This article concerns football records in England. Unless otherwise stated, records are taken from the Football League or Premier League. Where a different record exists for the top flight (Football League First Division 1888–1992, and Premier League 1992–present), this is also given. This article includes clubs based in Wales that compete in English leagues.
Three of the teams (Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Aston Villa) also played in the first Premier League season in 1992–93, but Notts County missed out, finishing in the relegation zone in 1991–92.[2][3]
A second division was added four years later for the 1892–93 season, resulting in the Football League now becoming the Football League First Division, the top division for the next one hundred years. The Southern League became Division 3 in 1920. A Northern League formed the following year that became Division Three North. In 1958 the regional divisions combined to form the Third Division and a national Fourth Division. The top 12 sides from the Northern and Southern divisions formed the Third Division, whilst the bottom 12 of the respective divisions formed the new fourth tier.[4]
Eight clubs have reached double figures of league titles, with Liverpool and Manchester United leading the chasing pack. Five clubs have managed to win all four divisions, a rare achievement while a further seven clubs need the top title to complete the full set.[5]Luton Town can claim a quadruple of titles when they won the National League, after becoming the non-league champions in 2014.[6]
For the 1919/20 season, the first season after the First World War, Arsenal were controversially elected in to the first division, despite finishing fifth in the last season before the outbreak of war in the second division. However, they have remained at this level ever since.[4][7] Arsenal had once previously won promotion after finishing second behind Preston North End in the 1903/04 season, staying there until finishing bottom in 1912/13. Other clubs won elections to play in the first division. Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United in 1898, Bury and Notts County in 1905 and Chelsea (alongside Arsenal) in 1919 were also elected to the top flight.[4] Blackburn later won division 2 in 1938/39, Newcastle United finished runners-up in 1947/48. Notts County became second division champions in 1913/14, while Bury would finish runners-up in 1923/24. In the 1929/30 season Chelsea finished second behind Blackpool.[8]
Holding the record of continuous seasons, Arsenal are some way ahead of other clubs who have suffered relegation, returning by winning the division, finishing in an automatic promotion place or, more recently, via the play offs. Everton spent three years in the second division before finishing as runners-up to Leicester City in the 1953/54 season. Neighbours Liverpool, after having spent 8 years outside the top division, won the second division title in the 1961/62 season. Manchester United bounced straight back up in 1974/75, after finishing second bottom in 1973/74. This would be Manchester United's last football league title before the birth of the Premier League, in their only time outside the top division since the end of the Second World War. Tottenham Hotspur also spent a season in the Second Division; similarly to Manchester United, it is the only time they have been outside the top flight since 1950. In 1976/77 Spurs conceded 72 goals as they finished bottom, the following season they finished third in the second division to earn promotion back to the top flight.[9] Chelsea have been in the top flight since 1989 after winning the second division, while Manchester City were present there since their 2002 promotion as Division 1 (2nd Tier) Winners. The 1998/99 season saw Manchester City earn promotion from the third tier (Division 2, now known as League One), after winning a penalty shootout against Gillingham in the play-off final. City finished as runners-up to Charlton Athletic in Division 1 (Currently known as the Championship) the following season, then made an immediate return after relegation in 2001, before securing their seventh second division title.
Unlike many European clubs that have never played outside their country's top division, no English club can claim that achievement. 65 clubs have played at the top level, 6 clubs have never returned, the rest, apart from Arsenal, have secured promotion from the second division.[10]Glossop, Leyton Orient, Northampton Town, Carlisle United, Swindon Town, and Barnsley have completed only one season in the top flight.[11] The club that can boast playing the most seasons in the top tier is Everton, who are about to play their 121st season there (out of a possible 125 league seasons).[10] The city of Liverpool has always been represented in footballs top tier. While Everton suffered relegation in 1930, Liverpool remained, though Everton instantly returned to the top flight a year later. After three years in the second division from 1951 to 1954, Everton won promotion to the First Division, swapping places with Liverpool who had been relegated; It would be eight years later that under Bill Shankly, Liverpool were promoted from the second division. Next comes Aston Villa, as they are about to play their 110th season in the top tier. Liverpool will have played one less come May 2024, while Arsenal will have managed 107. Manchester United will become the fifth centurion next year, unless they are relegated.[10]
Top ten clubs by total number of seasons (ever) in top flight*
Twenty four different football clubs have been crowned English champions since the league began in 1888.[12] Some clubs have enjoyed regular success with others not so fortunate. Recently Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to become League champions again, but this is nowhere near the longest wait in history to once again be the English champions.[13]Preston North End won the first two League titles but have never won it since 1890. Sheffield United won in 1898 but no second title has yet arrived. Their neighbours, Sheffield Wednesday, have won the league more recently than them, but have not added to their tally of four league titles, with their most recent success coming in 1930. Huddersfield Town won a hat-trick of titles between 1924 and 1926, but nearly a century later no fourth title has been added.
