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List of Arsenal F.C. seasons

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Arsenal Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Holloway, London. The club was formed in Woolwich in 1886 as Dial Square before it was shortly renamed to Royal Arsenal, and then Woolwich Arsenal in 1893. They became the first southern member admitted into the Football League in 1893, having spent their first four seasons solely participating in cup tournaments and friendlies. The club's name was shortened to Arsenal in 1914, a year after moving to Highbury. In spite of finishing fifth in the Second Division in 1915, Arsenal rejoined the First Division at the expense of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur when football resumed after the First World War. Since that time, they have not fallen below the first tier of the English football league system and hold the record for the longest uninterrupted time in the top flight.

In the 1930s, Arsenal were the dominant side of England, winning five league championships and two FA Cups. Their fortunes waned, but the club soon enjoyed infrequent periods of success, including Inter-Cities Fairs Cup triumph and a first league and cup double in the 1970s. During the late 1980s, Arsenal had built a side that threatened Liverpool's league dominance, and performed greatly in cup competitions. The club played an active role in the formation of the Premier League in 1992, won the FA Cup in 1993 and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994 and two doubles followed in 1998 and 2002. Arsenal made league history in 2003–04 when they became the first team in a 38-game season to go unbeaten. In the 2000s, Arsenal were finalists in both the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League, and have since equalled Real Madrid's record for most consecutive seasons in the latter competition.

As of the end of the 2024–25 season, the club's first team have spent 108 seasons in the top division of English football, and 13 in the second. Their worst league finish to date is 10th in the second tier, their placing at the end of the 1896–97 season. Arsenal's best-ever start to a Premier League season came in 2022–23, when they won nine of their first ten matches. The club's longest period without a competitive honour is 17 years, between the 1953-54 and 1969–70 seasons. Ted Drake holds the record for most competitive goals in a single season for Arsenal; he scored 44 during the 1934–35 campaign. The table details the club's achievements in major competitions, and the top scorers for each season. Records of reserve team and World War II competitions such as the London Combination and the London War Cup are not included.

History

When Arsenal was founded in 1886 by munition workers' from Woolwich, the club resisted the lure of professionalism and remained an amateur side. Success in local cup competitions soon followed, and a tie against Derby County in the FA Cup on 17 January 1891 led to the opposition approaching two of Arsenal's players, in view of offering them professional contracts. Later that year the club resigned its membership of the Kent County and London Football Associationsboth amateur governing bodiesand voted to turn professional, a move which attracted criticism from many southern clubs. In 1893, the club received an invitation to join the Football League, which the board accepted. Arsenal played in the Second Division for eleven seasons, while also participating in regional competitions, the Southern Combination and United League. The club won promotion in 1904, and enjoyed strong FA Cup campaigns in the mid-1900s, but the increase of football clubs in the capital and falling attendances at the Manor Ground pushed Arsenal close to bankruptcy by 1910. Sir Henry Norris and William Hall in that year took over Arsenal, and planned to relocate the team to Highbury in order to improve their financial standing. Arsenal were relegated back to the Second Division in 1913, but the move to North London brought about larger attendances than ever before.

A football pitch with "Highbury 1913–2006" emblazoned on the grass: Arsenal played home matches at Highbury between those years. — url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1919, Norris arranged for the club's promotion back to the First Division, in contentious circumstances. With increased financial resources, the club established themselves as a permanent fixture in the division and was better able to spend money on new players. In 1930, Arsenal beat Huddersfield Town to win its first major piece of silverware: the FA Cup. Success continued right throughout the decade, as they won five league championships and a further FA Cup in seven years. Following the Second World War, Arsenal won two more championships and a FA Cup, but their fortunes gradually declined. It was not until 1970 that the club won another trophy – the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a European club competition designed to promote trade fairs. A first league and cup double was completed a year later; by the end of the decade Arsenal added another FA Cup, beating Manchester United in the 1979 final. 1980 saw Arsenal lose two finals in quick succession, defeated by West Ham United in the FA Cup final and then to Valencia in the Cup Winners' Cup on penalties. The club won their first League Cup in 1987, but a year later failed to retain the trophy as outsiders Luton Town beat them in the final. In 1989, Arsenal won their first league championship in 18 years, courtesy of Michael Thomas' last-minute goal against closest challengers Liverpool in the final game of the season. The club did not build on their success, finishing fourth the following season, but regained the title in 1991. As champions, Arsenal were eligible to play in the European Cup, but their time in the competition ended abruptly as they were eliminated in the second round by Benfica.

