List of former English Football League clubs

The English Football League comprises professional football clubs from England and Wales. It was established in 1888 as The Football League and in 1892 the Second Division was formed, with the existing division being renamed the First Division.[1] The First World War caused the League to be postponed from 1915 to 1919 and two seasons following its resumption a Third Division was introduced for one season, before being regionalised as North and South.[2] The 1958–59 season saw the introduction of a Fourth Division, with the top 12 clubs from the Third Division North and South from the previous season starting in a national Third Division, and the bottom 12 starting in the Fourth Division.[3] The introduction of the Premier League, which superseded the First Division as the top-flight of English football, caused a reorganisation of the English football league system in 1992, with the Fourth Division being disbanded.[4] The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were rebranded as the Championship, League One and League Two respectively ahead of the 2004–05 season, which came as part of a then-sponsorship with Coca-Cola.[4]

Boston United were relegated from the English Football League after a 3–1 defeat to Wrexham on the final day of the 2006–07 season, ending a five-year spell in the League. Wrexham themselves would be relegated in the following season, ending an 87-year spell.

From the 1986–87 season, the club finishing bottom of the Football League's basement division was relegated to the Conference National (now National League), the highest level of non-League football,[5] depending on the ability of the Conference champions to meet FA requirements.[6] Before this, clubs would lose their League status by failing to gain re-election after finishing in the bottom four of the bottom division.[7] Since the 2002–03 season, the bottom two clubs of League Two face relegation to the National League.[8]

The list includes clubs that are current members of the Premier League, who lost their Football League status upon promotion, and those which lost their status by other means. This includes clubs which have become defunct, merged with another club or have been relegated to a lower position in the pyramid. Where a defunct club has been succeeded by a phoenix club, the new club is listed.

Clubs

The tables show the first and last seasons in which each club competed in the League. Some clubs' membership was intermittent between their first and last seasons. Clubs shown in bold were among the founder members of the League. As of 2019, the founder member clubs playing in the League are Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Preston North End, and Stoke City. Preston have continuously been League members, whereas the others have played in the Premier League at one time or another.

Four former members of the old Football League Division One no longer play in the Football League (or Premier League): Bradford Park Avenue, Darwen, Glossop North End, and Notts County.

Current members of the Premier League (2020–21)
ClubFirst League
season		Last League
season		Ref(s)
Arsenal1893–941991–92[9]
Aston Villa1888–892018–19[10]
Brighton & Hove Albion1920–212016–17[11]
Burnley1888–892015–16[12]
Chelsea1905–061991–92[13]
Crystal Palace1920–212012–13[14]
Everton1888–891991–92[15]
Fulham1907–082019–20[16]
Leeds United1920–212019–20[17]
Leicester City1894–952013–14[18]
Liverpool1893–941991–92[19]
Manchester City1892–932001–02[20]
Manchester United1892–931991–92[21]
Newcastle United1893–942016–17[22]
Sheffield United1892–932018–19[23]
Southampton1920–212011–12[24]
Tottenham Hotspur1908–091991–92[25]
West Bromwich Albion1888–892019–20[26]
West Ham United1919–202011–12[27]
Wolverhampton Wanderers1888–892017–18[28]

