List of former English Football League clubs

Former member clubs of the English Football League include football clubs who lost their status in the League by resigning, or by relegation, by becoming defunct, merging with another club, or joining the Premier League.

An action scene from a soccer match, played on a sun-soaked summer's day. Before an old-fashioned terraced stand packed to the rafters with fans, mostly clad in red, a penalty kick has just been taken by a player wearing a red shirt and white shorts. The ball is nestled in the bottom-right-hand corner of the net, with the goalkeeper helpless on the opposite side of his goal. Behind the penalty taker, a few players from each team can be seen on the edge of the penalty area.
Boston United were relegated from the League after a 3–1 defeat to Wrexham on the final day of the 2006–07 season, ending a five-year spell in the League. Wrexham were relegated in 2008, ending an 87-year spell.

The English Football League comprises professional clubs from England and Wales, and was established in 1888 as The Football League (First Division). In 1892, the Second Division was formed. A Third Division was introduced in 1920, before being regionalised as North and South.[1] In 1958 these became the national Third and Fourth Division.[2] The Premier League superseded the First Division as the top-flight of the English football league system in 1992, with the other three divisions renamed the First, Second and Third Divisions.[3] They were rebranded again in 2004 as the Championship, League One and League Two.[3]

Until 1986, clubs could lose their League status by failing to gain re-election after finishing in the bottom four of the bottom division (fourth tier).[4] From the 1986–87 season, the club finishing bottom was relegated to the Conference National (now National League), the highest level of non-League football,[5] depending on the ability of the Conference champions to meet FA requirements.[6] Since 2002–03, the bottom two clubs of League Two face relegation to the National League.[7]

Clubs

The tables show the first and last seasons in which each club competed in the League. Some clubs' membership was intermittent between their first and last seasons.

Clubs shown in bold were among the founder members of the League. As of 2023, the founder member clubs playing in the League are Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke City, and West Bromwich Albion. Preston have continuously been League members, whereas the others (except Notts County) have played in the Premier League at one time or another. Notts County has recently returned to the League after four seasons in the National League.

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

Where a defunct club has been succeeded by a phoenix club, the new club is listed.

Former member clubs (no longer at English football levels 1–4)