The growth of commercialism in English football during the late 1980s and early 1990s paved the way for Arsenal and other prominent clubs to seek the possibility of setting up a new top-flight division. Unhappy with how income was distributed to the lower leagues and wanting to exploit television rights, Arsenal and 21 other First Division clubs handed a notice of resignation from the Football League by August 1991. The breakaway division, entitled the Premier League, was administered by The Football Association and received financial backing from Sky Television. Arsenal finished 10th in the inaugural season; the club did well in other competitions, winning a unique FA and League Cup double. They were victorious in the 1994 Cup Winners' Cup Final, and came close to defending the trophy in 1995, before losing to Real Zaragoza.

Arsenal added more league and cup doubles in 1998 and 2002, and in 2004 became the first club in Premier League history to win the title without a single defeat. The side, nicknamed "The Invincibles" remained unbeaten for 49 games, before losing to Manchester United in October 2004. In 2006, Arsenal reached their first UEFA Champions League final but Barcelona scored twice in the second half to win the competition. Later that year, Arsenal moved to the Emirates Stadium which commenced a transitional period. Though the club strengthened their position in the league's "top four" and frequently participated in the Champions League, they struggled to hold on to their best players. In 2011–12, Arsenal made their worst start to a season for 58 years, but a strong finish saw the club overtake rivals Tottenham Hotspur to third position. After nine years without silverware, the club beat Hull City to win the 2014 FA Cup Final and retained the trophy with a dominant display against Aston Villa in 2015, before clinching a record 13th in 2017. Arsenal won their fourteenth FA Cup in 2020, beating Chelsea.

Key

Key to league competitions:

Premier League (Prem) – England's top football league, established in 1992
Football League First Division (Div 1) – The first tier of English football until the inception of the Premier League in 1992. It was downgraded to the second tier, but remained the highest division of the English Football League until 2004.
Football League Second Division (Div 2) – The second tier of English football from its inception until 1992. It was downgraded to third-highest once the Premier League commenced and remained so until 2004.
United League (United)
Southern District Combination (S Comb)
London League Premier Division (Lon Lge)

Key to colours and symbols:

♦	Top scorer in division

Key to league record:

Season = The year and article of the season
Pos = Final position
Pld = Matches played
W = Matches won
D = Matches drawn
L = Matches lost
GF = Goals scored
GA = Goals against
Pts = Points

Key to cup record:

En-dash (–) = Arsenal did not participate
DNE = The club did not enter cup play
QR1 = First qualification round
QR2 = Second qualification round, etc.
Group = Group stage
GS2 = Second group stage
R1 = First round
R2 = Second round, etc.
R32 = Round of 32
R16 = Round of 16
QF = Quarter-finals
SF = Semi-finals
RU = Runners-up
W = Winners

