1980-81 in English football
Encyclopedia
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football
in England
.
introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889. This was to be effective from the following season on.
complete Aston Villa
's revival, as they ended their 71-year wait for the league championship trophy. They competed in a two-horse race with Ipswich Town during the final stages of the season before pipping the Suffolk side at the post. Liverpool
slipped into fifth place but compensated for this downfall by lifting the European Cup and their first-ever League Cup
. But Manchester United
failed to make the top five and this shortcoming cost Dave Sexton his manager's job. He was succeeded by Ron Atkinson
, who had just finished fourth in the league and reached the UEFA Cup quarter finals with an impressive West Bromwich Albion
side – who would suffer a rapid decline after Atkinson's departure.
Crystal Palace
endured a dreadful season with just six wins. They were joined in the Second Division by also-doomed Norwich City
and Leicester City
.
holders West Ham United
regained their First Division
status by lifting the Second Division
championship trophy. They were joined by Notts County
and Swansea City
, completing a meteoric rise under John Toshack
, from the Fourth Division to the First in just four years.
Both Bristol clubs were relegated from the Second Division due to Bristol City's
Administration entrance and Bristol Rovers'
Arrangements in 1980–81. They were joined in the relegation spot by Preston North End
.
, Barnsley
and Charlton Athletic
occupied the promotion places in the Third Division
. Hull City
, Blackpool
and Colchester United
were joined in the Third Division relegation spot by Sheffield United
– who just seven years earlier had finished sixth in the First Division.
, Lincoln City
, Doncaster Rovers
and Wimbledon
occupied the four promotion places in the Fourth Division
. There were no movements between the Fourth Division and the Alliance Premier League as the re-election system went in favour of the league's bottom four clubs, although bottom-placed York City
came perilously close to being replaced by Alliance champions Altrincham
, surviving by just two votes.
and Osvaldo Ardiles
, World Cup winners with Argentina in 1978, Tottenham Hotspur
overcame Manchester City
in the FA Cup
final
replay to lift their first major trophy under the management of Keith Burkinshaw
. You can see a review and video of the 1981 FA Cup Final and replay at Spurs Memorabilia
added to their European Cup triumph with their first-ever League Cup
, beating West Ham
2–1 in a replay.
, ensuring that the European Cup remained in English hands for the fifth year running. Bobby Robson
proved his managerial credentials by bringing UEFA Cup
glory to Ipswich Town
, who had narrowly missed out on the league title.
(Tottenham Hotspur) and Peter Withe
(Aston Villa) – 20 goals
, again costing his new club £1,250,000.
31 August 1980: The first month of the Football League season ends with Ipswich Town
as leaders, while Southampton
, Aston Villa
, Sunderland
and Liverpool
complete the top five. Stoke City
, Manchester City
and Leeds United
occupy the bottom three places. The Second Division promotion race has begun with Blackburn Rovers
, Derby County
and Sheffield Wednesday
occupying the top three places. Cambridge United
, in only their 11th season as a Football League team, stand fourth in the division harbouring dreams of the quickest modern day rise from non-league football to the First Division.
10 September 1980: England's
1982 World Cup qualifying series begins with a 4–0 win over Norway
at Wembley.
30 September 1980: September draws to a close with Ipswich Town leading the First Division by four points over their nearest rivals Liverpool, Everton
and Aston Villa. Nottingham Forest
complete the top five. Crystal Palace
have slumped to the bottom of the table, joined in the relegation zone by Manchester City and Leeds United. The race for a place in the First Division next season is headed by the Second Division top three of Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United
and Notts County
. Cambridge United's promising start has fallen away and they now stand third from bottom.
1 October 1980: Manchester City
sack manager Malcolm Allison
and replace him with Norwich City's
John Bond
, who in turn is replaced by Ken Brown.
15 October 1980: England suffer a 2–1 defeat to Romania
in Bucharest
in their second World Cup qualifier.
17 October 1980: Andy Ritchie, highly promising Manchester United
striker who turns 20 next month, is surprisingly sold to Brighton
for £500,000.
31 October 1980: Aston Villa, who last won a top division title in 1910, finish October as First Division leaders, though Ipswich Town are two points behind them with two games in hand. Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United complete the top five. Crystal Palace, Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion
occupy the relegation places. The race for three places in the First Division next season is being headed by Notts County, West Ham United and Chelsea
, with Swansea City, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday
in close contention.
19 November 1980: England get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a 2–1 win over Switzerland
at Wembley.
29 November 1980: Ken Brown makes his first signing for Norwich City
by paying Liverpool
£100,000 for 19-year-old central defender Dave Watson
.
30 November 1980: November ends with Aston Villa still leading the First Division, while Liverpol are second. Ipswich Town are now third, but are three points off top spot with three games in hand. West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal complete the top five. Leicester City
prop up the First Division after a dismal run of results, joining Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion in the bottom three. West Ham United, Chelsea and Notts County continue to head the challenge for promotion to the First Division.
31 December 1980: 1980 draws to a close with Liverpool leading the First Division on goal difference ahead of Aston Villa. Ipswich Town in third place are a point behind the leaders with two games in hand. Arsenal and Nottingham Forest complete the top five. Crystal Palace and Leicester City remain in the bottom three, but Brighton & Hove Albion have climbed out of the drop zone at the expense of Norwich City
. FA Cup holders West Ham United lead the Second Division promotion race, joining in the top three by Swansea City (who have never played in the top flight before) and Chelsea (who were last in the top flight two seasons ago). Notts County and Derby County
are pushing the top three hard, while the likes of Luton Town
and Orient
are starting to emerge as possible contenders.
