Football records and statistics in England


This article concerns football records in England. Unless otherwise stated, records are taken from the Football League or Premier League. Where a different record exists for the top flight, this is also given. This article includes clubs based in Wales that compete in English leagues.

League

The original league saw twelve teams become the founding members of the Football League in 1888–89: Accrington, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Everton, Preston North End, Aston Villa, Derby County, Notts County, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Three of the teams also played in the first Premier League season in 1992–93, but Notts County missed out, finishing in the relegation zone in 1991–92.
A second division was added four years later for the 1892–93 season, resulting in the Football League now becoming the Football League First Division, the top division for the next one hundred years. The Southern League became Division 3 in 1920. A Northern League formed the following year that became [Football League Football League Third Division|Third Division North|Division Three North]. In 1958 the regional divisions combined to form the Third Division and a national Fourth Division. The top 12 sides from the Northern and Southern divisions formed the Third Division, whilst the bottom 12 of the respective divisions formed the new fourth tier.
Nine clubs have reached double figures of league titles, with Liverpool and Manchester United leading the chasing pack. Five clubs have managed to win all four divisions, while a further seven clubs need the top title to complete the full set. Luton Town have technically also won four different divisions, albeit one of these was the National League in 2014.
RankClubDivision 1:
Premier League		Division 2:
Championship		Division 3:
League 1		Division 4:
League 2		Totals
1Liverpool20424
2Manchester United20222
3Manchester City10717
4Arsenal1313
5Sunderland65112
6Wolverhampton Wanderers343111
7Aston Villa72110
8Everton9110
9Leicester City18110
10Sheffield Wednesday459

RankClubDivision 1:
Premier League		Division 2:
Championship		Division 3:
League 1		Division 4:
League 2
1Wolverhampton Wanderers3431
2Burnley2411
3Preston North End2321
4Portsmouth2131
5Sheffield United1111

RankClubDivision 2:
Championship		Division 3:
League 1		Division 4:
League 2
1Notts County323
2Grimsby Town231
3Reading231
4Brentford123
5Luton Town131
6Millwall131
7Cardiff City111

For the 1919–20 season, the first season after the First World War, Arsenal were controversially elected in to the first division, despite finishing fifth in the last season before the outbreak of war in the second division. However, they have remained at this level ever since. Arsenal had once previously won promotion after finishing second behind Preston North End in the 1903–04 season, staying there until finishing bottom in 1912–13. Other clubs won elections to play in the first division. Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United in 1898, Bury and Notts County in 1905 and Chelsea in 1919 were also elected to the top flight. Blackburn later won division 2 in 1938–39, and Newcastle United finished runners-up in 1947–48. Notts County became second division champions in 1913–14, while Bury would finish runners-up in 1923–24. In the 1929–30 season, Chelsea finished second behind Blackpool. Arsenal, still to this day, have the unenviable record as being the only club who have never earned their place in the top flight, through their league position, after being elected in the 1919–20 season.
Holding the record of continuous seasons, Arsenal are some way ahead of other clubs who have suffered relegation. Everton spent three years in the second division before finishing as runners-up to Leicester City in the 1953–54 season. Neighbours Liverpool, after having spent eight years outside the top division, won the second division title in the 1961–62 season. Manchester United bounced straight back up in 1974–75, after finishing second bottom in 1973–74. This would be Manchester United's last football league title before the birth of the Premier League, in their only time outside the top division since the end of the Second World War. Tottenham Hotspur also spent a season in the Second Division; similarly to Manchester United, it is the only time they have been outside the top flight since 1950. In 1976–77, Spurs conceded 72 goals as they finished bottom; the following season, they finished third in the second division to earn promotion back to the top flight. Chelsea have been in the top flight since 1989 after winning the second division, while Manchester City one of the founders of the premier league spent 5 years out of the top flight but were present there since their 2002 promotion as Division 1 Winners. The 1998–99 season saw Manchester City earn promotion from Division 2, after winning a penalty shootout against Gillingham in the play-off final. City finished as runners-up to Charlton Athletic in Division 1 the following season, then made an immediate return after relegation in 2001, before securing their seventh second division title.
Unlike many European clubs that have never played outside their country's top division, no English club can claim that achievement. 65 clubs have played at the top level, six clubs have never returned, and the rest, apart from Arsenal, have secured promotion from the second division. Glossop, Leyton Orient, Northampton Town, Carlisle United, Swindon Town, and Barnsley have completed only one season in the top flight. The club that can boast playing the most seasons in the top tier is Everton, who are about to play their 121st season there. The city of Liverpool has always been represented in footballs top tier. While Everton suffered relegation in 1930, Liverpool remained, though Everton instantly returned to the top flight a year later. After three years in the second division from 1951 to 1954, Everton won promotion to the First Division, swapping places with Liverpool who had been relegated; it would be eight years later that under Bill Shankly, Liverpool were promoted from the second division.
RankClubNo.
seasons
1Everton123
2Aston Villa112
3Liverpool111
4Arsenal109
5Manchester United101
6Manchester City97
7Newcastle United94
8Chelsea91
8Tottenham Hotspur91
10Sunderland88

