League One | |
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Country | ![]() |
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Confederation | UEFA |
Founded | 2004 1992–2004 (as Division Two) 1958–1992 (as Division Three) 1921–1958 (as Division Three North/South) 1920–1921 (as Division Three) |
Number of teams | 24 |
Promotion to | Championship |
Relegation to | League Two |
Levels on pyramid | 3 |
Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy |
UEFA cup(s) | UEFA Europa League (via FA Cup) UEFA Europa Conference League (via EFL Cup) |
Current champions | Wigan Athletic (2021–22) |
Most successful club | Wigan Athletic (3 titles) |
TV | Sky Sports Quest (highlights only) |
Website | Official website |
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The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division of the English Football League and the third tier in the English football league system.
League One was introduced for the 2004–05 season. It was previously known as the Football League Second Division and prior to the advent of the Premier League, the Football League Third Division.
At the 2018–19 season, Walsall hold the longest tenure in League One, last being out of the division in the 2006–07 season when they were promoted from League Two. There are currently seven former Premier League clubs competing in League One, namely Barnsley (1997–98), Blackpool (2010–11), Bradford City (2000–01), Charlton Athletic (2006–07), Coventry City (2000–01), Portsmouth (2009–10) and Sunderland (2016–17).
Structure
There are 24 clubs in League One. Each club plays every other club twice (once at home and once away). Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. At the end of the season a table of the final League standings is determined, based on the following criteria in this order: points obtained, goal difference, goals scored, an aggregate of the results between two or more clubs (ranked using the previous three criteria) and, finally, a series of one or more play-off matches.
At the end of each season the top two clubs, together with the winner of the play-offs between the clubs which finished in 3rd–6th position, are promoted to Football League Championship and are replaced by the three clubs that finished at the bottom of that division.
Similarly, the four clubs that finished at the bottom of Football League One are relegated to Football League Two and are replaced by the top three clubs and the club that won the 4th–7th place play-offs in that division.
Media coverage
Sky Sports currently show live League One matches with highlights shown on Channel 5 on their programme called Football League Tonight, which also broadcasts highlights of Football League Championship and Football League Two matches. The show is available on the red button the following Sunday until midday and is available on iPlayer all the following week. Highlights of all games in the Football League are also available to view separately on the Sky Sports website. In Sweden, TV4 Sport has the rights of broadcasting from the league. A couple of league matches during the season of 09/10 including play-off matches and the play-off final to the Championship were shown. In Australia, Setanta Sports Australia broadcasts live Championship matches. In the USA and surrounding countries including Cuba, some Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League Two games are shown on beIN Sports.
Current members (2021–22)
The following 24 clubs are competing in League One during the 2021–22 season.
Club | Finishing position last season | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accrington Stanley | 11th | Accrington | Crown Ground | 5,057 (2,000 seated) |
AFC Wimbledon | 19th | London (Merton) | Plough Lane | 9,215 |
Bolton Wanderers | League Two (promoted) | 3rd inHorwich | University of Bolton Stadium | 28,723 |
Burton Albion |
16th |
Burton upon Trent | Pirelli Stadium | 6,912 (2,034 seated) |
Cambridge United | League Two (promoted) | 2nd inCambridge | Abbey Stadium | 8,127 |
Charlton Athletic | 7th | London (Charlton) | The Valley | 27,111 |
Cheltenham Town | League Two (promoted) | 1st inCheltenham | Whaddon Road | 7,066 |
Crewe Alexandra | 12th | Crewe | Gresty Road | 10,180 |
Doncaster Rovers | 14th | Doncaster | Keepmoat Stadium | 15,231 |
Fleetwood Town | 15th | Fleetwood | Highbury Stadium | 5,311 (2,701 seated) |
Gillingham | 10th | Gillingham | Priestfield Stadium | 11,582 |
