EFL League One

The English Football League One, known as Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes or simply League One in England, is the second-highest division of the English Football League and the third tier overall in the English football league system.

EFL League One
Founded2004 (2004)
  • 1992–2004 (as Division Two)
  • 1958–1992 (as Division Three)
  • 1921–1958 (as Division Three North/South)
  • 1920–1921 (as Division Three)
CountryEngland
Number of teams24
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toChampionship
Relegation toLeague Two
Domestic cup(s)FA Cup
League cup(s)
International cup(s)
Current championsPlymouth Argyle (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsWigan Athletic (3 titles)
TV partnersList of broadcasters
Websiteefl.com/sky-bet-league-one/
Current: 2023–24 EFL League One

Introduced in the 2004–05 English football season as Football League One, it is a rebrand of the former Football League Second Division, which itself is a rebrand of the now-defunct Football League Third Division before the 1992 launch of the Premier League.

As of the 2023–24 season, Fleetwood Town holds the longest tenure in the division following promotion from League Two at the end of the 2013–14 season. There are eight former Premier League clubs currently competing in this division; Barnsley (1997–98), Blackpool (2010-11), Bolton Wanderers (1995–96, 1997–98 and 2001–12), Charlton Athletic (1998–99 and 2000–07), Derby County (1996–2002 and 2007–08), Portsmouth (2003–10), Reading (2006–08 and 2012–13) and Wigan Athletic (2005–13).[1]

Structure

There are 24 clubs in this division. Each club plays each 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), 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 offenses. 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.

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 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 members
Locations of the 2023–24 EFL League One teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
BarnsleyBarnsleyOakwell23,287
Blackpool Blackpool Bloomfield Road 17,338
Bolton Wanderers Horwich Toughsheet Community Stadium 28,723
Bristol Rovers Bristol Memorial Stadium 9,832
Burton Albion Burton upon Trent Pirelli Stadium 6,912
Cambridge United Cambridge Abbey Stadium 8,127
Carlisle United Carlisle Brunton Park 17,949
Charlton Athletic London (Charlton) The Valley 27,111
Cheltenham Town Cheltenham Whaddon Road 7,066
Derby County Derby Pride Park Stadium 33,600
Exeter City Exeter St. James Park 8,720
Fleetwood Town Fleetwood Highbury Stadium 5,327
Leyton Orient London (Leyton) Brisbane Road 9,271
Lincoln City Lincoln Sincil Bank 10,780
Northampton Town Northampton Sixfields Stadium 7,798
Oxford United Oxford Kassam Stadium 12,500
Peterborough United Peterborough London Road 15,314
Portsmouth Portsmouth Fratton Park 20,620
Port Vale Burslem Vale Park 15,036
Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161
Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury New Meadow 9,875
Stevenage Stevenage Broadhall Way 7,800
Wigan Athletic Wigan DW Stadium 25,138
Wycombe Wanderers High Wycombe Adams Park 10,137

Teams promoted from League One
Season Winner Runner-up Promoted Play-off Winner (Position)
2004–05 Luton Town (98 pts) Hull City Sheffield Wednesday (5th)
2005–06 Southend United (82 pts) Colchester United Barnsley (5th)
2006–07 Scunthorpe United (91 pts) Bristol City Blackpool (3rd)
2007–08 Swansea City Nottingham Forest Doncaster Rovers (3rd)
2008–09 Leicester City Peterborough United Scunthorpe United (6th)
2009–10 Norwich City Leeds United Millwall (3rd)
2010–11 Brighton & Hove Albion Southampton Peterborough United (4th)
2011–12 Charlton Athletic Sheffield Wednesday Huddersfield Town (4th)
2012–13 Doncaster Rovers AFC Bournemouth Yeovil Town (4th)
2013–14 Wolverhampton Wanderers Brentford Rotherham United (4th)
2014–15 Bristol City Milton Keynes Dons Preston North End (3rd)
2015–16 Wigan Athletic Burton Albion Barnsley (6th)
2016–17 Sheffield United Bolton Wanderers Millwall (6th)
2017–18 Wigan Athletic Blackburn Rovers Rotherham United (4th)
2018–19 Luton Town Barnsley Charlton Athletic (3rd)
2019–20 Coventry City Rotherham United Wycombe Wanderers (3rd)
2020–21 Hull City Peterborough United Blackpool (3rd)
2021–22 Wigan Athletic Rotherham United Sunderland (5th)
2022–23 Plymouth Argyle Ipswich Town Sheffield Wednesday (3rd)

For past winners at this level before 2004, see List of winners of the EFL League One and predecessors.