Other former member clubs
ClubFirst League
season		Last League
season		ReasonCurrent statusRef(s)
Aberdare Athletic1921–221926–27Not re-electedMerged with Aberaman as Aberdare and Aberaman, later Aberaman Town and now Aberdare Town in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division[29]
Accrington1888–891892–93ResignedDefunct[30]
Accrington Stanley1921–221961–62ResignedDefunct, but a new Accrington Stanley formed in 1968 and are playing in League One[31]
Aldershot1932–331991–92[A]LiquidatedDefunct, Aldershot Town later formed and are playing in the National League[32]
Aldershot Town2008–092012–13RelegatedPlaying in the National League[33]
Ashington1921–221928–29Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern League Division One[34]
Barnet1991–922017–18RelegatedPlaying in the National League[35]
Bootle1892–931892–93ResignedDefunct. A new club, formed as Langton in 1953, changed name to Bootle in 1973, and now playing in the North West Counties League Premier Division[36]
Boston United2002–032006–07RelegatedPlaying in the National League North[37]
Bradford Park Avenue1908–091969–70Not re-electedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League North[38]
Burton Swifts1892–931900–01Merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton UnitedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in League One[39]
Burton United1901–021906–07Not re-electedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in League One[40]
Burton Wanderers1894–951896–97Not re-elected; later merged with Burton Swifts to form Burton UnitedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in League One[41]
Bury1894–952018–19ExpelledExpelled during the 2019–20 season without playing a match, due to inability to pay liabilities[42]
Chester City1931–322008–09RelegatedDefunct, successor club Chester playing in the National League North[43]
Chesterfield1899–19001908–09Not re-electedDefunct. Revived club playing in the National League[44]
1921–222017–18RelegatedPlaying in the National League
Dagenham & Redbridge2007–082015–16RelegatedPlaying in the National League[45]
Darlington1921–222009–10RelegatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League North[46]
Darwen1891–921898–99ResignedDefunct, AFC Darwen later formed and are playing in the North West Counties League Division One North[47]
Durham City1921–221927–28Not re-electedDefunct. Revived club playing in the Northern League Division Two[48]
Gainsborough Trinity1896–971911–12Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[49]
Gateshead1919–201959–60Not re-electedDefunct. New Gateshead (National League North) and South Shields (Northern Premier League Premier Division) clubs formed[50]
Glossop1898–991914–15Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Division One South East[51][52]
Halifax Town1921–222001–02RelegatedDefunct, FC Halifax Town later formed and are playing in the National League[53]
Hartlepool United1921–222016–17RelegatedPlaying in the National League[54]
Hereford United1972–732011–12RelegatedDefunct, successor club Hereford playing in the National League North[55]
Kidderminster Harriers2000–012004–05RelegatedPlaying in the National League North[56]
Leeds City1905–061919–20[B]ExpelledDefunct, successor club Leeds United playing in the Premier League[57]
Loughborough1895–961899–1900Not re-electedDefunct[58]
Macclesfield Town1997–982019–20RelegatedDefunct[59]
Maidstone United1989–901991–92[C]LiquidatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League South[60]
Merthyr Town1920–211929–30Not re-electedDefunct, revived version playing in Southern League Premier Division South[61]
Middlesbrough Ironopolis1893–941893–94ResignedDefunct[62]
Nelson1921–221930–31Not re-electedPlaying in the North West Counties League Division One North[63]
New Brighton1923–241950–51Not re-electedDefunct[64]
New Brighton Tower1898–991900–01LiquidatedDefunct[65]
Newport County1920–211987–88RelegatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in League Two[66]
Northwich Victoria1892–931893–94ResignedPlaying in the North West Counties League Premier Division[67]
Notts County1888–892018–19RelegatedPlaying in the National League[68]
Rotherham County1919–201924–25Merged with Rotherham Town to form Rotherham UnitedDefunct, Rotherham United playing in the Championship[69]
Rotherham Town1893–941895–96ResignedDefunct, Rotherham United playing in the Championship[70]
Rushden & Diamonds2001–022005–06RelegatedDefunct, AFC Rushden & Diamonds playing in the Southern League Premier Division Central[71][72]
Scarborough1987–881998–99RelegatedDefunct, Scarborough Athletic later formed and are playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[73]
Southport1921–221977–78Not re-electedPlaying in the National League North[74]
Stalybridge Celtic1921–221922–23ResignedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[75]
Stockport County1900–012010–11RelegatedPlaying in the National League[76]
Thames1930–311931–32ResignedDefunct[77]
Torquay United1927–282013–14RelegatedPlaying in the National League[78]
Wigan Borough1921–221930–31Resigned midway through seasonDefunct, successor club Wigan Athletic playing in League One[79]
Wimbledon1977–782003–04Relocated and became Milton Keynes Dons. AFC Wimbledon formed as a protest club in 2002Defunct. Both AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons are playing in League One[80]
Workington1951–521976–77Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Division One North West[81]
Wrexham1921–222007–08RelegatedPlaying in the National League[82]
Yeovil Town2003–042018–19RelegatedPlaying in the National League[83]
York City1929–302015–16RelegatedPlaying in the National League North[84]

See also

Footnotes

A Aldershot resigned during the 1991–92 season and the club's record was expunged from the table.[32]

B Leeds City were expelled and forcibly wound up by the FA during the 1919–20 season and the club's place, record and remaining fixtures in the league were assumed by Port Vale.[57]

C Maidstone United were included in the fixtures for the 1992–93 season but folded and resigned after postponing their first match.[85]

References
General
  • "footballsite.co.uk". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  • Hyder, Jawad (2014). Ghosts of the League: 1946–92. Flict Enterprises. ASIN B00QVEGW24.
Specific
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939. Tony Brown. p. 295. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
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  33. "Aldershot Town". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
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  39. "Burton Swifts". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
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  46. "Darlington". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
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  48. "Durham City". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
  49. "Gainsborough Trinity". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
  50. "Gateshead{1}". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 17 June 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
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  59. "Macclesfield Town". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
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  79. "Wigan Borough". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 29 June 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
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  81. "Workington". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
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  84. "York City". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
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