List of English football champions

The English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English men's football, which since 1992–93 is the Premier League.

English League (1st tier)
Football League (1888–1892)
Football League First Division (1892–1992)
Premier League (1992–present)
Country
 England
Founded
1888
Number of teams
20 (2020–21 season)
Current champions
Liverpool F.C. (2019–20)
Most successful club
Manchester United (20 championships)
Leicester City celebrate winning the Premier League in the 2015–16 season.

Following the codification of professional football by the Football Association in 1885,[1] the Football League was established in 1888, after a series of meetings initiated by Aston Villa director William McGregor.[2] At the end of the 1888–89 season, Preston North End were the first club to be crowned champions after completing their fixtures unbeaten.[3]

Representing the first fully professional football competition in the world the league saw its early years dominated by teams from the North and Midlands, where professionalism was embraced more readily than in the South of England.[4] Its status as the country's pre-eminent league was strengthened in 1892, when the rival Football Alliance was absorbed into the Football League.[5] Former Alliance clubs comprised the bulk of a new Second Division, from which promotion to the top level could be gained. It was not until 1931 that a Southern club were crowned champions, when Herbert Chapman's Arsenal secured the title. Arsenal scored 127 goals in the process, a record for a title-winning side (though runners-up Aston Villa scored one goal more, a record for the top division).[6]

Rules stipulating a maximum wage for players were abolished in 1961. This resulted in a shift of power towards bigger clubs.[7] Financial considerations became an even bigger influence from 1992, when the teams then in the First Division defected to form the FA Premier League. This supplanted the Football League First Division as the highest level of football in England,[8] and due to a series of progressively larger television contracts, put wealth into the hands of top flight clubs in a hitherto unprecedented manner.[9] The first five champions in the Premier League era – Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United – had all won the title at least once prior to 1992. Leicester City were crowned champions for the first time in 2016, becoming the first team to win the Premier League without having previously won the First Division.

All the clubs which have ever been crowned champions are still in existence today and all take part in the top four tiers of the English football league system – the football pyramid. Sheffield Wednesday are the only club who have ever changed their name after winning a league title having been known as The Wednesday for the first three of their four titles.

Manchester United have won 20 titles, the most of any club.[10] United's rivals Liverpool are second with 19. Liverpool dominated during the 1970s and 1980s (Liverpool won ten league titles between 1973 and 1988), while Manchester United dominated in the 1990s and 2000s under manager Sir Alex Ferguson (eleven league titles between 1993 and 2009). Arsenal are third with 13 league titles, having dominated during the 1930s (five league titles between 1931 and 1938). Everton are fourth with 9 titles. Aston Villa (7) and Sunderland (6) secured the majority of their titles before World War I. Manchester City and Chelsea (6 titles each) secured the majority of their titles in the 21st century. With the arrival of foreign investment and ownership, Manchester City (under owner Sheikh Mansour) won four league titles between 2012 and 2019, whilst Chelsea (under owner Roman Abramovich) won five league titles between 2005 and 2017.

Huddersfield Town from 1924 to 1926, Arsenal from 1933 to 1935, Liverpool from 1982 to 1984 and Manchester United from 1999 to 2001 and 2007–2009 are the only sides to have won the League title in three consecutive seasons.[11]

List

Football League (1888–1892)

Year Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third place Winning manager
1888–89 Preston North End[lower-alpha 1] Aston Villa Wolverhampton Wanderers William Sudell (secretary manager)
1889–90 Preston North End (2) Everton Blackburn Rovers William Sudell (secretary manager)
1890–91 Everton Preston North End Notts County Dick Molyneux (secretary manager)
1891–92 Sunderland Preston North End Bolton Wanderers Tom Watson

Football League First Division (1892–1992)