Play-off results
Main article: EFL League One play-offs
Season Semi-final (1st Leg) Semi-final (2nd Leg) Final
2004–05 Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Brentford
Hartlepool United 2–0 Tranmere Rovers		 Brentford 1–2 Sheffield Wednesday
Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Hartlepool United
(Hartlepool won 6–5 on penalties, a.e.t.)		 Sheffield Wednesday 4–2 Hartlepool United (a.e.t.)
2005–06 Barnsley 0–1 Huddersfield Town
Swansea City 1–1 Brentford		 Huddersfield Town 1–3 Barnsley
Brentford 0–2 Swansea City		 Barnsley 2–2 Swansea City
(Barnsley won 4–3 on penalties, a.e.t.)
2006–07 Yeovil Town 0–2 Nottingham Forest
Oldham Athletic 1–2 Blackpool		 Nottingham Forest 2–5 Yeovil Town (a.e.t.)
Blackpool 3–1 Oldham Athletic		 Blackpool 2–0 Yeovil Town
2007–08 Southend United 0–0 Doncaster Rovers
Leeds United 1–2 Carlisle United		 Doncaster Rovers 5–1 Southend United
Carlisle United 0–2 Leeds United		 Leeds United 0–1 Doncaster Rovers
2008–09 Scunthorpe United 1–1 Milton Keynes Dons
Millwall 1–0 Leeds United		 Milton Keynes Dons 0–0 Scunthorpe United
(Scunthorpe won 7–6 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Leeds United 1–1 Millwall		 Scunthorpe United 3–2 Millwall
2009–10 Swindon Town 2–1 Charlton Athletic
Huddersfield Town 0–0 Millwall		 Charlton Athletic 2–1 Swindon Town
(Swindon won 5–4 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Millwall 2–0 Huddersfield Town		 Millwall 1–0 Swindon Town
2010–11 AFC Bournemouth 1–1 Huddersfield Town
Milton Keynes Dons 3–2 Peterborough United		 Huddersfield Town 3–3 AFC Bournemouth
(Huddersfield won 4–2 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Peterborough United 2–0 Milton Keynes Dons		 Huddersfield Town 0–3 Peterborough United
2011–12 Stevenage 0–0 Sheffield United
Milton Keynes Dons 0–2 Huddersfield Town		 Sheffield United 1–0 Stevenage
Huddersfield Town 1–2 Milton Keynes Dons		 Huddersfield Town 0–0 Sheffield United
(Huddersfield won 8–7 on penalties, a.e.t.)
2012–13 Sheffield United 1–0 Yeovil Town
Swindon Town 1–1 Brentford		 Yeovil Town 2–0 Sheffield United
Brentford 3–3 Swindon Town
(Brentford won 5–4 on penalties, a.e.t.)		 Brentford 1–2 Yeovil Town
2013–14 Peterborough United 1–1 Leyton Orient
Preston North End 1–1 Rotherham United		 Leyton Orient 2–1 Peterborough United
Rotherham United 3–1 Preston North End		 Leyton Orient 2–2 Rotherham United
(Rotherham won 4–3 on penalties, a.e.t.)
2014–15 Chesterfield 0–1 Preston North End
Sheffield United 1–2 Swindon Town		 Preston North End 3–0 Chesterfield
Swindon Town 5–5 Sheffield United		 Preston North End 4–0 Swindon Town
2015–16 Barnsley 3–0 Walsall
Bradford City 1–3 Millwall		 Walsall 1–3 Barnsley
Millwall 1–1 Bradford City		 Barnsley 3–1 Millwall
2016–17 Millwall 0–0 Scunthorpe United
Bradford City 1–0 Fleetwood Town		 Scunthorpe United 2–3 Millwall
Fleetwood Town 0–0 Bradford City		 Bradford City 0–1 Millwall
2017–18 Charlton Athletic 0–1 Shrewsbury Town
Scunthorpe United 2–2 Rotherham United		 Shrewsbury Town 1–0 Charlton Athletic
Rotherham United 2–0 Scunthorpe United		 Rotherham United 2–1 Shrewsbury Town (a.e.t.)
2018–19 Doncaster Rovers 1–2 Charlton Athletic
Sunderland 1–0 Portsmouth		 Charlton Athletic 2–3 Doncaster Rovers
(Charlton Athletic won 4–3 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Portsmouth 0–0 Sunderland		 Charlton Athletic 2–1 Sunderland
2019–20 Portsmouth 1–1 Oxford United
Fleetwood Town 1–4 Wycombe Wanderers		 Oxford United 1–1 Portsmouth
(Oxford United won 5–4 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Wycombe Wanderers 2–2 Fleetwood Town		 Oxford United 1–2 Wycombe Wanderers
2020–21 Oxford United 0–3 Blackpool
Lincoln City 2–0 Sunderland		 Blackpool 3-3 Oxford United
Sunderland 2–1 Lincoln City		 Blackpool 2–1 Lincoln City
2021–22 Wycombe Wanderers 2–0 Milton Keynes Dons
Sunderland 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday		 Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Wycombe Wanderers
Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Sunderland		 Sunderland 2–0 Wycombe Wanderers
2022–23 Peterborough United 4–0 Sheffield Wednesday
Bolton Wanderers 1–1 Barnsley		 Sheffield Wednesday 5–1 Peterborough United
(Sheffield Wednesday won 5–3 on penalties, a.e.t.)
Barnsley 1–0 Bolton Wanderers		 Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Barnsley (a.e.t.)

