1970–71 Football League

The 1970–71 season was the 72nd completed season of The Football League.

Arsenal won the league championship at the home of their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, with Ray Kennedy scoring the winner. This would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool. They narrowly overcame Leeds to win the league, with a 12-point gap separating Leeds United from third-placed Tottenham. Wolves and Liverpool joined these two teams in the UEFA Cup. Chelsea missed out on the top five on goal average but compensated for this shortcoming by beating Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Burnley and Blackpool (who won this year's Anglo-Italian Cup) were relegated to the Second Division. Burnley returned from 1973/74 to 1975/76 but it took Blackpool until the 2009–10 season to regain their top flight status after a 3–2 victory over Cardiff City in the Playoff Final (only to be relegated back after the 2010–11 season).

Wilf McGuinness was sacked after 18 unsuccessful months as manager of Manchester United. Sir Matt Busby was re-appointed as manager on a temporary basis, but never considered returning to his old job on a permanent basis. Leicester City manager Frank O'Farrell was appointed at the end of the season.

Leicester City and Sheffield United were promoted to the First Division. Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers, two of the most famous and historic names in English football, were relegated to the Third Division.

Preston North End and Fulham finally had something to shout about by getting promoted to the Second Division. Halifax Town achieved its best ever league position, missing out on the Second Division by one place. Reading, Bury, Doncaster Rovers and Gillingham slid into the Fourth Division.

Notts County, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Oldham Athletic and York City were promoted to the Third Division. The Football League voted for the league's four bottom clubs to maintain their status.

Final league tables and results 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.

Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the bottom four teams of that division have been required to apply for re-election.Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1979.

First Division

Results

Maps

Top scorers Goalscorers are listed order of total goals, then according to the number of league goals, then of FA cup goals, then of League Cup goals. A dash means the team of the player in question did not participate in European competitions.Rothmans Football Yearbook 1971–72, p. 465–468. The Queen Anne Press Limited. Compiled by Tony Williams and Roy Peskett. Editorial Board: Denis Howell, Sir Matt Busby, David Coleman, Jimmy Hill, Tony Williams and Roy Peskett.

The goals listed below in the European fields stem from the following competitions: Everton participated in the 1970–71 European Cup. Manchester City participated in the 1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup. Arsenal, Coventry City, Leeds United (winners), Liverpool, and Newcastle United participated in the 1970–71 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers participated in the 1970–71 Texaco Cup.

RankScorerClubLeague goalsFA Cup goalsLeague Cup goalsTexaco Cup goalsEuro competitionsTotal1 Martin Chivers Tottenham 21175—342 Tony Brown West Bromwich Albion 28200—303 Ray Kennedy Arsenal 1922—3264 Bobby Gould Wolverhampton Wanderers 17205—245 Allan Clarke Leeds United 1910—3236 Joe Royle Everton 1720—4237 Ian Storey-Moore Nottingham Forest 18211—228 George Best Manchester United 1812——219 Ron Davies Southampton 1740—02110 John Radford Arsenal 1521—32111 Mick Channon Southampton 1811—02012 Hugh Curran Wolverhampton Wanderers 16004—2013 Francis Lee Manchester City 1401—41914 Colin Bell Manchester City 1340—21915 John Toshack Liverpool / Cardiff City 5 + 810—0 + 51916 Peter Lorimer Leeds United 1220—51917 Martin Peters Tottenham Hotspur 9244—1918 John Ritchie Stoke City 13400—1719 Alan Gilzean Tottenham Hotspur 9440—1720 Denis Law Manchester United 1501——16= Geoff Hurst West Ham United 1501——1622 Johnny Giles Leeds United 1320—11623 Jeff Astle West Bromwich Albion 13110—15= John O’Hare Derby County 1311——1525 Alun Evans Liverpool 1011—31526 John Tudor Newcastle United / Sheffield United 5 + 900—01427 Keith Weller Chelsea 1301—01428 Terry Conroy Stoke City 11210—1429 George Graham Arsenal 1111—11430 Neil Martin Coventry City / Nottingham Forest 1 + 920021431 Pop Robson Newcastle United / West Ham United 3 + 90 + 10—01332 Derek Dougan Wolverhampton Wanderers 12001—1333 Alan Birchenall Crystal Palace 1012——1334 Ernie Hunt Coventry City 1011—11335 Brian Kidd Manchester United 805——1336 Kevin Hector Derby County 1101——1237 / Colin Viljoen Ipswich Town 1020——1238 Alan Hinton Derby County 1011——1239 Gerry Queen Crystal Palace 903——1240 Peter Cormack Nottingham Forest 8112—1241 Frank Worthington Huddersfield Town 920——1142 Micky Burns Blackpool 1000——1043 Frank James Clarke Ipswich Town 820——1044 Jimmy Greenhoff Stoke City 7300—1045 Charlie George Arsenal 550—010

Second Division

Results

Maps

Top scorers Goalscorers are listed order of total goals, then according to the number of league goals, then of FA cup goals, then of League Cup goals. A dash means the team of the player in question did not participate in European competitions.

