
1726:Football Alliance
1692:
1691:
1684:List of champions
1671:Football Alliance
912:: 7. 14 May 1892.
897:: 7. 11 May 1891.
869:: 7. 11 May 1891.
867:Liverpool Mercury
824:: 8. 12 May 1890.
809:: 8. 29 May 1889.
794:: 3. 18 May 1889.
779:: 2. 10 May 1889.
693:
692:
688:Nottingham Forest
624:
623:
567:Sunderland Albion
507:Nottingham Forest
217:Burslem Port Vale
171:Nottingham Forest
116:Burslem Port Vale
60:Football Alliance
56:
55:
20:Football Alliance
1786:
1719:
1712:
1705:
1696:
1695:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
944:
937:
930:
921:
920:
914:
913:
905:
899:
898:
890:
884:
877:
871:
870:
862:
856:
855:
847:
841:
840:
832:
826:
825:
817:
811:
810:
802:
796:
795:
787:
781:
780:
772:
766:
765:
757:
751:
750:
732:
726:
725:
723:
721:
706:
647:
646:
620:
615:
610:
601:
596:
591:
580:
575:
570:
559:
554:
549:
540:
535:
530:
519:
514:
509:
500:
495:
490:
479:
474:
469:
460:
455:
450:
441:
436:
431:
420:
415:
410:
399:
394:
389:
380:
375:
370:
361:
356:
351:
340:
335:
330:
319:
314:
309:
291:
290:
221:Sheffield United
198:Alliance seasons
136:English Midlands
22:
18:
1794:
1793:
1789:
1788:
1787:
1785:
1784:
1783:
1759:
1758:
1757:
1752:
1729:
1723:
1693:
1688:
1675:
1659:
1539:
1466:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
953:
948:
918:
917:
907:
906:
902:
892:
891:
887:
878:
874:
864:
863:
859:
849:
848:
844:
834:
833:
829:
819:
818:
814:
804:
803:
799:
789:
788:
784:
774:
773:
769:
762:Birmingham Mail
759:
758:
754:
747:
733:
729:
719:
717:
707:
703:
698:
645:
635:
387:Crewe Alexandra
289:
272:
200:
167:Crewe Alexandra
108:
96:Crewe Alexandra
92:The Combination
84:
49:Number of teams
17:
16:Football league
12:
11:
5:
1792:
1782:
1781:
1776:
1771:
1754:
1753:
1751:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1734:
1731:
1730:
1722:
1721:
1714:
1707:
1699:
1690:
1689:
1687:
1686:
1680:
1677:
1676:
1674:
1673:
1667:
1665:
1661:
1660:
1658:
1657:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1595:
1590:
1585:
1580:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1549:
1547:
1541:
1540:
1538:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1476:
1474:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1449:
1444:
1439:
1434:
1429:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
963:
961:
955:
954:
947:
946:
939:
932:
924:
916:
915:
900:
885:
872:
857:
842:
827:
812:
797:
782:
767:
752:
745:
727:
700:
699:
697:
694:
691:
690:
685:
679:
678:
673:
667:
666:
661:
655:
654:
651:
644:
641:
629:
628:
622:
621:
616:
611:
603:
602:
597:
592:
582:
581:
576:
571:
561:
560:
555:
550:
542:
541:
536:
531:
521:
520:
515:
510:
502:
501:
496:
491:
481:
480:
475:
470:
462:
461:
456:
451:
443:
442:
437:
432:
422:
421:
416:
411:
401:
400:
395:
390:
382:
381:
376:
371:
363:
362:
357:
352:
342:
341:
336:
331:
321:
320:
315:
310:
302:
301:
298:
295:
288:
285:
271:
268:
199:
196:
132:1889–90 season
107:
104:
83:
80:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
42:
38:
37:
34:
30:
29:
26:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1791:
1780:
1777:
1775:
1772:
1770:
1767:
1766:
1764:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1735:
1732:
1727:
1720:
1715:
1713:
1708:
1706:
1701:
1700:
1697:
1685:
1682:
1681:
1678:
1672:
1669:
1668:
1666:
1662:
1656:
1655:
1651:
1649:
1646:
1644:
1641:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1626:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1591:
1589:
1586:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1550:
1548:
1546:
1542:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1477:
1475:
1473:
1469:
1463:
1460:
1458:
1455:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1440:
1438:
1435:
1433:
1430:
1428:
1425:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
964:
962:
960:
956:
952:
945:
940:
938:
933:
931:
926:
925:
922:
911:
904:
896:
889:
882:
876:
868:
861:
853:
846:
838:
831:
823:
816:
808:
801:
793:
786:
778:
771:
763:
756:
748:
746:1-899468-16-1
742:
738:
731:
716:
712:
705:
701:
689:
686:
684:
681:
680:
677:
674:
672:
669:
668:
665:
664:The Wednesday
662:
660:
657:
656:
652:
649:
648:
640:
639:
634:
626:
625:
617:
612:
609:
605:
604:
598:
593:
590:
589:
588:The Wednesday
584:
583:
577:
572:
569:
568:
563:
562:
556:
551:
548:
544:
543:
537:
532:
529:
528:
523:
522:
516:
511:
508:
504:
503:
497:
492:
489:
488:
483:
482:
476:
471:
468:
464:
463:
457:
452:
449:
445:
444:
438:
433:
430:
429:
424:
423:
417:
412:
409:
408:
403:
402:
396:
391:
388:
384:
383:
377:
372:
369:
368:Burton Swifts
365:
364:
358:
353:
350:
349:
344:
343:
337:
332:
329:
328:
323:
322:
316:
311:
308:
304:
303:
299:
296:
293:
292:
284:
282:
277:
267:
265:
261:
260:Middlesbrough
257:
253:
252:Burton Swifts
249:
245:
239:
237:
233:
228:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
195:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
159:
157:
156:The Wednesday
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
124:Derby Midland
121:
120:Notts Rangers
117:
113:
103:
101:
97:
93:
90:was founded,
89:
79:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
1725:
1670:
1652:
909:
903:
894:
888:
875:
866:
860:
851:
845:
836:
830:
821:
815:
806:
800:
791:
785:
776:
770:
761:
755:
736:
730:
718:. Retrieved
714:
704:
630:
587:
566:
526:
487:Newton Heath
486:
448:Lincoln City
428:Grimsby Town
427:
406:
347:
326:
287:Member clubs
273:
240:
236:Notts County
229:
225:Lincoln City
201:
162:
160:
128:Grimsby Town
109:
85:
59:
57:
720:30 November
636:Elected to
631:Elected to
527:Small Heath
209:South Shore
112:South Shore
1763:Categories
696:References
207:, Witton,
191:Sunderland
152:Sunderland
140:North West
106:Foundation
66:league in
1515:1999–2000
1002:1899–1900
300:Resigned
183:Halliwell
144:Sheffield
1664:See also
653:Winners
297:Admitted
1748:1891–92
1743:1890–91
1738:1889–90
1728:seasons
1654:2024–25
1648:2023–24
1643:2022–23
1638:2021–22
1633:2020–21
1628:2019–20
1623:2018–19
1618:2017–18
1613:2016–17
1608:2015–16
1603:2014–15
1598:2013–14
1593:2012–13
1588:2011–12
1583:2010–11
1578:2009–10
1573:2008–09
1568:2007–08
1563:2006–07
1558:2005–06
1553:2004–05
1535:2003–04
1530:2002–03
1525:2001–02
1520:2000–01
1510:1998–99
1505:1997–98
1500:1996–97
1495:1995–96
1490:1994–95
1485:1993–94
1480:1992–93
1462:1991–92
1457:1990–91
1452:1989–90
1447:1988–89
1442:1987–88
1437:1986–87
1432:1985–86
1427:1984–85
1422:1983–84
1417:1982–83
1412:1981–82
1407:1980–81
1402:1979–80
1397:1978–79
1392:1977–78
1387:1976–77
1382:1975–76
1377:1974–75
1372:1973–74
1367:1972–73
1362:1971–72
1357:1970–71
1352:1969–70
1347:1968–69
1342:1967–68
1337:1966–67
1332:1965–66
1327:1964–65
1322:1963–64
1317:1962–63
1312:1961–62
1307:1960–61
1302:1959–60
1297:1958–59
1292:1957–58
1287:1956–57
1282:1955–56
1277:1954–55
1272:1953–54
1267:1952–53
1262:1951–52
1257:1950–51
1252:1949–50
1247:1948–49
1242:1947–48
1237:1946–47
1232:1945–46
1227:1944–45
1222:1943–44
1217:1942–43
1212:1941–42
1207:1940–41
1202:1939–40
1197:1938–39
1192:1937–38
1187:1936–37
1182:1935–36
1177:1934–35
1172:1933–34
1167:1932–33
1162:1931–32
1157:1930–31
1152:1929–30
1147:1928–29
1142:1927–28
1137:1926–27
1132:1925–26
1127:1924–25
1122:1923–24
1117:1922–23
1112:1921–22
1107:1920–21
1102:1919–20
1097:1918–19
1092:1917–18
1087:1916–17
1082:1915–16
1077:1914–15
1072:1913–14
1067:1912–13
1062:1911–12
1057:1910–11
1052:1909–10
1047:1908–09
1042:1907–08
1037:1906–07
1032:1905–06
1027:1904–05
1022:1903–04
1017:1902–03
1012:1901–02
1007:1900–01
997:1898–99
992:1897–98
987:1896–97
982:1895–96
977:1894–95
972:1893–94
967:1892–93
683:1891–92
671:1890–91
659:1889–90
650:Season
307:Ardwick
244:Ardwick
213:Chester
148:Grimsby
138:to the
82:History
76:1891–92
72:1889–90
68:England
62:was an
44:England
41:Country
25:Founded
743:
407:Darwen
348:Bootle
232:Darwen
223:, and
187:Witton
185:, and
173:, and
163:bolded
122:, and
33:Folded
676:Stoke
627:Notes
547:Stoke
205:Stoke
100:Crewe
741:ISBN
722:2021
619:1892
614:1889
600:1892
595:1889
579:1891
574:1889
558:1891
553:1890
539:1892
534:1889
518:1892
513:1889
499:1892
494:1889
478:1890
473:1889
459:1892
454:1891
440:1892
435:1889
419:1891
414:1889
398:1892
393:1889
379:1892
374:1891
360:1892
355:1889
339:1892
334:1889
318:1892
313:1891
294:Club
248:Bury
150:and
58:The
36:1892
28:1889
74:to
1765::
713:.
283:.
262:,
258:,
254:,
250:,
246:,
219:,
215:,
211:,
181:,
169:,
146:,
118:,
114:,
78:.
52:12
1718:e
1711:t
1704:v
943:e
936:t
929:v
749:.
724:.
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