EFL League One
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football league The English Football League One, known as Sky Bet League One for sponsorship reasons, or simply League One, is a professional association football league in England. EFL League One is the second-highest division of the English Football League and the third tier overall in the English football league system, after the Premier League and the EFL Championship. It is contested by 24 clubs.
Introduced in the 2004–05 English football season as Football League One, it is a rebrand of the former Football League Second Division.
Shrewsbury Town currently hold the longest tenure in the division following promotion from League Two at the end of the 2014–15 season up until their relegation at the end of the 2024-25 season. There are eight former Premier League clubs currently competing in this division; Barnsley (1997–98), Birmingham City (2002–06, 2007–08 and 2009–11), Blackpool (2010–11), Bolton Wanderers (1995–96, 1997–98, and 2001–12), Charlton Athletic (1998–99 and 2000–07), Huddersfield Town (2017–19), Reading (2006–08 and 2012–13), and Wigan Athletic (2005–13).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
StructureEdit
There are 24 clubs in this division. Each club plays each of the others twice. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none 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), most matches won, most goals scored away from home, fewest "penalty points" based on yellow and red cards received, followed by fewest straight red cards for certain offences. If two or more teams are still tied after examining all of these criteria, they will share the higher place between them. The only exception would be if the tied teams span the boundary between 2nd and 3rd, 6th and 7th, or 20th and 21st place, in which case one or more play-off matches would be arranged between the tied clubs.Template:CN
At the end of each season the top two clubs, together with the winner of the play-offs between the clubs which finished in the third to sixth positions, are promoted to the EFL 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 EFL League One are relegated to EFL League Two and are replaced by the top three clubs and the club that won the fourth to seventh place play-offs in that division.
Current membersEdit
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Teams promoted from League OneEdit
Play-off resultsEdit
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Relegated teamsEdit
Template:Note labelExpelled in August 2019 after financial breaches.
Top scorersEdit
Template:Note labelIn 35 games. Season truncated because of coronavirus.
AttendancesEdit
EFL League One is the most-watched third-tier domestic sports league in the world, with an average of 10,613 spectators per game in the 2022–23 season, also making it one of the top ten most watched leagues in Europe.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The closest third-tier association football league in terms of average attendance is the Germany 3. Liga (8,219).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The highest average attendance since the restructure into League One was the 2022–23 season, when over 5.3 million spectators watched games, with an average of 10,613 per game. The highest average attendance by a single club was Sunderland in the 2018–19 season with 32,157. They also set the League One attendance record for a single game in the same season, when 46,039 spectators attended the Boxing Day game against Bradford City.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Season | League Average Attendance | Highest Average | Highest Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Attendance | Game | Attendance | ||
| 2004–05 | 7,732 | Sheffield Wednesday | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sheffield Wednesday vs Bristol City || 28,798 | |
| 2005–06 | 7,578 | Nottingham Forest | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth|| 26,847 | |
| 2006–07 | 7,486 | Nottingham Forest | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || Nottingham Forest v Rotherham United || 27,875 | |
| 2007–08 | 7,985 | Leeds United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Leeds United v Gillingham || 38,256 | |
| 2008–09 | 7,551 | Leeds United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| | |
| 2009–10 | 9,136 | Leeds United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Leeds United v Bristol Rovers || 38,234 | |
| 2010–11 | 7,519 | Southampton | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Southampton v Walsall || 31,653 | |
| 2011–12 | 7,358 | Sheffield Wednesday | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers || 38,082 | |
| 2012–13 | 6,335 | Sheffield United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sheffield United v Brentford || 23,431 | |
| 2013–14 | 7,476 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Wolverhampton Wanderers v Rotherham United || 30,110 | |
| 2014–15 | 7,037 | Sheffield United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Coventry City v Gillingham || 27,306 | |
| 2015–16 | 7,163 | Sheffield United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sheffield United v Bradford City || 24,777 | |
| 2016–17 | 7,933 | Sheffield United | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sheffield United v Chesterfield || 31,003 | |
| 2017–18 | 7,805 | Bradford City | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Blackburn Rovers v Oxford United || 27,600 | |
| 2018–19 | 8,741 | Sunderland | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sunderland v Bradford City || 46,039 | |
| 2019–20 | 8,802 | Sunderland | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref>|| Sunderland v Bolton Wanderers || 33,821 | |
| 2020–21 | No attendances because of COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2021–22 | 9,953 | Sunderland | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || Sunderland v Doncaster Rovers || 38,395 | |
| 2022–23 | 10,613 | Derby County | 27,259 | Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle | 33,442 |
| 2023–24 | 9,711 | Derby County | 27,278 | Derby County v Bolton Wanderers | 32,538 |
| 2024–25 | 10,040 | Birmingham City | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || Birmingham City v Reading || 27,985 | |
Historic performanceEdit
Since the restructuring into League One in 2004, 78 teams have spent at least one season in the division, including 8 of the 20 teams in the 2024–25 Premier League. Milton Keynes Dons has spent 15 seasons in League One, the most of any team. Oldham Athletic's single 14-season consecutive spell was the longest of any team. The team with the current longest tenure is Shrewsbury Town, who will be in their tenth consecutive season in the division, having been in League One since the 2015–16 season. Rotherham United have had the highest number of separate spells in League One with six. There have been 17 different Champions of League One, with Wigan Athletic having won the division three times.
