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Football League First Division

Former division of football league in England

Field	Value
country	England
other countries	Wales
organiser	The Football League
founded	17 April 1888
folded	2004
teams	24 (1992–1992)
promotion	Premier League
(1992–2004)
relegation	Second Division
level	1 (1888–1992)
2 (1992–2004)
domest_cup	FA Cup
FA Community Shield
league_cup	League Cup
confed_cup	European Cup
(1956–1985, 1991–1992)
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
(1960–1985, 1990–1999)
UEFA Cup
(1971–1985, 1990–2004)
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
(1955–1971)
champions	Leeds United (1st tier)
(1991–92)
Norwich City (2nd tier)
season	2003–04
most successful club	Liverpool
(18 titles)
most appearances	Peter Shilton (849)
top goalscorer	Jimmy Greaves (357)

(1992–2004) 2 (1992–2004) FA Community Shield (1956–1985, 1991–1992) UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1960–1985, 1990–1999) UEFA Cup (1971–1985, 1990–2004) Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1955–1971) (1991–92) Norwich City (2nd tier) (18 titles)

The Football League First Division was the top division of the Football League in England from 1888 until the end of the 1991–92 season, when its teams broke away to form the Premier League. From 1992 to 2004, the name First Division was given to what had previously been called the Second Division. After the 2003–04 season, the division was renamed the Football League Championship (now EFL Championship, with the division below it called EFL League One).

The First Division contained between 12 and 24 clubs, playing each other home and away in a double round robin. The competition was based on two points for a win from 1888 until the increase to three points for a win in 1981.

History

The Football League was founded in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor. It originally consisted of a single division of 12 clubs (Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke (now Stoke City), West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers), known as The Football League. When the League admitted additional members from the rival Football Alliance in 1892, it was split into two divisions.

For the next 100 years, the First Division was the top professional league in English football. In 1992, the 22 clubs making up the First Division elected to resign from the Football League and set up the Premier League. The Football League was consequently re-organised, with the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions renamed the First, Second, and Third respectively. Thus, the First Division, while still the top level of the Football League, became the second level of the entire English football league system.

The First Division was renamed the Football League Championship prior to the start of the 2004–05 season, as part of a league-wide rebrand. The Football League rebranded itself as the English Football League prior to the 2016–17 season, with its top level becoming the EFL Championship at that time.

Liverpool were the most frequent winners of the First Division when it was the top flight of English football, winning it a total of 18 times.

Trophy and players' medals

The Football League First Division trophy was first awarded in 1891, and was presented to the winners through to 1992. The Football League First Division trophy was temporarily retired in 1983-84 through to 1985-86 and replaced by League sponsors Canon's very own trophy.

As of the 1947–48 season, making seven appearances for their club during the season was not enough for a player to qualify for a winners medal.

As of the 1975–76 season, players had to make 14 appearances for their club during the season in order to qualify for a winners medal.

First Division champions

The Football League First Division between 1888 and 1992 was the top tier in English football.

Club	Titles	Winning seasons
Liverpool		1900–01, 1905–06, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1946–47, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90
Arsenal		1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1947–48, 1952–53, 1970–71, 1988–89, 1990–91
Everton		1890–91, 1914–15, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1938–39, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1984–85, 1986–87
Manchester United
Aston Villa		1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1909–10, 1980–81
Sunderland		1891–92, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1901–02, 1912–13, 1935–36
Newcastle United		1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27
Sheffield Wednesday
Huddersfield Town
Wolverhampton Wanderers		1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59
Leeds United		1968–69, 1973–74, 1991–92
Preston North End		1888–89, 1889–90
Blackburn Rovers		1911–12, 1913–14
Portsmouth		1948–49, 1949–50
Burnley		1920–21, 1959–60
Tottenham Hotspur		1950–51, 1960–61
Manchester City		1936–37, 1967–68
Derby County		1971–72, 1974–75
Sheffield United		1897–98
West Bromwich Albion		1919–20
Chelsea		1954–55
Ipswich Town		1961–62
Nottingham Forest		1977–78

From the start of the 1992–93 season, the first division became the second tier in English football. The champions would now be promoted to the Premier League. The 2003–04 season would be the last before rebranding as the Championship.

Club	Titles	Winning seasons
Sunderland		1995–96, 1998–99
Newcastle United		1992–93
Crystal Palace		1993–94
Middlesbrough		1994–95
Bolton Wanderers		1996–97
Nottingham Forest		1997–98
Charlton Athletic		1999–2000
Fulham		2000–01
Manchester City		2001–02
Portsmouth		2002–03
Norwich City		2003–04

First Division all-time top scorers

Rank	Player	Years	Goals	Matches	Ratio	Club(s)
1	ENG Jimmy Greaves	1957–1972	357	516	0.69	Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United
2	ENG Steve Bloomer	1892–1914	314	535	0.59	Derby County, Middlesbrough
3	ENG Dixie Dean	1924–1938	310	362	0.86	Everton
4	ENG Gordon Hodgson	1925–1940	288	455	0.63	Liverpool, Aston Villa, Leeds United
5	ENG Charlie Buchan	1912–1928	258	481	0.53	Sunderland, Arsenal
6	ENG David Jack	1920–1934	257	476	0.54	Bolton Wanderers, Arsenal
7	ENG Nat Lofthouse	1946–1960	255	452	0.56	Bolton Wanderers
8	ENG Joe Bradford	1921–1935	248	410	0.60	Birmingham City
9	SCO Hughie Gallacher	1925–1938	246	355	0.69	Newcastle United, Chelsea, Derby County, Grimsby Town
10	ENG Joe Smith	1908–1927	243	416	0.58	Bolton Wanderers

References

"Football League First Division Trophy, 1890". National Football Museum.
"Player profile: Bryn Jones". Arsenal FC.
"Joey Jones: Profile". Liverpool FC.
(17 July 2014). "The Football League".

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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