Relegated teams
Season Clubs
2004–05 Torquay United (51), Wrexham (43), Peterborough United (39), Stockport County (26)
2005–06 Hartlepool United (50), Milton Keynes Dons (50), Swindon Town (48), Walsall (47)
2006–07 Chesterfield (47), Bradford City (47), Rotherham United (38), Brentford (37)
2007–08 AFC Bournemouth (48), Gillingham (46), Port Vale (38), Luton Town (33)
2008–09 Northampton Town (49), Crewe Alexandra (46), Cheltenham Town (39), Hereford United (34)
2009–10 Gillingham (50), Wycombe Wanderers (45), Southend United (43), Stockport County (25)
2010–11 Dagenham & Redbridge (47), Bristol Rovers (45), Plymouth Argyle (42), Swindon Town (41)
2011–12 Wycombe Wanderers (43), Chesterfield (42), Exeter City (42), Rochdale (38)
2012–13 Scunthorpe United (48), Bury (41), Hartlepool United (41), Portsmouth (32)
2013–14 Stevenage (47), Shrewsbury Town (45), Carlisle United (42), Tranmere Rovers (42)
2014–15 Notts County (50), Crawley Town (50), Leyton Orient (49), Yeovil Town (40)
2015–16 Doncaster Rovers (46), Blackpool (46), Colchester United (40), Crewe Alexandra (34)
2016–17 Port Vale (49), Swindon Town (44), Coventry City (39), Chesterfield (37)
2017–18 Oldham Athletic (50), Northampton Town (47), Milton Keynes Dons (45), Bury (36)
2018–19 Plymouth Argyle (50), Walsall (47), Scunthorpe United (46), Bradford City (41)
2019–20 Tranmere Rovers (32), Southend United (19), Bolton Wanderers (14), Bury[a]
2020–21 Rochdale (47), Northampton Town (45), Swindon Town (43), Bristol Rovers (38)
2021–22 Gillingham (40), Doncaster Rovers (38), AFC Wimbledon (37), Crewe Alexandra (29)
2022–23 Milton Keynes Dons (45), Morecambe (44), Accrington Stanley (44), Forest Green Rovers (27)

a Expelled in August 2019 after financial breaches.

