Promotion to/Relegation from the Football League by year

Year Team In Fate of Team In Team Out / Reason why none Fate of Team Out / Notes
1888 Accrington Not re-elected 1893 The football League
was founded in 1888
with twelve members
 
Aston Villa Still in Football League
Blackburn Rovers Still in Football League
Bolton Wanderers Still in Football League
Burnley Still in Football League
Derby County Still in Football League
Everton Still in Football League
Notts County Still in Football League
Preston North End Still in Football League
Stoke Not re-elected 1890
West Bromwich AlbionStill in Football League
Wolverhampton WndrrsStill in Football League
1890 Sunderland Still in Football League Stoke Elected 1891
1891 Stoke Resigned 1908 [Expansion]  
Darwen Not re-elected 1892 [Expansion]
1892 Sheffield Wednesday Still in Football League Darwen Elected 1892
Nottingham Forest Still in Football League [Expansion]  
Newton Heath Still in Football League [Expansion] Newton Heath now Man. Utd.
Ardwick Still in Football League New Division 2 Ardwick now Manchester City
Bootle Resigned Aug 1893 Burslem Port Vale now Port Vale
Burslem Port Vale Not re-elected 1896
Burton Swifts See 1902
Crewe Alexandra Not re-elected 1896
Darwen Not re-elected 1898
Grimsby Town Not re-elected 1910
Lincoln City Not re-elected 1908
Northwich Victoria Not re-elected 1894
Sheffield United Still in Football League
Small Heath AllianceStill in Football League Small Heath now Birmingham City
Walsall Town Swifts Not re-elected 1895 Walsall Town Swifts now Walsall
1893 Rotherham Town Not re-elected 1896 [Expansion]  
Newcastle United Still in Football League [Expansion]  
Woolwich Arsenal Still in Football League [Expansion] Woolwich Arsenal now Arsenal
Liverpool Still in Football League [Expansion]  
Middlesbrough Ironopolis Resigned 1894 [Replaced Accrington] Fate unknown
[Bootle resigned without replacement] Bootle Fate unknown
1894 Leicester Fosse Still in Football League [Expansion] Fosse now City
Burton Wanderers Not re-elected 1897 Northwich Victoria Fate unknown
Bury Still in Football League Middlesbrough Ironopolis Fate unknown
1895 Loughborough Town Not re-elected 1900 Walsall Town Swifts Elected 1896
1896 Blackpool Not re-elected 1899 Burslem Port Vale Elected 1898
Walsall Town Swifts Not re-elected 1901 Crewe Alexandra Elected 1921
Gainsborough TrinityNot re-elected 1912 Rotherham Town See 1925
Luton Town Not re-elected 1912 Burton Wanderers See 1902
1896 Burslem Port Vale Resigned 1907 Darwen Included in subsequent expansion
Darwen Not re-elected 1899 [Expansion]
New Brighton Tower Resigned 1901 [Expansion]
Glossop North End Not re-elected 1915 [Expansion]
Barnsley Still in Football League [Expansion]
1899 Chesterfield Town Resigned 1909 Blackpool Elected 1900
Middlesbrough Still in Football League Darwen Still non-league
1900 Blackpool Still in Football League Loughborough Town Fate unknown
Stockport County Not re-elected 1904 Luton Town Expansion 1920
1901 Bristol City Still in Football League Walsall Town Swifts Expansion 1921
Doncaster Rovers Not re-elected 1903 [Replaced New Brighton Tower] Fate unknown
1902 No Changes - Burton Swifts merged with non-League Burton Wanderers to form Burton United.
1903 Bradford City Still in Football League Doncaster Rovers Elected 1903
1904 Doncaster Rovers Not re-elected 1904 Stockport County Elected 1905
1905 Leeds City Expelled 1919 Burton United Included in subsequent expansion
Chelsea Still in Football League Doncaster Rovers Expansion 1923
Hull City Still in Football League [Expansion]
Burton United Not re-elected 1907
Stockport County Relegated 2011 [Expansion]
Clapton Orient Still in Football League [Expansion] Clapton Orient now Leyton Orient
1907 Fulham Still in Football League Burton United Fate unknown
Oldham Athletic Still in Football League [Replaced Burslem Port Vale] Elected 1919 as Port Vale
1908 Bradford Park Ave Not re-elected 1970 Lincoln City Elected 1909
Tottenham Hotspur Still in Football League [Replaced Stoke] Elected 1915
1909 Lincoln City Not re-elected 1911 Chesterfield Town Expansion 1921
1910 Huddersfield Town Still in Football League Grimsby Town Elected 1911
1911 Grimsby Town Not re-elected 1920 Lincoln City Elected 1912
1912 Lincoln City Not re-elected 1920 Gainsborough Trinity Still non-League
1915 Stoke Still in Football League Glossop North End Fate unknown
From 1915/16 to 1918/19 Football League suspended due to World War 1
1919 Coventry City Still in Football League Expansion after WWI,
before the 1919/20 seson
West Ham United Still in Football League
Rotherham County Still in Football League
(See 1925)
South Shields Not re-elected 1960 South Shields became Gateshead
Port Vale Still in Football League [Replaced Leeds City] Fate unknown
1920 Cardiff City Still in Football League Lincoln City Elected 1921
Leeds United Still in Football League Grimsby Town Included in subsequent expansion
Brentford Still in Football League New Division 3
Brighton & Hove AlbionStill in Football League
Bristol Rovers Still in Football League
Crystal Palace Still in Football League
Exeter City Relegated 2003
Gillingham Not re-elected 1938
Grimsby Town Still in Football League
Luton Town Still in Football League
Merthyr Town Not re-elected 1930
Millwall Still in Football League
Newport County Not re-elected 1931
