List of Chesterfield F.C. seasons

Chesterfield Football Club is an English association football club based in the Derbyshire town of Chesterfield. The current club dates from 1919, but the histories of earlier Chesterfield-based clubs are generally discussed alongside that of the current club. The first Chesterfield F.C. was founded in the mid-1860s and survived until 1881, long before league football existed. The second incarnation, which became known as Chesterfield Town F.C., was formed in 1884.[1] Its first team joined and won the Sheffield & District League in 1891–92,[2] and first entered the FA Cup the following season. Drawn away to Gainsborough Trinity in the first qualifying round, the score stood at 2–2 at full time; Trinity scored twice during extra time, but darkness fell before the agreed half hour was complete, so the match was ordered to be replayed. Chesterfield lost the replay 4–0.[3] They continued in the Sheffield leagues until joining the Midland Football League in 1896. After three top-four finishes, Chesterfield were elected to the Second Division of the Football League for the 1899–1900 season. The team generally struggled in the Football League: they placed fifth in 1904–05, but followed up with four consecutive bottom-three positions. Three times they successfully applied for re-election to the League, but the fourth application failed, and Chesterfield returned to the Midland League in 1909. Despite winning the title that season, they were not accepted back into the Football League, and continued in the Midland League until competitive football was suspended for the duration of the First World War.[1][4]

Chesterfield Town went into voluntary liquidation in 1915. A third club, formed to participate in the wartime competitions, failed because of financial irregularities, and when competitive football resumed, Chesterfield Council founded its own club, Chesterfield Municipal. They won the first post-war Midland League title[1]  and were expelled from that season's FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player[lower-alpha 1]  but when the football authorities made clear their opposition to municipal ownership of clubs, the council's involvement ceased and the club was renamed Chesterfield F.C.[1] It was a founder member of the Football League Third Division North, spent much of the 1920s in the top half of that division, and won the title in 1930–31. They retained their Second Division status for just two seasons, won a further Third Division North championship in 1936, and remained in the second tier until the interruption for war and for five seasons thereafter. Consistent top-half finishes meant Chesterfield were allocated to the Third Division when the regional sections were amalgamated into Third and Fourth Divisions in 1958, but they lasted only three seasons before making their debut at the lower level.[4]

Chesterfield were promoted as 1969–70 Fourth Division champions. In 1980–81, they entered and won the last edition of the Anglo-Scottish Cup, defeating Scottish giants Rangers 3–0 in the quarter-finals before beating Notts County in the final.[5] Two years later, they were relegated, and came close to folding, with debts of £400,000 and only seven contracted professionals,[6] before bouncing back to win their second Fourth Division title in 1985. Over the next 30 years, they experienced four relegations and four promotions between third and fourth tiers. Promoted via the play-offs in 1995, they came within a point of the play-offs the following season,[4] and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1996–97, in which they faced Middlesbrough of the Premier League. With 21 minutes left and Chesterfield leading 2–1, Jonathan Howard shot against the underside of the bar; the ball bounced down and then out, and referee David Elleray ruled, incorrectly, that it had not crossed the line. A minute later, he awarded a penalty to Middlesbrough for a foul that took place outside the penalty area. Middlesbrough scored, and took a 3–2 lead in extra time, but Jamie Hewitt equalised with seconds left. Chesterfield lost the replay 3–0.[7][8]

In 2000–01, a nine-point deduction for financial irregularities, initially deemed too lenient by the Football League, failed to prevent Chesterfield's automatic promotion in third place,[9] and the following year the club was taken out of administration into the ownership and control of the Chesterfield Football Supporters' Society.[10] In the second round of the 2008–09 FA Cup, Chesterfield lost to non-league club Droylsden, but were awarded the tie when their opponents were found to have fielded an ineligible player; when Chesterfield did the same in 2014–15, they were only required to replay the tie, and won.[11] They again won the fourth-tier title in 2010–11 and the following season won the Football League Trophy, a cup competition open to teams from the two lower divisions of the Football League, beating Swindon Town 2–0 in the final.[12] Chesterfield won the fourth-tier championship for a league record fourth time in 2013–14,[4][13] and again reached the Football League Trophy final; this time they lost 3–1 to Peterborough United.[14] Two consecutive bottom-of-the-table finishes took them back to non-league football in 2018.[4]

Since their first admission to the Football League in 1899, Chesterfield have spent 20 seasons in the second tier of the English football league system, 55 in the third, 25 in the fourth and 10 in non-league football. The table details the team's achievements and the top goalscorer in senior first-team competitions from their first season in the Sheffield & District League in 1891–92 to the end of the most recently completed season.