24 January 1981: Manchester City defeat Norwich City 6–0 in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Maine Road
, just two months after John Bond's move between the two clubs as manager.
31 January 1981: January draws to a close with Ipswich Town back on top of the First Division, ahead of second placed Aston Villa on goal difference with a game in hand. Liverpool's decline in form has pushed them down to third place, four points off the top. Southampton and West Bromwich Albion complete the top five, while Manchester United have fallen to ninth in the table and manager Dave Sexton
is under great pressure as the club has yet to win any silverware in his four seasons as manager. Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Norwich City remain marooned in the bottom three. West Ham United continue to lead the race for promotion, with Notts County and Chelsea completing the top three.Liverpool's 85-match unbeaten home run in all competitions is ended by a 2-1 home defeat to struggling Leicester City
in the league,Their last home defeat was in February 1978.
18 February 1981: One of the biggest shocks of this season's FA Cup sees Fourth Division Exeter City
defeat Newcastle United
4–0 in the replay after drawing 1–1 in the first game.
28 February 1981: Ipswich Town remain top of the First Division at the end of February, with Aston Villa two points behind them. The challenge from the other top five clubs – Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest – is becoming more distant. The bottom three clubs – Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Norwich City – remain unchanged from last month. West Ham United remain top of the Second Division, followed closely behind by Notts County and joined in the top three by Sheffield Wednesday at the expense of Chelsea, who have slumped to seventh. Grimsby Town
have emerged as surprise promotion contenders alongside larger clubs like Blackburn Rovers and Derby County.
10 March 1981: Ipswich Town remain in contention for a treble of the league title, FA Cup and UEFA Cup by beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 in the FA Cup quarter-final replay after drawing the first game 3–3.
12 March 1981: Ken Brown continues to build for the future of First Division strugglers Norwich City by paying Queen's Park Rangers £225,000 for 22-year-old goalkeeper Chris Woods
. Meanwhile, Liverpool sign 23-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps
and Zimbabwe
goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar
for £250,000.
31 March 1981: Ipswich Town remain top of the First Division as March draws to a close, one point ahead of second placed Aston Villa and with a game in hand. The title challenge is now looking like a two horse race as the gap between their nearest contenders – Nottingham Forest, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool – has widened. Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Leicester City remain in the bottom three places. West Ham United and Notts County continue to head the Second Division promotion race, joined in the top three by Grimsby Town at the expense of Sheffield Wednesday, who are now eighth.
1 April 1981: Liverpool win the ootball League Cup] for the first time, winning the replay
2-1 against West Ham United
at Villa Park
.
11 April 1981: Ipswich Town's treble bid is ended with a 1–0 defeat by Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
. City will face either Tottenham Hotspur or Wolverhampton Wanderers (who drew 3–3 in the other semi-final at Hillsborough
) in the final next month.
15 April 1981: Tottenham Hotspur reach the FA Cup final by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 in the semi-final replay at Highbury
.
25 April 1981: Aston Villa defeat Middlesbrough 3–0 at Villa Park
, meaning they only need a draw from their final game of the season – or for Ipswich Town to drop a point in either of their final two games – to seal their first league title since 1910.
29 April 1981: England draw 0–0 with Romania in their World Cup qualifying game at Wembley.
30 April 1981: Manchester United
sack Dave Sexton
after four trophyless seasons as manager.
2 May 1981: Aston Villa
seal their first league title for 71 years, despite losing their final game of the season to Arsenal
as Ipswich Town
lose to Middlesbrough
. Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Leicester City have been relegated. Newly promoted to the First Division for next season are West Ham United after a three-year exile, Notts County after 55 years away, and Swansea City for the first time ever.
6 May 1981: Ipswich Town
beat AZ Alkmaar 3–0 of Holland in the first leg of the UEFA Cup
final at Portman Road
.
9 May 1981: Tommy Hutchison
puts Manchester City
1–0 up against Tottenham Hotspur
in the FA Cup final
, but then scores an own goal to bring the match to a replay.
14 May 1981: Tottenham Hotspur lift the FA Cup
by defeating Manchester City 3–2 in the replay.
20 May 1981: Ipswich Town win the UEFA Cup
despite losing 4–2 to AZ Alkmaar in Holland.
27 May 1981: An Alan Kennedy
goal gives Liverpool
their third European Cup
triumph as they defeat Real Madrid
1–0 at the Parc des Princes
in Paris
.
1 June 1981: After a month of searching for a new manager, Manchester United appoint Ron Atkinson
from West Bromwich Albion
.
8 June 1981: Having failed to save Crystal Palace from relegation, Clive Allen drops down a division to return to Queen's Park Rangers in a £400,000 deal.
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition
First Division
Second Division
Administration entrance= Bristol City
Voluntary arrangements= Bristol Rovers
Third Division
Fourth Division
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Bishop's Stortford
won the FA Trophy
, while Whickham
lifted the FA Vase
.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Overview
The Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889. This was to be effective from the following season on.
First Division
The 1980–81 season saw Ron SaundersRon Saunders
Ron Saunders is a retired English football player and former successful manager. He remains the only manager to have taken charge of Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, normally bitter rivals....
complete Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
's revival, as they ended their 71-year wait for the league championship trophy. They competed in a two-horse race with Ipswich Town during the final stages of the season before pipping the Suffolk side at the post. Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
slipped into fifth place but compensated for this downfall by lifting the European Cup and their first-ever League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
. But Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
failed to make the top five and this shortcoming cost Dave Sexton his manager's job. He was succeeded by Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
, who had just finished fourth in the league and reached the UEFA Cup quarter finals with an impressive West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
side – who would suffer a rapid decline after Atkinson's departure.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
endured a dreadful season with just six wins. They were joined in the Second Division by also-doomed Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
.
