Aston Villa became the second team (after Preston North End) to complete "the Double" of winning the Football League Championship and the FA Cup.

[citation needed] The Cup Final was played on 10 April 1897 between Aston Villa and Everton.

Consequently, with a total of 30 league games to play in the season, only Derby County had any "mathematical" possibility of overtaking Aston Villa to take the title.

In the event, Derby lost 1–0 at Bury and Aston Villa were thus confirmed as League Champions on the same day that they went on to win the Cup.

Following the failure of Rotherham Town, Burslem Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra to be re-elected into the Football League, Blackpool and Gainsborough Trinity joined the Second Division.