List of Rotherham United F.C. seasons

Last updated

Rotherham United's league performance from their first season to the 2019-20 season. RotherhamUnitedFC League Performance.svg
Rotherham United's league performance from their first season to the 2019–20 season.

Rotherham United Football Club is an association football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The club was formed in 1925 as a merger between Rotherham Town and Rotherham County when it was decided that having two professional clubs in the town was not sustainable. [1] After the merger, the club was elected to play in the Football League Third Division North. United played in the Third Division North until 1950–51, when they were champions of the division and were promoted to the Second Division. [2] During their first spell in the Second Division the club reached the fifth round of the FA Cup twice and were runners up in the inaugural Football League Cup, which is the furthest they have reached in these competitions. [3] Their furthest Football League Trophy run saw the club win the competition twice, in the 1995–96 season defeating Shrewsbury Town 2–1 in the final; and in the 2021–22 season defeating Sutton United 4–2 after extra time in the final. [4]

Contents

As of the end of 2022–23, the club's first team has remained in the English Football League since its formation. [3] Their highest finish came in 1954–55 when they finished in third place in the Second Division, missing out on promotion to the top division only on goal average. [1] In total the club has spent 27 seasons in the second tier of the English football league system, 47 in the third and 13 in the fourth. Rotherham has qualified for four Football League play-offs, in 1998–99 they lost in the Third Division semi-final to Leyton Orient, [5] in 2009–10 they reached the League Two final but lost 3–2 to Dagenham & Redbridge, [6] in 2013–14 they reached the League One final and defeated Leyton Orient in a penalty shoot-out to gain promotion the Football League Championship, [7] and in 2017–18 they again reached the League One final and defeated Shrewsbury Town 2–1 to gain promotion the EFL Championship. The table details their achievements in first-team competitions for each completed season since their first appearance in the Football League in 1925–26.

Key

Seasons

SeasonLeague record FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Top scorer(s) [a]
DivisionPldWDLGFGAPtsPosPlayer(s)Goals
1925–26Division 3N4217718699241 14th R3 Joe Scott 14
1926–27Division 3N42101220709232 19th R1 Cyril Hemingway 11
1927–28Division 3N42141117656939 14th R3 Joe Scott 21
1928–29Division 3N4215918607739 16th R1 Billy Bottrill 11
1929–30Division 3N42118236711330 20th R3 Egbert Murden21
1930–31Division 3N42131217818338 14th R1 Billy Hick 30
1931–32Division 3N4014422637232 19th R1 Albert Parkin15
1932–33Division 3N4214622608434 17th R1 John Nock 10
1933–34Division 3N4210824539128 21st R3 Vic Wright 18
1934–35Division 3N4219716867345 9th R2 Billy Dickinson 25
1935–36Division 3N4216917696641 11th R2 Billy Dickinson 18
1936–37Division 3N4214721789135 17th R1 Ernest Smith22
1937–38Division 3N42201012685650 6th R2 Arnold Bramham24
1938–39Division 3N4217817646442 11th R1 Arnold Bramham30
1939–40Division 3N3111563 11th [b]
1939–45No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 due to the Second World War.
1945–46N/A [c] R4
1946–47Division 3N4229671145364 2nd R3 Wally Ardron 40
1947–48Division 3N422598954959 2nd R1 Wally Ardron 30
1948–49Division 3N422868904662 2nd R3 Wally Ardron 33
1949–50Division 3N42191013805948 6th R3 Gladstone Guest 18
1950–51Division 3N 4631961034171 1st R4 Jack Shaw 46
1951–52Division 24217817737142 9th R4 Jack Shaw 25
1952–53Division 24216917757441 12th R5 Jack Grainger 18
1953–54Division 24221714806749 5th R4 Ronnie Burke 33
1954–55Division 24225413946454 3rd R4 Jack Grainger 19
1955–56Division 24212921567533 19th R3 Ian Wilson14
1956–57Division 242131118747537 17th R3 Peter Johnson

Jack Grainger

14
1957–58Division 242145236510133 18th R3 Barry Webster 12
1958–59Division 24210923428229 20th R3 Barry Webster 12
1959–60Division 242171312616047 8th R4 Brian Sawyer 21
1960–61Division 242121317656437 15th R4 RU Ken Houghton