Division 1 and Premier League, as of the 2025–26 season
RankClubFirst seasonNo.
seasons
1Arsenal1919–20106**
2Everton1954–5572
3Liverpool1962–6364
4Manchester United1975–7651
5Tottenham Hotspur1978–7948
6Chelsea1989–9037
7Manchester City2002–0324
8West Ham United2012–1314
9Crystal Palace2013–1413
10Brighton & Hove Albion2017–189
10Newcastle United2017–189

Division 1 and Premier League, as of the 2025–26 season
** Six seasons lost due to World War II, and one season abandoned.
RankClubFirst seasonSeason
relegated		No.
seasons
1Arsenal1919–20106**
2Everton1954–5572
3Liverpool1962–6364
4Sunderland1890–911957–5857
5Manchester United1975–7651
6Tottenham Hotspur1978–7948
7Aston Villa1888–891935–3643
7Blackburn Rovers1888–891935–3643
9Chelsea1989–9037
10Sheffield United1893–941933–3436

Division 1 and Premier League, as of the 2025–26 season
** Six seasons lost due to World War II, and one season abandoned.

Champions of England

Twenty four different football clubs have been crowned English champions since the league began in 1888. In 2020, Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to become league champions again, however this is nowhere near the longest wait in history to once again be the English champions. Preston North End won the first two league titles but have never won it since 1890. Sheffield United won in 1898 but no second title has yet arrived. Their neighbours, Sheffield Wednesday, have won the league more recently than them, but have not added to their tally of four league titles, with their most recent success coming in 1930. Huddersfield Town won a hat-trick of titles between 1924 and 1926, but nearly a century later no fourth title has been added.
It is approaching 100 years since Newcastle United were English champions while Tottenham Hotspur have now gone 63 years without any league titles. Chelsea had to wait 50 years before their first Premier League success in 2005, although they did win the second division twice in the 1980s.
Manchester City endured 44 barren years before winning the league title in 2012. Manchester United went 41 years without the top title, but that time period includes two world wars, with eleven seasons lost. Arsenal, meanwhile, are currently in their longest period without a league title since first becoming English champions in 1931, with their last triumph coming in 2004. Arsenal went 18 years without a title twice, 1953 until 1971, then again until 1989.
In the lower leagues Leicester City hold the record for most second tier titles with eight. Behind are Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City all with five. The third tier record is held by Plymouth Argyle. Winning League 1 in the 2022-23 season moved them to outright holders, ahead of Portsmouth, Bristol City, Doncaster Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Hull City. Doncaster Rovers and Chesterfield share the fourth tier record, both with four titles, ahead of Notts County, Brentford and Swindon Town with three titles.
Same season as first title
Same season as last title

Titles

Representation

Wins

Draws

Losses

Points

Games without a win

Games without defeat

  • Most consecutive games without a defeat in top flight: 49, Arsenal
  • Most consecutive games without a defeat at home: 86, Chelsea
  • Most consecutive games without a defeat away: 29, Manchester United

Goals

Scorelines

Disciplinary

Transfers

Individual

Appearances

  • Most career league appearances: 1,005, Peter Shilton
  • Most career league appearances by an outfield player: 931, Tony Ford
  • Most career league appearances at one club: 789, Dean Lewington
  • Most career top-flight league appearances by an outfield player: 714 John Hollins 1963 to 1984
  • Most career top-flight league appearances at one club: 672, Ryan Giggs
  • Most career consecutive league appearances: 375, Harold Bell, 1946 to 1955

Goals

Hat-trick of penalties

Other records

FA Cup

Final

Team

Individual

All rounds

League Cup

Final

All rounds

All-time top scorers

RankPlayerGoalsAppsRatioYearsClub
1#expr:49/84 round 2nowrap|1980–1998

FA Charity / Community Shield

Final

All competitions

Attendance records

List of English record competition winners

These tables list the clubs that have won honours an English record number of times. It lists all international competitions organised by UEFA and FIFA as well as competitions organised by the English governing bodies the English Football League, the Premier League, and The Football Association.

Managers