For the first time since 1937 Manchester City won the league title, finishing two points clear of their local rivals Manchester United. Fulham finished bottom of the league and were relegated along with Sheffield United. Coventry City, in their first ever top flight season escaped relegation by one point and would go on to stay in the top division until their eventual relegation at the end of the 2000–01 season.
Oxford United won their first divisional title and achieved what was then their highest ever finish in only their sixth season as a league club in the Third Division. Runners-up Bury joined them in promotion. Grimsby Town, Colchester United and Scunthorpe United were relegated, although the biggest story concerned bottom placed Peterborough United who were docked 19 points for offering irregular bonuses to their players. Had the points been restored the club would have finished in the top half. As a result of the ruling Mansfield Town escaped relegation.
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 replaced by goal difference, beginning with the 1976–77 season.
Source: World Football Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored (C) Champions; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Manchester United qualified for the European Cup as the 1967–68 European Cup winners.
^Everton were ineligible to participate in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as Liverpool had already qualified. Under the rules of the cup, only one team per city could participate. Chelsea took their place as the highest-ranked team that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.
^West Bromwich Albion qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1967-68 FA Cup winners.
^Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were ineligible to participate in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as Chelsea had already qualified. Under the rules of the cup, only one team per city could participate. Newcastle United took their place as the highest-ranked team that hadn't already qualified for a European competition.
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980. Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980. Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980. Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980. Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.