Second Division
FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
holders West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
regained their First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
status by lifting the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
championship trophy. They were joined by Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
and Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, completing a meteoric rise under John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
, from the Fourth Division to the First in just four years.
Both Bristol clubs were relegated from the Second Division due to Bristol City's
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
Administration entrance and Bristol Rovers'
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
Arrangements in 1980–81. They were joined in the relegation spot by Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
.
Third Division
Rotherham UnitedRotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
and Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
occupied the promotion places in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
were joined in the Third Division relegation spot by Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
– who just seven years earlier had finished sixth in the First Division.
Fourth Division
Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
and Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
occupied the four promotion places in the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
. There were no movements between the Fourth Division and the Alliance Premier League as the re-election system went in favour of the league's bottom four clubs, although bottom-placed York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
came perilously close to being replaced by Alliance champions Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
, surviving by just two votes.
FA Cup
Inspired by Ricardo VillaRicardo Villa
Ricardo Julio "Ricky" Villa is an Argentine football coach and former professional midfielder.-Career:He played successively for Quilmes, Club Atlético Tucumán and Racing Club...
and Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo César Ardiles , often referred to in Britain as Ossie Ardiles, is a football coach, pundit and former midfielder who won the 1978 World Cup as part of the Argentine national team...
, World Cup winners with Argentina in 1978, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
overcame Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final
1981 FA Cup Final
The 1981 FA Cup Final was contested by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Wembley. The match finished 1–1 after extra time; Tommy Hutchison opened the scoring for City, and then scored an own-goal eleven minutes from time to bring Spurs level. In the replay, Spurs won 3–2, with...
replay to lift their first major trophy under the management of Keith Burkinshaw
Keith Burkinshaw
Harry Keith Burkinshaw is an English former professional footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
. You can see a review and video of the 1981 FA Cup Final and replay at Spurs Memorabilia
League Cup
LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
added to their European Cup triumph with their first-ever League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, beating West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
2–1 in a replay.
European football
English clubs continued their dominance of European football. Liverpool won the European CupUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, ensuring that the European Cup remained in English hands for the fifth year running. Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
proved his managerial credentials by bringing UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
glory to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, who had narrowly missed out on the league title.
Star players
- High scoring defensive midfielder John WarkJohn WarkJohn Wark is a Scottish former footballer who spent most of his playing time with Ipswich Town. He won a record four Player of the Year awards before becoming one of the four inaugural members of the club's Hall of Fame...
was credited for his achievements at UEFA Cup Winners Ipswich Town by the PFA, who elected him Player of the Year. - Aston Villa's promising young forward Gary ShawGary ShawGary Shaw was an English football striker who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English First Division championship in 1980–81 and the European Cup the following year - the only Birmingham-born player in the team. In 1981 he was voted PFA Young Player...
added the PFA Young Player of the Year award to his league championship medal. - The FWA voted Ipswich's Dutch winger Frans Thijssen as their Player of the Year.
- West Bromwich Albion midfielders Bryan RobsonBryan RobsonBryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
and Remi MosesRemi MosesRemi Mark Moses is a former English football player whose main position was as a defensive midfielder.In 1981, Moses was transferred from West Bromwich Albion to Manchester United for £500,000...
became two of the most feared players in the league and would soon follow their manager Ron Atkinson to Manchester United.
Star managers
- Ron SaundersRon SaundersRon Saunders is a retired English football player and former successful manager. He remains the only manager to have taken charge of Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, normally bitter rivals....
ended Aston Villa's 71-year wait for the league championship trophy by pipping Ipswich Town at the post. - Bob PaisleyBob PaisleyRobert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
made up for Liverpool's disappointing league form with success in the European Cup and League Cup. - Bobby RobsonBobby RobsonSir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
couldn't quite bring the league championship trophy to Ipswich Town but compensated by bringing them the UEFA Cup. - Keith BurkinshawKeith BurkinshawHarry Keith Burkinshaw is an English former professional footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
completed his rebuilding programme at Tottenham Hotspur by yielding an FA Cup triumph. - John LyallJohn LyallJohn Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...
had another successful season with West Ham United as they won promotion to the First Division a year after winning the FA Cup. - John ToshackJohn ToshackJohn Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
completed the quickest rise through the Football League with Swansea City, who climbed from the Fourth Division to the First Division with three promotions in four seasons. - Ron AtkinsonRon AtkinsonRonald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
took West Bromwich Albion to fourth place in the league to attain their second UEFA Cup place in three seasons. - Terry NeillTerry NeillWilliam John Terence "Terry" Neill is a Northern Ireland former football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Belfast, Neill played as a youth for Bangor, before moving in December 1959 to Arsenal. He spent a year in Arsenal's youth side, before making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday...
guided Arsenal to third place in the league to ensure UEFA Cup qualification. - Jimmy SirrelJimmy SirrelJames "Jimmy" Sirrel was a Scottish football player and manager best known for his management career....
took Notts County into the First Division for the first time in nearly 60 years. - Norman Hunter attained promotion to the Second Division with Barnsley.
First Division
Steve ArchibaldSteve Archibald
Steven Archibald is a former Scottish football player and manager.- Club career :He first came to prominence playing in midfield for Scottish First Division side Clyde, but was converted to striker when he signed for Aberdeen, forging a prolific partnership with Joe Harper...
(Tottenham Hotspur) and Peter Withe
Peter Withe
Peter Withe is a much-travelled English footballer who played as a striker, between 1971 and 1990...