Top scorers
Season Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals
2004–05 Northern Ireland Stuart Elliott Hull City 27
England Dean Windass Bradford City
2005–06 Wales Freddy Eastwood Southend United 23
England Billy Sharp Scunthorpe United
2006–07 England Billy Sharp Scunthorpe United 30
2007–08 Trinidad and Tobago Jason Scotland Swansea City 24
2008–09 Republic of Ireland Simon Cox Swindon Town 29
England Rickie Lambert Bristol Rovers
2009–10 England Rickie Lambert Southampton 30
2010–11 Scotland Craig Mackail-Smith Peterborough United 27
2011–12 Scotland Jordan Rhodes Huddersfield Town 36
2012–13 Republic of Ireland Paddy Madden Yeovil Town 24
2013–14 England Sam Baldock Bristol City 24
2014–15 England Joe Garner Preston North End 26
2015–16 Northern Ireland Will Grigg Wigan Athletic 25
2016–17 England Billy Sharp Sheffield United 30
2017–18 England Jack Marriott Peterborough United 27
2018–19 Republic of Ireland James Collins Luton Town 25
2019–20 England Ivan Toney Peterborough United 24[b]
2020–21 England Jonson Clarke-Harris Peterborough United 31
2021–22 Republic of Ireland Will Keane Wigan Athletic 26
2022–23 England Conor Chaplin Ipswich Town 26
England Jonson Clarke-Harris Peterborough United

b In 35 games. Season truncated because of coronavirus.

Attendances

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.[2] The closest third-tier association football league in terms of average attendance is the Germany 3. Liga (8,219).[3]

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.[4]

SeasonLeague Average AttendanceHighest AverageHighest Attendance
ClubAttendanceGameAttendance
2004–057,732Sheffield Wednesday23,100 [5]Sheffield Wednesday vs Bristol City28,798
2005–067,578Nottingham Forest20,257 [6]Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth26,847
2006–077,486Nottingham Forest20,627 [7]Nottingham Forest v Rotherham United27,875
2007–087,985Leeds United26,546 [8]Leeds United v Gillingham38,256
2008–097,551Leeds United23,639 [9]
2009–109,136Leeds United24,818 [10]Leeds United v Bristol Rovers38,234
2010–117,519Southampton22,161 [11]Southampton v Walsall31,653
2011–127,358Sheffield Wednesday21,336 [12]Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers38,082
2012–136,335Sheffield United18,612 [13]Sheffield United v Brentford23,431
2013–147,476Wolverhampton Wanderers20,879 [14]Wolverhampton Wanderers v Rotherham United30,110
2014–157,037Sheffield United19,805 [15]Coventry City v Gillingham27,306
2015–167,163Sheffield United19,803 [16]Sheffield United v Bradford City24,777
2016–177,933Sheffield United21,892 [17]Sheffield United v Chesterfield31,003
2017–187,805Bradford City19,787 [18]Blackburn Rovers v Oxford United27,600
2018–198,741Sunderland32,157 [19]Sunderland v Bradford City46,039
2019–208,802Sunderland30,118 [20]Sunderland v Bolton Wanderers33,821
2020–21No attendances because of COVID-19 pandemic
2021–229,953Sunderland30,847 [21]Sunderland v Doncaster Rovers38,395
2022–2310,613Derby County27,259Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle33,442

Historic performance

Since the restructuring into League One in 2004, 76 teams have spent at least one season in the division, including 7 of the 20 teams in the 2023–24 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 Fleetwood Town, who have been in League One continuously since the 2014–15 season. Rotherham United and Peterborough United have had the highest number of separate spells in League One with five each. There have been 16 different Champions of League One, with Wigan Athletic having won the division three times.