Year Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third place Winning manager
1892–93 Sunderland (2) Preston North End Everton Tom Watson
1893–94 Aston Villa Sunderland Derby County George Ramsay
1894–95 Sunderland (3) Everton Aston Villa Tom Watson
1895–96 Aston Villa (2) Derby County Everton George Ramsay
1896–97 Aston Villa (3) Sheffield United Derby County George Ramsay
1897–98 Sheffield United Sunderland Wolverhampton Wanderers Joseph Wostinholm
1898–99 Aston Villa (4) Liverpool Burnley George Ramsay
1899–1900 Aston Villa (5) Sheffield United Sunderland George Ramsay
1900–01 Liverpool Sunderland Notts County Tom Watson
1901–02 Sunderland (4) Everton Newcastle United Alex Mackie
1902–03 The Wednesday[lower-alpha 2] Aston Villa Sunderland Arthur Dickinson
1903–04 The Wednesday[lower-alpha 2] (2) Manchester City Everton Arthur Dickinson
1904–05 Newcastle United Everton Manchester City Frank Watt (secretary manager)
1905–06 Liverpool (2) Preston North End The Wednesday Tom Watson
1906–07 Newcastle United (2) Bristol City Everton Frank Watt (secretary manager)
1907–08 Manchester United Aston Villa Manchester City Ernest Mangnall
1908–09 Newcastle United (3) Everton Sunderland Frank Watt (secretary manager)
1909–10 Aston Villa (6) Liverpool Blackburn Rovers George Ramsay
1910–11 Manchester United (2) Aston Villa Sunderland Ernest Mangnall
1911–12 Blackburn Rovers Everton Newcastle United Robert Middleton
1912–13 Sunderland (5) Aston Villa The Wednesday Bob Kyle
1913–14 Blackburn Rovers (2) Aston Villa Middlesbrough Robert Middleton
1914–15 Everton (2) Oldham Athletic Blackburn Rovers Will Cuff (secretary manager)
1915/16–1918/19 League suspended owing to the First World War
1919–20 West Bromwich Albion Burnley Chelsea Fred Everiss
1920–21 Burnley Manchester City Bolton Wanderers John Haworth
1921–22 Liverpool (3) Tottenham Hotspur Burnley David Ashworth
1922–23 Liverpool (4) Sunderland Huddersfield Town Matt McQueen
1923–24 Huddersfield Town Cardiff City Sunderland Herbert Chapman
1924–25 Huddersfield Town (2) West Bromwich Albion Bolton Wanderers Herbert Chapman
1925–26 Huddersfield Town (3) Arsenal Sunderland Cecil Potter
1926–27 Newcastle United (4) Huddersfield Town Sunderland Frank Watt (secretary manager)
1927–28 Everton (3) Huddersfield Town Leicester City Thomas McIntosh (secretary manager)
1928–29 The Wednesday[lower-alpha 2] (3) Leicester City Aston Villa Robert Brown
1929–30 Sheffield Wednesday (4) Derby County Manchester City Robert Brown
1930–31 Arsenal Aston Villa Sheffield Wednesday Herbert Chapman
1931–32 Everton (4) Arsenal Sheffield Wednesday Thomas McIntosh (secretary manager)
1932–33 Arsenal (2) Aston Villa Sheffield Wednesday Herbert Chapman
1933–34 Arsenal (3) Huddersfield Town Tottenham Hotspur Joe Shaw (caretaker)
1934–35 Arsenal (4) Sunderland Sheffield Wednesday George Allison
1935–36 Sunderland (6) Derby County Huddersfield Town Johnny Cochrane
1936–37 Manchester City Charlton Athletic Arsenal Wilf Wild
1937–38 Arsenal (5) Wolverhampton Wanderers Preston North End George Allison
1938–39 Everton (5) Wolverhampton Wanderers Charlton Athletic Theo Kelly (secretary manager)
1939/40–1945/46 League suspended owing to the Second World War
1946–47 Liverpool (5) Manchester United Wolverhampton Wanderers George Kay
