The 1939–40 season would have been the 48th season of The Football League. The kick-off in all divisions took place on Saturday, 26 August 1939.[1] The season was abandoned after only three matches due to the outbreak of the Second World War. The FA Cup would not resume until 1945-46, and the Football League only restarted in the 1946-47 season.
Blackpool were leading the First Division when the season was abandoned.[2]
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On the next day, all divisions of the Football League played their third game of the season.[1] These were the last fixtures before the leagues were abandoned following the British declaration of war on Germany on 3 September 1939.
Large gatherings of crowds were suspended with the implementation of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939.
League tables when season was abandoned
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[2] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[1] with home and away statistics separated.
Match results are drawn from Rothmans for all divisions.[1]
First Division
Second Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luton Town | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7.000 | 5 | No promotion[a] |
| 2 | Birmingham | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.000 | 5 | |
| 3 | Leicester City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
| 4 | Plymouth Argyle | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | 4 | |
| 5 | Coventry City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | 4 | |
| 6 | West Ham United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 4 | |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1.000 | 4 | |
| 9 | Manchester City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 3 | |
| 10 | Millwall | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 3 | |
| 11 | Newport County | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 3 | |
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 13 | Bury | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 3 | |
| 14 | Newcastle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | 2 | |
| 15 | Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | |
| 16 | Barnsley | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0.875 | 2 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 2 | |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 2 | |
| 19 | Swansea Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 0.455 | 2 | |
| 20 | Fulham | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 1 | |
| 21 | Burnley | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.333 | 1 | Reprived from relegation[a] |
| 22 | Bradford (Park Avenue) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.286 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- 1 2 There was no promotion or relegation as the season was abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.
Results
Maps
Third Division North
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accrington Stanley | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6.000 | 6 | No promotion[a] |
| 2 | Halifax Town | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6.000 | 5 | |
| 3 | Chester | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 5 | |
| 3 | Darlington | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 5 | |
| 5 | New Brighton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 4 | |
| 6 | Rochdale | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 4 | |
| 7 | Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| 8 | Wrexham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1.500 | 3 | |
| 9 | Tranmere Rovers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 10 | Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0.857 | 3 | |
| 11 | Rotherham United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 3 | |
| 12 | Carlisle United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 2 | |
| 13 | Hull City | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 2 | |
| 14 | Gateshead | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 0.857 | 2 | |
| 15 | Doncaster Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 | |
| 16 | Barrow | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 | |
| 16 | Southport | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 | |
| 18 | Oldham Athletic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 2 | |
| 19 | Hartlepools United | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 2 | |
| 20 | York City | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 1 | |
| 21 | Bradford City | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 1 | Reprived from re-election[a] |
| 22 | Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0.000 | 0 |
Notes:
- 1 2 There was no promotion or re-election as the season was abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.
Results
Maps
Third Division South
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 4.000 | 5 | No promotion[a] |
| 2 | Crystal Palace | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 5 | |
| 3 | Notts County | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 4 | |
| 4 | Exeter City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 4 | |
| 5 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 4 | |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1.000 | 4 | |
| 7 | Clapton Orient | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0.889 | 4 | |
| 8 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 3.250 | 3 | |
| 9 | Mansfield Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 10 | Bristol City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 11 | Norwich City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 12 | Torquay United | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 13 | Southend United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 14 | Walsall | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 15 | Ipswich Town | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 3 | |
| 16 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 | |
| 16 | Watford | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 2 | |
| 18 | Northampton Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 0.167 | 2 | |
| 19 | Aldershot | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 1 | |
| 20 | Swindon Town | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 1 | |
| 21 | Bristol Rovers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.286 | 1 | Reprived from re-election[a] |
| 22 | Port Vale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 1 |
- 1 2 There was no promotion or re-election as the season was abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.
Results
Maps