Northampton Town Still in Football League
Norwich City Still in Football League
Plymouth Argyle Still in Football League
Portsmouth Still in Football League
Queens Park Rangers Still in Football League
Reading Still in Football League
Southampton Still in Football League
Southend United Still in Football League
Swansea Town Still in Football League Town became City
Swindon Town Still in Football League
Watford Still in Football League
1921 Accrington Stanley Resigned Mar 1962 New Division 3 North
(Previous Division 3 became
Division 3 South)
Ashington Not re-elected 1929
Barrow Not re-elected 1972
Chesterfield Town Still in Football League
Crewe Alexandra Still in Football League
Darlington Relegated 1989
Durham City Not re-elected 1928
Halifax Town Relegated 1993
Hartlepool United Still in Football League
Lincoln City Not re-elected 1987
Nelson Not re-elected 1931
Rochdale Still in Football League
Southport Not re-elected 1978
Stalybridge Celtic Resigned 1923
Tranmere Rovers Still in Football League
Walsall Still in Football League
Wigan Borough Resigned 1932
Wrexham Still in Football League
Aberdare Athletic Not re-elected 1927 Expansion of D3 (South)
Charlton Athletic Still in Football League Expansion of D3 (South)
1923 Doncaster Rovers Relegated 1998 [Expansion]
New Brighton Not re-elected 1951 [Expansion]
Boscombe Still in Football League [Replaced Stalybridge Celtic]Still non-League
Boscombe became Bournemouth Utd
1925 No Changes - Rotherham County and (NL) Rotherham County merged to become Rotherham United
1927 Torquay United Still in Football League Aberdare Athletic Fate unknown
1928 Carlisle United Relegated 2004 Durham City Still non-league
1929 York City Relegated 2004 Ashington Still non-league (?)
1930 Thames Resigned 1932 Merthyr Town Fate unknown
1931 Chester Relegated 2000 Nelson Still non-League
Mansfield Town Still in Football League Newport County Elected 1932
1932 Newport County Relegated 1988 [Replaced Wigan Borough] Fate unknown
Aldershot Town Resigned 1992 [Replaced Thames] Fate unknown
1938 Ipswitch Town Still in Football League Gillingham Elected 1950
From 1939/40 to 1945/46 Football League suspended due to the World War II
1950 Shrewsbury Town Relegated 2003 [Expansion]
Scunthorpe United Still in Football League [Expansion]
Gillingham Still in Football League [Expansion]
Colchester United Relegated 1990 [Expansion]
1951 Workington Not re-elected 1977 New Brighton Ceased
1960 Peterborough United Still in Football League Gateshead Ceased 1973(?)
1962 Oxford United Relegated 2006 [Replaced Accrington Stanley]Promoted 2006
1970 Cambridge United Relegated 2005 Bradford Park Ave Still non-league
1972 Hereford United Relegated 1997 Barrow Still non-league
1977 Wimbledon Still in Football League Workington Still non-league
1978 Wigan Athletic Still in Football League Southport Still non-league
1987 Scarborough Relegated 1999 Lincoln City Promoted 1988
1988 Lincoln City Relegated 2011 Newport County Bankrupt 1989
1989 Maidstone United Resigned 1992 Darlington Promoted 1990
1990 Darlington Still in Football League Colchester United Promoted 1992
1991 Barnet Relegated 2001 [Expansion]
1992 Colchester United Still in Football League [Replaced Aldershot] Ceased, 1992
[No replacement for Maidstone] Maidstone Utd. Ceased, 1992
1993 Wycombe Wanderers Still in Football League Halifax Town Promoted 1998
1997 Macclesfield Town Relegated 2012 Hereford United Promoted 2006
1998 Halifax Town Relegated 2002 Doncaster Rovers Promoted 2003
1999 Cheltenham Town Still in Football League Scarborough Still non-league
2000 Kidderminster Harriers Relegated 2005 Chester City Promoted 2004
2001 Rushden & Diamonds Relegated 2006 Barnet Promoted 2005
2002 Boston United Still in Football League Halifax Town Still non-league
2003 Yeovil Still in Football League Shrewsbury Promoted 2004
Doncaster Still in Football League Exeter City Promoted 2008
2004 Chester City Still in Football League Carlisle United Promoted 2005
Shrewsbury Still in Football League York City Promoted 2012
2005 Barnet Relegated 2013 Cambridge United Still non-league
Carlisle United Still in Football League Kidderminster Harriers Still non-league
2006 Accrington Stanley Still in Football League Oxford United Promoted 2010
Hereford United Relgated 2012 Rushden & Diamonds Still non-league
2007 Dagenham & RedbridgeStill in Football League Boston United Still non-league
Morecambe Still in Football League Torquay United Promoted 2009
2008 Aldershot Town Relegated 2013 Mansfield Town Promoted 2013
Exeter City Still in Football League Wrexham Still non-league
2009 Burton Albion Still in Football League Chester City Still non-league
Torquay United Still in Football League Luton Town Still non-league
2010 Stevenage Still in Football League Grimsby Town Still non-league
Oxford United Still in Football League Darlington Still non-league
2011 Crawley Town Still in Football League Stockport County Still non-league
AFC Wimbledon Still in Football League Lincoln City Still non-league
2012 Fleetwood Town Still in Football League Hereford United Still non-league
York City Still in Football League Macclesfield Town Still non-league
2012 Mansfield Town Still in Football League Barnet Still non-league
Newport County Still in Football League Aldershot Town Still non-league
Last updated 15:18 05/05/2013 | Copyright © 2002-2013 Tom Willis