1947–48 Arsenal (6) Manchester United Burnley Tom Whittaker
1948–49 Portsmouth Manchester United Derby County Bob Jackson
1949–50 Portsmouth (2) Wolverhampton Wanderers Sunderland Bob Jackson
1950–51 Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United Blackpool Arthur Rowe
1951–52 Manchester United (3) Tottenham Hotspur Arsenal Matt Busby
1952–53 Arsenal (7) Preston North End Wolverhampton Wanderers Tom Whittaker
1953–54 Wolverhampton Wanderers West Bromwich Albion Huddersfield Town Stan Cullis
1954–55 Chelsea Wolverhampton Wanderers Portsmouth Ted Drake
1955–56 Manchester United (4) Blackpool Wolverhampton Wanderers Matt Busby
1956–57 Manchester United (5) Tottenham Hotspur Preston North End Matt Busby
1957–58 Wolverhampton Wanderers (2) Preston North End Tottenham Hotspur Stan Cullis
1958–59 Wolverhampton Wanderers (3) Manchester United Arsenal Stan Cullis
1959–60 Burnley (2) Wolverhampton Wanderers Tottenham Hotspur Harry Potts
1960–61 Tottenham Hotspur (2) Sheffield Wednesday Wolverhampton Wanderers Bill Nicholson
1961–62 Ipswich Town Burnley Tottenham Hotspur Alf Ramsey
1962–63 Everton (6) Tottenham Hotspur Burnley Harry Catterick
1963–64 Liverpool (6) Manchester United Everton Bill Shankly
1964–65 Manchester United (6) Leeds United Chelsea Matt Busby
1965–66 Liverpool (7) Leeds United Burnley Bill Shankly
1966–67 Manchester United (7) Nottingham Forest Tottenham Hotspur Matt Busby
1967–68 Manchester City (2) Manchester United Liverpool Joe Mercer
1968–69 Leeds United Liverpool Everton Don Revie
1969–70 Everton (7) Leeds United Chelsea Harry Catterick
1970–71 Arsenal (8) Leeds United Tottenham Hotspur Bertie Mee
1971–72 Derby County Leeds United Liverpool Brian Clough
1972–73 Liverpool[lower-alpha 3] (8) Arsenal Leeds United Bill Shankly
1973–74 Leeds United (2) Liverpool Derby County Don Revie
1974–75 Derby County (2) Liverpool Ipswich Town Dave Mackay
1975–76 Liverpool[lower-alpha 3] (9) Queens Park Rangers Manchester United Bob Paisley
1976–77 Liverpool[lower-alpha 4] (10) Manchester City Ipswich Town Bob Paisley
1977–78 Nottingham Forest[lower-alpha 5] Liverpool Everton Brian Clough
1978–79 Liverpool (11) Nottingham Forest West Bromwich Albion Bob Paisley
1979–80 Liverpool (12) Manchester United Ipswich Town Bob Paisley
1980–81 Aston Villa (7) Ipswich Town Arsenal Ron Saunders
1981–82[lower-alpha 6] Liverpool[lower-alpha 5] (13) Ipswich Town Manchester United Bob Paisley
1982–83 Liverpool[lower-alpha 5] (14) Watford Manchester United Bob Paisley
1983–84 Liverpool[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] (15) Southampton Nottingham Forest Joe Fagan
1984–85 Everton[lower-alpha 7] (8) Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur Howard Kendall
1985–86 Liverpool (16) Everton West Ham United Kenny Dalglish
1986–87 Everton (9) Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur Howard Kendall
1987–88 Liverpool (17) Manchester United Nottingham Forest Kenny Dalglish
1988–89 Arsenal (9) Liverpool Nottingham Forest George Graham
1989–90 Liverpool (18) Aston Villa Tottenham Hotspur Kenny Dalglish
1990–91 Arsenal (10) Liverpool Crystal Palace George Graham
1991–92 Leeds United (3) Manchester United Sheffield Wednesday Howard Wilkinson