It is approaching 97 years since Newcastle United were English champions while Tottenham have now gone 62 years without any league titles. Chelsea had to wait 50 years before their Premier League success in 2005, although they did win the second division twice in the 1980s.[8]
Manchester City endured a 44 year spell before winning the league title in 2012. Manchester United went 41 years without the top title, but that time period includes two world wars, with eleven seasons lost. Arsenal, meanwhile, are currently in their longest period without a league title since first becoming English champions in 1931, with their last triumph coming in 2004, the year of the Invincibles. Before that, Arsenal went 18 years without a title twice, 1953 until 1971, then again until 1989.[14]
Most points in a season for a top-flight team (3 points for a win – 38 matches): 100 points (32 wins 4 draws), Manchester City (Premier League, 2017–18)
Fewest points in a season (2 points for a win – 34 matches): 8, joint record:
First league goal awarded by goal-line technology: scored by Edin Džeko in the 14th minute of the Premier League game between Manchester City and Cardiff City on 18 January 2014. The game was officiated by Neil Swarbrick, who consulted his watch when Cardiff defender Kevin McNaughton quickly cleared the ball away just after it entered the goal.[38]
Most career top-flight league appearances at one club: 672, Ryan Giggs (Manchester United, 2 March 1991 to 6 May 2014)
Most career consecutive league appearances: 375, Harold Bell (Tranmere Rovers), 1946 to 1955 (401 consecutive club games including 26 FA Cup appearances)
Fastest player to 100 English top flight goalsDave Halliday – 101 games[56]
Players to score over 30 league goals in four consecutive seasonsDave Halliday – 1925–29.[56] Halliday in fact scored at least 35 goals in each of those four seasons.[56]
Harlow Town (1979–80: Preliminary, 1st–4th qualifying rounds, 1st–4th rounds)
Most games played in a season: 13, Bideford (1973–74: one First Qualifying, two Second Qualifying, five Third Qualifying, four Fourth Qualifying and one first round)
Most goals by a losing side: Reading (5), Reading v. Arsenal, 30 October 2012 in their 5–7 defeat (after extra time)
Most goals by a side without winning: Dagenham & Redbridge (6), Brentford v. Dagenham & Redbridge, 11 August 2014 in a 6–6 draw (Brentford won 4–2 on penalties).
Fastest century of goals scored during a Premier League season (in fewest no. of games played): 103 goals scored in 34 games by Manchester City in season 2013–14. Previous record: 100 goals scored in 42 games by Chelsea in season 2012–13 (excludes games played / goals scored in FA Community Shield (1/2), UEFA Super Cup (1/1) and FIFA Club World Cup (2/3)).[38]
Fastest century of goals scored during a Premier League season (in elapsed calendar days): 103 goals scored on 18 January 2014 by Manchester City in 2013–14. Previous record: 100 goals scored on 21 February 2013 by Chelsea in season 2012–13 (excludes games played / goals scored in FA Community Shield (1/2), UEFA Super Cup (1/1) and FIFA Club World Cup (2/3)).[38]
Most consecutive penalty shoot-out wins: 9 by Bradford City between 6 October 2009 and 11 December 2012[67]
Football League Trophy (quarter-finals), 8 November 2011, Bradford City beat Sheffield United 6–5 on penalties (score 1–1 after normal time)
Football League Trophy (second round), 4 October 2011, Bradford City beat Huddersfield Town 4–3 on penalties (score 2–2 after normal time)
Football League Trophy (first round), 30 August 2011, Bradford City beat Sheffield Wednesday 3–1 on penalties (score 0–0 after normal time)
Football League Trophy (quarter-finals), 10 November 2009, Bradford City beat Port Vale 5–4 on penalties (score 2–2 after normal time)
Football League Trophy (second round), 6 October 2009, Bradford City beat Notts County 3–2 on penalties (score 2–2 after normal time)
Fastest penalty awarded: 6 seconds. Chester v Witton Albion – 13 December 2016. Referee Joseph Johnson awarded a penalty when Blaine Hudson upended Tolani Omotola after six seconds.[68]
This table follows the elite criteria above. It also includes any competitions that were not directly run by the governing bodies but were precursors to such competitions. Note: Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was replaced with UEFA Cup and Intercontinental Cup was replaced with FIFA Club World Cup.