Key

Details of the abandoned 1939–40 Football League season are shown in italics and appropriately footnoted.

Seasons

List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results and top scorer(s)
Season League[4] FA Cup[16] League Cup[4][17][lower-alpha 3] Other[4][17][19] Top league scorer(s)[lower-alpha 4]
Div[lower-alpha 5] P W D L F A Pts Pos Competition Result Name Goals
1891–92 Sheff &D1814226334301st[2] Not known
1892–93 Sheff &D2614845934325th[21] QR1 Not known
1893–94 Sheff CC26111146549266th[15][22] QR3 Not known
1894–95 Sheff CC2817836844373rd[23] R1 Not known
1895–96 Sheff CC2816937137355th[24] R1 Not known
1896–97 Midland2813697453324th QR4 Not known
1897–98 Midland2211745423293rd QR3 Not known
1898–99 Midland 2614395942314th QR4 Not known
1899–1900 Div 234166126560387th QR5 Not known
1900–01 Div 2349101546582814th R1 Not known
1901–02 Div 2341161747682816th[lower-alpha 6] Inter Not known
1902–03 Div 234149116740376th QR4 Not known
1903–04 Div 2341181537453011th QR5 Not known
1904–05 Div 234141194435395th Inter Not known
1905–06 Div 2381082040722818th[lower-alpha 6] R2 Not known
1906–07 Div 2381172050662918th[lower-alpha 6] R1 Not known
1907–08 Div 2386112146922319th[lower-alpha 6] R2 Not known
1908–09 Div 2 381181937673019th[lower-alpha 7] R1 Not known
1909–10 Midland42277810244611st R1 Not known
1910–11 Midland38205138061455th R2 Not known
1911–12 Midland361481463623612th QR4 Not known
1912–13 Midland38201177841512nd R1 Not known
1913–14 Midland34194118043423rd R1 Not known
1914–15 Midland38201087641503rd QR5 Not known
1915–19
The Midland League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.
1919–20 Midland3424557835531st Disq[lower-alpha 1] Not known
1920–21 Midland 38181197046473rd QR3 Not known
1921–22 Div 3N381631948673513th QR5 Not known
1922–23 Div 3N38197126852454th QR6 George Beel[28]23 ♦
1923–24 Div 3N422210107039543rd QR6 Not known
1924–25 Div 3N421711146044457th QR6 Not known
1925–26 Div 3N422551210054554th R3 Jimmy Cookson[28]44 ♦
1926–27 Div 3N42215169268477th R3 Not known
1927–28 Div 3N4213101971783616th R1 Not known
1928–29 Div 3N421851971774111th R3 Not known
1929–30 Div 3N42226147656504th R3 Not known
1930–31 Div 3N 422661010257581st R1 Not known
1931–32 Div 24213111864863717th R4 Not known
1932–33 Div 2 4212102061843421st R5 Not known
1933–34 Div 3N4227788643612nd R3 Third Division North CupR3 Not known
1934–35 Div 3N4217101571524410th R3 Third Division North CupR3 Not known
1935–36 Div 3N 42241269239601st R2 Third Division North CupR3 Not known
1936–37 Div 2421681884894015th R3 Not known
1937–38 Div 2421691763634111th R5 Not known
1938–39 Div 242209136952496th R3 Not known
1939–40 Div 22101222[lower-alpha 8] 1
1939–45
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.
1945–46 R3[lower-alpha 9]
1946–47 Div 2421814105844504th R4 Not known
1947–48 Div 2421671954553916th R3 Not known
1948–49 Div 2421517105145476th R3 Not known
1949–50 Div 2421591843473914th R5 Not known
1950–51 Div 2 429122144693021st R3 Not known
1951–52 Div 3N4617111865664513th R2 Not known
1952–53 Div 3N4618111765634712th[lower-alpha 10] R2 Not known
1953–54 Div 3N461914137664526th R4 Not known
1954–55 Div 3N46246168170546th R1 Not known
1955–56 Div 3N46254179466546th R2 Not known
1956–57 Div 3N46229159679536th R3 Not known
1957–58 Div 3N461815137169518th R1 Not known
1958–59 Div 34617101967644416th R3 Not known
1959–60 Div 3461872171844318th R1 Not known
1960–61 Div 3 4610122467873224th R3R3 Not known
1961–62 Div 4441492170873719th R2R1 Not known
1962–63 Div 44613161770644215th R2R1 Not known
1963–64 Div 44615121957714216th R3R1 Not known
1964–65 Div 4462081858704812th R3R4 Not known
1965–66 Div 44613132062783920th R1R3 Not known
1966–67 Div 4461782160634215th R1R2 Not known
1967–68 Div 4462111147150537th R3R1 Not known
1968–69 Div 44613151843504120th R3R1 Not known
1969–70 Div 4 46271097732641st R1R1 Not known
1970–71 Div 3461717126638515th R2R1 Not known
