List of winners of the EFL League One and predecessors explained

English League (3rd tier)
Country
England
Founded
1920
Number of teams
24 (2021–22 season)
Current champions
Portsmouth (2023-24)
Most successful club
Plymouth Argyle
(5 championships)

A national third tier of English league football was established in 1958–59, as the Third Division. This followed on from the regional third tier that had been established in the south in 1920 and the north in 1921. In 1992, with the departure of the First Division clubs to become the Premier League, the third tier became known as the Second Division. Since 2004 it has been known as Football League One.

Football League Third Division North/South (1921–1958)

SeasonNorthSouth
WinnerRunner-up (not promoted)WinnerRunner-up (not promoted)
1921–22Stockport CountyDarlingtonSouthamptonPlymouth Argyle
1922–23NelsonBradford Park AvenueBristol CityPlymouth Argyle
1923–24Wolverhampton WanderersRochdalePortsmouthPlymouth Argyle
1924–25DarlingtonNelsonSwansea CityPlymouth Argyle
1925–26Grimsby TownBradford Park AvenueReadingPlymouth Argyle
1926–27Stoke CityRochdaleBristol City (2)Plymouth Argyle
1927–28Bradford Park AvenueLincoln CityMillwallNorthampton Town
1928–29Bradford CityStockport CountyCharlton AthleticCrystal Palace
1929–30Port ValeStockport CountyPlymouth ArgyleBrentford
1930–31ChesterfieldLincoln CityNotts CountyCrystal Palace
1931–32Lincoln CityGatesheadFulhamReading
1932–33Hull CityWrexhamBrentfordExeter City
1933–34BarnsleyNorwich CityCoventry City
1934–35Doncaster RoversHalifax TownCharlton Athletic (2)Reading
1935–36Chesterfield (2)Chester CityCoventry CityLuton Town
1936–37Stockport County (2)Lincoln CityLuton TownNotts County
1937–38Tranmere RoversDoncaster RoversMillwall (2)Bristol City
1938–39Barnsley (2)Doncaster RoversNewport CountyCrystal Palace
1939–40 to 1945–46League suspended due to World War II
1946–47Doncaster Rovers (2)Rotherham UnitedCardiff CityQueens Park Rangers
1947–48Lincoln City (2)Rotherham UnitedQueens Park RangersBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
1948–49Hull City (2)Rotherham UnitedSwansea City (2)Reading
1949–50Doncaster Rovers (3)GatesheadNotts County (2)Northampton Town
1950–51Rotherham UnitedMansfield TownNottingham ForestNorwich City
1951–52Lincoln City (3)Grimsby TownPlymouth Argyle (2)Reading
1952–53Oldham AthleticPort ValeBristol RoversMillwall
1953–54Port Vale (2)BarnsleyIpswich TownBrighton & Hove Albion
1954–55Barnsley (3)Accrington StanleyBristol City (3)Leyton Orient
1955–56Grimsby Town (2)Derby CountyLeyton OrientBrighton Hove & Albion
1956–57Derby CountyHartlepool UnitedIpswich Town (2)Torquay United
1957–58Scunthorpe UnitedAccrington StanleyBrighton & Hove AlbionBrentford

Football League Third Division (1958–1992)

SeasonWinnerRunner-upAlso PromotedPlayoff Winner
1958–59Plymouth Argyle (3)Hull City
1959–60Southampton (2)Norwich City
1960–61BuryWalsall
1961–62Portsmouth (2)Grimsby Town
1962–63Northampton TownSwindon Town
1963–64Coventry City (2)Crystal Palace
1964–65Carlisle UnitedBristol City
1965–66Hull City (3)Millwall
1966–67Queens Park Rangers (2)Middlesbrough
1967–68Oxford UnitedBury
1968–69WatfordSwindon Town
1969–70Leyton Orient (2)Luton Town
1970–71Preston North EndFulham
1971–72Aston VillaBrighton and Hove Albion
1972–73Bolton WanderersNotts County
1973–74Oldham Athletic (2)Bristol RoversYork City
1974–75Blackburn RoversPlymouth ArgyleCharlton Athletic
1975–76Hereford UnitedCardiff CityMillwall
1976–77Mansfield TownBrighton and Hove AlbionCrystal Palace
1977–78WrexhamCambridge UnitedPreston North End
1978–79Shrewsbury TownWatfordSwansea City
1979–80Grimsby Town (3)Blackburn RoversSheffield Wednesday
1980–81Rotherham United (2)BarnsleyCharlton Athletic
1981–82BurnleyCarlisle UnitedFulham
1982–83Portsmouth (3)Cardiff CityHuddersfield Town
1983–84Oxford United (2)WimbledonSheffield United
1984–85Bradford City (2)MillwallHull City
1985–86Reading (2)Plymouth ArgyleDerby County
1986–87AFC BournemouthMiddlesbroughSwindon Town
1987–88SunderlandBrighton and Hove AlbionWalsall
1988–89Wolverhampton Wanderers (2)Sheffield UnitedPort Vale
1989–90Bristol Rovers (2)Bristol CityNotts County
1990–91Cambridge UnitedSouthend UnitedGrimsby TownTranmere Rovers
1991–92Brentford (2)Birmingham CityPeterborough United

Football League Second Division (1992–2004)