Key
- Template:Legend2 Template:Dagger Teams with this background and symbol in the "Club" column will be competing in the 2024–25 EFL League One
- Template:Legend2 Template:Double-dagger Team will be competing in the 2024–25 Premier League
- Template:Legend2 The club competed in League One during that season (the number is the club's final league position)
| Club | Total Seasons | Number of Spells | Longest Spell (Seasons) | Highest Position | Lowest Position | Season | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Accrington Stanley | 5 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 23 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||
| AFC Bournemouth Template:Double-dagger | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| AFC Wimbledon | 6 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 23 | |||||||||||||||
| Barnsley Template:Dagger | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | |||||||||||||
| Birmingham City Template:Dagger | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Blackburn Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Blackpool Template:Dagger | 10 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||||
| Bolton Wanderers Template:Dagger | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Bradford City | 9 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 24 | ||||||||||||
| Brentford Template:Double-dagger | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion Template:Double-dagger | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 18 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bristol City | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bristol Rovers Template:Dagger | 12 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 22 | |||||||||
| Burton Albion Template:Dagger | 8 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 20 | |||||||||||||
| Bury | 6 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 14 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 24Template:Efn | |||||||||||||||
| Cambridge United Template:Dagger | 4 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 23 | 14 | 20 | 18 | 23 | |||||||||||||||||
| Carlisle United | 9 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 17 | 22 | 24 | ||||||||||||
| Charlton Athletic Template:Dagger | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Cheltenham Town | 6 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 15 | 16 | 21 | |||||||||||||||
| Chesterfield | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 24 | ||||||||||||||
| Colchester United | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 23 | |||||||||||
| Coventry City | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 23 | 8 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Crawley Town Template:Dagger | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
| Crewe Alexandra | 9 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 12 | 24 | ||||||||||||
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 21 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Derby County | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Doncaster Rovers | 12 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 22 | |||||||||
| Exeter City Template:Dagger | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 18 | 8 | 23 | 14 | 13 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| Fleetwood Town | 10 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 22 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 13 | 22 | |||||||||||
| Forest Green Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Gillingham | 13 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 21 | ||||||||
| Hartlepool United | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 23 | 6 | 21 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 23 | |||||||||||||
| Hereford United | 1 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Huddersfield Town Template:Dagger | 9 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 10 | ||||||||||||
| Hull City | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ipswich Town Template:Double dagger | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Leeds United | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Leicester City Template:Double dagger | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Leyton Orient Template:Dagger | 11 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 11 | 6 | ||||||||||
| Lincoln City Template:Dagger | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 11 | |||||||||||||||
| Luton Town | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 24 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mansfield Town Template:Dagger | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 17 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Millwall | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| MK Dons | 15 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 3 | 21 | ||||||
| Morecambe | 2 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Northampton Town Template:Dagger | 8 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 22 | 14 | 19 | |||||||||||||
| Norwich City | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nottingham Forest Template:Double-dagger | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Notts County | 5 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||
| Oldham Athletic | 14 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 21 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 21 | |||||||
| Oxford United | 8 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 19 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 5 | |||||||||||||
| Peterborough United Template:Dagger | 14 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 18 | |||||||
| Plymouth Argyle | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 23 | 7 | 21 | 18 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Port Vale | 10 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 23 | 9 | 18 | 12 | 21 | 18 | 23 | |||||||||||
| Portsmouth | 8 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Preston North End | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Reading Template:Dagger | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rochdale | 9 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 9 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 21 | ||||||||||||
| Rotherham United Template:Dagger | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | ||||||||||||||
| Scunthorpe United | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 23 | |||||||||||
| Sheffield United | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Shrewsbury Town Template:Dagger | 12 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 24 | 20 | 18 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 19 | 24 | |||||||||
| Southampton Template:Double dagger | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Southend United | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 22 | ||||||||||||
| Stevenage Template:Dagger | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 9 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
| Stockport County Template:Dagger | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 24 | 18 | 24 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sunderland | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Swansea City | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Swindon Town | 12 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 22 | 23 | |||||||||
| Torquay United | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 21 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tranmere Rovers | 11 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 21 | ||||||||||
| Walsall | 14 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 24 | 14 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 22 | |||||||
| Wigan Athletic Template:Dagger | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 12 | 15 | |||||||||||||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers Template:Double-dagger | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrexham Template:Dagger | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 22 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wycombe Wanderers Template:Dagger | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 5 | |||||||||||||
| Yeovil Town | 9 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 4 | 24 | ||||||||||||
Financial Fair PlayEdit
Beginning with the 2012–13 season, a Financial Fair Play arrangement has been in place in all three 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
- 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)
- List of professional sports teams in the United Kingdom
FootnotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Template:Official website
- EFL League One clubs' locations
- England League One – Predictions, Tips, Statistics
{{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} Template:EFL League One seasons Template:EFL League One play-offs Template:Football in England table cells Template:UEFA third leagues