First Division Table 1896/97
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aston Villa | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 73 | 38 | +35 | 47 |
| 2 | Sheffield United | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 42 | 29 | +13 | 36 |
| 3 | Derby County | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 70 | 50 | +20 | 36 |
| 4 | Preston North End | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 34 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 33 |
| 6 | Sheffield Wednesday | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 31 |
| 7 | Everton | 30 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 31 |
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 40 | 43 | -3 | 30 |
| 9 | Bury | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | 44 | -5 | 30 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 28 |
| 11 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 44 | 49 | -5 | 26 |
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 33 | 56 | -23 | 26 |
| 13 | Stoke City | 30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 48 | 59 | -11 | 25 |
| 14 | Blackburn Rovers | 30 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 35 | 62 | -27 | 25 |
| 15 | Sunderland | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 34 | 47 | -13 | 23 |
| 16 | Burnley | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 43 | 61 | -18 | 19 |