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{{short description|Former division of football league in England}}{{Multiple issues|{{Disputed|date=August 2023}}{{More citations needed|date=August 2023}}{{More footnotes needed|date=August 2023}}}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

factoids

The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First Division’s winning club became English football champions.The First Division contained between 12 and 24 clubs, playing each other home and away in a double round robin. The competition was based on two points for a win from 1888 until the increase to three points for a win in 1981.After the creation of the Premier League, the name First Division was given to the second-tier division (from 1992). The name ceased to exist after the 2003–04 First Division season. The division was rebranded as the Football League Championship (now EFL Championship).

History

{{Further|Football in England|History of English football}}The Football League was founded in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor. It originally consisted of a single division of 12 clubs (Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke (now Stoke City), West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers), known as The Football League. When the League admitted additional members from the rival Football Alliance in 1892, it was split into two divisions.For the next 100 years, the First Division was the top professional league in English football. In 1992, the 22 clubs making up the First Division elected to resign from the Football League and set up the Premier League. The Football League was consequently re-organised, with the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions renamed the First, Second, and Third respectively. Thus, the First Division, while still the top level of the Football League, became the second level of the entire English football league system.The First Division was renamed the Football League Championship prior to the start of the 2004–05 season, as part of a league-wide rebrand. The Football League rebranded itself as the English Football League prior to the 2016–17 season, with its top level becoming the EFL Championship at that time.Liverpool were the most frequent winners of the First Division when it was the top flight of English football, winning it a total of 18 times.

Trophy and players’ medals

The Football League First Division trophy was first awarded in 1891, and was presented to the winners through to 1992.WEB,www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/collections_detail/football-league-first-division-trophy-1890, Football League First Division Trophy, 1890, National Football Museum, 28 May 2020, 27 September 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200927175345/https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/collections_detail/football-league-first-division-trophy-1890/, live, As of the 1947–48 season, making seven appearances for their club during the season was not enough for a player to qualify for a winners medal.WEB, Player profile: Bryn Jones,www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/357/bryn-jones, Arsenal player database, Arsenal FC, 13 June 2011,www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/357/bryn-jones," title="web.archive.org/web/20121013232656www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/357/bryn-jones,">web.archive.org/web/20121013232656www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/357/bryn-jones, 13 October 2012, dead, As of the 1975–76 season, players had to make 14 appearances for their club during the season in order to qualify for a winners medal.WEB, Joey Jones: Profile,www.liverpoolfc.tv/history/past-players/joey-jones,www.liverpoolfc.tv/history/past-players/joey-jones," title="web.archive.org/web/20110206141854www.liverpoolfc.tv/history/past-players/joey-jones,">web.archive.org/web/20110206141854www.liverpoolfc.tv/history/past-players/joey-jones, dead, 6 February 2011, Liverpool FC, 20 May 2011,

