1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, February
Following a free week, on 29 February it was the battle of the wooden spooners as Dumbarton travelled to Greenock to play Morton who had finished bottom of the Second Division. At half time the Sons led 3-2 but in a miserable second half performance the Sons were completely outplayed and were deservedly beaten 7-3, although losing Campbell to injury with the score at 3-3 did not help.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, March
The first weekend in March was a quiet one for competitive matches as international trials were being held, however the bad news for Dumbarton was that Miller had decided to move to Small Heath. With Docherty trialling with Celtic the Sons defence was in poor shape losing such talent.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, March
On 14 March it was the final of the Dumbartonshire Cup. Dumbarton were attempting to retain the cup for the eighth successive year, but while the Sons season had been a poor one, Renton’s had been successful – not only riding high in the Second Division but also semi finalists in the Scottish Cup. Once only second in importance to the national competition, the county cup had lost much of its appeal, nonetheless a crowd of 4,000 turned up to witness the contest. Renton were at full strength while Dumbarton were missing a few first teamers – and while the Sons kept things level until half time, Renton piled on the pressure in the second half and won comfortably by 3-0.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, March
After a free week, Dumbarton took on St Mirren at Paisley on 28 March in a friendly fixture. The Sons had won both the league fixtures against the Buddies but in a ‘wretched’ display Dumbarton were overwhelmed by an average St Mirren side 7-1.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, April
A friendly against Linthouse was planned for 4 April, but it was decided to cancel in view of the Scotland v England international on the same day.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, April
The following week Dumbarton travelled to play a friendly against local team Helesburgh and in a high scoring game came out on top 4-3.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, April
On 20 April it was on the road again to play Linthouse and once more it was a successful trip as a 2-0 victory was recorded.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, April
Dumbarton’s final game of the season was played a week later against Renton at Boghead – a chance for revenge for the county cup defeat. However it was the visitors who came away best with a 2-1 win.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, May
On 26 May the Scottish League met to decide on promotion and relegation issues between the bottom three clubs of the First Division and the top three clubs of the Second Division. Dumbarton’s case for remaining in the top flight was poor this being the second successive season that they were up for election – and so relegation it was, with Abercorn replacing the Sons. Full election results as follows:


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, May
Sadly the relegation had repercussions as Alex Lawrence had to give up the presidency of the Scottish League due to the fact that the chair had to be held by a representative of a First Division club.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Story of the Season, June
Better news was had at the SFA meeting on 2 June when Dumbarton were selected as one of the 12 clubs exempted from qualifying for the Scottish Cup next season.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, Players
With a combination of dwindling crowds and funds together with the inability to attract the best players, the decision was made to return the club to amateur status.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, Players
Despite the fact that the bulk of the first team backed the decision, a number of players made the move elsewhere, with Tom Keir heading to Hearts, John McLeod to Rangers, James Stevenson to Preston North End as well as Hugh Craig who also travelled south of the border and Tom McMillan who retired.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, Players
So the new season began with a number of new faces in the first XI, most stepping up from the reserves but included John Docherty (goalkeeper) from Vale of Leven.


1895–96 Dumbarton F.C. season, Reserve team
Dumbarton lost in the second round of the Scottish Second XI Cup to Third Lanark.


1895–96 Dundee F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the third season in which Dundee competed at a Scottish national level, playing in Division One, finishing in 5th place. Dundee would also compete in the Scottish Cup.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the thirteenth to be played by the team now known as Bristol Rovers, and their twelfth playing under the name Eastville Rovers. The first team played their fourth campaign in division one of the Western League (known in previous seasons as the Bristol & District League), while the reserves competed in the second division of the same competition for the third time. The season was notable for Rovers having entered the FA Cup for the first time in their history, and for the first team playing their 100th competitive match.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season
The senior squad finished the season as joint runners-up of the Western League first division after tying for second place in the table with Staple Hill and a playoff match to separate them ended in a draw, while the reserves ended their campaign in fifth place in division two. The first team were also runners-up in the Gloucestershire Senior Cup, losing out in the final to long-time rivals Warmley, but the campaign was marred by the death of an opposing player in their semi-final with Bedminster following a clash of heads.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season
The club's début in the FA Cup came in the preliminary round and ended in a 2–0 defeat, again to Warmley.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Season review
The 1895–96 season began with the news that Lewis John had been appointed as the new club captain, replacing H. McBain who had been skipper the previous year.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Season review
Rovers started the season strongly, winning eight of their first nine games, although one of those victories was later expunged from the record after Cardiff were expelled from the league. Their form trailed off slightly after that, but they ended the season well enough to finish joint second place in the table. The Western League had decided that goal average would no longer be used to split teams tied on points and that a test match would be held to decide the finishing order. A match was duly arranged between Rovers and Staple Hill to determine who would be runners-up, but the game ended in a 2–2 draw, leading to the teams being named joint runners-up.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Match results, Western League, Division Two
The results of the away match against Bedminster Reserves and the remaining game against Cumberland are not known.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Match results, FA Cup
The lineups for Eastville Rovers' first ever game in the FA Cup (referred to at the time as the English Cup) is shown below.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Match results, Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup
Rovers were runners-up in the Gloucestershire Senior Cup this season, losing out to Warmley in the final which was watched by around 6000 spectators – believed to have been a record attendance for the area at the time. They were narrowly beaten by a single goal to nil by the Warmleyites in a re-match of the 1889 final which Rovers had won by the same scoreline.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Match results, Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup
Their semi-final victory was marred by the death of Bedminster outside-right Herbert Edward "Teddy" Smith. He was involved in a clash of heads with Rovers' fullback Lovett during the first half when both were attempting to head the ball, Smith receiving a heavy blow to the side of his head. Both men continued playing after initially falling to the ground. When the game resumed for the second half Smith was late re-joining his teammates and play went on without him.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Match results, Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup
When he eventually made it back onto the field he was reported as appearing pale and confused and unable to participate in any meaningful way. A few minutes later he was forced to leave the match after vomiting and was taken to his parents' house in Southville where he lost consciousness in the evening and died early the following morning.


1895–96 Eastville Rovers F.C. season, Statistics, Cumulative record
The total cumulative record of Eastville Rovers up to the end of the 1895–96 season is shown below. This is calculated by adding the numbers in the section above to the total games played up to the end of the previous season. Friendly matches are not included in this table, and games held at neutral venues are considered to have been played away from home.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season
The 1895/96 Football League season was the eighth in Football League history with Everton having been an ever present in the top division. The club played thirty-three games in England's two major competitions, winning eighteen, drawing seven and losing eight. The club finished the season in third place, six points adrift of Champions Aston Villa, and were defeated in the quarter final of the F A Cup by eventual winners The Wednesday. Their Goodison Park home hosted the drawn semi final between Wednesday and Bolton Wanderers.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
The Everton board kept faith in the squad that had finished runners up the previous season with no major signings or departures during the summer. This meant that Jack Hillman was the undisputed first choice goalkeeper for the season and would go on to play all bar the final game in which Harry Briggs made his club debut in a 2–1 victory at Stoke. Bob Kelso, Charlie Parry and James Adams resumed their battle for the two full back positions from the previous season.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
Adams missed the first game of the season but returned to miss just one other game as he established himself as the first choice full back but Both Kelso and Parry fell out of favour as reserve, Smart Arridge emerged as a solid full back partner to Adams. Kelso, who played the first five games of the season, made just one further appearance for the club in the half back line before leaving to join Dundee in February.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
Parry's long love, hate relationship with the Goodison Park club finally came to an end after his second appearance of the season when he gave away a penalty, which was missed, in a 3–4 defeat at Aston Villa in September. Before the year was out the Welsh International defender had moved on to Ardwick.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
The solid half back line of Dickie Boyle, Johnny Holt and Billy Stewart, considered so instrumental in the club's title push last year was unsurprisingly unaltered and the trio continued in the same vein as they had done the previous year. Hugh Goldie, a summer signing from St Mirren proved a successful reserve when required and regularly filled in for the regular trio when required.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
Everton were strongest in the forward line where Jack Bell, Tom McInnes, Edgar Chadwick and Alf Milward remained regulars but the club's record hat-trick scorer, Alex Latta began to find opportunities limited as he slipped down the pecking order behind Abe Hartley. The arrival of John Cameron, yet another Scot, from Queens Park, in September  further reduced Latta's opportunities and he left before the end of the season for local rivals Liverpool.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
While the club seemed prepared to mount a fresh title challenge on the field, they were anything but prepared off it as chairman, George Mahon announced a healthy £6,000 profit at the club agm before promptly resigning, along with four other directors over 'acute administrative difficulties'. Six new directors were elected along with a new Chairman, Dr Baxter who pushed through the building of a new stand on the Bullens Road end of the ground and put a roof on the Goodison Road Stand.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
The club made an indifferent start to the League campaign, winning four, drawing three and losing four of their first eleven games before embarking on a run of nine consecutive victories from November to January that took them top of the table and marked them as favourites to win their second League Title.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
The Toffeemen were knocked off the top of the table on 4 January when Derby County won a game in hand to go a point clear. The Merseysiders' title challenge stuttered in the first three months of the year, winning just two of their next six games and leaving the club six points adrift of Aston Villa but with four games and eight points to play for against Villa's two remaining games.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
On 3 April Everton embarked on a hectic schedule of four games in eight days to win the title but their hopes were dashed at the first hurdle when a 2–2 draw at home to Derby County was coupled with victory for Villa at Nottingham Forest to leave Everton seven points adrift with just three games to play.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
The Toffeemen finished the season in third position, six points behind champions, Villa, one place and three points worse off than when finishing Runners Up the previous season.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Season review
In the F.A. Cup Everton came through their first two ties comfortably defeating top flight opponents Nottingham Forest in Nottingham and Sheffield United at Goodison Park to an aggregate of 5–0. However confidence was low when the side traveled to Sheffield Wednesday on quarter final day, just nine days after the side had lost a League game at the same venue 1–3. They fared even worse in the cup tie, losing 0–4 to the eventual cup winners.


