List Of Former English Football League Clubs
The English Football League comprises professional clubs from England and Wales, and was established in 1888 as The Football League (First Division). In 1892, the Second Division was formed. A Third Division was introduced in 1920, before being regionalised as North and South. In 1958 these became the national Third and Fourth Division. The Premier League superseded the First Division as the top-flight of the English football league system in 1992, with the other three divisions renamed the First, Second and Third Divisions. They were rebranded again in 2004 as the Championship, League One and League Two.
Until 1986, clubs could lose their League status by failing to gain re-election after finishing in the bottom four of the bottom division (fourth tier). From the 1986–87 season, the club finishing bottom was relegated to the Conference National (now National League), the highest level of non-League football, depending on the ability of the Conference champions to meet FA requirements. Since 2002–03, the bottom two clubs of League Two face relegation to the National League.
Clubs
The tables show the first and last seasons in which each club competed in the League. Some clubs' membership was intermittent between their first and last seasons.
Clubs shown in bold were among the founder members of the League. As of 2023, the founder member clubs playing in the League are Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke City, and West Bromwich Albion. Preston have continuously been League members, whereas the others (except Notts County) have played in the Premier League at one time or another. Notts County has recently returned to the League after four seasons in the National League.
Four former members of the old Football League Division One no longer play in the Football League or Premier League: Bury, Bradford Park Avenue, Darwen, and Glossop North End.
Where a defunct club has been succeeded by a phoenix club, the new club is listed.
Former member clubs (no longer at English football levels 1–4)
| Club | First League season |
Last League season |
Reason | Current status | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Aberdare Athletic |
1921–22 | 1926–27 | Not re-elected | Merged with Aberaman as Aberdare and Aberaman, later Aberaman Town and now Aberdare Town in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division | |
| Accrington | 1888–89 | 1892–93 | Resigned | Defunct | |
| Accrington Stanley (1891) | 1921–22 | 1961–62 | Resigned | Defunct, but a new Accrington Stanley formed in 1968 and are playing in EFL League Two | |
| Aldershot | 1932–33 | 1991–92 | Liquidated | Defunct, Aldershot Town later formed and are playing in the National League | |
| Aldershot Town | 2008–09 | 2012–13 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Ashington | 1921–22 | 1928–29 | Not re-elected | Playing in the Northern Premier League Division One East | |
| Barnet | 1991–92 | 2017–18 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Bootle | 1892–93 | 1892–93 | Resigned | Defunct. A new club, formed as Langton in 1953, changed name to Bootle in 1973, and now playing in the Northern Premier League Division One West | |
| Boston United | 2002–03 | 2006–07 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 1908–09 | 1969–70 | Not re-elected | Defunct, revived version of the club playing in the Northern Premier League Division One East | |
| Burton Swifts | 1892–93 | 1900–01 | Merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton United | Defunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One | |
| Burton United | 1901–02 | 1906–07 | Not re-elected | Defunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One | |
| Burton Wanderers | 1894–95 | 1896–97 | Not re-elected; later merged with Burton Swifts to form Burton United | Defunct, a successor club formed in 1950 Burton Albion F.C. plays in EFL League One | |
| Bury | 1894–95 | 2018–19 | Expelled; later merged with successor club, Bury A.F.C. | Expelled during the 2019–20 season without playing a match, due to inability to pay liabilities. Playing in the North West Counties League Premier Division | |
| Chester City | 1931–32 | 2008–09 | Relegated | Defunct, successor club Chester playing in the National League North | |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 2007–08 | 2015–16 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Darlington | 1921–22 | 2009–10 | Relegated | Defunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League North | |
| Darwen | 1891–92 | 1898–99 | Resigned | Defunct, AFC Darwen later formed and are playing in the North West Counties League Division One North | |
