| Nextseason: | 1970–71 |
The 1969–70 season was the 71st completed season of The Football League.
Everton won their seventh league title, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United with Chelsea in third and newly promoted Derby County in fourth. Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland were both relegated.
In the Second Division Huddersfield Town claimed the divisional title and were promoted along with runners-up Blackpool. Aston Villa endured the worst season in their history and were relegated to the Third Division for the first time, along with bottom club Preston North End, for whom it was also a first relegation to the third tier.
In the Third Division Orient won the title and were promoted along with Luton Town, who had finished third the previous season. As usual four teams were relegated, with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Southport, Barrow and Stockport County all making the drop.
In the Fourth Division Chesterfield won the title and were promoted along with Wrexham, Swansea City and Port Vale. Bradford Park Avenue lost their application for re-election and were replaced by Cambridge United.
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.[1]
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.[2]
| Competition: | First Division |
| Season: | 1969–70 |
| Winners: | Everton 7th English title |
| Relegated: | Sunderland |
| Continentalcup1: | European Cup |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Everton |
| Continentalcup2: | Cup Winners' Cup |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Chelsea Manchester City |
| Continentalcup3: | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
| Continentalcup3 Qualifiers: | Leeds United Liverpool Coventry City Newcastle United Arsenal |
| Continentalcup4: | Watney Cup |
| Continentalcup4 Qualifiers: | Derby County Manchester United |
| League Topscorer: | Jeff Astle (25 goals)[3] |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1212 |
| Prevseason: | 1968–69 |
| Nextseason: | 1970–71 |
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.[4]
| width=45 | Rank | width=160 | Scorer | width=175 | Club | width=50 | League goals | width=50 | FA Cup goals | width=50 | League Cup goals | width=50 | Euro competitions | width=50 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Osgood | Chelsea | 23 | 8 | 0 | — | 31 | ||||||||
| 2 | Jeff Astle | West Bromwich Albion | 25 | 0 | 5 | — | 30 | ||||||||
| 3 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 4 | 23 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | ||||||||||
| 5 | 15 | 6 | 2 | — | 23 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 23 | ||||||||||
| 7 | 16 | 5 | 1 | — | 22 | ||||||||||
| 8 | 2+14 | 2 | 4 | — | 22 | ||||||||||
| 9 | 14 | 6 | 2 | — | 22 | ||||||||||
| 10 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | ||||||||||
| 11 | 19 | 0 | 2 | — | 21 | ||||||||||
| 12 | Liverpool | 15 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 21 | |||||||||
| 13 | Arsenal | 13 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 20 | |||||||||
| 14 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 20 | ||||||||||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | ||||||||||
| 16 | 17 | 0 | 1 | — | 18 | ||||||||||
| 17 | 16 | 0 | 2 | — | 18 | ||||||||||
| 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 18 | ||||||||||
| 19 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 18 | ||||||||||
| 20 | 14 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | ||||||||||
| 21 | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | 16 | ||||||||||
| 22 | 15 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 23 | 14 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 24 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||
| 25 | 1+11 | 3 | 0 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| = | 12 | 3 | 0 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 27 | 12 | 0 | 3 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 28 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||
| 29 | 11 | 2 | 2 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 30 | 11+2 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | ||||||||||
| 31 | 10 | 1 | 2 | — | 13 | ||||||||||
| 32 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | ||||||||||
| 33 | 11 | 0 | 1 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 34 | 10 | 1 | 1 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 35 | 8 | 4 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| = | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | |||||||||
| 38 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| 39 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| 40 | 6 | 3 | 2 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| 41 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||
| 42 | 6 | 0 | 4 | — | 10 |
| Competition: | Second Division |
| Season: | 1969–70 |
| Winners: | Huddersfield Town |
| Promoted: | Huddersfield Town Blackpool |
| Relegated: | Aston Villa Preston North End |
| Continentalcup1: | Cup Winners' Cup |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Cardiff City |
| Continentalcup2: | Watney Cup |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Sheffield United Hull City |
| League Topscorer: | John Hickton (24 goals) |
| Matches: | 462 |
| Total Goals: | 1207 |
| Prevseason: | 1968–69 |
| Nextseason: | 1970–71 |
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.[4]
| width=45 | Rank | width=160 | Scorer | width=175 | Club | width=50 | League goals | width=50 | FA Cup goals | width=50 | League Cup goals | width=50 | Cup Winners' Cup goals | width=50 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Hickton | Middlesbrough | 23 | 4 | 0 | — | 27 | ||||||||
| 2 | 20 | 0 | 5 | — | 25 | ||||||||||
| 3 | 21 | 1 | 1 | — | 23 | ||||||||||
| 4 | 12 | 4 | 7 | — | 23 | ||||||||||
| 5 | 18 | 0 | 3 | — | 21 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 16 | 4 | 0 | — | 20 | ||||||||||
| 7 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | ||||||||||
| 8 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 20 | ||||||||||
| 9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | ||||||||||
| = | 18 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | ||||||||||
| 11 | 18 | 0 | 1 | — | 19 | ||||||||||
| 12 | 15 | 1 | 3 | — | 19 | ||||||||||
| 13 | 18 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | ||||||||||
| = | 18 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | ||||||||||
| 15 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | ||||||||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 1 | — | 17 | ||||||||||
| 17 | 16 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | ||||||||||
| 18 | 14 | 0 | 1 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 19 | 13 | 1 | 1 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 20 | 13 | 0 | 2 | — | 15 | ||||||||||
| 21 | 12 | 1 | 1 | — | 14 | ||||||||||
| 22 | 10 | 3 | 1 | — | 14 | ||||||||||
| 23 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 14 | ||||||||||
| 24 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | ||||||||||
| = | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | ||||||||||
| 26 | 9 | 1 | 3 | — | 13 | ||||||||||
| 27 | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 30 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 31 | 6+5 | 0 | 0 | 1[5] | 12 | ||||||||||
| 32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 33 | 6 | 2 | 4 | — | 12 | ||||||||||
| 34 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| 35 | 10 | 0 | 1 | — | 11 | ||||||||||