Seasons

Season	Division	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Pos	FA Cup	League
Cup	Community
Shield	Competition	Result	Player(s)	Goals	League	Other / Europe	Top goalscorer(s)	1886–87	1887–88	1888–89	1889–90	1890–91	1891–92	1892–93	1893–94	1894–95	1895–96	1896–97	1897–98	1898–99	1899–1900	1900–01	1901–02	1902–03	1903–04	1904–05	1905–06	1906–07	1907–08	1908–09	1909–10	1910–11	1911–12	1912–13	1913–14	1914–15	1915–19	1919–20	1920–21	1921–22	1922–23	1923–24	1924–25	1925–26	1926–27	1927–28	1928–29	1929–30	1930–31	1931–32	1932–33	1933–34	1934–35	1935–36	1936–37	1937–38	1938–39	1939–45	1945–46	1946–47	1947–48	1948–49	1949–50	1950–51	1951–52	1952–53	1953–54	1954–55	1955–56	1956–57	1957–58	1958–59	1959–60	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19	2019–20	2020–21	2021–22	2022–23	2023–24	2024–25
													R3	Peter Connolly	13
									QR4			Kent Senior CupLondon Charity Cup
8	RU}}WW	Humphrey Barbour	15
									R1			London Charity Cup	9	W}}'''SF
									R1
									R1
	28	12		12	52	55	28		R1						19
	30	14		10	75	58	34		R1						14
	30	14		12	58	42	32		R1						13
	3014	13		13	6828	7034	3015	3rd	QR5						20
	3016	16			6935	4924	3721	3rd	R1						16
	3420	1810		11	7240	4130	3124	3rd	R1						26
	3416	16		14	6127	4322	3617		QR3						17
	34	15		13	39	35	36		R2
Lon Lge	3416	182	2	104	509	2613	426	5th	R1						12
Lon Lge	3410	206	0	4	6614	3010	4812	3rd3rd	R1						22
Lon Lge	3412	216	2	4	9124	2219	4914	02	2nd}}3rd	R2						25
	34	12		13	36	40	33		R1						11
	38	15		16	62	64	37								15
	38	20		14	66	59	44								19
	38	12	12	14	51	63	36		R1
	38	14	10	14	52	49	38		R2						10
	38	11		18	37	67	31		R2
	38	13	12	13	41	49	38		R2						16
	38	15		15	55	59	38		R1						19
	38		12	23	26	74	18		R2					Charles Lewis
	38	20			54	38	49		R1						12
	38	19		14	69	41	43		R2						33
	42	15	12	15	56	58	42		R2						15
	42	15	14	13	59	63	44		R1						18
	42	15		20	47	56	37						****		22
	42	16	10	16	61	62	42		R1						21
	42	12		21	40	63	33		R2				****		12
	42	14		23	46	58	33			R1						15
	42	22		12	87	63	52								43
	42	17		16	77	86	43		RU						34
	42	13	15	14	82	86	41								29
	42	16	13	13	77	72	45								26
	42	14	11	17	78	66	39		W						23
	42	28	10			59	66	****	R4		W		****		39
	42	22	10	10	90	48	54		RU		W				26
	42	25				61	58	****	R3						33
	42	25			75	47	59	****			W		****		15
	42	23	12			46	58	****			W				44 ♦
	42	15	15	12	78	48	45		W		RU		****		27
	42	18	16		80	49	52				RU				27
	42	21	10	11	77	44	52	****	R5						18
	42	19		14	55	41	47		R3		W				16
									R3						11
	42	16		17	72	70	41		R3						29
	42	23	13		81	32	59	****	R3						33 ♦
	42	18	13	11	74	44	49		R4		W				18
	42	19	11	12	79	55	49		W						24
	42	19		14	73	56	47		R5						17
	42	21	11	10	80	61	53		RU						29
	42	21	12		97	64	54	****							25
	42	15	13	14	75	73	43		R4		W		****		20
	42	17		16	69	63	43		R4				****		19
	42	18	10	14	60	61	46								21
