EFL League One
The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football League and the third tier overall in the entire English football league system.
 | |
| Founded | 2004 1992–2004 (as Division Two) 1958–1992 (as Division Three) 1921–1958 (as Division Three North/South) 1920–1921 (as Division Three) |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Number of teams | 24 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Championship |
| Relegation to | League Two |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup |
| League cup(s) | EFL Cup EFL Trophy |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Europa League (via FA Cup) UEFA Europa Conference League (via EFL Cup) |
| Current champions | Wigan Athletic (2021–22) |
| Most championships | Wigan Athletic (4 titles) |
| TV partners | List of broadcasters |
| Website | efl |
| Current: 2021–22 EFL League One | |
League One was introduced for the 2004–05 season. It was previously known briefly as the Football League Second Division and for much longer, before the advent of the Premier League, as the Football League Third Division.
At present, Fleetwood Town hold the longest tenure in League One, last being out of the division in 2013-14 season when they were promoted from League Two. There are currently six former Premier League clubs competing in League One, namely Sheffield Wednesday (1992–2000), Ipswich Town (1992–95 and 2000–02), Charlton Athletic (1998–99 and 2000–07), Bolton Wanderers (1995–96, 1997–98 and 2001–12), Portsmouth (2003–10) and Sunderland (1996–97, 1999–2003, 2005–06 and 2007–17).[1]
Structure
There are 24 clubs in League One. Each club plays every other club twice (once at home and once away). Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. At the end of the season a table of the final League standings is determined, based on the following criteria in this order: points obtained, goal difference, goals scored, an aggregate of the results between two or more clubs (ranked using the previous three criteria), most matches won, most goals scored away from home, fewest "penalty points" based on yellow and red cards received, followed by fewest straight red cards for certain offences. If two or more teams are still tied after examining all of these criteria, they will share the higher place between them. The only exception would be if the tied teams span the boundary between 2nd and 3rd, 6th and 7th, or 20th and 21st place, in which case one or more play-off matches would be arranged between the tied clubs.
At the end of each season the top two clubs, together with the winner of the play-offs between the clubs which finished in 3rd–6th position, are promoted to EFL Championship and are replaced by the three clubs that finished at the bottom of that division.
Similarly, the four clubs that finished at the bottom of EFL League One are relegated to EFL League Two and are replaced by the top three clubs and the club that won the 4th–7th place play-offs in that division.
Current members
The following 24 clubs are competing in League One during the 2021–22 season.
Teams promoted from League One
For past winners at this level before 2004, see List of winners of English Football League One and predecessors.
Play-off results
Relegated teams
a Expelled in August 2019 after financial breaches.
Top scorers
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b In 35 games. Season truncated due to coronavirus
Attendances
EFL League One is the most-watched third-tier domestic sports league in the World, with an average of 8,802 spectators per game in the 2019–20 season.[3] The closest third tier association football league in terms of average attendance is the German 3. Liga (6,185).[4] The highest average attendance since the restructure into League One was the 2009–10 season, with an average of 9,136.[5] The highest average attendance by a single club was Sunderland in the 2018–19 season with 32,157. They also set the League One attendance record for a single game in the same season, when 46,039 spectators attended the Boxing Day game against Bradford City.[6]
| Season | League Average Attendance | Highest Average | Highest Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Attendance | Game | Attendance | ||
| 2004-05 | 7,732 | Sheffield Wednesday | 23,100 [7] | Sheffield Wednesday vs Bristol City | 28,798 |
| 2005-06 | 7,578 | Nottingham Forest | 20,257 [8] | Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth | 26,847 |
| 2006-07 | 7,486 | Nottingham Forest | 20,627 [9] | Nottingham Forest v Rotherham United | 27,875 |
| 2007-08 | 7,985 | Leeds United | 26,546 [10] | Leeds United v Ipswich Town | 31,269 |
| 2008-09 | 7,551 | Leeds United | 23,639 [11] | Leeds United v Gillingham | 38,256 |
| 2009-10 | 9,136 | Leeds United | 24,818 [12] | Leeds United v Bristol Rovers | 38,234 |
| 2010-11 | 7,519 | Southampton | 22,161 [13] | Southampton v Walsall | 31,653 |
| 2011-12 | 7,358 | Sheffield Wednesday | 21,336 [14] | Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers | 38,082 |
| 2012-13 | 6,335 | Sheffield United | 18,612 [15] | Sheffield United v Brentford | 23,431 |
| 2013-14 | 7,476 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 20,879 [16] | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Rotherham United | 30,110 |
| 2014-15 | 7,037 | Sheffield United | 19,805 [17] | Coventry City v Gillingham | 27,306 |
| 2015-16 | 7,163 | Sheffield United | 19,803 [18] | Sheffield United v Bradford City | 24,777 |
| 2016-17 | 7,933 | Sheffield United | 21,892 [19] | Sheffield United v Chesterfield | 31,003 |
| 2017-18 | 7,805 | Bradford City | 19,787 [20] | Blackburn Rovers v Oxford United | 27,600 |