1971–72 Div 3461882057574413th R3R2 Not known
1972–73 Div 3461792057614316th R2R3 Not known
1973–74 Div 3462114115542565th R1R3 Not known
1974–75 Div 34616121862664415th R3R2 Not known
1975–76 Div 3461792069694314th R1R1 Not known
1976–77 Div 34614102256643818th R2R1 Not known
1977–78 Div 3461714155849489th R2R2 Not known
1978–79 Div 34613141951654020th R1R3 Not known
1979–80 Div 3462311127146574th R1R3 Ernie Moss[30]14
1980–81 Div 3462310137248565th R3R2Anglo-Scottish CupW Not known
1981–82 Div 346181018575864[lower-alpha 11]11th R2R1 Football League Group Cup[lower-alpha 12]Group Not known
1982–83 Div 3 468132543683724th R1R1Football League Group CupGroup Not known
1983–84 Div 44615151659616013th R2R2 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Not known
1984–85 Div 4 46261376435911st R2R1 Associate Members' CupR2(N) Not known
1985–86 Div 34613141961645317th R1R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Not known
1986–87 Div 34613151856695417th R1R1 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Dave Caldwell[32]14
1987–88 Div 34615102141705518th R1R1 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Not known
1988–89 Div 3 461472551864922nd R1R1 Associate Members' CupQF(N) Not known
1989–90 Div 4461914136350717th[lower-alpha 13] R2R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Dave Waller[33]16
1990–91 Div 44613141947625318th R2R1 Associate Members' CupPrelim(N) Not known
1991–92 Div 44214111749615313th R1R1 Associate Members' CupR1(N) Not known
1992–93 Div 3[lower-alpha 14] 4215111659635612th R1R2 Football League TrophySF(N) Not known
1993–94 Div 3421614125548628th R1R2 Football League TrophyR1(N) Steve Norris[34]19
1994–95 Div 3 42231276237813rd[lower-alpha 15] R1R2 Football League TrophyR2(N) Tony Lormor[34]12
1995–96 Div 2462012145651727th R2R1 Football League TrophySF(N) Tony Lormor[35]13
1996–97 Div 24618141442396810th SFR1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Jonathan Howard9
1997–98 Div 24616171346446510th R2R2 Football League TrophyR1(N) Roger Willis8
1998–99 Div 2461713164644649th R1R2 Football League TrophyQF(N) Dave Reeves10
1999–2000 Div 2 467152434633624th R1R2 Football League TrophySF(N) Dave Reeves14
2000–01 Div 3 4625147794280[lower-alpha 16]3rd R1R2 Football League TrophySF(N) Luke Beckett16
2001–02 Div 24613132053655218th R2R1 Football League TrophyQF(N) Glynn Hurst9
2002–03 Div 2461482443735020th R1R2 Football League TrophyR2(N) Dave Reeves8
2003–04 Div 24612151949715120th R1R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Glynn Hurst13
2004–05 League 1[lower-alpha 17] 4614151755625717th R1R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Tcham N'Toya8
2005–06 League 14614141863735616th R1R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Paul Hall15
2006–07 League 1 4612112345534721st R1R4 Football League TrophySF(N) Caleb Folan8
2007–08 League 2461912157656698th R1R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Jack Lester25
2008–09 League 24616151562576310th R3R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Jack Lester[34]20 ♦
2009–10 League 246217186162708th R1R1 Football League TrophyQF(N) Jack Lester11
2010–11 League 2 46241488551861st R2R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Craig Davies23
2011–12 League 1 4610122455814222nd R1R1 Football League TrophyW Leon Clarke9
2012–13 League 2461813156045678th R2R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Marc Richards12
2013–14 League 2 46231587140841st R2R1 Football League TrophyF 11
2014–15 League 1461912156855696th[lower-alpha 18] R4R1 Football League TrophyR1(N) Eoin Doyle21
2015–16 League 1461582358705318th R2R1 Football League TrophyR2(N) Lee Novak14
2016–17 League 1 469102743783724th R2R1 EFL TrophyR3 Kristian Dennis8
2017–18 League 2 461082847833824th R1R1 EFL TrophyR2(N) Kristian Dennis19
2018–19 Nat4614171555535915th R2 FA TrophyR3 Scott Boden10
2019–20 Nat3811111655654420th[lower-alpha 19] QR4 FA TrophyR1
10