	42	21		13	85	69	50					Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup	SF		32
	42	16		19	73	85	39		R3			Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup	9	W}}'''R1		24
	42	21		13	88	68	50		R5			Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup	W		21
	42	15		18	68	80	39		R3			Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup	SF		14
	42	15	11	16	77	85	41		R3						30
	42	16	11	15	71	72	43		R4				****		23
	42	18	10	14	86	77	46		R5				****		31
	42	17	11	14	90	82	45		R5			London Challenge Cup	R2		31
	42	17		18	69	75	41		R4						25
	42	12	13	17	62	75	37		R3						13
	42	16	14	12	58	47	46		R5	R3					12
	42	17	10	15	60	56	44		R5	RU					21
	42	22	12		56	27	56		R5	RU					19
	42	12	18	12	51	49	42		R3	R3		London Challenge Cup	9	W}}****W'''		19
	42	29			71	29	65	****	W	R4		London Challenge Cup	R2		26
	42	22		12	58	40	52		RU	R4		London Challenge Cup	R2		19
	42	23	11		57	43	57								19
	42	14	14	14	49	51	42		R4	R2					13
	42	13	11	18	47	49	37			R2					23
	42	13	10	19	47	53	36		R3	R2					11
	42	16	11	15	64	59	43		R5						29 ♦
	42	21	10	11	60	37	52		RU						26
	42	17	14	11	61	48	48		W	R2					28
	42	18	16		52	36	52		RU		RU				29
	42	19	15		61	45	53		R3	R4					16
	42	20	11	11	48	37	71		R3	R4					12
	42	16	10	16	58	56	58								21
	42	18		15	74	60	63		R3	R4					23
	42	19		14	61	49	66		R4	R3					13
	42	20		13	49	47	69		R5						18
	42	20	10	12	58	35	70			W					24
	40	18	12	10	58	39	66			RU					16
	38	22	10		73	36	76	****	R3	R3			****		25 ♦
	38	18		12	54	38	62		R4	R4	RU				13
	38	24	13		74	18	83	****		R4					27 ♦
	42	19	15		81	46	72		R3	R3	W				26 ♦
	42	15	11	16	40	38	56		W	W					30
	42	18	17		53	28	71		R4	R4	RU		****		35
	42	13	12	17	52	49	51		R3			Super Cup	RU		30
	38	17	12		49	32	63		R3						22
	38	19	11		62	32	68		R4	R4					30
	38	23			68	33	78	****	W						22
	38	22	12		59	17	78			R4	W				19
	38	22			73	43	73		R4	R4	W	UEFA Cup			26
	38	20	10		63	38	70		RU	R3					22
	38	26			79	36	87	****	W						32 ♦
	38	23			85	42	78		W	R3	W				32
	38	26	12		73	26	90	****			RU				39 ♦
	38	25			87	36	83		W		W				30 ♦
	38	20		11	68	31	67		R4		RU				33 ♦
	38	19	11		63	35	68		R5	RU					13
	38	24	11		74	31	83		R5						30
	38	20	12		68	37	72								20
	38	23			83	41	75		R4						19
	38	19	11		72	43	68			RU					22
	38	21		10	74	49	70		R5						37 ♦
	38	21	10		72	37	73								21
	38	24			68	41	79		W						22
	38	22			71	36	75		W		W				25
	38	20	11		65	36	71				W				24
	38	23			77	44	75		W						30
Prem	38	19	6	13	74	51	63	6th	R3	RU	W	Europa League	SF		17
Prem	38	21	7	10	73	51	70	5th				Europa League	RU		31 ♦
Prem	38	14	14	10	56	48	56	8th	W	R4	—	Europa League	R32		29
Prem	38	18	7	13	55	39	61	8th	R4	QF	W	Europa League	SF		17
Prem	38	22	3	13	61	48	69	5th	R3						12
Prem	38	26	6	6	88	43	84		R4	R3		Europa League	R16		15
Prem	38	28	5	5	91	29	89		R3	R4	W	Champions League	QF		20
Prem	38	20	14	4	69	34	74		R3	SF		Champions League	SF		15

