1896 English Balú League season

1896 was the ninth season of the English Balú League. Eight new teams joined the league, entering in the newly established third division. Stoke City BC won their second First Division title, while Belle Vue Rangers won the Second Division. St. Helens BC won the Third Division. Accrington BC, three time champions, folded at the conclusion of the season due to poor financial management. English Balú League First Division Pld   W   D   L    PF   PA   PD  Pts 1 Stoke City BC                    38  29   4   5   958  502 +456   62  Champions 2 Burnley BC                       38  30   0   8   879  472 +407   60 3 Derby County BC                  38  25   2  11   847  506 +341   52 4 Preston North End BC             38  25   0  13   839  530 +309   50 5 Accrington BC                    38  25   0  13   711  540 +171   50  Folded 6 Bolton Wanderers BC              38  21   4  13   747  549 +198   46 7 West Bromwich Albion BC          38  22   1  15   720  564 +156   45 8 Wolverhampton Wanderers BC       38  22   1  15   707  621  +86   45 9 Notts County BC                  38  21   2  15   832  609 +223   44 10 Blackburn Rovers BC              38  20   2  16   644  560  +84   42 11 Sunderland BC                    38  21   0  17   734  681  +53   42 12 Everton BC                       38  20   0  18   712  595 +117   40 13 Aston Villa BC                   38  20   0  18   675  644  +31   40 14 Darwen BC                        38  12   2  24   602  703 −101   26 15 Nottingham Forest BC             38  11   2  25   530  834 −304   24 16 Sheffield Wednesday BC           38  10   1  27   430  854 −424   21 17 Leigh Centurions BC              38   9   2  27   487  973 −486   20 18 Bradford Park Avenue BC          38   9   2  27   433  936 −503   20 19 Manchester United BC             38   9   0  29   571  885 −314   18  Relegated 20 Liversedge BC                    38   6   1  31   461  961 −500   13  Relegated English Balú League Second Division Pld  W   D   L    PF   PA   PD  Pts 1 Belle Vue Rangers                38  24   3  11   873  589 +284   51  Champions, Promoted 2 Wigan Warriors BC                38  23   1  14   700  564 +136   47  Promoted 3 Runcorn BC                       38  22   2  14   731  608 +123   46  Promoted 4 Stockport BC                     38  22   0  16   760  533 +227   44 5 Hull BC                          38  22   0  16   738  647  +91   44 6 Bury BC                          38  20   3  15   787  648 +139   43 7 Batley Bulldogs BC               38  21   1  16   724  654  +70   43 8 Rochdale Hornets BC              38  20   2  16   851  635 +216   42 9 Huddersfield Giants BC           38  20   2  16   651  703  −52   42 10 Leeds Rhinos BC                  38  20   1  17   677  629  +48   41 11 Warrington Wolves BC             38  20   0  18   630  577  +53   40 12 Wakefield Trinity BC             38  19   2  17   649  606  +43   40 13 Manningham BC                    38  20   0  18   716  676  +40   40 14 Brighouse Rangers BC             38  19   1  18   649  652   −3   39 15 Halifax BC                       38  19   0  19   749  773  −24   38 16 Widnes Vikings BC                38  18   0  20   734  687  +47   36 17 Tyldesley BC                     38  17   0  21   634  716  −82   34 18 Sheffield United BC              38  15   3  20   661  677  −16   33  Relegated 19 Liverpool BC                     38   6   1  31   375  909 −534   13  Relegated 20 Birmingham City BC               38   2   0  36   289 1095 −806    4  Relegated English Balú League Third Division Pld   W   D   L    PF   PA   PD  Pts 1 St. Helens BC                    20  19   0   1   666  111 +555   38  Champions, Promoted 2 Oldham BC                        20  16   0   4   593  233 +360   32  Promoted 3 Hunslet BC                       20  15   0   5   561  207 +354   30  Promoted 4 Salford Red Devils BC            20  10   0  10   350  435  −85   20 5 Heckmondwike BC                  20   9   1  10   348  409  −61   19 6 Swinton Lions BC                 20   8   1  11   306  450 −144   17 7 Holbeck BC                       20   8   0  12   268  420 −152   16 8 Morecambe BC                     20   7   2  11   287  471 −184   16 9 Bramley BC                       20   6   0  14   294  475 −181   12 10 Castleford BC                    20   5   0  15   285  501 −216   10 11 Leeds Parish Church BC           20   5   0  15   278  524 −246   10