Football League First Division 1895/96
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st |  Aston
Villa |
30 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 78 | 45 | 1.733 | 45 | Champions |
| 2nd | Derby
County |
30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 68 | 35 | 1.943 | 41 | Runners Up |
| 3rd |
Everton |
30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 66 | 43 | 1.535 | 39 | - |
| 4th |
Bolton
Wanderers |
30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 49 | 37 | 1.324 | 37 | - |
| 5th |
Sunderland |
30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 52 | 41 | 1.268 | 37 | - |
| 6th |
Stoke |
30 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 56 | 47 | 1.191 | 30 | - |
| 7th |
The
Wednesday |
30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 44 | 53 | 0.830 | 29 | - |
| 8th |
Blackburn
Rovers |
30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 40 | 50 | 0.800 | 29 | - |
| 9th |
Preston
North End |
30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 44 | 48 | 0.917 | 28 | - |
| 10th |
Burnley |
30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 48 | 44 | 1.091 | 27 | - |
| 11th |
Bury |
30 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 50 | 54 | 0.926 | 27 | - |
| 12th |
Sheffield
United |
30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 40 | 50 | 0.800 | 26 | - |
| 13th |
Nottingham
Forest |
30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 42 | 57 | 0.737 | 25 | - |
| 14th |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers |
30 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 61 | 65 | 0.938 | 21 | - |
| 15th |
Small
Heath |
30 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 39 | 79 | 0.494 | 20 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 16th | West
Bromwich Albion |
30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 59 | 0.508 | 19 | ♦►Retained |
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Football League Test Match Series |
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Promotion and relegation between the two divisions was again decided by a series of Test Matches. As in the previous season the top two clubs in the Second Division and the bottom two in the First Division met in a mini-league. Each club played four matches - home and away matches against the two sides from the other division. At the conclusion of the matches the first and second sides in the league played in the First Division and the third and fourth sides in Second Division. |
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| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| 18/04/1896 | Liverpool | 4-0 | Small Heath |
| 18/04/1896 | Manchester City | 1-1 | West Bromwich Albion |
| 20/04/1896 | Small Heath | 0-0 | Liverpool |
| 20/04/1896 | West Bromwich Albion | 6-1 | Manchester City |
| 25/04/1896 | Liverpool | 2-0 | West Bromwich Albion |
| 25/04/1896 | Manchester City | 3-0 | Small Heath |
| 27/04/1896 | Small Heath | 8-0 | Manchester City |
| 27/04/1896 | West Bromwich Albion | 2-0 | Liverpool |
Football League Test Match Series Standings
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Outcome |
| 1st | Liverpool | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | ♦▲Promoted |
| 2nd | West Bromwich Albion | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | ♦►Retained |
| 3rd | Small Heath | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 4th | Manchester City | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 3 | ♦►Remained |
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End of Season Notes |
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♦ Aston Villa finished as Football League First Division Champions (2nd Time) |
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♦ Derby County finished as Football League First Division Runners Up |
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- West Bromwich Albion Retained their Football League First Division Place after finishing second in the Test Match Playoffs |
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▼Small Heath were Relegated to the Football League Second Division after finishing in the bottom two places in the Test Match Playoffs |
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▲Liverpool were Promoted from the Football League Second Division after finishing top in the Test Match Playoffs |