Football in England

Season	1939–40
Men's football
Football League	abandoned
Football League Second Division	abandoned
FA Cup	abandoned
← 1938–39 1940–41 →

The1939–40 season was the 65th season of competitivefootball in England. It was suspended in September after the outbreak ofWorld War II.

World War II broke out early into this season. Shortly after war was declared, most competitions, includingthe Football League, were abandoned as the country's attention turned to the war effort. A few leagues, such as the Northern League, did manage to complete a season, but more than half of the teams were unable to fulfil all their fixtures and resigned.^{[citation needed]}

Blackpool sat at the top of the First Division table at the time the abandonment occurred.^[1]TheFA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round was played, but with hostilities declared before replays took place, that competition too was abandoned. Entry fees received for the 1939–40 Cup were honoured for the next Cup in1945–46.^{[citation needed]}

Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead. Regional league competitions were set up. Appearances in these tournaments do not count in players' official records. The FA Cup was resumed for the 1945–46 season andThe Football League for the1946–47 season.^{[citation needed]}

After the abandonment of the football programme, the league was split into ten mini regional leagues. A national cup competition was also held.

• England national football team results (unofficial matches)

• Smales, Ken (2006). "The 1940s".Nottingham Forest: The Official Statistical History. Pineapple Books.

• 1939 in English sport
• 1940 in English sport
• Seasons in English football
• 1939–40 in English football
• Wartime seasons in English football

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from July 2020
• Use British English from July 2020
• All Wikipedia articles written in British English
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020