Alan Kirkman

14
1961–62Division 24216917707641 9th R3 QF Alan Kirkman 22
1962–63Division 24217619677440 14th R3 R4 Albert Bennett 23
1963–64Division 24219716907845 7th R3 QF Brian Tiler

Ken Houghton

22
1964–65Division 242141216706940 14th R4 R3 Albert Bennett 27
1965–66Division 242161412757446 7th R4 R4 John Galley 22
1966–67Division 242131019617036 18th R4 R3 Les Chappell 17
1967–68Division 2 42101121427631 21st R5 R2 John Galley 7
1968–69Division 346161317565045 11th R2 R1 Jim Storrie 15
1969–70Division 346151417625444 14th R3 R3 Steve Downes11
1970–71Division 346171613646050 8th R3 R2 Dave Watson 12
1971–72Division 346201511695255 5th R4 R1 Carl Gilbert 27
1972–73Division 3 4617722516541 21st R2 R3 Bobby Ham 10
1973–74Division 446151318565843 15th R2 R2 Ron Wigg 15
1974–75Division 4 4622159714159 3rd R3 R2 Richard Finney17
1975–76Division 346151219546542 16th R2 R1 Richard Finney11
1976–77Division 34622159694459 4th R3 R2 Alan Crawford 31
1977–78Division 346131320516839 20th R3 R2 Richard Finney16
1978–79Division 346171019495544 17th R3 R3 Dave Gwyther 18
1979–80Division 346181018586646 13th R2 R2 Richard Finney13
1980–81Division 3 4624139623261 1st R2 R1 Ronnie Moore 25
1981–82Division 24220715665467 7th R3 R2 Ronnie Moore 25
1982–83Division 2 42101517456845 20th R3 R3 John Seasman

Joe McBride

11
1983–84Division 34615922576454 18th R3 QF R1 Kevin Kilmore 21
1984–85Division 346181117555565 12th R1 R3 R1 Tony Simmons14
1985–86Division 346151219615957 14th R4 R1 QF Tommy Tynan 17
1986–87Division 346151219485757 14th R1 R2 PR Gareth Evans11
1987–88Division 3 46121618506652 21st R2 R2 R1 Paul Haycock 14
1988–89Division 4 4622168763582 1st R2 R2 R1 Bobby Williamson 28
1989–90Division 346171316716264 9th R2 R2 QF Bobby Williamson 25
1990–91Division 3 46101224508742 23rd R4 R2 R1 Clive Mendonca 12
1991–92Division 4 4222119703777 2nd R2 R1 QF Tony Cunningham 20
1992–93Division 2 [d] 46171415606065 11th R4 R2 R2 Tony Cunningham 12
1993–94Division 246151318636058 15th R1 R2 R2 Imre Varadi 21
1994–95Division 246141418576156 17th R2 R1 R2 Shaun Goater 25
1995–96Division 246141418546256 16th R1 R2 W Earl Jean 6
1996–97 Division 2 4671425397035 23rd R1 R1 R1 Leo Fortune-West 17
1997–98Division 346161911676167 9th R3 R1 R2 Lee Glover 18
1998–99Division 346201313796173 5th [e] R3 R1 R1 Leo Fortune-West
Lee Glover
12
1999–2000 Division 3 46241210723684 2nd R2 R1 R2 Leo Fortune-West 17
2000–01 Division 2 4627109795591 2nd R3 R1 R1 Mark Robins 26
2001–02 Division 146101917526649 21st R4 R2 Mark Robins 16
2002–03 Division 146151417626259 15th R3 R4 Alan Lee 16
2003–04 Division 146131518536154 17th R3 R3 Martin Butler 15
2004–05 Championship [f] 4651427356929 24th R3 R2 Martin Butler 6
2005–06League 146121618526252 20th R1 R2 R2 Deon Burton 14
2006–07League 1 4613924587538 [g] 23rd R1 R2 R1 Will Hoskins 16
2007–08League 246211114625864 [g] 9th R1 R1 R2 Derek Holmes
Chris O'Grady
11
2008–09League 246211213604658 [h] 14th R1 R4 F(N) Reuben Reid 19
2009–10 League 246211015555273 5th [i] R2 R2 R1 Adam Le Fondre 30
2010–11 League 246171514756066 9th R1 R1 QF Adam Le Fondre 25
2011–12 League 246181315676367 10th R2 R1 R2 Lewis Grabban 20
2012–13 League 2 4624715745979 2nd R3 R1 R1 Daniel Nardiello 13
2013–14 League 1 4624148865886 4th [j] R2 R2 SF Kieran Agard 18
2014–15 Championship46111619466746 [k] 21st R3 R2 Matt Derbyshire 10
2015–16 Championship46131023537149 21st R3 R2 Matt Derbyshire 8
2016–17 Championship 465833409823 24th R3 R1 Danny Ward 12
2017–18 League 1 4624715735379 4th [l] R1 R2 R1 Kieffer Moore 13
2018–19 Championship 4681622367740 22nd R3 R2 Semi Ajayi
Michael Smith
Will Vaulks
8
2019–20 League 1 351889613862 2nd [m] R3 R2 GS Freddie Ladapo 17
2020–21 Championship 4611926446042 23rd R3 R1 Michael Smith 10
2021–22 League 1 4627910703390 2nd R3 R1 W Michael Smith 25
2022–23 Championship46111718496050 19th R3 R2 Chiedozie Ogbene 9
2023–24 Championship 4651229378927 24th R3 R2 Tom Eaves 6
2024–25 League 146161119495459 13th R1 R2 QF Sam Nombe 13

