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 | Portsmouth (1st title; 4th divisional title) (2023–24) |
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 (2023–24)[]
The following 24 clubs are competing in League One during the 2023–24 season.
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 |
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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[]
- Football League One Portal
- 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 · 2023–24 · 2024–25 · |
Current EFL League One managers |
Clarke (Barnsley) · Davies (Birmingham City) · Bruce (Blackpool) · Schumacher (Bolton Wanderers) · Calderón (Bristol Rovers) · Bowyer (Burton Albion) · Monk (Cambridge United) · Jones (Charlton Athletic) · Elliot (Crawley Town) · Caldwell (Exeter City) · Duff (Huddersfield Town) · Wellens (Leyton Orient) · Skubala (Lincoln City) · Clough (Mansfield Town) · Nolan (Northampton Town) · Ferguson (Peterborough United) · Hunt (Reading) · Evans (Rotherham United) · Ainsworth (Shrewsbury Town) · Revell (Stevenage) · Challinor (Stockport County) · Maloney (Wigan Athletic) · Parkinson (Wrexham) · Dodds (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 · 2022 · 2023 · |
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 · 2022 · 2023 · |
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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