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, Final league table
Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points


1895–96 Everton F.C. season, The Football League
Everton home games were played at Goodison Park while away games were played at the venues stated


1895–96 FA Cup
The 1895–1896 FA Cup was the 25th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (more usually known as the FA Cup). The cup was won by The Wednesday, who defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 in the final of the competition, played at Crystal Palace in London. This was Wednesday's first victory in the FA Cup.


1895–96 FA Cup
Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If the replayed match was drawn further replays would be held at neutral venues until a winner was determined. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played.


1895–96 FA Cup, Calendar
The format of the FA Cup for the season had a preliminary round, four qualifying rounds, three proper rounds, and the semi finals and final.


1895–96 FA Cup, First round proper
The First Round Proper contained sixteen ties between 32 teams. The 16 First Division sides were given a bye to this round, as were Notts County, Darwen, Burton Wanderers, Liverpool, Newton Heath and Woolwich Arsenal from the Second Division. The other Second Division sides were entered into the First Qualifying Round. Of those sides, only Grimsby Town, Newcastle United, Crewe Alexandra and Burton Swifts qualified to the FA Cup Proper. Six non-league sides also qualified.


1895–96 FA Cup, First round proper
The matches were played on Saturday, 1 February 1896. Two matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek fixture.


1895–96 FA Cup, Second Round Proper
The eight Second Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 15 February 1896. There were three replays, played in the following midweek fixture.


1895–96 FA Cup, Third round proper
The four Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 29 February 1896. There were no replays.


1895–96 FA Cup, Semi-Finals
The semi-final matches were both played on Saturday, 21 March 1896. The Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers went on to meet in the final at Crystal Palace.


1895–96 FA Cup, Final
The final took place on Saturday, 18 April 1896 at Crystal Palace. Less than 50,000 supporters attended the match. The match finished 2–1 to The Wednesday, through two early goals from Fred Spiksley. Between the two goals, David Black had equalised for Wolves.


1895–96 FC Basel season
The FC Basel 1895–96 season was their third season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. Emanuel Schiess was elected as second chairman in the club's history at the club's AGM. FC Basel's home ground was the Landhof, in the Wettstein neighborhood of Kleinbasel (lesser Basel), but they also played home games at the Stadion Schützenmatte in the Bachletten quartier in Grossbasel (greater Basel). The Swiss national championships had not yet been called to into life.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Overview
Roland Geldner had been the club's chairman, but he stood down at the club's AGM held on 1 September 1895 and Emanuel Schiess was elected as new chairman. At this AGM on it was announced that 31 footballers had joined the club since the first day, 14 members had since left and so they had 17 active footballers.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Overview
The Swiss Football Association (ASF-SFV) was founded on 7 April 1895. FC Basel were founder members, although they were not present at the founder meeting. Basel goalkeeper and local businessman John Tollmann joined the ASF-SFV board of directors and was the first secretary-treasurer. Local rivals Old Boys were soon to become ASF-SFV members. The idea of a Swiss national championship following the form of the English championship was discussed as priority.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Overview
Ferdinand Isler was selected as team captain, he was responsible for leading the team trainings and choosing the player line-ups. For this season club organised ten friendly matches for their first team. Six of these matches were held in Basel, two in the Landhof, two on the Schützenmatte and from the other two games the playing fields are uncertain. In the autumn season Basel played twice against FC Excelsior Zürich, were defeated away and drew at home and in the spring they played them again twice and managed two victories.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Overview
Basel played twice against French team FC Mulhouse, drawing away and winning at home. They also played twice against Grasshopper Club and won both games. Last season the team had lost the game against Buckjumpers Club Basel, this season they won the revenge. But the Buckjumpers were to dissolve their club at the end of the season, due to lack of members and therefore a number of their remaining members joined Basel before the beginning of the following season.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Overview
At the end of November 1895 Basel also played their very first game against Anglo-American Club Zürich, the game ended with a defeat. The ten games ended with six victories, two draws and two defeats. The team scored 18 scored goals and 15 conceded.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1895–96 FC Basel season, Notes, Sources
(NB: Despite all efforts, the editors of these books and the authors in "Basler Fussballarchiv" have failed to be able to identify all the players, their date and place of birth or date and place of death, who played in the games during the early years of FC Basel. Much match documentation for this season is missing.)


1895–96 Football League
The 1895–96 season was the eighth season of The Football League.


1895–96 Football League, Final league tables
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the  website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.


1895–96 Football League, Final league tables
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.


1895–96 Football League, Final league tables
During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season, 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.


1895–96 Football League, Test Matches
The Football League test matches were a set of play-offs, in which the bottom First Division teams faced the top Second Division teams.


1895–96 Football League, Test Matches
The format had changed from previous seasons, with the number of participants has reduced from six to four (two from each division). Now, each First Division team plays both Second Division teams in a mini league format. The top two finishers would then be considered for election for First Division membership, whilst the bottom two finishers would be invited to play in the Second Division.


1895–96 Football League, Test Matches
The First Division teams, if finishing in the top two, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team does so, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process. Bottom-two Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.


1895–96 Football League, Test Matches, Summary
Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football and Association Football, present the following table with the heading given above.


1895–96 Football League, Test Matches, Consequences
It is likely that the league decided on re-election to the First Division and on promotion and relegation on the basis of the summary table above. It is not clear why all the four teams did not play each other, since it would only have required two more matches for each of them. It seems those teams who had lost in the first round hardly had any chance of ending up among the top teams in this system, and the election outcome effectively seems to have confirmed the first round results.


1895–96 Football Tournament, Overview
It was contested by 3 teams, and Akademisk Boldklub won the championship.


1895–96 French Rugby Union Championship
The 1895–96 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Olympique that defeated Stade Français in the final.


1895–96 French Rugby Union Championship
The tournament was played by five clubs from Paris: Racing, Stade français, Cosmopolitan Club, Olympique et Union Sportive de l'Est. The final pits the top two in the pool that had finished tied with six points.


1895–96 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season
During the 1895–96 season Hearts competed in the Scottish First Division, the Scottish Cup and the East of Scotland Shield.


1895–96 Hibernian F.C. season
During the 1895–96 season Hibernian, a football club based in Edinburgh, finished third out of 10 clubs in the Scottish First Division.


1895–96 Hongkong Football Cup
1895–96 Hongkong Football Cup was the 1895–96 season of the predecessor of Hong Kong Challenge Shield, Hongkong Football Cup.


1895–96 Hongkong Football Cup
The holder of the cup this season was Kowloon Football Club.


1895–96 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team
The 1895–96 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represented the University of Iowa in intercollegiate basketball during the 1895–96 season. The team finished the season with a 2–5 record. This squad is historically significant to the sport of college basketball: when they played the University of Chicago on January 18, 1896, the teams faced off with only five players to a side, establishing the first "modern" game of college basketball ever played. Chicago won the game, 15–12.


1895–96 Irish League
The Irish League in season 1895–96 comprised 4 teams, and Distillery won the championship after a play-off with Cliftonville.


1895–96 Liverpool F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the fourth season in Liverpool F.C. 's existence, and was their third year in The Football League, in which they competed in the Second Division. The season covers the period from 1 July 1895 to 30 June 1896. Liverpool won the second division title and got promoted to the first division after winning two and drawing one of four test matches, which were played at home and away against Small Heath and West Bromwich Albion.


1895–96 Liverpool F.C. season
Liverpool scored 106 league goals in 30 games, a record total for a league season which still stands.


1895–96 MHA season
The 1896 Manitoba Hockey Association season was a series of five games contested by the senior ice hockey teams of Winnipeg Victorias and the Winnipeg Hockey Club. During the season, on February 14 the Victorias played a Stanley Cup challenge match in Montreal, defeating the Montreal Victorias. Winnipeg won 2–0 to win the Cup. This was the first time the Stanley Cup champion was from a league other than the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. The Victorias won the season series to retain the Cup for the league.


1895–96 MHA season, Season, Schedule
‡ Game awarded to Winnipeg when Armytage refused to accept a penalty.† Exhibition


1895–96 MHA season, Exhibitions
In January, the Winnipegs travelled to St. Paul, Minnesota, to play matches during the winter carnival. Winnipeg defeated St. Paul 18–2 and a Minneapolis ice polo team 7–2.