Cardiff City scored a total of 15 goals in the 1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup, but John Toshack’s 6 goals are given in the listingfor First Division topscorers by Rothmans. The other 9 goals were distributed between six other players, none of whom made this listing.Rothmans Football Yearbook 1971–72, p. 148. The Queen Anne Press Limited. Compiled by Tony Williams and Roy Peskett. Editorial Board: Denis Howell, Sir Matt Busby, David Coleman, Jimmy Hill, Tony Williams and Roy Peskett.

RankScorerClubLeague goalsFA Cup goalsLeague Cup goalsTotal1 Malcolm Macdonald Luton Town 2442302 John Hickton Middlesbrough 2502273 Bob Hatton Carlisle United 1824244 Chris Chilton Hull City 2120235 Rodney Marsh Queens Park Rangers 2111236 Phil Summerill Birmingham City 1614217 Don Rogers Swindon Town 1604208 Alan Warboys Cardiff City /Sheffield Wednesday 13 + 600199 Barry Bridges Millwall / Queens Park Rangers 15 + 200 + 11810 Alistair Brown Leicester City 15201711 Ken Foggo Norwich City 15111712 Derek Possee Millwall 14121713 Peter Silvester Norwich City 15011614 David Watson Sunderland /Rotherham United 4 + 90 + 301615 Ron Wigg Watford 13211616 Ken Wagstaff Hull City 12401617 Alan Woodward Sheffield United 150015= Mick Prendergast Sheffield Wednesday 150015= Trevor Francis Birmingham City 150015= Brian Clark Cardiff City 15001521 Peter Noble Swindon Town 14101522 Hughie McIlmoyle Middlesbrough 13111523 Bill Dearden Sheffield United 14001424 Ray Hiron Portsmouth 13101425 Arthur Horsfield Swindon Town 11121426 Bob Latchford Birmingham City 13001327 Bobby Owen Carlisle United 11201328 Derrick Downing Middlesbrough 11111329 Don Givens Luton Town 11021330 Malcolm Partridge Leicester City /Mansfield Town 3 + 3341331 John Galley Bristol City 12001232 Dennis Martin Carlisle United 10111233 Terry Venables Queens Park Rangers 10011134 John Farrington Leicester City 80311= Chris Garland Bristol City 8031136 Joe Baker Sunderland 100010= Harry Cripps Millwall 10001038 Tony Currie Sheffield United 90110= Bobby Kerr Sunderland 9011040 Mike Trebilcock Portsmouth 82010

Third Division

Results

Maps

Top scorers Goalscorers are listed order of total goals, then according to the number of league goals, then of FA cup goals, then of League Cup goals. A dash means the team of the player in question did not participate in European competitions.

RankScorerClubLeague goalsFA Cup goalsLeague Cup goalsTotal1 Dave Gwyther Swansea City 1872272 Dudley Roberts Mansfield Town 2211243 Gerry Ingram Preston North End 2202244 John Rudge Torquay United 1821215 George Andrews Shrewsbury Town 1820206 Ernie Moss Chesterfield 1631207 Kevin Randall Chesterfield 1900198 George Jones Bury 1810199 Bill Atkins Halifax Town 18011910 Robin Stubbs Bristol Rovers 17111911 Bruce Bannister Bradford City 16301912 Albert Kinsey Wrexham 16011713 Les Barrett Fulham 15021714 John James Port Vale 15001515 Reg Jenkins Rochdale 130215= Steve Earle Fulham 13021517 John Stenson Mansfield Town 12121518 Ray Graydon Bristol Rovers 130114= Arfon Griffiths Wrexham 13011420 Alf Arrowsmith Rochdale 12201421 Gordon Cumming Reading 11301422 Colin Taylor Walsall 13001323 Harold Jarman Bristol Rovers 121013= Dick Habbin Reading 12101325 Bobby Ham Preston North End /Bradford City 10 + 200 + 11326 Kit Napier Brighton & Hove Albion 11201327 Tom White Bury 11111328 Ken Beamish Tranmere Rovers 10031329 Andy Lochhead Aston Villa 9041330 Mike Green Gillingham 11101231 Alf Wood Shrewsbury Town 11011232 Ian Hamilton Aston Villa 9031233 Pat McMahon Aston Villa 8041234 Dave Lennard Halifax Town 110011= Don Hutchins Plymouth Argyle 11001136 George Johnston Fulham /Walsall 9 + 1101137 Geoff Vowden Aston Villa /Birmingham City 5 + 300 + 31138 Ronnie Moore Tranmere Rovers 100010= Brian Yeo Gillingham 10001040 David Cross Rochdale 91010= Neil Hague Rotherham United 9101042 Leslie Lea Barnsley 9101043 Steve Briggs Doncaster Rovers 90110= Keith Brierley Halifax Town 9011045 Brian Evans Swansea City 73010

Fourth Division

Results

Maps

Top scorers Goalscorers are listed order of total goals, then according to the number of league goals, then of FA cup goals, then of League Cup goals. A dash means the team of the player in question did not participate in European competitions.