Premier League (1992–present)

Year Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third place Winning manager
1992–93 Manchester United (8) Aston Villa Norwich City Alex Ferguson
1993–94 Manchester United (9) Blackburn Rovers Newcastle United Alex Ferguson
1994–95 Blackburn Rovers (3) Manchester United Nottingham Forest Kenny Dalglish
1995–96 Manchester United (10) Newcastle United Liverpool Alex Ferguson
1996–97 Manchester United (11) Newcastle United Arsenal Alex Ferguson
1997–98 Arsenal (11) Manchester United Liverpool Arsène Wenger
1998–99 Manchester United[lower-alpha 8] (12) Arsenal Chelsea Alex Ferguson
1999–2000 Manchester United (13) Arsenal Leeds United Alex Ferguson
2000–01 Manchester United (14) Arsenal Liverpool Alex Ferguson
2001–02 Arsenal (12) Liverpool Manchester United Arsène Wenger
2002–03 Manchester United (15) Arsenal Newcastle United Alex Ferguson
2003–04 Arsenal[lower-alpha 1] (13) Chelsea Manchester United Arsène Wenger
2004–05 Chelsea[lower-alpha 5] (2) Arsenal Manchester United José Mourinho
2005–06 Chelsea (3) Manchester United Liverpool José Mourinho
2006–07 Manchester United (16) Chelsea Liverpool Alex Ferguson
2007–08 Manchester United[lower-alpha 4] (17) Chelsea Arsenal Alex Ferguson
2008–09 Manchester United[lower-alpha 5] (18) Liverpool Chelsea Alex Ferguson
2009–10 Chelsea (4) Manchester United Arsenal Carlo Ancelotti
2010–11 Manchester United (19) Chelsea Manchester City Alex Ferguson
2011–12 Manchester City (3) Manchester United Arsenal Roberto Mancini
2012–13 Manchester United (20) Manchester City Chelsea Alex Ferguson
2013–14 Manchester City[lower-alpha 5] (4) Liverpool Chelsea Manuel Pellegrini
2014–15 Chelsea[lower-alpha 5] (5) Manchester City Arsenal José Mourinho
2015–16 Leicester City Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur Claudio Ranieri
2016–17 Chelsea (6) Tottenham Hotspur Manchester City Antonio Conte
2017–18 Manchester City[lower-alpha 5] (5) Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur Pep Guardiola
2018–19 Manchester City[lower-alpha 9] (6) Liverpool Chelsea Pep Guardiola
2019–20 Liverpool (19) Manchester City Manchester United Jürgen Klopp

Total titles won

There are 24 clubs who have won the English title.

Teams in bold compete in the Premier League as of the 2020–21 season.

Rank Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons
1 Manchester United 20 16 1907–08, 1910–11, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
2 Liverpool 19 14 1900–01, 1905–06, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1946–47, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 2019–20
3 Arsenal 13 9 1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1947–48, 1952–53, 1970–71, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04
4 Everton 9 7 1890–91, 1914–15, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1938–39, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1984–85, 1986–87
5 Aston Villa 7 10 1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–00, 1909–10, 1980–81
6 Manchester City 6 6 1936–37, 1967–68, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19
Sunderland 6 5 1891–92, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1901–02, 1912–13, 1935–36
Chelsea 6 4 1954–55, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17
9 Newcastle United 4 2 1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27
Sheffield Wednesday 4 1 1902–03, 1903–04, 1928–29, 1929–30
11 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 5 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59
Leeds United 3 5 1968–69, 1973–74, 1991–92
Huddersfield Town 3 3 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26
Blackburn Rovers 3 1 1911–12, 1913–14, 1994–95
15 Preston North End 2 6 1888–89, 1889–90
Tottenham Hotspur 2 5 1950–51, 1960–61
Derby County 2 3 1971–72, 1974–75
Burnley 2 2 1920–21, 1959–60
Portsmouth 2 0 1948–49, 1949–50
20 Sheffield United 1 2 1897–98
West Bromwich Albion 1 2 1919–20
Ipswich Town 1 2 1961–62
Nottingham Forest 1 2 1977–78
Leicester City 1 1 2015–16
Never won Bristol City 0 1
Oldham Athletic 0 1
Cardiff City 0 1
Charlton Athletic 0 1
Blackpool 0 1
Queen's Park Rangers 0 1
Watford 0 1
Southampton 0 1