1895–96 MHA season, Playoffs
There were no playoffs as the Victorias won first place exclusively.


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, Victorias vs. Winnipeg at Montreal
The first successful challenge to the Cup came in February 1896 by the Winnipeg Victorias, playing as the 1895 champions of the MHA. On February 14, Winnipeg beat the defending champion Montreal Victorias, 2–0, becoming the first team outside the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) to win the Cup. Winnipeg took a 2–0 lead on goals by Armytage and Campbell in the first half, then went on the defensive in the second half.


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, Victorias vs. Winnipeg at Montreal
According to The Globe, in its report on the game:


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, Victorias vs. Winnipeg at Montreal
"The westerners started in with a rush and scored the two games; one in ten minutes and one in nine minutes before the Vics seemed to waken up. For the rest of the first half, the honors were even. In the second half, the Winnipeggers were strictly on the defensive. Shot after shot was fired on their goal but the Vics could not score due to the superb work of Merritt, the visitor's goalkeeper. The match ended 2 to 0 in favour of the visitors. Both sides were dissatisfied with the work of Mr. Alexis Martin of Toronto as referee; claiming he was utterly ignorant of the rules, an opinion which seemed to be shared by the spectators."


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, First goal
Jack Armytage's biography at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame: "One of his greatest games was on February 14, 1896, in a sudden death game for the Stanley Cup when Jack Armytage scored the winning goal in 2-0 victory over Montreal; the first time the Cup came West."


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, First goal
The first goal of the game was scored by Jack Armytage, although Dan Bain's Hockey Hall of Fame biography lists Bain as the goal scorer. "On February 14, 1896, the team traveled east to try to strip the Montreal Victorias of their Stanley Cup. Bain scored the winning goal in the Westerners' 2-0 upset to claim the hallowed silverware." This is likely a misplaced reference to the 1901 challenge game for the Cup won 2–1 in which Bain scored both goals for Winnipeg, the second in overtime.


1895–96 MHA season, Stanley Cup challenge, First goal
Newspaper accounts of the time list Armytage as the scorer, on a pass from Howard: According to the Winnipeg Tribune, in its report on the game: "It was rushed to the Montreal end where Howard lifted it from the corner to the front of the posts where Armytage was waiting and sent it through in 10 minutes." According to the Ottawa Journal, in its report on the game: "Armitage scored after 10 minutes of play on a pass from Howard."


1895–96 Manchester City F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was Manchester City F.C. 's fifth season of league football and fourth season in the Football League.


1895–96 Manchester City F.C. season, Football League Second Division, Test matches
As Manchester City finished second in the league, they were entitled to play test matches to compete for promotion to the Football League's First Division. Though they played both teams bottom of the First Division for the 1895–86 season, they lost both matches on aggregate and thus failed in their promotion bid, remaining in the Second Division for the following season.


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season
The National Association Foot Ball League, which had played its first season in the spring of 1895, re-organized for the winter. The league opened its 1895—96 season on December 15, 1895, with five teams scheduled to play an 18 game schedule until the season's end on April 26, 1896. In addition to 1895 champion Centreville A.C. of Bayonne, New Jersey, the runner up Brooklyn Wanderers and the reorganized Scottish-Americans of Newark, two new teams joined, the New York Thistles and International A.C. of Paterson, New Jersey (which played its games at the grounds at (Communipaw). For the second season, the NAFBL mandated that the goals have nets in all league matches, and adopting the penalty kick rule. A schedule was issued in November. By the time league play started, however, the Brooklyn Wanderers had withdrawn, leaving only four teams.


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season
The season ended early and the Scottish-Americans claimed the championship of the league after beating Centreville A.C. on April 5, 1896.


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
While the New York Sun and the New York Times reported early results, press coverage of the league ended after January. Results of league games were


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
December 15: Scottish-Americans 1, Internationals 1 (Paterson); Centreville 4, New York Thistles 2 (Bayonne)


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
December 22: Centreville 3, Internationals 2 (Bayonne); Scottish-Americans 7, Thistles 1 (Newark)


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
December 29: Scottish-Americans 7, Centreville 0 (Newark) ; Internationals 7, Thistles 1 (Paterson)


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
January 19: Scottish-Americans 3, Internationals 3 (Newark). The game was marred by a serious injury to one of the players, Findley, a left wing for the Scottish-Americans


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
January 26: Scottish-Americans 12, Thistles 1 (Newark); Centreville 2, Internationals 1 (Paterson);


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
League play then halted, with the Scottish-Americans in first place (at 3 wins and 2 draws); followed by International (2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss); Centreville (2 wins and 2 losses), and the New York Thistles, who lost all four games.


1895–96 National Association Foot Ball League season, Regular season
The following Sunday, on February 2, an all-star benefit game for Findley was played before 1,500 spectators at by teams composed of seven of Findley's Scottish-Americans teammates (Wildt, Wilson, Cutler, McDonald, Singleton, McCullouch and Gaffney) and other locals against players for the other NAFBL teams, Centreville (Smith, Winter, Buell, Spaven and Oliver), the Internationals (Taylor, Flynn and O'Donnell), and the Thistles (T. Hopkins). As "The Jerseymen", the Scottish-Americans beat the "New Yorkers", 2 goals to 0.


1895–96 Netherlands Football League Championship
The Netherlands Football League Championship 1895–1896 was contested by seven teams from the cities Amsterdam, The Hague, Haarlem, Rotterdam and Wageningen. The teams participated in the competition that would later be called Eerste Klasse West. But since the western football district of the Netherlands was the only one to have a competition at the time, it could be regarded as a national championship. This was also the reason that Go Ahead Wageningen participated, as they would later play in the eastern division. HVV Den Haag won the championship.


1895–96 Newcastle United F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was Newcastle United's third season in the Football League Second Division.


1895–96 Newton Heath F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was Newton Heath's fourth season in the Football League and their second in the Second Division. They finished sixth in the league, which was not enough to earn a chance for promotion back to the First Division. In the FA Cup, the Heathens were knocked out in the Second Round, losing 5–1 in a replay against Derby County after vanquishing Kettering Town in the First Round.


1895–96 Newton Heath F.C. season
The club also entered teams in the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups in 1895–96. They were knocked out of the Lancashire Cup in the first round, losing 2–1 at home to Bury. In the Manchester Cup, they received a bye to the third round, but were immediately knocked out by Fairfield, losing 5–2.


1895–96 North Wales Coast League
The 1895–96 North Wales Coast League was the third season of the newly formed North Wales Coast League after its establishment in 1893. The league was won by Bangor, which is considered part of Bangor's 'Grand Slam' season as they also won the Welsh Cup, North Wales Coast Senior Cup and North West Wales Challenge Cup.


1895–96 Northern Football League
The 1895–96 Northern Football League season was the seventh in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in Northern England.


1895–96 Northern Football League, Clubs
The league featured 8 clubs which competed in the last season, along with one new club:


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season
The 1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the first ever season of semi-professional rugby football, which formed the foundation of the modern-day sport of rugby league. Twenty-two Northern English teams from both sides of the Pennines broke away from the Rugby Football Union to create and compete in their own competition. The inaugural championship ran from September 1895 until April 1896. The Northern Union's first season would prove so popular that the following season saw the addition of several more clubs, and the tournament was split into two separate county competitions.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Background
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) had been organising the British rugby football season for much of the late 19th century, maintaining rules of strict amateurism. However clubs from the largely working-class areas of Northern England believed that their players should be compensated for time taken off work as a result of playing rugby. It was put forth in an RFU meeting that broken time payments should be allowed, but the motion was voted down and all clubs were required to prove their amateurism or face expulsion from the Union.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Background
On Thursday, 29 August 1895 delegates from twelve Yorkshire and nine Lancashire clubs met at The George Hotel in Huddersfield to discuss their dispute with the RFU over compensating players. They voted unanimously to resign from the RFU and set up the Northern Rugby Football Union (to later be renamed the Rugby Football League) and run a competition of their own in which broken time payments were allowed. Mr H. H. Waller, chairman of the Brighouse club, was elected the first ever chairman of the Northern Rugby Football Union. Of the clubs at that meeting, only Dewsbury backed out for the time being, but two Cheshire clubs, Stockport and Runcorn had joined up by the time the new 'Northern Union' played its first games on 7 September.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Rule changes
Each team was to play all other teams twice – once at home and once away. This meant a longer than normal football season so it started a fortnight earlier than usual. In addition to the overall Northern Union championship, these games' results also counted towards final placings in the separate county competitions. The team with the highest standing on the table at the end of the season would be crowned champions of the tournament.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Rule changes
The points system for the Northern Union's rugby was as follows:


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The new Northern Union competition kicked off on Saturday, 7 September 1895 and, before it had got properly started (before the second weekend's fixtures), there was a move to change the rules of the game to further the interest of spectators and to make rugby that was distinctively different from that authorised by the RFU. In an experimental game at Valley Parade on 1 October between Manningham and Halifax, thirteen players were on each side, line-outs were abolished and, for part of the game, a round ball was used.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
A fair crowd was attracted and virtually all the officials of the Northern Union looked on. Play was started with the round ball, but midway through the first half it burst. A conventional oval ball replaced it until another round ball could be found in the second half. Little attempt was made to dribble and kick the round ball and it was thus deemed not to be a success. The game ended 3–3, but the long-term ramifications for the Northern Union were to be great indeed.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The championship hung in the balance until the final game of the tournament. Manningham needed travel to Hunslet and win in order to beat Halifax by a single point and claim the first Northern Union title. The Manningham team left Midland Station at 2.10, but the committee elected to travel in two stagecoaches. A large following travelled with the team and the road adjacent to the ground was crowded with various vehicles flying banners, flags and even Chinese umbrellas in Manningham’s claret and amber colours.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The match was played at a furious pace. A crowd of around 15,000 saw the game swing from end to end. The referee at one point had to halt the match in order to caution the players of both sides as the game was getting extremely rough. The match remained scoreless until the second half when Manningham's Jack Brown attempted a drop kick. The ball struck the post, but flew over the bar to wild cheers. Manningham won 4–0 and thereby became the first ever champions of the Northern Union.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The Northern Union held an additional contest, for determining county champions, and it was won by Lancashire with Yorkshire second and Cheshire third.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The season ended on 29 April, which made it three weeks longer than the footballers at the time were used to. Some clubs had also found the regular trans-Pennine journeys more difficult than they'd expected. Therefore, before the season was over the Union had decided to discontinue the championship for the foreseeable future, and instead run enlarged county senior competitions.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary
The leading try scorer for the season was Jack Hurst from Oldham who crossed the line 28 times. The leading goalkicker for the season was George Lorimer of the Champions, Manningham, who was successful 35 times. The leading point scorer was shared between Cooper of Bradford and George Lorimer of Manningham with a total of 106 points each.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary, Championship ladder
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.


1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season, Season summary, Championship ladder
^ a: St. Helens had 2 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player


1895–96 Ottawa Hockey Club season
The 1895–96 Ottawa Hockey Club season was the club's 11th season of play. Ottawa placed second in the league.


1895–96 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Team business
At the team annual meeting, the following officers were elected:


1895–96 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Season, Highlights
After playing both goal and forward in the previous season, Harry Westwick played forward only and he responded with 8 goals. Alf Smith was close behind with 7 goals. Fred Chittick played all eight games for Ottawa.


1895–96 Ottawa Hockey Club season, Season, Highlights
Ottawa was the only team to defeat the Montreal Victorias, defeating them 3–2 in Montreal before 5000 fans. The Victorias won the return match in Ottawa by the same 3–2 score.


1895–96 Rangers F.C. season
The Rangers 1895–96 season was the 22nd of competitive football in the Scottish Football Association.


1895–96 Rangers F.C. season, Overview
Rangers played a total of 22 competitive matches during the 1895–96 season. They finished second in the Scottish League Division One with a record of 11 wins from 18 matches.


1895–96 Rangers F.C. season, Overview
The club ended the season without the Scottish Cup after being knocked out in the quarter final stage by Hibernian by 3–2. The club had beaten Dumbarton and St Mirren during the competition.


1895–96 Rugby Union County Championship
The 1895–96 Rugby Union County Championship was the eighth edition of  England's premier rugby union club competition at that time. The competition was reorganised with a reduction of groups from four to three, and the winners of the south-east and south-west groups competing in a play-off for the right to play the northern group winners in the final. This was the third format of the competition.


1895–96 Rugby Union County Championship
Yorkshire won the competition for the seventh time defeating Surrey in the final.


1895–96 Scottish Cup
The 1895–96 Scottish Cup was the 23rd season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Heart of Midlothian when they beat Hibernian 3-1 in the final.


1895–96 Scottish Districts season
The 1895–96 Scottish Districts season is a record of all the rugby union matches for Scotland's district teams.


1895–96 Scottish Districts season, History
Glasgow District and Edinburgh District fought out a nil - nil draw in the Inter-City match. This was the first draw in the fixture since 1879; and the first nil-nil since January 1876 (back when the Inter-City was a twice-a-season format).


1895–96 Scottish Districts season, History
The North of Scotland played Edinburgh Wanderers at the end of the season. It was intended to be a XV a side match, North had selected their side, but it seems likely that Wanderers only turned up with XI players so a XI a side match had to be played instead.


1895–96 Scottish Division One
The 1895–96 Scottish Division One season was won by Celtic by four points over nearest rival Rangers.


1895–96 Scottish Division Two
The 1895–96 Scottish Second Division was won by Abercorn with Linthouse finishing bottom.


1895–96 Scottish Football League, Overview
Abercorn came first in the Scottish Division Two. Leith Athletic and Renton finished second and third


1895–96 Sheffield Shield season
The 1895–96 Sheffield Shield season was the fourth season of the Sheffield Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. New South Wales won the championship.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the 15th season of competitive association football and fourth season in the Football League played by Small Heath F.C., an English football club based in Birmingham. In 1894–95, the newly promoted Small Heath maintained their First Division status, finishing 12th in the 16-team division. In 1895–96, the team finished 15th and were relegated through the test match system.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season
Small Heath entered the 1895–96 FA Cup at the first round proper, and lost in that round for the fourth consecutive year, this time to Bury. In local competitions, they were eliminated in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup by Sheffield Wednesday, and lost to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, which they had entered for the first time.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season
Thirty-two different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were 14 different goalscorers. For the fifth time, Fred Wheldon appeared in every League match, in his last season with the club before joining local rivals Aston Villa for an initial transfer fee of £350, believed to be a record. The top scorer, for the third year running, was Frank Mobley with 11 goals. The highest attendance was around 10,000, significantly down on the previous season.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Small Heath had finished 12th of 16 teams in 1894–95, their first season in the First Division. Alf Jones continued as secretary-manager, and Billy Ollis took over the captaincy after Caesar Jenkyns was dismissed for misconduct. Apart from Jenkyns, who signed for Woolwich Arsenal where he was appointed captain, all the regular first-team players remained with the club. Of the fringe players, Charlie Letherbarrow joined Millwall, with whom he won the Southern League title in 1895–96, Ernie Moore and Tilson Pritchard returned to non-League football, and Tom Watson joined the Birmingham police.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
Goalkeeper Joe Fall signed from Newton Heath for a fee reported as £20, and defender Harry Haynes joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Dart thought that Jenkyns would be missed "a great deal more than some of [the] supporters imagine", and that apart from Fall, who was expected to be a significant improvement on Charles Partridge, the 1895–96 team would be noticeably weaker than that of the season just ended.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Background
There was no change to the team's kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Both Sheffield United and Small Heath fielded the same personnel as in the last game of the previous season, which Small Heath had won to secure their First Division status. The Sheffield Independent's prediction that the result would be reversed proved justified. The players had not yet got used to the new rule forbidding the thrower to step over the line while taking a throw-in, and after penalising the Sheffield captain for a foul throw, the referee took time out to demonstrate the correct procedure.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
With Joe Fall still unavailable because of an injury sustained in pre-season training, Charles Partridge was replaced in goal by reserve Jim Roach, who made an eventful debut at local rivals Aston Villa. According to the Birmingham Daily Post, he should take no blame for any of the five goals conceded before half-time, due in part to the sun in his eyes and with the half-backs "little more than landmarks on the field". On change of ends, the balance of play tilted towards the visitors, but the match still finished 7–3. Fall returned to fitness for Small Heath's third defeat of the season, at home to Stoke in a game characterised by excessive foul play. At Nottingham Forest, Tommy Hands and Jack Hallam were lively on the wings, but the weakness of the half-back line was noted in yet another loss.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
In temperatures approaching 80 °F (27 °C), Bolton Wanderers went top of the league by inflicting on Small Heath their fifth defeat in as many games. The forwards, with Frank Mobley the honourable exception, were "lamentably deficient in shooting ability", missing two early chances which "had their shooting been only of a medium character" would have opened the scoring. With only a month of the season gone, the Post suggested it was high time results began to change or there was a real prospect of relegation via the test matches.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
A visit to Preston North End produced a much improved performance but still no points. After Preston opened the scoring against the run of play, Small Heath took the lead through a "couple of stinging shots" from Mobley, who appeared to score a third soon after half-time, but it was disallowed because goalkeeper James Trainer was impeded. Small Heath were playing the better football, and the home fans began to jeer their team. Perhaps that had an effect, for after a succession of corners, Preston regained the lead to take the game by three goals to two.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
On 12 October, Small Heath finally won a match. They beat Bury 5–4 in a game "remarkable for the poor defence on both sides". The Dart's gloomy view that "if they gain any points at all out of [the next four] games it will be a bit of a surprise to a large number of their followers" was evidence of growing discontent. Many English clubs had imported top Scottish players to strengthen their team, but Small Heath's directors were unwilling to follow suit.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
A disappointingly small crowd saw Small Heath lose 3–1 to Aston Villa in a benefit match for Ted Devey, the club's longest-serving player and fans' favourite who had been in poor health. Both clubs had promised full first teams, but numerous regulars were unavailable, and Small Heath fielded their fourth different goalkeeper of the season, Bill Meates, an amateur signed from Eastbourne a few weeks earlier.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, September–October
Meates kept his place for the next League game, and Hands, who was injured against Bury, Billy Walton and Devey were replaced by Jack Jones, Charlie Izon and Alex Leake, the latter two making their first appearances of the season, as Small Heath were "completely outclassed" by Stoke. The Heathens had much the better of the first half against Aston Villa, and the pace and trickery of the visitors' forwards was thwarted only by the excellence of the home side's defence. The second half was quite the opposite. Meates made two blunders that led to goals, Villa gained and kept the upper hand, and the final score was 4–1.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
The directors changed their minds, and sent secretary Alf Jones and player Jack Oliver to Scotland on a recruitment mission. Their only purchase was greeted with suspicion by the Dart: the 19-year-old Adam Fraser "is said to be a most capable half-back. Whether he is worth all the trouble the club have gone through to secure him remains to be seen, but if he is anything like a 'class' player it is strange that he has never been heard of before."


