| Continentalcup1: | New Club in League |
| Nextseason: | 1896–97 |
The 1895–96 season was the eighth season of The Football League.
Beginning in the 1894–95 season, 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.
During the first six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.
| Competition: | First Division |
| Season: | 1895–96 |
| Winners: | Aston Villa 2nd title |
| Relegated: | Small Heath |
| League Topscorer: | John Campbell Steve Bloomer (22 goals each) |
| Biggest Home Win: | (30 November 1895) (6 April 1896) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (28 December 1895) |
| Highest Scoring: | (7 September 1895) |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 807 |
| Longest Wins: | 9 matches Everton |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 14 matches Everton |
| Longest Losses: | 6 matches Burnley Small Heath |
| Highest Attendance: | 30,000 (21 December 1895) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 560 (29 April 1896) |
| Average Attendance: | 7,682 |
| Prevseason: | 1894–95 |
| Nextseason: | 1896–97 |
| Competition: | Second Division |
| Season: | 1895–96 |
| Winners: | Liverpool |
| Promoted: | Liverpool |
| League Topscorer: | George Allan (26 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | (18 February 1896) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (29 February 1896) (28 March 1896) |
| Highest Scoring: | (13 January 1896) |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 943 |
| Longest Wins: | 10 matches Liverpool |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 10 matches Burton Wanderers Liverpool |
| Longest Losses: | 6 matches Lincoln City |
| Prevseason: | 1894–95 |
| Nextseason: | 1896–97 |
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 format had changed from previous seasons, with the number of participants has reduced from six to four (two from each division). Now, each First Division team plays both Second Division teams in a mini league format. The top two finishers would then be considered for election for First Division membership, whilst the bottom two finishers would be invited to play in the Second Division.
The First Division teams, if finishing in the top two, would retain their places in the division. If a Second Division team does so, it would be considered for First Division membership through an election process. Bottom-two Second Division teams would stay in the Second Division.
Reference works, such Encyclopedia of British Football[1] and Association Football,[2] present the following table with the heading given above.
It is likely that the league decided on re-election to the First Division and on promotion and relegation on the basis of the summary table above. It is not clear why all the four teams did not play each other, since it would only have required two more matches for each of them. It seems those teams who had lost in the first round hardly had any chance of ending up among the top teams in this system, and the election outcome effectively seems to have confirmed the first round results.