(Aston Villa) – 20 goals
Diary of the season
14 August 1980: Having not played a first team game for Arsenal, Clive Allen leaves the club after just two months to join Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, again costing his new club £1,250,000.
31 August 1980: The first month of the Football League season ends with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
as leaders, while Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
complete the top five. Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
occupy the bottom three places. The Second Division promotion race has begun with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
occupying the top three places. Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
, in only their 11th season as a Football League team, stand fourth in the division harbouring dreams of the quickest modern day rise from non-league football to the First Division.
10 September 1980: England's
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
1982 World Cup qualifying series begins with a 4–0 win over Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
at Wembley.
30 September 1980: September draws to a close with Ipswich Town leading the First Division by four points over their nearest rivals Liverpool, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Aston Villa. Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
complete the top five. Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
have slumped to the bottom of the table, joined in the relegation zone by Manchester City and Leeds United. The race for a place in the First Division next season is headed by the Second Division top three of Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
. Cambridge United's promising start has fallen away and they now stand third from bottom.
1 October 1980: Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
sack manager Malcolm Allison
Malcolm Allison
Malcolm Alexander Allison was an English football player and manager. Nicknamed "Big Mal", he was one of English football's most flamboyant and intriguing characters because of his panache, fedora and cigar, controversies off the pitch and outspoken nature.Allison's managerial potential become...
and replace him with Norwich City's
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
, who in turn is replaced by Ken Brown.
15 October 1980: England suffer a 2–1 defeat to Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
in their second World Cup qualifier.
17 October 1980: Andy Ritchie, highly promising Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
striker who turns 20 next month, is surprisingly sold to Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
for £500,000.
31 October 1980: Aston Villa, who last won a top division title in 1910, finish October as First Division leaders, though Ipswich Town are two points behind them with two games in hand. Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United complete the top five. Crystal Palace, Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
occupy the relegation places. The race for three places in the First Division next season is being headed by Notts County, West Ham United and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, with Swansea City, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in close contention.
19 November 1980: England get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a 2–1 win over Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
at Wembley.
29 November 1980: Ken Brown makes his first signing for Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
by paying Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
£100,000 for 19-year-old central defender Dave Watson
Dave Watson
David "Dave" Watson is an English former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United.-Playing career:...
.
30 November 1980: November ends with Aston Villa still leading the First Division, while Liverpol are second. Ipswich Town are now third, but are three points off top spot with three games in hand. West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal complete the top five. Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
prop up the First Division after a dismal run of results, joining Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion in the bottom three. West Ham United, Chelsea and Notts County continue to head the challenge for promotion to the First Division.
31 December 1980: 1980 draws to a close with Liverpool leading the First Division on goal difference ahead of Aston Villa. Ipswich Town in third place are a point behind the leaders with two games in hand. Arsenal and Nottingham Forest complete the top five. Crystal Palace and Leicester City remain in the bottom three, but Brighton & Hove Albion have climbed out of the drop zone at the expense of Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. FA Cup holders West Ham United lead the Second Division promotion race, joining in the top three by Swansea City (who have never played in the top flight before) and Chelsea (who were last in the top flight two seasons ago). Notts County and Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
are pushing the top three hard, while the likes of Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
and Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
are starting to emerge as possible contenders.
24 January 1981: Manchester City defeat Norwich City 6–0 in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
, just two months after John Bond's move between the two clubs as manager.
31 January 1981: January draws to a close with Ipswich Town back on top of the First Division, ahead of second placed Aston Villa on goal difference with a game in hand. Liverpool's decline in form has pushed them down to third place, four points off the top. Southampton and West Bromwich Albion complete the top five, while Manchester United have fallen to ninth in the table and manager Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
David "Dave" Sexton OBE is an English former football manager and player.-Playing career:Son of former professional boxer Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient,...
is under great pressure as the club has yet to win any silverware in his four seasons as manager. Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Norwich City remain marooned in the bottom three. West Ham United continue to lead the race for promotion, with Notts County and Chelsea completing the top three.Liverpool's 85-match unbeaten home run in all competitions is ended by a 2-1 home defeat to struggling Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in the league,Their last home defeat was in February 1978.
18 February 1981: One of the biggest shocks of this season's FA Cup sees Fourth Division Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
defeat Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
4–0 in the replay after drawing 1–1 in the first game.
28 February 1981: Ipswich Town remain top of the First Division at the end of February, with Aston Villa two points behind them. The challenge from the other top five clubs – Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest – is becoming more distant. The bottom three clubs – Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Norwich City – remain unchanged from last month. West Ham United remain top of the Second Division, followed closely behind by Notts County and joined in the top three by Sheffield Wednesday at the expense of Chelsea, who have slumped to seventh. Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
have emerged as surprise promotion contenders alongside larger clubs like Blackburn Rovers and Derby County.
10 March 1981: Ipswich Town remain in contention for a treble of the league title, FA Cup and UEFA Cup by beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 in the FA Cup quarter-final replay after drawing the first game 3–3.
12 March 1981: Ken Brown continues to build for the future of First Division strugglers Norwich City by paying Queen's Park Rangers £225,000 for 22-year-old goalkeeper Chris Woods
Chris Woods
Christopher 'Chris' Charles Eric Woods is a former England international football goalkeeper, who played in the Football League and Premier League for Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Southampton and Burnley, in the Scottish Football League for Rangers, and in Major...
. Meanwhile, Liverpool sign 23-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national football team
The Zimbabwe national football team, nicknamed The Warriors, is the national team of Zimbabwe and is controlled by the Zimbabwe Football Association. They were known as the Southern Rhodesia national football team from 1939–1964, then the Rhodesia national football team until 1980, when Rhodesia...
goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
for £250,000.