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
It was reported that the Cambridge University and England full back Lewis Vaughan Lodge had agreed to play for the club, but he did appear until February. Meanwhile, after a casual start, Small Heath came back from a three-goal deficit to beat Leyton 8–3 in a friendly. Winning ways continued in the League as they beat Nottingham Forest with a goal in the first five minutes, scored by Hands from a Hallam centre. Roach's performance in goal suggested he was the best of the four tried thus far, and Frank Lester made a promising debut at back, but both teams' forwards were disappointing.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
The visit to Bolton Wanderers was postponed after severe weather in the north-west left the ground waterlogged, so the next game was at home to Preston North End on 23 November. Wheldon, back to something approaching his best, scored twice from distance to lead 2–1 at half-time. During the interval, Preston's goalkeeper John Wright was found to have broken his wrist and could not continue.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
Lester turned the ball into his own net to bring the scores level, but despite the brilliance of Bob Holmes, playing on his own at back after Sandy Tait had gone in goal, Preston could not prevent Small Heath exploiting their numerical advantage. The third goal ended with ball, goalkeeper and all five Small Heath forwards in the net, after which Jones scored twice to make the final score 5–2. Walton, now playing at centre half, drew particular praise for his judgment and the quality of his passing. The two points gained took Small Heath off the bottom of the table for the first time.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
Fraser made his first-team debut in a benefit match for Sam Holmes of Walsall, and his League debut the following Saturday at Derby County alongside Dan Bruce. Bruce, a Scottish forward signed from Notts County for a £100 transfer fee – the first time that Small Heath had paid a three-figure sum for a player – came with a "great reputation as a cool, clever player, and a good shot", but was far from fit. Small Heath never threatened, each of the five Derby forwards scored in the first half, and the final score was 8–0.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
A poor performance followed at home to Everton. In the face of wind laced with flurries of snow, Small Heath "almost to a man, blocked their goal in such a manner as to render it well nigh impossible for Everton to score through such a forest of legs." On Small Heath's sole attack, they might have scored, the ball coming down off the crossbar a foot over the line before spinning back into play.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
The Daily Post wondered whether, as had happened more than once in recent matches, "a strong and unanimous appeal by Small Heath might have gained them a goal". Everton went into the interval a goal ahead and scored two more in the second half to go top of the League. Caesar Jenkyns, now captain of Arsenal, was among the spectators, and the Daily Post speculated on how much difference his captaincy might make to his old club's current predicament.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
The expected heavy defeat at Sunderland failed to materialise, that club's winning goal coming only when Jack Oliver – a native of the town – chested the ball into his own net while attempting to block a shot. The Leicester Chronicle suggested that if Small Heath could only maintain similar form, they would soon be out of trouble.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
An exciting though unscientific local derby against West Bromwich Albion, the closest team to Small Heath in the table, produced a 2–2 draw in which Fraser's courage and judgment in a defensive role was remarked upon, and Bruce and James Adlington scored their first goals for the club. On an icy surface on Boxing Day, the home forwards' enthusiasm was rewarded with a goal scored by Adlington from a Wheldon cross to beat Burnley and narrow the gap to just one point behind that club and West Bromwich Albion.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, November–December
After the last scheduled match of 1895, at Everton, was abandoned after 37 minutes because of bad weather and the state of the pitch, there was discontent among the crowd. Some of those present demanded their money back, and one spectator took the host club to court claiming the return of his admission money. The case was decided in favour of the club, the judge ruling that the paying spectator is not entitled to a full 90 minutes' football, but only to that portion which can reasonably be completed within the rules of the game.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
"There was only one team in it at Coventry-road on Saturday, and that team was not the Heathens." So said the Sheffield Independent as Derby County won 3–1 to return to the top of the table. In the next week, Small Heath were eliminated in the first round of two local cup competitions.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Tommy Hands scored and Billy Ollis was carried off injured as they lost 2–1 to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, a competition they had entered for the first time, and in the Birmingham Cup, they lost by the same score at Sheffield Wednesday in a game marked by poor forward play by both sides. The programme for January finished with home and away matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers. At home, Hands and Mobley were left out.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Adlington, who had scored in four successive matches, Bruce and Ollis scored before the interval, but the second half was one-sided in the opposite direction. Wanderers came back to 3–2, "shots innumerable were sent in", but Small Heath held on for their fifth win of the season. At Wolverhampton, Wheldon opened the scoring for the visitors much against the run of play, but thereafter Wanderers scored at will to make the final score 7–2.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Small Heath were without several first-team regulars against a full-strength Bury side in the first round of the FA Cup. During the first half the play was fast-paced, end-to-end and goalless until Harry Haynes left the field with a knee injury. He resumed after the interval, limping heavily, but during his absence Bury took a 2–0 lead, which they were to double before Lewis scored a late consolation.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
Two days later, in the replay of the match abandoned for bad weather, Small Heath's forwards pressed hard early on, but faded after Hugh Goldie scored somewhat against the run of play and Everton won 3–0. The Liverpool Mercury picked out debutant Tom Farnall as making a good impression at right-half. An improved performance secured a draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday, Leake scoring a headed goal, his first for the club. Wednesday had a goal from a free kick disallowed because the ball had not touched another player on its way into the net, though Meates made a desperate attempt to save it after it appeared to have deflected off Fred Spiksley.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
By this stage of the season, criticism of the club both on and off the field was widespread. The Sportsman's investigation into the finances of Midlands football clubs criticised the committee's perceived reluctance to act:


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
When this club obtained its position in the First League last season the committee had a splendid chance of obtaining big 'gates' and doing well. But the chances were thrown away. They were afraid to speculate ... and went on with the old team last season, and they delayed enterprise this year until too late.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
The test matches were expected "almost as a matter of certainty, and with an air of resignation born of a long series of feeble and disappointing exhibitions." While recognising that "the majority of the players had fallen far short of expectation", the Sheffield Independent questioned the managerial wisdom of "continually changing the players, as has been done now for some time" – playing four different centre-forwards in a month, and fielding players who were apparently not physically fit, as Dan Bruce against Sheffield Wednesday.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
After a lively friendly against Aston Villa produced a 2–1 win for Small Heath, they returned to losing ways at Bolton Wanderers. Harry Haddon, a soldier stationed at Lichfield, set up a goal for Mobley, but by then the home side were 3–0 up against a struggling defence. Small Heath put out a strong side against Blackburn Rovers – the Leicester Chronicle believed that "at no period of the season have they had such a representative team".