| 36 | 10 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | ||||||||||
| = | 10 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | ||||||||||
| = | 10 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | ||||||||||
| 39 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | ||||||||||
| 40 | 9 | 0 | 1 | — | 10 | ||||||||||
| 41 | 6+2 | 0 | 2 | — | 10 |
| Competition: | Football League Third Division |
| Season: | 1969–70 |
| Winners: | Orient (1st title) |
| Continentalcup1: | Promoted |
| Continentalcup2: | Relegated |
| League Topscorer: | George Jones (Bury), 26 |
| Matches: | 552 |
| Total Goals: | 1460 |
| Nextseason: | 1970–71 |
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.[4]
| width=45 | Rank | width=160 | Scorer | width=175 | Club | width=50 | League goals | width=50 | FA Cup goals | width=50 | League Cup goals | width=50 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malcolm Macdonald | Luton Town | 24 | 1 | 2 | 27 | |||||||
| 2 | George Jones | Bury | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | |||||||
| 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 25 | |||||||||
| 4 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 23 | |||||||||
| 5 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 23 | |||||||||
| 6 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | |||||||||
| 7 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 22 | |||||||||
| 8 | 13+6 | 0 | 2 | 21 | |||||||||
| 9 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 | |||||||||
| 10 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 20 | |||||||||
| = | 2+15 | 2 | 1 | 20 | |||||||||
| 12 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 19 | |||||||||
| 13 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||||||||
| = | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||||||||
| 15 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 18 | |||||||||
| 16 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 17 | |||||||||
| 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 17 | |||||||||
| 18 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |||||||||
| = | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |||||||||
| = | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |||||||||
| 21 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 16 | |||||||||
| 22 | John Evans | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||
| = | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |||||||||
| 24 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | |||||||||
| 25 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||
| 26 | Bobby Williams | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||
| 27 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||
| 28 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||
| 29 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||
| 30 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 14 | |||||||||
| 31 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 14 | |||||||||
| 32 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| = | 11 | 2 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| 34 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| 35 | Dean | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| 39 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| 40 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| = | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| 42 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 12 | |||||||||
| 43 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 44 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 45 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 46 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| 47 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| = | 9 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| = | 7+2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| 50 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Competition: | Football League Fourth Division |
| Season: | 1969–70 |
| Winners: | Chesterfield (1st title) |
| Continentalcup1: | Promoted |
| Continentalcup2: | Failed re-election |
| Continentalcup3: | New club in the league |
| League Topscorer: | Albert Kinsey, (Wrexham), 27 |
| Matches: | 552 |
| Total Goals: | 1464 |
| Nextseason: | 1970–71 |
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.[4]
| width=45 | Rank | width=160 | Scorer | width=175 | Club | width=50 | League goals | width=50 | FA Cup goals | width=50 | League Cup goals | width=50 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert Kinsey | Wrexham | 27 | 1 | 1 | 29 | |||||||
| 2 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 28 | |||||||||
| 3 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 26 | |||||||||
| 4 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 25 | |||||||||
| 5 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 25 | |||||||||
| 6 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 25 | |||||||||
| 7 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 24 | |||||||||
| 8 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 23 | |||||||||
| 9 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 22 | |||||||||
| 10 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 21 | |||||||||
| 11 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 | |||||||||
| 12 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 20 | |||||||||
| 13 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 20 | |||||||||
| 14 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||||||||
| 15 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 18 | |||||||||
| 16 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 17 | |||||||||
| 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 17 | |||||||||
| 18 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 | |||||||||
| 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |||||||||
| 20 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | |||||||||
| = | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | |||||||||
| 22 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||
| 23 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||
| = | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||
| 25 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 14 | |||||||||
| 26 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| = | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| = | 2+11 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||
| 29 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 13 | |||||||||
| 30 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| = | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| 32 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 12 | |||||||||
| 33 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 12 | |||||||||
| 34 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||
| 35 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| = | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 37 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 38 | 1+9 | 0 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||
| = | 10 | 0 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||
| 40 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 41 | 5+2 | 0 | 4 | 11 | |||||||||
| 42 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| = | 2+8 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| = | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| 45 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| 46 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||
| 47 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 10 |