31 March 1981: Ipswich Town remain top of the First Division as March draws to a close, one point ahead of second placed Aston Villa and with a game in hand. The title challenge is now looking like a two horse race as the gap between their nearest contenders – Nottingham Forest, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool – has widened. Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Leicester City remain in the bottom three places. West Ham United and Notts County continue to head the Second Division promotion race, joined in the top three by Grimsby Town at the expense of Sheffield Wednesday, who are now eighth.
1 April 1981: Liverpool win the ootball League Cup] for the first time, winning the replay
1981 Football League Cup Final
The 1981 Football League Cup Final was played on Saturday 14 March 1981 at Wembley Stadium between Liverpool and West Ham United, with both clubs appearing in their second League Cup finals....
2-1 against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
.
11 April 1981: Ipswich Town's treble bid is ended with a 1–0 defeat by Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
. City will face either Tottenham Hotspur or Wolverhampton Wanderers (who drew 3–3 in the other semi-final at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
) in the final next month.
15 April 1981: Tottenham Hotspur reach the FA Cup final by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 in the semi-final replay at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
.
25 April 1981: Aston Villa defeat Middlesbrough 3–0 at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
, meaning they only need a draw from their final game of the season – or for Ipswich Town to drop a point in either of their final two games – to seal their first league title since 1910.
29 April 1981: England draw 0–0 with Romania in their World Cup qualifying game at Wembley.
30 April 1981: Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
sack Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
David "Dave" Sexton OBE is an English former football manager and player.-Playing career:Son of former professional boxer Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient,...
after four trophyless seasons as manager.
2 May 1981: Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
seal their first league title for 71 years, despite losing their final game of the season to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
lose to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Leicester City have been relegated. Newly promoted to the First Division for next season are West Ham United after a three-year exile, Notts County after 55 years away, and Swansea City for the first time ever.
6 May 1981: Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
beat AZ Alkmaar 3–0 of Holland in the first leg of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
final at Portman Road
Portman Road
Portman Road is an association football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C. since 1884. The stadium has also hosted a number of England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly international match, against Croatia in 2003...
.
9 May 1981: Tommy Hutchison
Tommy Hutchison
Thomas "Tommy" Hutchison is a Scottish former footballer.-Club career:Beginning his professional career with Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Second Division, being spotted by Archie McPherson...
puts Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
1–0 up against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in the FA Cup final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
, but then scores an own goal to bring the match to a replay.
14 May 1981: Tottenham Hotspur lift the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
by defeating Manchester City 3–2 in the replay.
20 May 1981: Ipswich Town win the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
despite losing 4–2 to AZ Alkmaar in Holland.
27 May 1981: An Alan Kennedy
Alan Kennedy
Alan Phillip Kennedy is a former footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had a knack of scoring in major cup finals....
goal gives Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
their third European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
triumph as they defeat Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
1–0 at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
1 June 1981: After a month of searching for a new manager, Manchester United appoint Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
from West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
8 June 1981: Having failed to save Crystal Palace from relegation, Clive Allen drops down a division to return to Queen's Park Rangers in a £400,000 deal.
Honours
| Competition | |Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|
| First Division Football League First Division The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship.... |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... (7) |
Ipswich Town Ipswich Town F.C. Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02.... |
| Second Division Football League Second Division From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams... |
West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
| Third Division Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
| Fourth Division Football League Fourth Division The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season... |
Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
Lincoln City Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... |
| FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... (6) |
Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
| League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... (1) |
West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
| Charity Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
| Home Championship 1981 British Home Championship The 1981 British Home Championship was the only British Home Nations international football championship outside of the years of the First World War and Second World War which was not completed and thus failed to produce a winner. As with the rugby union 1972 Five Nations Championship, the cause of... |
Tournament abandoned |
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition
First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 72 | 40 | +32 | 60 |
| 2 | Ipswich Town Ipswich Town F.C. Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02.... |
42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 77 | 43 | 56 | |
| 3 | Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... |
42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 61 | 45 | 53 | |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 60 | 42 | 52 | |
| 5 | Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 62 | 42 | 51 | |
| 6 | Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... |
42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 76 | 56 | 50 | |
| 7 | Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |
42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 62 | 44 | 50 | |
| 8 | Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
42 | 15 | 18 | 9 | 51 | 36 | 48 | |
| 9 | Leeds United | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 44 |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 70 | 68 | 43 | |
| 11 | Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 42 |
| 12 | Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 39 |
| 13 | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 38 |
| 14 | Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C. Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889... |
42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 37 |
| 15 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 55 | 58 | −3 | 36 |
| 16 | Coventry City Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry... |
42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 48 | 68 | −20 | 36 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 52 | 53 | −1 | 35 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 43 | 55 | −12 | 35 |
| 19 | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 54 | 67 | −13 | 35 |
| 20 | Norwich City Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 49 | 73 | −24 | 33 |
| 21 | Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... |