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, January–February
While Corinthian back Lewis Vaughan Lodge's long-expected first appearance for the club – which proved to be his last – was marred by a lack of discipline positionally, Haddon enhanced his reputation at centre-forward and contributed to Wheldon's fine winning goal after debutant Bill Robertson had scored from a penalty kick. The Rovers forwards played an effective dribbling game, but Small Heath's once-characteristic "dash" earned them victory and took them into March off the bottom of the table.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
A 1–0 defeat of Bury, courtesy of Haddon after a Wheldon header had been ruled out for offside, took Small Heath out of the test match positions at the expense of Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the latter club had the easier run-in to the end of the season. After a more than usually entertaining friendly at Leicester Fosse finished 3–2 to the home side, Small Heath resumed their League campaign with a visit to Blackburn Rovers, in which a performance " much better ... than was expected of them" still ended in defeat.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
They came close to opening the scoring, from a Mobley cross and a "grand shot" by Wheldon, but went two goals behind, before Haddon's second-half score left 20 minutes for the visitors to try in vain for an equaliser. The annual theatrical sports, run by the Small Heath club in association with the Prince of Wales Theatre, raised £350 after expenses, to be distributed among the local hospitals.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
Only around 500 spectators watched Small Heath lose 4–3 to Notts County of the Second Division in a friendly on a miserably wet day, the small attendance meaning that the home side would have lost money on the arrangement after paying Notts their guarantee. A game of two halves followed at Burnley on Good Friday; playing with the wind, Robertson opened the scoring for the visitors after four minutes and several shots hit the woodwork, but on change of ends Burnley forced the pace and had a goal disallowed before scoring the equaliser.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
The next day, Sheffield Wednesday took a 3–0 half-time lead playing into the sun and wind. Perhaps with the approaching FA Cup Final on their minds, they took it easy in the second half, but a weakened Small Heath team, with Fountain, Jones and Pratt replacing Hands, Haddon and Lester, were still unable to score. The Sheffield Independent picked out Leake at centre half as playing excellently, and the full-backs Oliver and Pratt as "safe, but not too speedy". On Easter Monday, a goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion, thanks largely to Joe Fall and his defence, kept Small Heath out of the bottom two places with two games left to play.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
Small Heath dominated the play against Sheffield United, but visiting goalkeeper William Foulke was on fine form, and his team had a one-goal lead at the interval. Mobley scored twice in the second half, and both were in controversial circumstances. After a United defender won the ball from Tommy Hands, Hands kicked out at him; the referee turned to have a quick word with Hands, meanwhile the ball fell to Mobley, standing in an offside position, who put it in the net, and the referee, who had not seen Mobley's offside, awarded the goal.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, March–April
Encouraged by this stroke of luck, Small Heath pressed, and from a Leake cross, Wheldon executed an overhead kick from which the ball rebounded off the crossbar to Mobley, again standing offside, who tapped it in for the winning goal. The victory left them needing only a draw from the final match of the season, at home to Sunderland, to avoid the test matches. In the event, they were outclassed. Though as usual the defence was satisfactory, the forwards' positioning was poor, Hallam and Walton were sadly missed, and they lacked anyone of influence to organise them. A 1–0 defeat, combined with Wolverhampton's 5–0 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers, confirmed Small Heath's participation in the test matches.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, Test matches
The format was that of a four-team league, in which each would play the two teams from the other division on a home-and-away basis. Small Heath's campaign began at Liverpool, whose forwards were restricted to one goal in the first half through the efforts of Lester and Oliver, but in the second, the Liverpool Mercury's report that "the whole of the play was confined to the visitors' quarters" was little of an exaggeration as the home side won 4–0. In the home match, Hallam and Walton came in for Mobley and Farnall.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, Test matches
Small Heath came close to conceding when Tom Bradshaw spotted Meates off his line, but Jack Oliver got back in time to clear. They had more of the play, with Wheldon was particularly dangerous in attack, and threw caution to the winds as full-time approached, but the game finished goalless. A 3–0 defeat at Manchester City confirmed Small Heath's relegation to the Second Division for the 1896–97 season.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Review, Test matches
Meates opened the scoring for City when he sliced the ball into his own net in attempting a clearance, and after Hallam failed to take a good chance in the first half and struck the crossbar in the second as the visitors tried hard to equalise, City scored twice more towards the end of the match. For the last test match, at home to Manchester City, Small Heath selected Thomas Dunlop and Walter Abbott instead of Oliver and Hands. Small Heath had all of the play, "shots without number" were attempted but only one was scored by half-time. They scored a further seven in the second half, with hat-tricks for Jones and Wheldon and a goal on debut for Abbott.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
After opening their campaign with six defeats, Small Heath spent most of the season in the bottom two positions. They conceded more goals than any other team in the division for the second consecutive season, and scored fewer than all but bottom club West Bromwich Albion. The directors came under criticism for failing to improve the team and for their selection policy: making too many changes to the team from one game to the next, and playing men when they were unfit.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
A draw from the final match of the season, at home to Sunderland, would have secured their First Division status for another year, but they lost, finished 15th of the 16 teams, and were relegated via the test matches. The League's Annual General Meeting heard proposals from Small Heath F.C. that the First Division be expanded to 18 teams, and that a two-thirds majority be sufficient to carry a motion rather than three-quarters. Both motions were lost, thus confirming that the team would play in the Second Division for the 1896–97 season.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
The average league attendance remained steady in the low 6,000s, although the highest attendance was 10,000, compared with 15,000 the previous season. The balance sheet showed expenditure of £4,158, of which players' wages, bonuses and transfer fees accounted for £2,536. During the season the club bought the lease of the Coventry Road ground, which had 11 years remaining, and made improvements to the standing accommodation. Most of the club's income came from net gate receipts of £3,733, and the club lost £185 on the year to 30 April. Both income and expenditure had doubled over the last two years.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
The Nottinghamshire Guardian suggested Small Heath would "have to greatly improve their present team if they are to make a very prominent display even in [the second] division next season." Harry Haynes moved on to Southern League club Southampton St Mary's, Ted Devey left for Burton Wanderers, and Adam Fraser returned to Scotland, but the major loss was that of Fred Wheldon. Wheldon had scored 116 goals from 175 matches in league and FA Cup for Small Heath, and the only match he missed in six seasons was when his sister died on the morning of the game.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Summary and aftermath
He joined local rivals and League champions Aston Villa for a fee which, after much speculation, was confirmed at Small Heath's Annual General Meeting as £350 guaranteed, plus the proceeds of a match to be played between the two clubs. The £350 fee was reported to be a transfer record. He went on to win three Football League titles with Aston Villa, including a League and FA Cup double in his first season with the club, topped the First Division scoring charts in 1897–98, and scored six goals in four games for the England national team.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Match details
For consistency, attendances and goalscorers' names in the League and FA Cup match details tables are sourced from Matthews' Complete Record. Information in contemporary newspaper reports could, and often did, differ. League positions are sourced from League positions are sourced from 11v11.com.


1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season, Squad statistics
This table includes appearances and goals in nationally organised competitions – the Football League, including relegation test matches, and FA Cup – only. For a description of the playing positions, see Formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid).


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the eleventh since the foundation of Southampton St. Mary's F.C. and their second in league football, as members of the Southern League. They finished the league season in third place behind the previous season's champions, Millwall Athletic, and Luton Town. In the FA Cup they reached the First Round Proper for the second consecutive season, where they were defeated by Sheffield Wednesday, of the Football League.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, Pre-season
In the spring of 1895, Charles Robson had been appointed secretary to Southampton St Mary's Football Club, then playing in the Southern League. As secretary, he was responsible for signing new players and agreeing player contracts as well as being involved in team selection – the day to day coaching and training of the players was in the hands of the trainer.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, Pre-season
One of Robson's first acts as secretary was to accompany Alfred McMinn, one of the club committee, on a trip to the Potteries to recruit players. McMinn was a native of Staffordshire and was "most persuasive on his home turf". On this trip, Robson and McMinn signed six players: Jack Farrell, Samuel Meston and Willie Naughton from Stoke, Watty Keay from Derby County, Joe Turner from Dresden United and Alf Wood from Burslem Port Vale, as well as recruiting Stoke's long-serving trainer, Bill Dawson.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, Pre-season
The Saints committee were anxious to secure their services and signed then before the Football League season was over. Port Vale and Stoke lodged a complaint with the Football Association about "poaching", and an emergency FA meeting was held at Sheffield, resulting in the Saints being severely censured for negligence. St Mary's were ordered to pay their own costs, plus £4 6s 3d to Stoke and £1 13s to Port Vale. McMinn was suspended for a year and Dawson for a month. Wood's registration with St Mary's was cancelled (shortly afterwards he moved to Stoke).


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, Pre-season
A proposal was put forward that the name of the club should be amended from Southampton St. Mary's to plain Southampton F.C. – this was rejected on the grounds that the club could no longer be called "The Saints" if the official name was changed. One change that was approved was that the team jerseys should be red and white halves rather than red and white quarters.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, League season
The 1895–96 season was the Saints' second in the Southern League, having finished third in the inaugural season. The team started the season badly, losing four of the first five matches, all of which were away from home. The poor start to the season was blamed on the inability of the new players to settle in the area. Eventually, under trainer Dawson's guidance, the team's form improved and there were only two further league defeats; after mid-December, the team suffered only one defeat and kept eight "clean sheets", despite first-choice goalkeeper Tom Cain missing several matches through injury. At the end of the season, they finished third behind Millwall Athletic and Luton Town, with the top three positions identical to the previous year.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, League season
Top scorer in the league was Jack Farrell with ten goals from his 17 appearances. The highlight of the league season was the visit of Millwall on 21 March 1896 when a crowd of 8,000 saw the Saints defeat the reigning champions 2–0, with goals from Charles Baker and Joe Turner.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, League season
In addition to the Southern League and FA Cup matches, the club played nearly 30 friendly matches, including a 9–0 victory over the Dublin Fusiliers and a 13–0 victory over the City Ramblers, in both of which Jack Farrell scored five goals. There were also victories over Dundee and Tottenham Hotspur.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, League season
At the end of the season, the Saints had to vacate the Antelope Ground, which had been sold for re-development, and moved to the County Ground, partly through the connections of the club's president, Robson's former Hampshire strike partner, Dr. H. W. R. Bencraft, who was also Hon. Secretary to the cricket club.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, FA Cup
In the FA Cup, an away victory over local rivals Freemantle in the First Qualifying Round was followed by comfortable home victories over Marlow (5–0), Reading (3–0) and Uxbridge (3–0). In the First Round proper, the Saints  received a home draw against opposition from the Football League First Division for the second consecutive year, this time against The Wednesday. Saints' trainer, Bill Dawson, spent the week leading up to Wednesday's visit with extra training for the players, taking them through their paces on Shawford Down.