Notes

  1. Includes goals scored in league games (including play-offs), FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
  2. When the Second World War began, the 1939–40 Football League season was abandoned with three matches played. [8]
  3. The FA Cup was contested in 1945–46 but the Football League did not resume until the following season.
  4. The Third Division was renamed Division Two after the FA Premier League broke away from the Football League. [9]
  5. Lost in the play-off semi-final to Leyton Orient 4–2 in a penalty shootout after each leg ended 0–0. [5]
  6. Before the 2004–05 season, The Football League re-branded Division One as the Football League Championship. Divisions Two and Three became Leagues One and Two, respectively.
  7. 1 2 10 points deducted for entering administration. [1]
  8. 17 points deducted for not satisfying the normal conditions of Football League rules for exiting administration. [1]
  9. Beat Aldershot Town 3–0 on aggregate in the semi-final before losing 3–2 to Dagenham & Redbridge in the 2010 Football League Two play-off final. [10] [11]
  10. Promoted into the Football League Championship via the play-offs, beating Preston North End 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-final and Leyton Orient 4–3 on penalties in the 2014 Football League One play-off final. [12]
  11. Three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player. [13]
  12. Promoted into the EFL Championship via the play-offs, beating Scunthorpe United 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-final and Shrewsbury Town 2–1 in the 2018 EFL League One play-off final.
  13. The 2019–20 season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with league positions decided on a points-per-game basis. Rotherham United averaged 1.77 points from 35 games.

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 "Rotherham United: Club History". themillers.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  2. "Rotherham United 1950-1951 – Results". Statto.com. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Rotherham United". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  4. "Rotherham United football club honours". 11v11.com. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  5. 1 2 Felton, Paul (17 July 2000). "England 1998-99". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  6. Ley, John (30 May 2010). "Dagenham & Redbridge 3 Rotherham United 2: match report". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  7. Maiden, Phil (25 May 2014). "Leyton Orient 2 2 Rotherham United". BBC Online . Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  8. Felton, Paul. "Season 1939–40 (Abandoned)". RSSSF . Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  9. "History of the Football League". The Football League. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013.
  10. Vesty, Marc (19 May 2010). "Rotherham 2 - 0 Aldershot (agg 3 - 0)". BBC Online . Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  11. Fletcher, Paul (30 May 2010). "Dag & Red 3 - 2 Rotherham". BBC Online . Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  12. Doyle, Paul (25 May 2014). "Rotherham promoted to Championship after penalty win over Leyton Orient". theguardian.com . Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  13. "Rotherham deducted three points for ineligible player". The Daily Telegraph. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.