SeasonWinnerRunner UpPlayoff Winner
1992–93Stoke City (2)Bolton WanderersWest Bromwich Albion
1993–94Reading (3)Port ValeBurnley
1994–95Birmingham CityBrentford (not promoted)Huddersfield Town
1995–96Swindon TownOxford UnitedBradford City
1996–97Bury (2)Stockport CountyCrewe Alexandra
1997–98Watford (2)Bristol CityGrimsby Town
1998–99Fulham (2)WalsallManchester City
1999–2000Preston North End (2)BurnleyGillingham
2000–01Millwall (3)Rotherham UnitedWalsall
2001–02Brighton & Hove Albion (2)ReadingStoke City
2002–03Wigan AthleticCrewe AlexandraCardiff City
2003–04Plymouth Argyle (4)Queens Park RangersBrighton & Hove Albion

Football League One/EFL League One (2004 onwards)

SeasonWinnerRunner-upPlayoff Winner
2004–05Luton Town (2)Hull CitySheffield Wednesday
2005–06Southend UnitedColchester UnitedBarnsley
2006–07Scunthorpe United (2)Bristol CityBlackpool
2007–08Swansea City (3)Nottingham ForestDoncaster Rovers
2008–09Leicester CityPeterborough UnitedScunthorpe United
2009–10Norwich City (2)Leeds UnitedMillwall
2010–11Brighton & Hove Albion (3)SouthamptonPeterborough United
2011–12Charlton Athletic (3)Sheffield WednesdayHuddersfield Town
2012–13Doncaster Rovers (4)BournemouthYeovil Town
2013–14Wolverhampton Wanderers (3)BrentfordRotherham United
2014–15Bristol City (4)Milton Keynes DonsPreston North End
2015–16Wigan Athletic (2)Burton AlbionBarnsley
2016–17Sheffield UnitedBolton WanderersMillwall
2017–18Wigan Athletic (3)Blackburn RoversRotherham United
2018–19Luton Town (3)BarnsleyCharlton Athletic
2019–20Coventry City (3)Rotherham UnitedWycombe Wanderers
2020–21Hull City (4)Peterborough UnitedBlackpool
2021–22Wigan Athletic (4)Rotherham UnitedSunderland
2022–23Plymouth Argyle (5)Ipswich TownSheffield Wednesday
2023–24Portsmouth (4)Derby CountyOxford United

Number of titles overall

Clubs in bold are competing in the 2024–25 EFL League One.

RankClubWinnersWinning seasons
1Plymouth Argyle51929–30 South, 1951–52 South, 1958–59, 2003–04, 2022–23
2Bristol City41922–23 South, 1926–27 South, 1954–55 South, 2014–15
Doncaster Rovers41934–35 North, 1946–47 North, 1949–50 North, 2012–13
Hull City41932–33 North, 1948–49 North, 1965–66, 2020–21
Wigan Athletic42002–03, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22
Portsmouth41923–24 South, 1961–62, 1982–83, 2023-24
6Barnsley31933–34 North, 1938–39 North, 1954–55 North
Brighton & Hove Albion31957–58 South, 2001–02, 2010–11
Charlton Athletic31928–29 South, 1934–35 South, 2011–12
Coventry City31935–36 South, 1963–64, 2019–20
Grimsby Town31925–26 North, 1955–56 North, 1979–80
Lincoln City31931–32 North, 1947–48 North, 1951–52 North
Luton Town31936–37 South, 2004–05, 2018–19
Millwall31927–28 South, 1937–38 South, 2000–01
Reading31925–26 South, 1985–86, 1993–94
Swansea City31924–25 South, 1948–49 South, 2007–08
Wolverhampton Wanderers31923–24 North, 1988–89, 2013–14
18Bradford City21928–29 North, 1984–85
Brentford21932–33 South, 1991–92
Bristol Rovers21952–53 South, 1989–90
Bury21960–61, 1996–97
Chesterfield21930–31 North, 1935–36 North
Fulham21931–32 South, 1998–99
Ipswich Town21953–54 South, 1956–57 South
Leyton Orient21955–56 South, 1969–70
Norwich City21933–34 South, 2009–10
Notts County21930–31 South, 1949–50 South
Oldham Athletic21952–53 North, 1973–74
Oxford United21967–68, 1983–84
Port Vale21929–30 North, 1953–54 North
Preston North End21970–71, 1999–2000
Queens Park Rangers21947–48 South, 1966–67
Rotherham United21950–51 North, 1980–81
Scunthorpe United21957–58 North, 2006–07
Southampton21921–22 South, 1959–60
Stockport County21921–22 North, 1936–37 North
Stoke City21926–27 North, 1992–93
Watford21968–69, 1997–98
39AFC Bournemouth11986–87
Aston Villa11971–72
Birmingham City11994–95
Blackburn Rovers11974–75
Bolton Wanderers11972–73
Bradford Park Avenue11927–28 North
Burnley11981–82
Cambridge United11990–91
Cardiff City11946–47 South
Carlisle United11964–65
Crystal Palace11920–21
Darlington11924–25 North
Derby County11956–57 North
Hereford United11975–76
Leicester City12008–09
Mansfield Town11976–77
Nelson11922–23 North
Newport County11938–39 South
Northampton Town11962–63
Nottingham Forest11950–51 South
Sheffield United12016–17
Shrewsbury Town11978–79
Southend United12005–06
Sunderland11987–88
Swindon Town11995–96
Tranmere Rovers11937–38 North
Wrexham11977–78

References

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