| Competition: | The Football League |
| Continentalcup1: | New Clubs in League |
| Nextseason: | 1894–95 |
The 1893–94 season was the sixth season of The Football League.
Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). 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 goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95.
During the first five seasons of the league, the re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league.[1]
Match results are drawn from The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[2] and Rothmans for the First Division and Rothmans for the Second Division. The result of the match on 25 November 1893 between Wolves and Stoke is given in many newspapers as a win for Wolves by 4–2, which is the result included in these tables and the book published by the Football League in 1937–38. Most subsequent lists of scores depend on that publication. The Times on Monday, the 27th gives the score as 5–2 and local Midland newspapers also show 5–2, listing the five goal scorers. This curious discrepancy has never been explained.
The Second Division was expanded from twelve to fifteen teams, with the election of Liverpool, Middlesbrough Ironopolis, Newcastle United, Rotherham Town and Woolwich Arsenal and the resignation of Accrington and Bootle. Woolwich Arsenal became the first team from the south of England to participate in the Football League.
| Competition: | First Division |
| Season: | 1893–94 |
| Winners: | Aston Villa 1st title |
| Relegated: | Darwen Newton Heath |
| League Topscorer: | Jack Southworth (27 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | (26 December 1893) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (27 December 1893) |
| Highest Scoring: | (21 October 1893) (21 October 1893) (23 December 1893) (26 December 1893) (7 April 1894) |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 939 |
| Longest Wins: | 6 matches Aston Villa Sheffield United Sunderland |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 7 matches Nottingham Forest Sheffield United Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Longest Losses: | 11 matches Newton Heath |
| Highest Attendance: | 27,500 (30 September 1893) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 400 (18 November 1893) |
| Average Attendance: | 7,012 |
| Prevseason: | 1892–93 |
| Nextseason: | 1894–95 |
| Competition: | Second Division |
| Season: | 1893–94 |
| Winners: | Liverpool |
| Promoted: | Liverpool Small Heath |
| League Topscorer: | Frank Mobley (23 goals)[3] |
| Biggest Home Win: | (17 February 1894) (17 March 1894) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (6 January 1894) |
| Highest Scoring: | (24 February 1894) |
| Matches: | 210 |
| Total Goals: | 861 |
| Longest Wins: | 9 matches Liverpool |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 28 matches Liverpool |
| Longest Losses: | 10 matches Northwich Victoria |
| Prevseason: | 1892–93 |
| Nextseason: | 1894–95 |
The Football League test matches were a set of play-offs, in which the bottom First Division teams faced the top Second Division teams. The First Division teams, if coming out as winners, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team won, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process at the expense of a losing First Division team. Losing Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.
Of the winners, Liverpool and Small Heath (later known as Birmingham City F.C.) were elected into the First Division, while Preston North End remained there.
Of the losers Darwen and Newton Heath (later known as Manchester United F.C.) continued in the Second Division, while Notts County remained there.