42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 40 | 67 | −27 | 32 |
| 22 | Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in... |
42 | 6 | 7 | 29 | 47 | 83 | −36 | 19 |
Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
42 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 79 | 29 | +50 | 66 |
| 2 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
42 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 49 | 38 | 53 | |
| 3 | Swansea City | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 64 | 44 | 50 | |
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
42 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 42 | 29 | 50 | |
| 5 | Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 61 | 46 | 48 | |
| 6 | Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 57 | 52 | 45 | |
| 7 | Grimsby Town Grimsby Town F.C. Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town... |
42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 44 | 42 | 45 | |
| 8 | Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers F.C. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years... |
42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 56 | 46 | 43 | |
| 9 | Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 50 | 45 | 43 | |
| 10 | Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 53 | 51 | 42 | |
| 11 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 30 | 45 | −15 | 42 |
| 12 | Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 46 | 41 | 40 | |
| 13 | Cambridge United Cambridge United F.C. Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League... |
42 | 17 | 6 | 19 | 53 | 65 | −12 | 40 |
| 14 | Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town F.C. Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football... |
42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 46 | 47 | −1 | 39 |
| 15 | Oldham Athletic Oldham Athletic A.F.C. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league... |
42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 39 | 48 | −9 | 39 |
| 16 | Wrexham Wrexham A.F.C. Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales... |
42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 38 |
| 17 | Leyton Orient Leyton Orient F.C. Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63... |
42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 52 | 56 | −4 | 38 |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 61 | 66 | −5 | 38 |
| 19 | Cardiff City Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for... |
42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 36 |
| 20 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 41 | 62 | −21 | 36 |
| 21 | Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
42 | 7 | 16 | 19 | 29 | 51 | −22 | 30 |
| 22 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
42 | 5 | 13 | 24 | 34 | 65 | −31 | 23 |
Administration entrance= Bristol City
Voluntary arrangements= Bristol Rovers
Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 61 |
| 2 | Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
46 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 72 | 45 | 59 | |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic F.C. Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,... |
46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 63 | 44 | 59 | |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town F.C. Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One... |
46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 71 | 40 | 56 | |
| 5 | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 72 | 48 | 56 | |
| 6 | Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 55 | 47 | 53 | |
| 7 | Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 56 | 44 | 52 | |
| 8 | Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 60 | 48 | 50 | |
| 9 | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
46 | 14 | 19 | 13 | 52 | 49 | 47 | |
| 10 | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 62 | 62 | 46 | |
| 11 | Exeter City Exeter City F.C. Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003... |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 62 | 66 | −4 | 45 |
| 12 | Newport County | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 64 | 61 | 43 | |
| 13 | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 57 | 64 | −7 | 43 |
| 14 | Oxford United Oxford United F.C. Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The... |
46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 43 |
| 15 | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 48 | 58 | −10 | 42 |
| 16 | Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 43 | 60 | −17 | 42 |
| 17 | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 51 | 56 | −5 | 41 |
| 18 | Chester Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 41 |
| 19 | Carlisle United Carlisle United F.C. Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.... |
46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 56 | 70 | −14 | 41 |
| 20 | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 59 | 74 | −15 | 41 |
| 21 | Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 65 | 63 | 40 | |
| 22 | Colchester United Colchester United F.C. Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910.... |
46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 45 | 65 | −20 | 39 |
| 23 | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 45 | 75 | −30 | 32 |
| 24 | Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
46 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 40 | 71 | −31 | 32 |
Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
46 | 30 | 7 | 9 | 79 | 31 | +48 | 67 |
| 2 | Lincoln City Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... |
46 | 25 | 15 | 6 | 66 | 25 | 65 | |
| 3 | Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers F.C. Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in... |
46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 59 | 49 | 56 | |
| 4 | Wimbledon Wimbledon F.C. Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football... |
46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 64 | 46 | 55 | |
| 5 | Peterborough United Peterborough United F.C. Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is... |
46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 68 | 54 | 52 | |
| 6 | Aldershot Aldershot F.C. Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable... |
46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 43 | 41 | 50 | |
| 7 | Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... |
46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 44 | 49 | |
| 8 | Darlington Darlington F.C. Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003... |
46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 65 | 59 | 49 | |
| 9 | Hartlepool United Hartlepool United F.C. Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season... |
46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 61 | 49 | |
| 10 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 65 | 67 | −2 | 49 |
| 11 | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 55 | −4 | 47 |
| 12 | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 70 | 62 | 45 | |
| 13 | Bournemouth A.F.C. Bournemouth A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899.... |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 48 | −1 | 45 |
| 14 | Bradford City | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 53 | 60 | −7 | 44 |
| 15 | Rochdale | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 60 | 70 | −10 | 43 |
| 16 | Scunthorpe United Scunthorpe United F.C. Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One.... |
46 | 11 | 20 | 15 | 60 | 69 | −9 | 42 |
| 17 | Torquay United Torquay United F.C. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley... |
46 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 55 | 63 | −8 | 41 |
| 18 | Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra F.C. Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club... |
46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 40 |
| 19 | Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... |
46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 57 | 70 | −13 | 39 |
| 20 | Stockport County Stockport County F.C. Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport... |
46 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 44 | 57 | −13 | 39 |
| 21 | Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... |