| 2018-19 | 8,741 | Sunderland | 32,157 [21] | Sunderland v Bradford City | 46,039 |
| 2019-20 | 8,802 | Sunderland | 30,118 [22] | Sunderland v Bolton Wanderers | 33,821 |
| 2020-21 | No attendances due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
Historic Performance
Since the restructuring into League One in 2004, 73 teams have spent at least one season in the division, including 7 of the 20 teams in the 2021-22 Premier League. Oldham Athletic, Walsall and MK Dons have all spent 14 seasons in League One, Oldham's tenure was in a single 14-season consecutive spell - the longest spell of any team. The team with the current longest tenure is Gillingham, who have been in League One continuously since the 2013-14 season. Rotherham has had the highest number of separate spells in League One with five. There have been 15 different Champions of League One, with both Wigan Athletic and Luton Town having won the division twice.
Key
-
Teams with this background and symbol in the "Club" column are competing in the 2021–22 EFL League One -
Team is competing in the 2021-22 Premier League - The club competed in League One during that season (the number is the club's final league position)
| Club | Total Seasons | Number of Spells | Longest Spell (Seasons} | Highest Position | Lowest Position | Season | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accrington Stanley | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 11 | - | ||||||||||||||
| AFC Wimbledon | 6 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | - | ||||||||||||
| Barnsley | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Blackburn Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Blackpool | 8 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 23 | - | |||||||||||||||
| AFC Bournemouth | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 2 | |||||||||||
| Bradford City | 9 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 24 | |||||||||
| Brentford | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 18 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Bristol City | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Bristol Rovers | 9 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 24 | |||||||||
| Burton Albion | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 16 | - | |||||||||||||
| Bury | 6 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 14 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 24 [lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||
| Cambridge United | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | |||||||||||||||||||
| Carlisle United | 8 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 17 | 22 | ||||||||||
| Charlton Athletic | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 7 | - | ||||||||||
| Cheltenham Town | 4 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 23 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Chesterfield | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 24 | |||||||||||
| Colchester United | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 23 | ||||||||
| Coventry City | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 23 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Crawley Town | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| Crewe Alexandra | 9 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 12 | - | |||||||||
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 21 | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
| Doncaster Rovers | 12 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 14 | - | ||||||
| Exeter City | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 18 | 8 | 23 | |||||||||||||||
| Fleetwood Town | 8 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 19 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 15 | - | ||||||||||
| Gillingham | 13 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 10 | - | |||||
| Hartlepool United | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 23 | 6 | 21 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 23 | ||||||||||
| Hereford United | 1 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
| Huddersfield Town | 8 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Hull City | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ipswich Town | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Leeds United | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Leicester City | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Leyton Orient | 9 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 23 | |||||||||
| Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 5 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Luton Town | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 24 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Millwall | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| MK Dons | 14 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 23 | 19 | 13 | - | ||||
| Morecambe | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | |||||||||||||||||||
| Northampton Town | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 22 | ||||||||||||
| Norwich City | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Nottingham Forest | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Notts County | 5 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 21 | |||||||||||||
| Oldham Athletic | 14 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 21 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 21 | ||||
| Oxford United | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 6 | - | ||||||||||||