By region

Region Championships Clubs
North West 61 Manchester United (20), Liverpool (19), Everton (9), Manchester City (6), Blackburn Rovers (3), Burnley (2), Preston North End (2)
London 21 Arsenal (13), Chelsea (6), Tottenham Hotspur (2)
Yorkshire 11 Sheffield Wednesday (4), Huddersfield Town (3), Leeds United (3), Sheffield United (1)
West Midlands 11 Aston Villa (7), Wolverhampton Wanderers (3), West Bromwich Albion (1)
North East 10 Sunderland (6), Newcastle United (4)
East Midlands 4 Derby County (2), Leicester City (1), Nottingham Forest (1)
South East 2 Portsmouth (2)
East 1 Ipswich Town (1)
South West 0
Wales 0

By city/town

City / Town Championships Clubs
Liverpool 28 Liverpool (19), Everton (9)
Manchester 26 Manchester United (20), Manchester City (6)
London 21 Arsenal (13), Chelsea (6), Tottenham Hotspur (2)
Birmingham 7 Aston Villa (7)
Sunderland 6 Sunderland (6)
Sheffield 5 Sheffield Wednesday (4), Sheffield United (1)
Newcastle 4 Newcastle United (4)
Blackburn 3 Blackburn Rovers (3)
Huddersfield 3 Huddersfield Town (3)
Leeds 3 Leeds United (3)
Wolverhampton 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers (3)
Burnley 2 Burnley (2)
Derby 2 Derby County (2)
Portsmouth 2 Portsmouth (2)
Preston 2 Preston North End (2)
Ipswich 1 Ipswich Town (1)
Leicester 1 Leicester City (1)
Nottingham 1 Nottingham Forest (1)
West Bromwich 1 West Bromwich Albion (1)

English football champions map

See also

Notes

  1. Completed the season unbeaten.
  2. Sheffield Wednesday were known as The Wednesday until 1929.
  3. Also won the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League.
  4. Also won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League.
  5. Also won the EFL Cup.
  6. From the 1981–82 season onwards three points were awarded for a win. Prior to this a win gave two points.
  7. Also won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
  8. In addition to the double of League and FA Cup, Manchester United also won the UEFA Champions League in 1999. This achievement is referred to as the Treble.
  9. In addition to the double of League and FA Cup, Manchester City also won the EFL Cup in 2019. This achievement is referred to as the Domestic Treble.

References

General
  • "Past winners – The Football League". Football League website. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
  • "England – List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  • "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
Specific
  1. "The History of the Football League". Football League website. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 15 February 2006.
  2. Inglis, Simon (1988). League Football and the Men Who Made It. Willow Books. pp. 6–8. ISBN 978-0-00-218242-3.
  3. Titford, Roger (November 2005). "Football League, 1888–89". When Saturday Comes. Archived from the original on 29 May 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  4. Goldblatt, David (2007). The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football. London: Penguin. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-14-101582-8.
  5. Inglis, League Football and the Men Who Made It, p25
  6. "Free-scoring Gunners clinch first title". Arsenal.com. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  7. Dart, Tom (25 May 2009). "Burnley: little town, big traditions". The Times. London. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  8. "A History of The Premier League". Premier League. Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  9. Harris, Nick (7 February 2009). "£1.78bn: Record Premier League TV deal defies economic slump". Independent. London. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  10. Nurse, Howard (14 May 2011). "Blackburn 1–1 Man Utd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  11. "Sideline". The Times. London. 16 May 2003. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

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