ClubFirst League
season
Last League
season
ReasonCurrent statusRef(s)
Aberdare Athletic1921–221926–27Not re-electedMerged with Aberaman as Aberdare and Aberaman, later Aberaman Town and now Aberdare Town in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division[8]
Accrington1888–891892–93ResignedDefunct[9]
Accrington Stanley (1891)1921–221961–62ResignedDefunct, but a new Accrington Stanley formed in 1968 and are playing in EFL League Two[10]
Aldershot1932–331991–92[a]LiquidatedDefunct, Aldershot Town later formed and are playing in the National League[11]
Aldershot Town2008–092012–13RelegatedPlaying in the National League[12]
Ashington1921–221928–29Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Division One East[13]
Barnet1991–922017–18RelegatedPlaying in the National League[14]
Bootle1892–931892–93ResignedDefunct. A new club, formed as Langton in 1953, changed name to Bootle in 1973, and now playing in the Northern Premier League Division One West[15]
Boston United2002–032006–07RelegatedPlaying in the National League North[16]
Bradford Park Avenue1908–091969–70Not re-electedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[17]
Burton Swifts1892–931900–01Merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton UnitedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One[18]
Burton United1901–021906–07Not re-electedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One[19]
Burton Wanderers1894–951896–97Not re-elected; later merged with Burton Swifts to form Burton UnitedDefunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One[20]
Bury1894–952018–19Expelled; later merged with successor club, Bury A.F.C.Expelled during the 2019–20 season without playing a match, due to inability to pay liabilities. Playing in the North West Counties League Premier Division[21]
Chester City1931–322008–09RelegatedDefunct, successor club Chester playing in the National League North[22]
Chesterfield1899–19001908–09Not re-electedDefunct. Revived club playing in the National League[23]
1921–222017–18RelegatedPlaying in the National League
Dagenham & Redbridge2007–082015–16RelegatedPlaying in the National League[24]
Darlington1921–222009–10RelegatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League North[25]
Darwen1891–921898–99ResignedDefunct, AFC Darwen later formed and are playing in the North West Counties League Division One North[26]
Durham City1921–221927–28Not re-electedDefunct. Revived club playing in the Wearside League Division One[27]
Gainsborough Trinity1896–971911–12Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[28]
Gateshead1919–201959–60Not re-electedDefunct. New Gateshead (National League) and South Shields (Northern Premier League Premier Division) clubs formed[29]
Glossop1898–991914–15Not re-electedPlaying in the North West Counties League Premier Division[30][31]
Halifax Town1921–222001–02RelegatedDefunct, FC Halifax Town later formed and are playing in the National League[32]
Hartlepool United1921–222022–23RelegatedPlaying in the National League[33]
Hereford United1972–732011–12RelegatedDefunct, successor club Hereford playing in the National League North[34]
Kidderminster Harriers2000–012004–05RelegatedPlaying in the National League[35]
Leeds City1905–061919–20[b]ExpelledDefunct, successor club Leeds United playing in the EFL Championship[36]
Loughborough1895–961899–1900Not re-electedDefunct[37]
Macclesfield Town1997–982019–20RelegatedDefunct, successor club Macclesfield playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[38]
Maidstone United1989–901991–92[c]LiquidatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League South[40]
Merthyr Town1920–211929–30Not re-electedDefunct, revived version playing in Southern League Premier Division South[41]
Middlesbrough Ironopolis1893–941893–94ResignedDefunct[42]
Nelson1921–221930–31Not re-electedDefunct, revived version playing in the North West Counties League Division One North[43]
New Brighton1923–241950–51Not re-electedDefunct[44]
New Brighton Tower1898–991900–01LiquidatedDefunct[45]
Newport County1920–211987–88RelegatedDefunct, revived version of the club playing in EFL League Two[46]
Northwich Victoria1892–931893–94ResignedPlaying in the Midland League Premier Division[47]
Oldham Athletic1907–082021–22RelegatedPlaying in the National League[48]
Rochdale1921–222022–23RelegatedPlaying in the National League[49]
Rotherham County1919–201924–25Merged with Rotherham Town (1899) to form Rotherham UnitedDefunct, Rotherham United playing in the EFL Championship[50]
Rotherham Town1893–941895–96ResignedDefunct, Rotherham United playing in the EFL Championship[51]
Rushden & Diamonds2001–022005–06RelegatedDefunct, AFC Rushden & Diamonds playing in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands[52][53]
Scarborough1987–881998–99RelegatedDefunct, Scarborough Athletic later formed and are playing in the National League North[54]
Scunthorpe United1950–512021–22RelegatedPlaying in the National League North[55]
Southend United1920–212020–21RelegatedPlaying in the National League[56]
Southport1921–221977–78Not re-electedPlaying in the National League North[57]
Stalybridge Celtic1921–221922–23ResignedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Division One West[58]
Thames1930–311931–32ResignedDefunct[59]
Torquay United1927–282013–14RelegatedPlaying in the National League South[60]
Wigan Borough1921–221930–31Resigned midway through seasonDefunct, successor club Wigan Athletic playing in EFL League One[61]
Wimbledon1977–782003–04Relocated and became Milton Keynes Dons.Became Milton Keynes Dons are playing in League Two[62]
Workington1951–521976–77Not re-electedPlaying in the Northern Premier League Premier Division[63]
Yeovil Town2003–042018–19RelegatedPlaying in the National League South[64]
York City1929–302015–16RelegatedPlaying in the National League[65]

Current members of the Premier League (2023–24)

ClubFirst League
season
Last League
season
Ref(s)
Arsenal1893–941991–92[66]
Aston Villa1888–892018–19[67]
Bournemouth1923–242021–22[68]
Brentford1920–212020–21[69]
Brighton & Hove Albion1920–212016–17[70]
Burnley1888–892022–23[71]
Chelsea1905–061991–92[72]
Crystal Palace1920–212012–13[73]
Everton1888–891991–92[74]
Fulham1907–082021–22[75]
Liverpool1893–941991–92[76]
Luton Town1897–982022–23[77]
Manchester City1892–932001–02[78]
Manchester United1892–931991–92[79]
Newcastle United1893–942016–17[80]
Nottingham Forest1892–932021–22[81]
Sheffield United1892–932022–23[82]
Tottenham Hotspur1908–091991–92[83]
West Ham United1919–202011–12[84]
Wolverhampton Wanderers1888–892017–18[85]

See also

Footnotes

References

General
  • "footballsite.co.uk". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  • Out of Our League: Defunct and ex-Football League Teams – Volume One. Wibble Publishing. August 2013. ISBN 978-0-9919266-1-9.
  • Out of Our League: Defunct and ex-Football League Teams – Volume Two. Wibble Publishing. August 2014. ISBN 978-0-9919266-9-5.
  • Hyder, Jawad (2014). Ghosts of the League: 1946–92. Flict Enterprises. ASIN B00QVEGW24.
Specific