46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 59 | 73 | −14 | 36 |
| 22 | Hereford United Hereford United F.C. Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',... |
46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 38 | 62 | −24 | 35 |
| 23 | Halifax Town | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 44 | 71 | −27 | 34 |
| 24 | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 47 | 66 | −19 | 33 |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Non-League football
The divisional champions of the major non-League competitions were :| League | Champions |
|---|---|
| Alliance Premier League Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
Altrincham Altrincham F.C. Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:... |
| Athenian League Athenian League The Athenian League was an English amateur football league for clubs in and around London. The league was formed in 1912 with ten clubs, but had to close down in 1914 due to the onset of World War I. When it reformed in 1920, only three of the previous teams rejoined... |
Windsor & Eton |
| Cheshire County League Cheshire County League The Cheshire County League was a football league founded in the north west of England in 1919, drawing its teams largely from Cheshire, surrounding English counties and North Wales.... |
Division One – Nantwich Town Nantwich Town F.C. Nantwich Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1884 and is nicknamed The Dabbers. The club is currently a member of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, with home matches played at the Weaver Stadium.Nantwich... Division Two – Accrington Stanley Accrington Stanley F.C. Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system.... |
| Combined Counties League Combined Counties Football League The Combined Counties Football League is a regional English football league currently comprising teams from southwestern Greater London, Surrey, small parts of Hampshire and Berkshire, and Guernsey... |
Malden Town |
| Cornwall Combination Cornwall Combination The Cornwall Combination League is a football competition based in the Western half of Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom, formed in 1959.... |
Penryn Athletic Penryn Athletic F.C. Penryn Athletic F.C. are a football club based in Penryn, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. They play in the South West Peninsula League Division One West, and stage their home games at the 1,500 capacity Kernick Road ground. They also run teams in the Cornwall Combination and Trelawny League... |
| Dorset Combination | Dorchester Town Dorchester Town F.C. Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South... reserves |
| Eastern Counties League | Gorleston Gorleston F.C. Gorleston F.C. is an English football club based in Gorleston, Norfolk. They are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Emerald Park.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:... |
| Essex Olympian League | Rayleigh Town |
| Essex Senior League | Bowers United Bowers & Pitsea F.C. Bowers & Pitsea Football Club is an English football club based in Pitsea, Essex and currently plays in the Essex Senior League.-Bowers United Football Club:... |
| Gloucestershire County League Gloucestershire County League The Gloucestershire County League is a football league in England, founded in 1968. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.... |
Almondsbury Greenway Almondsbury Town F.C. Almondsbury Town F.C. are a football club based in Almondsbury, near Bristol, England. The club resigned from the Zamaretto Southern Football League Division One South & West at the end of the 2010–11 season and the first team disbanded, but they are continuing to play at the level of their former... |
| Hellenic League Hellenic Football League The Hellenic Football League is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern Herefordshire, western Greater London, and northern Wiltshire. There is also one team from Hampshire.The league... |
Premier Division – Newbury Town Newbury Town F.C. Newbury Town F.C. is a now-defunct football club based in Newbury, England. They won the Hellenic League title two times in their history. They also won the Isthmian League Division Two in 1994, but ceased to exist just before the start of the 1995–96 season... Division One – Wantage Town Wantage Town F.C. Wantage Town F.C. is a football club based in Wantage, Oxfordshire, that currently play in the Hellenic League Premier DivisionAffiliated to the Berks and Bucks F.A... |
| Herts County League Hertfordshire Senior County League The Hertfordshire Senior County League or Herts Senior County League is a football competition based in England. It was founded in 1898. It currently has two divisions for first teams along with two divisions for reserve teams and is a feeder to the Spartan South Midlands Football League... |
Premier Division – Cockfosters Cockfosters F.C. Cockfosters Football Club is a football club based in Cockfosters in the London Borough of Enfield, England.-FA Cup:The 2007–08 season saw Cockfosters make their debut in the FA Cup... Division One – Bovingdon Division Two – Sun Sports Sun Postal Sports F.C. Sun Postal Sports F.C. are a football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. They were established in 1901 and joined the Herts Senior County League in 1947. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.... reserves Division Three – Bovingdon reserves |
| Isthmian League Isthmian League The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area... |
Premier Division – Slough Town Slough Town F.C. Slough Town F.C. is an English semi-professional football club. The club was officially founded in 1890 after the amalgamation of three local clubs, Swifts, Slough Albion and Young Men's Friendly Society, who between them forged a new club, Slough F.C.... Division One – Bishop's Stortford Bishop's Stortford F.C. Bishop's Stortford F.C. is an English football club based in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at Woodside Park.-History:The club was established in 1874... Division Two – Feltham Feltham F.C. Feltham Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Feltham, in Greater London, England. Originally established in 1946 as Tudor Park F.C., the club changed its name to Feltham F.C. in 1963. In 1981, they won Isthmian League Division Two. They are currently in the Combined Counties... |
| Kent League Kent League The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:... |
Division One – Cray Wanderers Cray Wanderers F.C. Cray Wanderers F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in Bromley, London. It is one of the oldest football clubs in the world. The club was established in 1860 in the twin villages of St. Mary Cray and St Paul's Cray, near Orpington, then in the county of Kent.They currently play... |
| Lancashire Combination Lancashire Combination The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League... |
Wren Rovers Blackpool Wren Rovers F.C. Blackpool Wren Rovers F.C. are an English football club based in Squires Gate, Blackpool, Lancashire.The club's ground is Bruce Park, which is located on School Road... |
| Leicestershire Senior League Leicestershire Senior League The Leicestershire Senior League is a football competition based in Leicestershire, England.-History:... |
Division One – Shepshed Charterhouse Division Two – Lutterworth Town |
| London Spartan League Spartan League The Spartan League was an English football league covering London and adjacent counties.Formed in 1907, the league was along with the Isthmian League and the Athenian League, one of the strong amateur competitions in the South, with three clubs reaching the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals... |
Premier Division – Fisher Athletic Fisher Athletic F.C. Fisher Athletic F.C. was a semi-professional football club from South East London, which last played in the Conference South, which is one of the two leagues that form the sixth tier of the English football league system. The Bermondsey-based club ground-shared at Champion Hill Stadium, the home... |
| Mid-Cheshire League | Division One – Rylands Division Two – Handforth Irwin |
| Midland Combination Midland Football Combination The Midland Football Combination is an English football league covering parts of the West Midlands. It comprises five divisions, a Premier Division, Divisions One and Two and two Reserves Divisions... |