↑ Aston Villa did not win the championship, finishing second to Arsenal whose goal tally of 127 that season is the second-highest ever in the top flight.
↑ "Peter Shilton: Biography". Archived from the original on 17 May 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2007. Throughout his amazing 30-year career he played for 11 English league clubs through which he accumulated a record 1005 League appearances.
The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the 11th season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003.
The 2003–04 FA Premier League was the 12th season of the Premier League. Arsenal were crowned champions ending the season without a single defeat – the first team ever to do so in a 38-game league season. Chelsea finished second to Arsenal.
The 2004–05 FA Premier League was the 13th season of the Premier League. It began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season. Chelsea won the title with a then record 95 points, which was previously set by Manchester United in the 1993–94 season, and later surpassed by Manchester City in the 2017–18 season (100), securing the title with a 2–0 win at the Reebok Stadium against Bolton Wanderers. Chelsea also broke a number of other records during their campaign, most notably breaking the record of most games won in a single Premier League campaign, securing 29 wins in the league in home and away matches, which was later surpassed by themselves in the 2016–17 season.
The 2002–03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.
The 1993–94 FA Premier League was the second season of the FA Premier League, the top division of professional football in England. Manchester United won the league by eight points over nearest challengers Blackburn Rovers, their second consecutive league title. Swindon Town finished bottom of the league in their first season of top-flight football and were relegated along with Sheffield United and Oldham Athletic. Manchester United also broke their own record of the most points in a season, set by themselves the previous season. This would be surpassed by Chelsea in the 2004–05 season.
The 1998–99 FA Premier League was the seventh season of the Premier League, the top division of English football, since its establishment in 1992. Manchester United won a treble of the league title, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. They secured their fifth league title in seven seasons after outlasting Arsenal and Chelsea in a closely fought title race, losing just three league games all season.
The 1992–93 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England. The season saw the Premier League in its first season, replacing Division One of the Football League as the top league in England. Every team in the Premier League played each other twice within the season, one game away and one at home, and were awarded three points for a win and one for a draw.
The 1996–97 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England. Promotion to and relegation from the Football League returned after a three-season absence, with one relegation spot in Division Three.
The 1991–92 season was the 112th season of competitive football in England.
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.
The 1979–80 season was the 100th season of competitive football in England.
The 1978–79 season was the 99th season of competitive football in England.
The 1976–77 season was the 97th season of competitive football in England. This year The Football League revamped the tie-breaking criteria for teams level on points, replacing the traditional goal average tiebreaker with one based on goal difference to try to encourage more scoring. Coloured red and yellow cards were introduced for the first time in domestic English football.
The 1993–94 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.
The 1995–96 season was the 116th season of competitive football in England.
The 1997–98 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.
The 1967–68 season was the 88th season of competitive football in England. Defending First Division champions, Manchester United, became the first English team to win the European Cup, while the First Division title went to their cross city rivals City. West Bromwich Albion lifted the FA Cup this season, for the fifth time in their history. Leeds United won their first two major trophies when they lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and Football League Cup at the expense of an Arsenal side who had not played at Wembley for 16 years.
The 2000–2001 season was Liverpool Football Club's 109th season in existence and their 39th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. This season proved highly successful for Liverpool, with them picking up the League Cup, UEFA Cup and FA Cup under Gerard Houllier, having finished 3rd in the league.
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