1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season, FA Cup
For the match, played at the Antelope Ground on 1 February 1896, the crowd was estimated at 12,000, by far the largest yet recorded for a football match in Southampton. The Saints had to play their third-choice goalkeeper, Walter Cox as Tom Cain was injured, and the Royal Artillery refused to allow on-loan 'keeper "Gunner" Reilly to play. The Saints took an early lead, through Watty Keay, before two goals from Alec Brady gave Wednesday the half-time lead. Wednesday increased their lead shortly after the break, and although Joe Turner got one back, the Saints were unable to score an equalizer. Wednesday ran out 3–2 winners and went on to win the Cup the following April.


1895–96 Southern Football League
The 1895–96 season was the second in the history of the Southern League. Luton Town applied for election to the Football League. However, the election was not successful. Millwall Athletic won Division One for the second successive season.


1895–96 Southern Football League, Division One
Division One featured one new club, who had been promoted from Division Two the previous season: New Brompton.


1895–96 Southern Football League, Division Two
Division Two featured four new clubs, all of which were newly elected:


1895–96 Southern Football League, Promotion-relegation test matches
At the end of the season, test matches were held between the bottom three clubs in Division One and the top three clubs in Division Two. Wolverton LNWR and Sheppey United were promoted after the play-offs, whilst Clapton remained in Division One. Although they later resigned from the league, 1st Scot Guards (who they had beaten in the play-offs) were not promoted in their place, and instead Royal Ordnance Factories kept their place in Division One.


1895–96 Southern Football League, Football League elections
Luton Town applied for election to Division Two of the Football League. However, in the election they were unsuccessful.


1895–96 St Helens RLFC season
The 1895-96 St Helens R.F.C. season was the club's first in the Northern Rugby Football Union, following the dispute and split with the Rugby Football Union. In a difficult season, the club finished fourteenth out of 22 teams in the national competition, having two points deducted from their league total for fielding an ineligible player, and seventh in the concurrent Lancashire Senior Championship.


1895–96 St Helens RLFC season, National Championship
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.


1895–96 St Helens RLFC season, National Championship
^ a: St. Helens had 2 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player


1895–96 Stoke F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was Stoke's seventh season in the Football League.


1895–96 Stoke F.C. season
Stoke enjoyed their best season yet under new manager Bill Rowley finishing in 6th position with 30 points. Stoke only drew one game this season and that came in the FA Cup against Burnley.


1895–96 Stoke F.C. season, Season Review, League
In the summer of 1895 the club had become a Limited liability company and long serving goalkeeper Bill Rowley was given the position of secretary-manager. One of Rowley's best pieces of business was to bring William Maxwell to the club from Dundee. Maxwell went on to score 75 goals in 156 matches in six seasons with Stoke. Before the start of the season, there was a mini-exodus of players to Southampton St. Mary's such as Jack Farrell, Samuel Meston, Willie Naughton and trainer Bill Dawson. Some players would later return to Stoke after their spell on the south coast.


1895–96 Stoke F.C. season, Season Review, League
One of Stoke's most bizarre transfer deals took place in February 1896 when they signed Allan Maxwell from Darwen. Instead of requesting a transfer fee Darwen wanted a set of wrought iron gates to be supplied by Stoke. On the pitch Stoke finished their highest position yet of sixth place, picking up 30 points in the process. No league draw was forthcoming for Stoke their only draw came in the FA Cup against Burnley.


1895–96 Stoke F.C. season, Season Review, FA Cup
For the second season running Stoke were knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolverhampton Wanderers this time 3–0 in the third round. Prior to this Stoke were in free scoring form beating Tottenham Hotspur 5–0 and Burnley 7–1.


1895–96 Swindon Town F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was Swindon Town's second season in the Southern League, the club's first season within a league structure. Swindon also competed in the FA Cup.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The 1895–96 season was the inaugural season of Thames Ironworks, the club that would later become West Ham United. The club was founded by Dave Taylor and Arnold Hills in 1895 as the works team of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company. Taylor was a foreman at the Ironworks and a local football referee. Thanks to Ironworks owner Arnold Hills' financial backing, he was able to announce on 29 June 1895 the following in the company's weekly journal:


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Fifty would-be players paid half-a-crown for a year's membership, and Taylor spent the summer arranging the fixtures for Thames Ironworks F.C. and their reserves. Before the Irons played their first game Taylor returned to refereeing, handing over organizational duties to Ted Harsent.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The birth of Thames Ironworks F.C. coincided with the demise of Old Castle Swifts, the first professional football club in Essex. Thames took over the tenancy of Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in Canning Town and also signed four of their players. The Hermit Road ground had been described as a 'cinder heap' and 'barren waste'. It was surrounded by a moat and had canvas sheeting for fencing.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The Swifts that joined the Ironworks team were right-back and winger Robert Stevenson and forwards Jamie Lindsay and George Sage. Scotsman Bob Stevenson became the club's first ever captain and he is credited as being the team's first player of note. He would also play at full-back and centre-forward during his Irons career.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Looking to bolster their attacking strength, the Irons had also recruited Ironworks employee George Gresham, an inside-forward who had played for Gainsborough Trinity, who would go on to score many goals for the club in the following four seasons.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The original colours of the team were Oxford Blue due to Arnold Hills being a former student of the University of Oxford, although they used a variety of kits, often wearing navy blue or white. The Ironworks played their first ever fixture against Royal Ordnance reserves on 7 September 1895, the game ending 1–1.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Other players likely to have been involved in this first game were Iron Works employee Charlie Dove, who had played at full-back and centre forward during his time as a school player, and Essex cricketer John Wood, who was the cousin of jockey Fred Archer. Dove was mainly used as a defender by The Irons, but would play every position for them during his stay there.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The Irons' biggest win of the season came in their third friendly fixture on 28 September 1895 when they beat Manor Park 8–0.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The newly formed club had the audacity to enter the FA Cup competition, as recorded in the Thames Iron Works Gazette:


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
In Thames' first competitive game they took on Chatham in a preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup . The match was played at Chatham's ground in Kent as they had rated the Irons' Hermit Road Ground as unsuitable. On 12 October before a crowd of 3,000 they lost to Chatham 0–5.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Their biggest defeat came on 14 December when they lost in an away game to Iron Works rivals Millwall 0–6.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
25 December saw Thames Ironworks face South West Ham at home, and they won 4–1, beginning a run of ten straight wins that ended on 17 February 1896, when they lost to South London team Vampires F.C. 1–3.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
In the semi-finals of the West Ham Charity Cup held on 15 February 1896, Thames Ironworks beat Park Grove 1–0, in a game staged in Plaistow. Park Grove protested over a technicality and forced a replay at Beckton Road, which The Ironworks won 3–0.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
On 7 March Thames Ironworks played Fulham for the first time in a friendly, winning the game 5–1.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Following a number of trials against local sides, 16 March saw an experimental 'floodlit friendly' at the Hermit Road ground for Thames Ironworks, in their first encounter with Woolwich Arsenal. George Gresham scored twice, in an epic encounter that finished in favour of Woolwich Arsenal 5–3. George Gresham scored two of the Irons goals that day.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
These early attempts at floodlighting were set up using Thames Iron Works engineers and equipment, and caused an amount of notoriety. They were also used for "The Irons" next game, in their first ever meeting with West Bromwich Albion, which they lost 2–4.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
The following day, an epic confrontation followed as Thames Ironworks faced Barking in the final of the West Ham Charity Cup on 21 March 1896 at The Old Spotted Dog Ground in Upton Lane. Drawing 2–2, the match was replayed a week later, and again the teams drew, this time 0–0. Eventually the final was replayed for the second time on 20 April 1896 and the Irons won 1–0, lifting a trophy in their first ever season.


1895–96 Thames Ironworks F.C. season
Thames Ironworks won 30 of their 47 games in the 1895–96 season, drawing 5 and losing 12.


1895–96 United States collegiate men's ice hockey season
The 1895–96 United States collegiate men's ice hockey season was the first scholastic year in which two organized college teams played against one another.


1895–96 United States collegiate men's ice hockey season
Johns Hopkins University and Yale University competed in two February games, marking the beginning of collegiate ice hockey in the United States.


1895–96 Washington Huskies men's basketball team
The 1895–96 Washington Huskies men's basketball team represents the University of Washington during the 1895–96 college men's basketball season.


1895–96 Welsh Amateur Cup
The 1895–96 Welsh Amateur Cup was the sixth season of the Welsh Amateur Cup. The cup was won by Queensferry Ironopolis who defeated Shrewsbury Athletic 3-0 in the final, at The Racecourse, Wrexham.