First Division champions

{{See also|List of English football champions|List of winners of the EFL Championship and predecessors}}The Football League First Division between 1888 and 1992 was the top tier in English football. {| class=“wikitable”www.football-league.co.uk/page/PastWinnersDetail/0%2C%2C10794~475363%2C00.html, 17 July 2014,www.football-league.co.uk/page/PastWinnersDetail/0%2C%2C10794~475363%2C00.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20140717112954www.football-league.co.uk/page/PastWinnersDetail/0%2C%2C10794~475363%2C00.html,">web.archive.org/web/20140717112954www.football-league.co.uk/page/PastWinnersDetail/0%2C%2C10794~475363%2C00.html, 17 July 2014, ! Club!! Titles!! Winning seasonsLiverpool F.C.>Liverpool {{center1900–01 Football League>1900–01, 1905–06 Football League, 1921–22 Football League>1921–22, 1922–23 Football League, 1946–47 Football League>1946–47, 1963–64 Liverpool F.C. season, 1965–66 Liverpool F.C. season>1965–66, 1972–73 Liverpool F.C. season, 1975–76 Liverpool F.C. season>1975–76, 1976–77 Liverpool F.C. season, 1978–79 Liverpool F.C. season>1978–79, 1979–80 Liverpool F.C. season, 1981–82 Liverpool F.C. season>1981–82, 1982–83 Liverpool F.C. season, 1983–84 Liverpool F.C. season>1983–84, 1985–86 Liverpool F.C. season, 1987–88 Liverpool F.C. season>1987–88, 1989–90Arsenal F.C.>Arsenal {{center1930–31 Arsenal F.C. season>1930–31, 1932–33 Arsenal F.C. season, 1933–34 Arsenal F.C. season>1933–34, 1934–35 Arsenal F.C. season, 1937–38 Arsenal F.C. season>1937–38, 1947–48 Arsenal F.C. season, 1952–53 Arsenal F.C. season>1952–53, 1970–71 Arsenal F.C. season, 1988–89 Arsenal F.C. season>1988–89, 1990–91Everton F.C.>Everton {{center1890–91 Football League>1890–91, 1914–15 Football League, 1927–28 Football League>1927–28, 1931–32 Football League, 1938–39 Football League>1938–39, 1962–63 Football League, 1969–70 Football League>1969–70, 1984–85 Football League, 1986–87 Football League>1986–87Manchester United F.C.>Manchester United {{center|1907–08, 1910–11, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67Aston Villa F.C.>Aston Villa {{center1893–94 Aston Villa F.C. season>1893–94, 1895–96 Aston Villa F.C. season, 1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season>1896–97, 1898–99 Aston Villa F.C. season, 1899–1900 Aston Villa F.C. season>1899–1900, 1909–10 Aston Villa F.C. season, 1980–81 Aston Villa F.C. season>1980–81Sunderland A.F.C.>Sunderland {{center1891–92 Football League>1891–92, 1892–93 Football League, 1894–95 Football League>1894–95, 1901–02 Football League, 1912–13 Football League>1912–13, 1935–36Sheffield Wednesday F.C.>Sheffield Wednesday {{center| 1902–03, 1903–04, 1928–29, 1929–30Newcastle United F.C.>Newcastle United {{center1904–05 in English football>1904–05, 1906–07 in English football, 1908–09 in English football>1908–09, 1926–27Leeds United F.C.>Leeds United {{center1968–69 Football League>1968–69, 1973–74 Football League, 1991–92 Football League>1991–92Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.>Wolverhampton Wanderers {{center1953–54 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season>1953–54, 1957–58 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, 1958–59 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season>1958–59Huddersfield Town A.F.C.>Huddersfield Town {{center| 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26Derby County F.C.>Derby County {{center1971–72 Football League>1971–72, 1974–75Manchester City F.C.>Manchester City {{center1936–37 in English football>1936–37, 1967–68Tottenham Hotspur F.C.>Tottenham Hotspur {{center1950–51 Football League>1950–51, 1960–61 Burnley F.C.>Burnley {{center1920–21 Burnley F.C. season>1920–21, 1959–60Portsmouth F.C.>Portsmouth {{center1948–49 in English football>1948–49, 1949–50 Blackburn Rovers F.C.>Blackburn Rovers {{center1911–12 Football League>1911–12, 1913–14Preston North End F.C.>Preston North End {{center1888–89 Football League>1888–89, 1889–90Nottingham Forest F.C.>Nottingham Forest {{center1977–78 Football League>1977–78Ipswich Town F.C.>Ipswich Town {{center1961–62 Football League>1961–62Chelsea F.C.>Chelsea {{center1954–55 Football League>1954–55West Bromwich Albion F.C.>West Bromwich Albion {{center1919–20 in English football>1919–20Sheffield United F.C.>Sheffield United {{center1897–98 Football League>1897–98From the start of the 1992–93 season, the first division became the second tier in English football. The champions would now be promoted to the Premier League. The 2003–04 season would be the last before rebranding as the Championship.{| class=“wikitable“!Club!Titles!Winning SeasonsSunderland A.F.C.>Sunderland {{centerEnglish Football League>1995–96, 1998–99Newcastle United F.C.>Newcastle United1}}1992–93 Football League>1992–93Crystal Palace F.C.>Crystal Palace1}}1993–94 Football League>1993–94Middlesbrough F.C.>Middlesbrough1}}1994–95 Football League>1994–95Bolton Wanderers F.C.>Bolton Wanderers1}}1996–97 Football League>1996–97Nottingham Forest F.C.>Nottingham Forest1}}1997–98 Football League>1997–98Charlton Athletic F.C.>Charlton Athletic1}}1999–2000 Football League>1999–2000Fulham F.C.>Fulham1}}2000–01 Football League>2000–01Manchester City F.C.>Manchester City1}}2001–02 Football League>2001–02Portsmouth F.C.>Portsmouth1}}2002–03 Football League>2002–03Norwich City F.C.>Norwich City1}}2003–04 Football League>2003–04

First Division all time top scorers {| class“wikitable sortable”

!width=“10px” | Rank!width=“160px” | Player!align=“right” width=“100px“| Years !align=“right” width=“10px” | Goals!align=“right” width=“10px” | Matches!align=“right” width=“10px” | Ratio!align=“right” width=“10px” | Club(s)1ENG}} Jimmy Greaves{{nowrap|1957–1972}}3575160.69Chelsea F.C.>Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur F.C., West Ham United F.C.>West Ham United2ENG}} Steve Bloomer1892–19143145350.59Derby County F.C.>Derby County, Middlesbrough3ENG}} Dixie Dean1924–19383103620.86Everton F.C.>Everton4ENG}} Gordon Hodgson1925–19402884550.63Liverpool F.C.>Liverpool, Aston Villa F.C., Leeds United F.C.>Leeds United5ENG}} Charlie Buchan1912–19282584810.53Sunderland AFC>Sunderland, Arsenal6ENG}} David Jack1920–19342574760.54Bolton Wanderers F.C.>Bolton Wanderers, Arsenal7ENG}} Nat Lofthouse1946–19602554520.56Bolton Wanderers F.C.>Bolton Wanderers8ENG}} Joe Bradford1921–19352484100.60Birmingham City F.C.>Birmingham City9SCO}} Hughie Gallacher1925–1938246355 0.69Newcastle United F.C.>Newcastle United, Chelsea F.C., Derby County F.C.>Derby County, Grimsby Town 10ENG}} Joe Smith1908–19272434160.58Bolton Wanderers F.C.>Bolton Wanderers

See also

• List of English football first tier top scorers

References

{{Reflist}}{{commons category}}{{Football League First Division seasons}}{{Men’s football in England}}{{UEFA leagues}}{{UEFA second leagues}}{{Use British English|date=October 2010}}