| Durham City | 1921–22 | 1927–28 | Not re-elected | Defunct. Revived club playing in the Wearside League Division One | |
| Forest Green Rovers | 2017–18 | 2023–24 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 1896–97 | 1911–12 | Not re-elected | Playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division | |
| Gateshead | 1919–20 | 1959–60 | Not re-elected | Defunct. New Gateshead (National League) and South Shields (Northern Premier League Premier Division) clubs formed | |
| Glossop | 1898–99 | 1914–15 | Not re-elected | Playing in the North West Counties League Premier Division | |
| Halifax Town | 1921–22 | 2001–02 | Relegated | Defunct, FC Halifax Town later formed and are playing in the National League | |
| Hartlepool United | 1921–22 | 2022–23 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Hereford United | 1972–73 | 2011–12 | Relegated | Defunct, successor club Hereford playing in the National League North | |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2000–01 | 2004–05 | Relegated | Playing in the National League North | |
| Leeds City | 1905–06 | 1919–20 | Expelled | Defunct, successor club Leeds United playing in the EFL Championship | |
| Loughborough | 1895–96 | 1899–1900 | Not re-elected | Defunct | |
| Macclesfield Town | 1997–98 | 2019–20 | Relegated | Defunct, successor club Macclesfield playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division | |
| Maidstone United | 1989–90 | 1991–92 | Liquidated | Defunct, revived version of the club playing in the National League South | |
| Merthyr Town |
1920–21 | 1929–30 | Not re-elected | Defunct, revived version playing in Southern League Premier Division South | |
| Middlesbrough Ironopolis | 1893–94 | 1893–94 | Resigned | Defunct | |
| Nelson | 1921–22 | 1930–31 | Not re-elected | Defunct, revived version playing in the North West Counties League Division One North | |
| New Brighton | 1923–24 | 1950–51 | Not re-elected | Defunct | |
| New Brighton Tower | 1898–99 | 1900–01 | Liquidated | Defunct | |
| Newport County |
1920–21 | 1987–88 | Relegated | Defunct, revived version of the club playing in EFL League Two | |
| Northwich Victoria | 1892–93 | 1893–94 | Resigned | Playing in the Midland League Premier Division | |
| Oldham Athletic | 1907–08 | 2021–22 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Rochdale | 1921–22 | 2022–23 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Rotherham County | 1919–20 | 1924–25 | Merged with Rotherham Town (1899) to form Rotherham United | Defunct, Rotherham United playing in the EFL League One | |
| Rotherham Town | 1893–94 | 1895–96 | Resigned | Defunct, Rotherham United playing in the EFL League One | |
| Rushden & Diamonds | 2001–02 | 2005–06 | Relegated | Defunct, AFC Rushden & Diamonds playing in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands | |
| Scarborough | 1987–88 | 1998–99 | Relegated | Defunct, Scarborough Athletic later formed and are playing in the National League North | |
| Scunthorpe United | 1950–51 | 2021–22 | Relegated | Playing in the National League North | |
| Southend United | 1920–21 | 2020–21 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Southport | 1921–22 | 1977–78 | Not re-elected | Playing in the National League North | |
| Stalybridge Celtic | 1921–22 | 1922–23 | Resigned | Playing in the Northern Premier League Division One West | |
| Sutton United | 2021–22 | 2023–24 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| Thames | 1930–31 | 1931–32 | Resigned | Defunct | |
| Torquay United | 1927–28 | 2013–14 | Relegated | Playing in the National League South | |
| Wigan Borough | 1921–22 | 1930–31 | Resigned midway through season | Defunct, successor club Wigan Athletic playing in EFL League One | |
| Wimbledon | 1977–78 | 2003–04 | Relocated and became Milton Keynes Dons. | Became Milton Keynes Dons are playing in League Two | |
| Workington | 1951–52 | 1976–77 | Not re-elected | Playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division | |
| Yeovil Town | 2003–04 | 2018–19 | Relegated | Playing in the National League | |
| York City | 1929–30 | 2015–16 | Relegated | Playing in the National League |
Current members of the Premier League (2024–25)
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Aldershot resigned during the 1991–92 season and the club's record was expunged from the table.
- ^ Leeds City were expelled and forcibly wound up by the FA during the 1919–20 season and the club's place, record and remaining fixtures in the league were assumed by Port Vale.
- ^ Maidstone United were included in the fixtures for the 1992–93 season but folded and resigned after postponing their first match.