1895–96 Welsh Cup
The 1895–96 Welsh Cup was a knock-out football competition contested by teams from Wales. Bangor City F.C. defeated Wrexham F.C. in the final by a score of 3–1.


1895–96 Welsh Cup, First round, Division Three
Aberystwyth Town receive a bye to the next roundWhitchurch receive a bye to the next roundPorthmadoc receive a bye to the next round


1895–96 Welsh Cup, Second round
Porthmadoc scratch to Oswestry UnitedRhayader scratch to HerefordBangor receive a bye to the next roundAberdare receive a bye to the next round


1895–96 Western Football League
The 1895–96 season was the fourth in the history of the Western Football League, and the first to be held under this name. The league had been known as the Bristol & District League until this season.


1895–96 Western Football League
Warmley were the Division One champions for the third time in four years. Barton Hill won Division Two but were not promoted.


1895–96 Western Football League, League constitution and rules
The twelve teams that would take part in Division One were agreed at a meeting of the league on Wednesday 8th May 1895. The top eight finishers from the previous season (Hereford Thistle, St George, Warmley, Staple Hill, Gloucester, Eastville Rovers, Trowbridge Town and Clifton) were all automatically granted a place in the division for the 1895–96 campaign, while the bottom four finishers (Bedminster, Mangotsfield, Swindon Wanderers and Clevedon) would all need to apply for re-election to retain a spot in the top flight. Clevedon opted not to return to the league this season, but Barton Hill, Cardiff and St Paul's all submitted applications to the league. The result of the election is shown in the table below.


1895–96 Western Football League, League constitution and rules
A change to the way teams were ranked in the league table was agreed at a committee meeting in September 1895. Up to this point when teams finished level on points goal average was used as a tie-breaker, but for this season the use of goal average was abolished and any teams tied on points would play a test match at the end of the season to decide their ranking.


1895–96 Western Football League, Final tables, Division One
Two new clubs joined Division One for this season, though the number of clubs remained at 12 after Hereford Thistle and Clevedon left.


1895–96 Western Football League, Final tables, Division One, Test match
Since Eastville Rovers and Staple Hill were tied on points at the end of the season a one-off test match was arranged between the two teams to decide which team would finish second and which finished third. The match ended in a 2–2 draw, leading to the two teams being declared joint runners-up.


1895–96 Western Football League, Final tables, Division Two
Four new teams joined Division Two this season, though the number of clubs remained at 11 after Mangotsfield Reserves, Waverley and Willsbridge left the league and St Paul's were elected to Division One. Willsbridge's withdrawal was due to them having no ground available on which to play their home games.


1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's basketball team
The 1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Yale University in intercollegiate basketball during the 1895–96 season. The team finished the season with an 8–5 record and was retroactively named the national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.


1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey season
The 1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey season was the 1st season of play for the program.


1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey season, Season
Yale can trace its ice hockey history back to 1893, however, it wasn't until 1986 that they played their first intercollegiate match. Malcolm Chace, who was also a nationally-ranked tennis player, founded the Yale men's team in his senior year, serving as both captain and manager of the club.


1895–96 Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey season, Season
As there were no on-campus facilities capable of supporting an ice rink the team played all of their games on the road. Because there was no governing body overseeing the structure of the season, all games played by Yale are counted for their historical record.


1895–96 in American soccer
The following article lists notable events during the 1895–96 season in American soccer.


1895–96 in American soccer, Changes from 1894–95
Most notably, the American League of Professional Football disbanded after playing one season. The ALPF was a winter soccer league organized by baseball owners of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs. The goal of this league was to maintain brand relevance of their existing baseball clubs during the offseason, and to attract extra funds during the late fall and winter months.


1895–96 in American soccer, Changes from 1894–95
Subsequently, the National Association Football League conducted its first season this year, having four teams play in the inaugural season. A fifth team, New Rochelle F.C., failed to start the season.


1895–96 in American soccer, Honors and achievements
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honor. * indicates new record for competition


1895–96 in Belgian football, Overview
Only one official league existed at the time. It was called Coupe de Championnat (Championship Cup) and was disputed between 7 teams.


1895–96 in English football
The 1895–96 season was the 25th season of competitive football in England.


1895–96 in English football, Honours
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition


1895–96 in Scottish football
The 1895–96 season of Scottish football was the 23rd season of competitive football in Scotland and the sixth season of the Scottish Football League. This season also saw the introduction of the Scottish Qualifying Cup.


1895–96 in Scottish football, Scottish Division Two
Abercorn came first in the Scottish Division Two. Leith Athletic and Renton finished second and third


1895–96 in Scottish football, Scottish Cup
Heart of Midlothian won the Scottish Cup after beating rivals Hibernian 3–1 in the final.


1895–96 in Scottish football, Junior Cup
Cambuslang Hibs won the Junior Cup after beating Parkhead 3–1 in the final.


1896
1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1896th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 896th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 96th  year of the 19th century, and the  7th   year of the 1890s decade. As of the start of 1896, the Gregorian calendar was 12 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1896 AHAC season
The 1896 Amateur Hockey Association of Canada season was the tenth season of play of the league. Each team played eight games, and Montreal Victorias were first with a 7–1 record. During the season, on February 14 the Victorias hosted a Stanley Cup challenge match with the Winnipeg Victorias club. Winnipeg won 2–0 to win the Cup.


1896 AHAC season, Season
The Crystals were allowed to change their name to Shamrocks, which matched their new affiliation with the Shamrock A.A.A.


1896 AHAC season, Season, Highlights
The Victorias were truly the class of the league and only lost once, 3–2 to Ottawa. Their regular season team goal total was nearly double that of Ottawa.


1896 AHAC season, Playoffs
There were no playoffs as Montreal won first place exclusively.


1896 AHAC season, Exhibitions
After the season, Montreal and Shamrocks played an exhibition series of games in the United States:


1896 AHAC season, Exhibitions
The Montreal Victorias travelled to New York City for an exhibition against the New York Athletic Club. The Athletic Club records the date as March 4, (although the date conflicts with an AHAC game), won by the Vics 6–1.


1896 AHAC season, Stanley Cup challenge, Victorias vs. Winnipeg at Montreal
The first successful challenge to the Cup came in February 1896 by the Winnipeg Victorias, the champions of the Manitoba Hockey Association (MHA). On February 14, Winnipeg beat defending champion Montreal Victorias, 2–0, becoming the first team outside the AHAC to win the Cup. Winnipeg took a 2–0 lead in the first half of the game on goals by Armytage and Campbell, then played on the defensive in the second half.


1896 AHAC season, Player statistics, Goaltending averages
Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election
The Aberdare Urban District Council was established in 1894 and covered the parish of Aberdare. Its responsibilities included public health, sanitation, roads and public works generally.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election
There were five wards, namely Aberaman (also known as No. 5 Ward), Blaengwawr (also known as No. 4 Ward), Gadlys (also known as No. 2 Ward), Llwydcoed (also known as No. 1 Ward), and the Town Ward (also known as No. 3 Ward). At this time, one member was elected from each ward on an annual basis.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election
In contrast to the inaugural contest, the election of 1896 created little excitement, with three of the five seats being uncontested. Of the two contested sets, it was the Gadlys Ward that attracted most coverage in the local press The election provides evidence of the way in which the nonconformist middle-classes of Aberdare, closely allied to the Liberal party were increasingly dominating the public life of what was an important politicale centre in Wales. At this time, also the working classes were beginning to become organised through the miners' union and, to a lesser extent, the Independent Labour Party.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election
The election is interesting and relevant because it demonstrates the nature of social interaction between the middle- and working-classes in the industrial south Wales of the 1890s. It was a time of industrial disputes and conflicts but also of concern about lack of educational opportunities for working-class children and the state of housing. It would appear that the miners and other workmen, once a set of middle-class councillors had been elected, were willing to allow those members to represent the community.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election, Aberaman Ward
Thomas Rees, landlord of the Swan Inn, Aberaman, had run unsuccessfully for the county council the previous year but had been defeated by the sitting member, Thomas Davies of Abercwmboi. Hr narrowly held his seat against another Liberal candidate.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election, Gadlys Ward
Griffith George held on against an unsuccessful candidate at the previous election.


1896 Aberdare Urban District Council election, Town Ward
Thomas Thomas, the sitting member and a former county councillor was said to have been removed as candidate by the Liberal and Labour Association in favour of Lewis Noah Williams, a prominent local businessman and son of William Williams (Carw Coch). John William Evans, who had ousted Thomas from the seat at the 1895 election was also nominated but also withdrew before the poll.


1896 Add-Ran Christian football team
The 1896 Add-Ran Christian football team represented Add-Ran Christian University—now known as Texas Christian University (TCU)—as an independent during the 1896 college football season. They played their home games in Waco, Texas.


1896 Alabama Crimson White football team
The 1896 Alabama Crimson White football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team was led by head coach Otto Wagonhurst, in his first season, and played their home games at The Quad in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In what was the fifth season of Alabama football, the team finished with a record of two wins and one loss (2–1, 1–1 SIAA).