| Peterborough United | 11 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 2 | |||||||
| Plymouth Argyle | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 7 | 21 | 18 | - | |||||||||||||
| Port Vale | 8 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 23 | 9 | 18 | 12 | 21 | ||||||||||
| Portsmouth | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 | - | ||||||||||||
| Preston North End | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Rochdale | 9 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 9 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 21 | |||||||||
| Rotherham United | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | ||||||||||||
| Scunthorpe United | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 23 | ||||||||
| Sheffield United | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 2 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Shrewsbury Town | 9 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 16 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 17 | - | |||||||||
| Southampton | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Southend United | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 22 | |||||||||
| Stevenage | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 24 | |||||||||||||||
| Stockport County | 3 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 18 | 24 | |||||||||||||||
| Sunderland | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Swansea City | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Swindon Town | 12 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 22 | 23 | ||||||
| Torquay United | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 21 | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tranmere Rovers | 11 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 21 | |||||||
| Walsall | 14 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 24 | 14 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 22 | ||||
| Wigan Athletic | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 20 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Wrexham | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 22 | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
| Wycombe Wanderers | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 3 | - | |||||||||||||
| Yeovil Town | 9 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 4 | 24 | |||||||||
Financial Fair Play
Starting from the 2012–13 season, a Financial Fair Play arrangement has been in place in all three divisions of the Football League, the intention being eventually to produce a league of financially self-sustaining clubs. In League One, this takes the form of a Salary Cost Management Protocol in which a maximum of 60% of a club's turnover may be spent on players' wages, with sanctions being applied in the form of transfer embargoes.[23][24][25][26]
See also
- 1920–21 (as Football League Division Three)
- 1921–22 & 1957–58 (as Football League Division Three North/South)
- 1958–59 & 1992–93 (as Football League Division Three)
- 1992–93 & 2003–04 (as Football League Division Two)
- 2016–17 & 2019–20 (as EFL League One)
- List of professional sports teams in the United Kingdom
Footnotes
- Bury did not compete in the 2019-20 season as they were expelled from the league due to financial difficulties.
References
- "What year did the Premier League start & which teams have played in it over the years?". Sam France. Goal. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- "Football Ground Guide". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- "League One 2019/2020 - Attendance". worldfootball.net.
- "3. Liga 2019/2020 - Attendance". worldfootball.net.
- "League One 2009/2010 - Attendance". worldfootball.net.
- "League One Record 46,039 crowd as Sunderland AFC triumph over Bradford City on Boxing Day". www.sunderlandecho.com.
- "League One 2004/2005 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2005/2006 - Attendance". worldfootball.net.
- "League One 2006/2007 - Attendance". worldfootball.net.
- "League One 2007/2008 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2008/2009 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2009/2010 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2010/2011 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2011/2012 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2012/2013 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2013/2014 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2014/2015 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2015/2016 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2016/2017 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2017/2018 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2018/2019 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "League One 2019/2020 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "The Football League – About Us – FAQs – FL Explained – FL Explained – Financial Fair Play in The Football League". Archived from the original on 10 May 2012.
- Vittles, Jack (6 December 2017). "Financial Fair play: Does it apply in League One and League Two?". bristolpost. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- McCartney, Aidan (2 February 2015). "Financial Fair Play in League One: Separating fact from fiction". coventrytelegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- "Review into Bury's demise offers painful reminder of the need for FFP | Financial fair play". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
External links
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