Ipswich Town | 9th | Ipswich | Portman Road | 30,311 |
Lincoln City | 5th | Lincoln | Sincil Bank | 10,307 |
Milton Keynes Dons | 13th | Milton Keynes | Stadium MK | 30,500 |
Morecambe | League Two (promoted via play-offs) | 4th inMorecambe | Globe Arena | 6,476 |
Oxford United | 6th | Oxford | Kassam Stadium | 12,500 |
Plymouth Argyle | 18th | Plymouth | Home Park | 18,600 |
Portsmouth | 8th | Portsmouth | Fratton Park | 21,100 |
Rotherham United | Championship (relegated) | 23rd inRotherham | New York Stadium | 12,021 |
Sheffield Wednesday | Championship (relegated) | 24th inSheffield | Hillsborough Stadium | 39,732 |
Shrewsbury Town | 17th | Shrewsbury | New Meadow | 9,875 |
Sunderland | 4th | Sunderland | Stadium of Light | 48,707 |
Wigan Athletic | 20th | Wigan | DW Stadium | 25,138 |
Wycombe Wanderers | Championship (relegated) | 22nd inHigh Wycombe | Adams Park | 9,448 |
Teams promoted from League One
Play-off results
- Main article: Football League One play-offs
Relegated teams
Top scorers
Season | Top scorer(s) | Club(s) | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
2004–05 | ![]() |
Hull City | 27 |
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Bradford City | ||
2005–06 | ![]() |
Southend United | 23 |
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Scunthorpe United | ||
2006–07 | ![]() |
Scunthorpe United | 30 |
2007–08 | ![]() |
Swansea City | 24 |
2008–09 | ![]() |
Swindon Town | 29 |
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Bristol Rovers | ||
2009–10 | ![]() |
Southampton | 30 |
2010–11 | ![]() |
Peterborough United | 27 |
2011–12 | ![]() |
Huddersfield Town | 36 |
2012–13 | ![]() |
Yeovil Town | 24 |
2013–14 | ![]() |
Bristol City | 24 |
2014–15 | ![]() |
Preston North End | 26 |
2015–16 | ![]() |
Wigan Athletic | 25 |
2016–17 | ![]() |
Sheffield United | 30 |
2017–18 | ![]() |
Peterborough United | 27 |
2018–19 | ![]() |
Luton Town | 25 |
2019–20 | ![]() |
Peterborough United | 24 |
2020–21 | ![]() |
Peterborough United | 31 |
2021–22 | ![]() |
Wigan Athletic | 26 |
Financial Fair Play
Starting from the 2012–13 season, a Financial Fair Play arrangement has been in place in all 3 divisions of the Football League, the intention being eventually to produce a league of financially self-sustaining clubs. In League One, this takes the form of a Salary Cost Management Protocol in which a maximum of 60% of a club's turnover may be spent on players' wages, with sanctions being applied in the form of transfer embargoes.
See also
- 1920–21 (as Football League Division Three)
- 1921–22 & 1957–58 (as Football League Division Three North/South)
- 1958–59 & 1992–93 (as Football League Division Three)
- 1992–93 & 2003–04 (as Football League Division Two)
External links
EFL League One seasons |
1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–00 · 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 · |
Current EFL League One managers |
Coleman (Accrington Stanley) · Robinson (AFC Wimbledon) · Evatt (Bolton Wanderers) · Hasselbaink (Burton Albion) · Bonner (Cambridge United) · Adkins (Charlton Athletic) · Duff (Cheltenham Town) · Artell (Crewe Alexandra) · Wellens (Doncaster Rovers) · Grayson (Fleetwood Town) · Evans (Gillingham) · Cook (Ipswich Town) · Appleton (Lincoln City) · Martin (Milton Keynes Dons) · Robinson (Morecambe) · Robinson (Oxford United) · Lowe (Plymouth Argyle) · Cowley (Portsmouth) · Warne (Rotherham United) · Moore (Sheffield Wednesday) · Cotterill (Shrewsbury Town) · Neil (Sunderland) · Richardson (Wigan Athletic) · Ainsworth (Wycombe Wanderers) |
Football League One play-offs |
Play-offs |
1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · |
Finals |
1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · |
Third level football leagues of Europe (UEFA) |
Albania · Austria · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federation · Republika Srpska) · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic (Bohemia · Moravia-Silesia) · Denmark · England · Estonia · Faroe Islands · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Rep of Ireland · Israel · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Rep of Macedonia · Malta · Montenegro · Netherlands · Northern Ireland · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · Scotland · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden (North · South) · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine · Wales (North · Mid · South · Wrexham) |
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