Notes

  1. After beating South Normanton Colliery in the second qualifying round, Chesterfield were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player. Although the FA commission accepted the directors' claim that they genuinely believed the player not to be cup-tied, because they suspended him for a month for "wilfully misleading the Chesterfield club", they still expelled the club from the competition despite it being within the rules and their discretion for them to impose a lesser sanction.[27]
  2. During the period that Chesterfield took part in this competition, it was conducted on a league basis.[15]
  3. The League Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season.[18]
  4. Sourced to Soccerbase from 1996–97 onwards.[20]
  5. From the 1899–1900 Football League season onwards, divisions are sorted according to their level within the English football league system, and separately from the non-League divisions.
  6. Successfully applied for re-election to the Football League.[25]
  7. Failed to be re-elected to the Football League, receiving three votes fewer than Midland League club Lincoln City.[26]
  8. The 1939–40 season was abandoned with three matches played when the Second World War began.[4]
  9. Although the Football League did not resume until the 1946–47 season, the FA Cup was contested in 1945–46. From the first round proper to the sixth round (quarter-final), results were determined on aggregate score over two legs.[4][16]
  10. Chesterfield finished joint twelfth, with a identical record to that of Tranmere Rovers.[1]
  11. The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win instead of two.[18]
  12. The Football League Group Cup succeeded the Anglo-Scottish Cup after the Scottish clubs decided to abandon the competition.[31]
  13. Beat Stockport County 6–0 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final before losing 1–0 to Cambridge United in the final.[4]
  14. When the newly formed FA Premier League split from the Football League, the remaining divisions of the Football League were renumbered upwards.[18]
  15. Beat Mansfield Town 6–3 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final before beating Bury 2–0 in the final to gain promotion to the Second Division.[4]
  16. Nine points deducted for financial irregularities.[9]
  17. From the 2004–05 season, the Football League divisions were rebranded: Division One was renamed the Football League Championship, and Divisions Two and Three became Football League One and Football League Two respectively.[36]
  18. Lost 4–0 on aggregate to Preston North End in the play-off semi-final.[37]
  19. The 2019–20 football season was disrupted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National League was suspended in mid-March 2020 and the clubs voted six weeks later to end the regular season programme.[38] Teams had not all played the same number of matches, so it was agreed to construct final league tables on an unweighted points per game basis.[39] Chesterfield placed 20th.[40]