Key
  •    † Teams with this background and symbol in the "Club" column will be competing in the 2023–24 EFL League One
  •    ‡ Team will be competing in the 2023–24 Premier League
  •    The club competed in League One during that season (the number is the club's final league position)
ClubTotal SeasonsNumber of SpellsLongest Spell (Seasons)Highest PositionLowest PositionSeason
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
Accrington Stanley51511231417111223
AFC Wimbledon6161523151820201923
Barnsley †74221313511624-
Blackburn Rovers111222
Blackpool †94432216193221210133-
Bolton Wanderers †53322322395-
AFC Bournemouth ‡72422181719216112
Bradford City926524111122117551124
Brentford ‡8252244324911932
Brighton & Hove Albion ‡51511818716131
Bristol City523112792121
Bristol Rovers †1135102416111122101315142417-
Burton Albion †7262162912161615-
Bury6331424142216192424 [lower-alpha 1]
Cambridge United †31314201420-
Carlisle United †9284228420141281722-
Charlton Athletic †10341134131136371310-
Cheltenham Town †62315231719231516-
Chesterfield7336241716212261824
Colchester United1028223152128101020161923
Coventry City72512315181782381
Crawley Town3131022101422
Crewe Alexandra9341224132022131920241224
Dagenham & Redbridge112212121
Derby County †212777-
Doncaster Rovers12451221081131132115691422
Exeter City †5238231882314-
Fleetwood Town †101104201019414116152013-
Forest Green Rovers111242424
Gillingham13399221416222117129201713101021
Hartlepool United826623621151920161323
Hereford United111242424
Huddersfield Town8183159415109634
Hull City2211221
Ipswich Town414211119112
Leeds United31325542
Leicester City111111
Leyton Orient †1029323201414177207323-
Lincoln City †5155171651711-
Luton Town ‡3311241241
Millwall62431710175346
MK Dons1547223202231255810212231913321
Morecambe21219221922
Northampton Town †63392214921162222-
Norwich City111111
Nottingham Forest ‡31327742
Notts County515721197122021
Oldham Athletic1411462119106810161716191515171721
Oxford United †8184198161246819-
Peterborough United †1358223232469131197726-
Plymouth Argyle633123237211871
Port Vale †103492318131223918122118-
Portsmouth †827424248458108-
Preston North End414315151453
Reading †111---
Rochdale927824924810920161821
Rotherham United65222320234422
Scunthorpe United1045123121618211673523
Sheffield United ‡6161113575111
Sheffield Wednesday532215515243
Shrewsbury Town †11293231623201831815171812-
Southampton2122772
Southend United93512316823147101922
Stevenage †42362461824-
Stockport County3221824241824
Sunderland414485845
Swansea City31317671
Swindon Town124542412231315524684152223
Torquay United111212121
Tranmere Rovers112103213189117191812112121
Walsall1421232414241213102019913143141922
Wigan Athletic †54212011201-
Wolverhampton Wanderers ‡111111
Wrexham111222222
Wycombe Wanderers †743322222117369-
Yeovil Town9284241551817151417424

Financial Fair Play

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.[22][23][24][25]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Bury did not compete in the 2019-20 season as they were expelled from the league because of financial difficulties.

References
  1. France, Sam (29 April 2020). "What year did the Premier League start & which teams have played in it over the years?". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  2. "Highest League attendances for 70 years as nearly 22 million attend EFL competitions". www.efl.com. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. "3. Liga 2022/2023 - Zuschauer". weltfussball.de (in German).
  4. "League One Record 46,039 crowd as Sunderland AFC triumph over Bradford City on Boxing Day". www.sunderlandecho.com. 26 December 2018.
  5. "League One 2004/2005 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  6. "League One 2005/2006 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. 24 February 2023.
  7. "League One 2006/2007 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. 24 February 2023.
  8. "League One 2007/2008 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  9. "League One 2008/2009 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  10. "League One 2009/2010 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  11. "League One 2010/2011 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  12. "League One 2011/2012 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  13. "League One 2012/2013 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  14. "League One 2013/2014 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  15. "League One 2014/2015 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  16. "League One 2015/2016 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  17. "League One 2016/2017 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  18. "League One 2017/2018 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  19. "League One 2018/2019 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  20. "League One 2019/2020 - Attendance". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  21. "Sky Bet League One | Average Attendances | Home Matches | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk.
  22. "The Football League – About Us – FAQs – FL Explained – FL Explained – Financial Fair Play in The Football League". Archived from the original on 10 May 2012.
  23. Vittles, Jack (6 December 2017). "Financial Fair play: Does it apply in League One and League Two?". bristolpost. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  24. McCartney, Aidan (2 February 2015). "Financial Fair Play in League One: Separating fact from fiction". coventrytelegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  25. "Review into Bury's demise offers painful reminder of the need for FFP | Financial fair play". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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