Footnotes

References

General

Specific

References

Tomlinson, Alan. (2010). "A Dictionary of Sports Studies". Oxford University Press.
Freeman, Nicholas. (2011). "1895: Drama, Disaster and Disgrace in Late Victorian Britain". Edinburgh University Press.
(23 June 2016). "English Clubs Divisional Movements 1888-2016". [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]].
(26 December 2009). "Match Pack: Arsenal v Villa". Aston Villa F.C.
"Arsenal – Complete cup finals". Statto Organisation.
Sanghera, Mandeep. (16 September 2015). "Dinamo Zagreb 2–1 Arsenal". [[BBC Sport]].
(21 October 2022). "S outhampton v Arsenal: Head-to-head stats". BBC Sport.
(5 December 2011). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1891–1896". Arsenal F.C.
Kelly, Andy. "What really happened when Arsenal turned professional".
Atwood, Tony. (20 February 2014). "Arsenal's great pre-Highbury rivals". Arsenal F.C.
(25 October 2011). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1911–16". Arsenal F.C.
(2005). "Arsenal Annual Report 2004/2005". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "Norris negotiates top-flight return". Arsenal F.C.
(8 August 2007). "GGM 36: Arsenal win their first major trophy". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "Herbert Chapman – Overview". Arsenal F.C.
Wallace, Sam. (18 September 2011). "In football's long, cyclical game Arsenal's present lack of success is scarcely a drop in the ocean". [[The Independent]].
(30 June 2008). "The managers". Arsenal F.C.
(14 July 2007). "Arsenal win the Fairs Cup in 1970". Arsenal F.C.
(6 June 2011). "From Fairs Cup via UEFA Cup to UEFA Europa League". [[UEFA]].
(16 February 2012). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1970–1971". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "'The Five Minute Final' stuns Manchester Utd". Arsenal F.C.
(1 October 2012). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1976–1980". Arsenal F.C.
(26 January 2011). "Arsenal's League Cup Finals – A history". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "Thomas strike seals title at Anfield". Arsenal F.C.
(21 March 2012). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1986–1990". Arsenal F.C.
(8 July 2007). "Graham's Gunners clinch league title". Arsenal F.C.
Delaney, Miguel. (21 June 2013). "What if ... England hadn't been banned from Europe". [[ESPN FC]].
Ball, Peter. (20 April 1990). "Liverpool receive lift for Europe return". [[The Times]].
Jones, Stuart. (7 November 1991). "Arsenal outclassed in extra time". The Times.
Conn, David. (12 September 2007). "How Dein's 'dead money' helped kill off a football ideal".
Ball, Peter. (17 August 1991). "First division clubs pull out of the Football League". The Times.
"The history of the FA". The Football Association.
(14 December 1992). "How Sky scored an own goal". The Guardian.
"Arsenal – 1992–93". Statto Organisation.
(16 December 2008). "Gunners clinch FA and League Cup double". Arsenal F.C.
(23 August 2007). "GGM 20: Gunners stun Parma in Copenhagen". Arsenal F.C.
(1 June 1995). "1994–95: Nayim's bolt from the blue sinks Arsenal". UEFA.
(9 July 2002). "Double top Gunners". BBC Sport.
(15 May 2012). "Arsenal's 'Invincibles' voted greatest Premier League team". BBC Sport.
(16 December 2008). "'The Invincibles' go 49 games unbeaten". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "Arsenal play in European Cup Final". Arsenal F.C.
(31 August 2008). "Young guns". [[The Observer]].
Ornstein, David. (20 February 2012). "Arsene Wenger at lowest point as Arsenal boss – Emmanuel Petit". BBC Sport.
Wilson, Bill. (21 September 2011). "Arsenal aim to be financial role models". BBC News.
Ronay, Barney. (13 May 2012). "Arsenal secure Champions League place with victory at West Brom". The Guardian.
(19 February 2016). "Arsene Wenger: Keep FA Cup replays, says Arsenal manager". BBC Sport.
Northcroft, Jonathan. (31 May 2015). "Arsenal 4 Aston Villa 0: Gunners' star quality leaves Villa flailing". [[The Sunday Times]].
McNulty, Phil. (1 August 2020). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport.
(9 June 2016). "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
"The FA Cup Past Results". The Football Association.
All results are sourced to Kelly's first team line-ups.
For Arsenal results and final league tables in the Football League, Premier League, United League, Southern District Combination, London League Premier Division, and the abandoned 1939–40 season please refer to Kelly's first team line-ups website, listed in the general section.
(2 September 2016). "Arsenal". UEFA.
Attwood, Tony. (7 September 2013). "Arsenal in the United League, and the unsavoury end to the southern District Combination". The History of Arsenal (AISA Arsenal History Society).
(7 January 2015). "Arsenal elected to the First Division – 10 March 1919".
(25 October 2011). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1911–1916". Arsenal F.C.
(25 October 2011). "125 years of Arsenal history – 1915–1920". Arsenal F.C.
(16 December 2008). "Arsenal at War". Arsenal F.C.
(2 November 2001). "Ask Albert – Number 39". BBC Sport.
Attwood, Tony. (6 April 2015). "Arsenal in the Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup (Southern Professional Floodlit Cup)". The History of Arsenal (AISA Arsenal History Society).
(25 May 1971). "FA in search of substitute". The Times.
Moore, Brian. (9 August 1971). "Leicester's win suggests season of achievement". The Times.
(21 February 2001). "Whatever happened to Third Lanark?".
Taylor, Louise. (23 October 1990). "FA charges clubs after the brawl at Old Trafford". The Times.
Silver, Neil. (17 March 1996). "I'm all Wright". [[Sunday Mirror]].
(24 May 2004). "Henry ready to celebrate". UEFA.
(30 May 2005). "Henry and Forlan win Golden Shoe". BBC Sport.

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