Division One – Moor Green Moor Green F.C. Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England... Division Two – Sheldon Promovere Division Three – Southam United Southam United F.C. Southam United F.C. are a football club situated in the small rural town of Southam, Warwickshire, in the Midlands, England, who currently play in the Midland Football Combination, Premier Division, step 6 in the non-league pyramid system.-History:... |
| Midland League Midland Football League There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League.... |
Premier Division – Boston Boston Town F.C. Boston Town F.C. is an English football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the United Counties League Premier Division and play at Tattershall Road.-History:... Division One – Borrowash Victoria |
| Northern Alliance Northern Football Alliance The Northern Football Alliance is a football competition based in the Northeast of England and Cumbria. It has three divisions headed by the Premier Division, which sits at step 7 of the National League System... |
Percy Main Amateurs |
| Northern League Northern League (football) The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League.... |
Blyth Spartans |
| Northern Premier League Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one... |
Runcorn |
| South Midlands League South Midlands League The South Midlands League was an English football league covering Bedfordshire and some adjoining counties.The league was formed in 1922 as the Bedfordshire County League, changed its name to the Bedfordshire & District County League in 1924 before adopting the South Midlands League title in 1929... |
Premier Division – Stotfold Stotfold F.C. Stotfold F.C. is a football club based at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.-History:Though the club was officially formed in 1904, it is believed that there was a football club in the town earlier than this. In 1911, the Eagles’ current ground was a meadow called "Roker", used by Stotfold Athletic... Division One – The 61 FC The 61 F.C. (Luton) The 61 F.C. is a football club based in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The team joined the Hellenic League Division Two in 1972 switching to the South Midlands League a year later. They have reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase twice in their history. Currently they are members of the Spartan South... |
| South Western League South Western Football League The South Western Football League was an English association football league composed of clubs from Cornwall and the far western part of Devon. It consisted of a single division at the eleventh overall tier of the English football league system, the seventh and lowest "Step" of the official... |
St Blazey St Blazey F.C. St Blazey Association Football Club is an English football club based in St Blazey, Cornwall. They compete at the tenth level of the English football league system, as a member of the South West Peninsula League Premier Division. The club was formed in 1896 as a Junior side, attaining Senior status... |
| Southern League | Midland Division – Alvechurch Alvechurch F.C. Alvechurch Football Club is English association football club based in Alvechurch, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, currently playing in the Midland Football Alliance. They are affiliated with the Worcestershire County Football Association.-History:... Southern Division – Dartford Dartford F.C. Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season... |
| Sussex County League Sussex County Football League The Sussex County Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.Formed in 1920, the league now has six divisions - three for first teams and three for reserve sides... |
Division One – Pagham Pagham F.C. Pagham F.C. is a football club based in Pagham, near Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England. They were formed in 1903, and joined Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1970/71, finishing third in their first three seasons.... Division Two – Whitehawk Whitehawk F.C. Whitehawk F.C. is a football club based in Whitehawk, in Brighton, England.-History:Founded in 1945 as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys, the club joined the Sussex County League in 1952/53 and after finishing third in their inaugural season, were runners-up for three successive seasons from 1954/55,... |
| United Counties League United Counties Football League The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams... |
Premier Division – Stamford Stamford F.C. Stamford A.F.C. is an English football club based in Stamford, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of Division One South of the Northern Premier League and play at the Vic Couzens Stadium... Division One – Stevenage Borough Stevenage Borough F.C. Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season... |
| Wearside League Wearside Football League The Wearside Football League is a non-league football competition based in England. It consists of a single division which sits at step 7 of the National League System and is a feeder to the Northern League Division Two. Following the 2007-08 season, Whitehaven moved up to the Northern League, as... |
Chester-le-Street Town Chester-le-Street Town F.C. Chester-le-Street Town F.C. is an English football club based in Chester-le-Street, County Durham. They were the Wearside League Champions in 1981. In 1985, they reached the 5th round of the FA Vase. They are currently playing in the Northern Football League Division Two... |
| West Midlands (Regional) League | Premier Division – Shifnal Town Shifnal Town F.C. Shifnal Town F.C. is a football club based in Shifnal, Shropshire, England. They have reached the 4th round of the FA Vase three times in their history... Division One – Oldswinford Division Two – Bromsgrove Rovers Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. were a non-League football club from the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The peak of the club's success was in 1993 when Rovers finished runner-up in the Football Conference... reserves |
| Western League Western Football League The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales... |
Premier Division – Bridgwater Town Bridgwater Town F.C. Bridgwater Town Football Club are a football club from Bridgwater, Somerset, England. The original version of the club was founded in 1898. They currently play in the Southern League Division One South and West. The club plays their home games at Fairfax Park... Division One – Chippenham Town Chippenham Town F.C. Chippenham Town are an English football club based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division. They are nicknamed the Bluebirds and they play their home matches at Hardenhuish Park. Their home kit consists of a blue shirt, blue shorts and blue socks... |
| Yorkshire League Yorkshire Football League The Yorkshire Football League was a football competition founded in 1920 which existed until 1982 when it merged with the Midland League to become the Northern Counties East League.-Original League:... |
Division One – Leeds Ashley Road Division Two – Ossett Albion Ossett Albion F.C. Ossett Albion Association Football Club are an English football team who play in the Northern Premier League Division One North. They play at Queen's Terrace in Ossett, in the City of Wakefield district, West Yorkshire , more commonly known as Dimplewells, the area of Ossett the ground is situated... Division Three – Bradley Rangers Bradley Rangers F.C. Bradley Rangers F.C. was a soccer team based in the village of Bradley, near Wrexham. They played their home games at Glanllyn Road, now the site of the "Old Mill" housing estate.... |
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford F.C.
Bishop's Stortford F.C. is an English football club based in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at Woodside Park.-History:The club was established in 1874...
won the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
, while Whickham
Whickham F.C.
Whickham FC are an English football club based in Whickham, Tyne and Wear, playing in the Northern League Division Two in the English football league system...
lifted the FA Vase
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
.