References

  1. "Chesterfield FC: a potted history". Chesterfield F.C. 13 June 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012.
  2. "Football & cricket notes". Derbyshire Courier. 7 May 1892. p. 3.
  3. "Gainsborough Trinity v. Chesterfield". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 19 October 1892. p. 8.
    "Association Cup. Replayed tie". Nottingham Evening Post. 24 October 1892. p. 3.
  4. "Chesterfield". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  5. "Final Curtain: Last Anglo-Scottish cup match: Coventry City 1 St Mirren 1, 22 December 1987". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
    "Winning the Anglo-Scottish Cup 1980–81". cfchistory.com. 1999. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  6. "Maxwell fights on". The Observer. London. 22 May 1983. p. 42.
  7. Shaw, Phil (13 April 1997). "Football: Hewitt keeps the Chesterfield dream alive". The Independent. London. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  8. "Boro's greatest games: FA Cup semi-final and FA Cup final". Evening Gazette. Middlesbrough. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  9. "Chesterfield's dealings under investigation". Daily Telegraph. London. 25 January 2001. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
    Johnson, William (12 April 2001). "'Relieved' Chesterfield face nine-point penalty". Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
    "Chesterfield's points deduction confirmed". BBC Sport. 3 May 2001. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  10. Taylor, Daniel (1 May 2001). "Supporters take control of Chesterfield for £6,240". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
    Conn, David (1 February 2002). "Peace at Saltergate as fans assume control". The Independent. London. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  11. "FA Cup: Chesterfield face expulsion over ineligible player". BBC Sport. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
    "Chesterfield ordered to replay FA Cup tie with MK Dons over ineligible player". The Guardian. London. Press Association. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  12. Chapman, Caroline (25 March 2012). "Chesterfield 2–0 Swindon". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  13. "English League Two Complete History". statto.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  14. Woodcock, Ian (30 March 2014). "Chesterfield 1–3 Peterborough United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  15. "Sheffield and Hallamshire Football Association". Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 10 May 1893. p. 8. ...the chief business transacted was the selection of the 14 clubs to contend for the challenge cup next season, under the new rules by which the competition will be conducted on the league system.
  16. "The Emirates FA Cup: Past Results". The Football Association. Retrieved 14 August 2019. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
  17. "Chesterfield football club complete match record". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  18. "History of the Football League". The Football League. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on 1 May 2011.
  19. For Third Division North Cup: "Football League Division Three North Cup Summary – Contents". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
    For Anglo-Scottish Cup: "Anglo-Scottish Cup". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
    For Football League Group Cup: "Football League Group Cup". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
    For FA Trophy: "The Buildbase FA Trophy: Past Results". The Football Association. Retrieved 14 August 2019. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
  20. "Chesterfield: Player Appearances". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 October 2020. Select season required via dropdown menu.
  21. "The Sheffield and District League and Alliance". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 24 April 1893. p. 7.
  22. "Sheffield Challenge Cup". Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 23 April 1894. p. 7.
  23. "Sheffield and Hallamshire Football Association. Challenge Cup Competition". Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 29 April 1895. p. 7.
  24. "Sheffield Challenge Cup". Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 29 April 1895. p. 3.
    "Sheffield Challenge Cup. Sheepbridge Works v. Worksop". Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 21 April 1895. p. 8. This was the last fixture of the above teams for the Hallamshire Cup, and decided the fourth position between Sheepbridge and Chesterfield. ... Result: Sheepbridge Works 1 goal, Worksop 0 goal.
  25. "Chesterfield". FootballSite.co.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  26. "Division 2 1908/09". FootballSite.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  27. "A hit below the belt". Derbyshire Courier. 8 November 1919. p. 6. Surely, in the circumstances, justice would have been done if the Big Four had ordered Chesterfield to replay the match. That, it is now known, is all that South Normanton expected when they made their protest. The Chesterfield Club asked for leave to appeal. "No," say the Big Four; "we are the first and final court of appeal, and our decision must be accepted." It is, nevertheless, a stupid and unjust decision. One day the control of football will be put on a popular, democratic basis. Meanwhile, some of the existing "bosses" do not like the experiment which the Chesterfield Corporation are making in this direction. There are reasons.
  28. Ross, James M. (25 June 2015). "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  29. "Second League". The People. London. 27 August 1939. p. 20.
  30. Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 132. ISBN 0362-02017-5.
  31. Ross, James M. (20 December 2007). "Football League Group Cup/Trophy 1982–83". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  32. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  33. Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 190. ISBN 0-356-17911-7.
  34. "League Two". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  35. Sewell, Albert, ed. (1996). News of the World Football Annual 1996–97. London: Invincible Press. p. 354. ISBN 978-0-00-218737-4.
  36. "League gets revamp". BBC Sport. 10 June 2004. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  37. "Preston halfway to heaven as Jermaine Beckford lays Chesterfield low". The Guardian. London. Press Association. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  38. "National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately". BBC Sport. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  39. Osborn, Oliver (17 June 2020). "National League Statement: Ordinary Resolution supported by clubs". The National League. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  40. "2019/20 season Archive: Vanarama National League table". The National League. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
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