Ah, lower league football. League One is probably where football in England starts to be considered as ‘lower league’ and there is somewhat of a charm about it.
The players feel more ‘real’ and relatable; obviously, this being reflected in what they earn, drive etc though, for many clubs, League One is also difficult to get out of and very few who do, manage to never return.
As such, over the years, we have gotten used to ‘perennial’ League One clubs, who appear to have reached their limits, though at the same time operate within their means so are never in danger of being relegated, though rarely find themselves challenging for promotion. Naturally, any good players that perform well are sold to bring in funds.
League One / Third Tier Promotions To The Championship By Year
| Season | Automatic Promotion (1st) | Automatic Promotion (2nd) | Play-off Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Stoke City | Bolton Wanderers | West Bromwich Albion |
| 1993–94 | Reading | Port Vale | Burnley |
| 1994–95* | Birmingham City | — | Huddersfield Town |
| 1995–96 | Swindon Town# | Oxford United | Bradford City |
| 1996–97 | Bury | Stockport County | Crewe Alexandra |
| 1997–98 | Watford | Bristol City | Grimsby Town |
| 1998–99 | Fulham | Walsall | Manchester City# |
| 1999–2000 | Preston North End | Burnley | Gillingham |
| 2000–01 | Millwall | Rotherham United | Walsall# |
| 2001–02 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Reading | Stoke City |
| 2002–03 | Wigan Athletic | Crewe Alexandra | Cardiff City |
| 2003–04 | Plymouth Argyle | Queens Park Rangers | Brighton & Hove Albion# |
| 2004–05 | Luton Town | Hull City | Sheffield Wednesday |
| 2005–06 | Southend United | Colchester United | Barnsley |
| 2006–07 | Scunthorpe United | Bristol City | Blackpool |
| 2007–08 | Swansea City | Nottingham Forest | Doncaster Rovers |
| 2008–09 | Leicester City# | Peterborough United | Scunthorpe United# |
| 2009–10 | Norwich City# | Leeds United | Millwall |
| 2010–11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Southampton# | Peterborough United |
| 2011–12 | Charlton Athletic | Sheffield Wednesday# | Huddersfield Town |
| 2012–13 | Doncaster Rovers# | AFC Bournemouth | Yeovil Town |
| 2013–14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers# | Brentford | Rotherham United |
| 2014–15 | Bristol City | Milton Keynes Dons | Preston North End |
| 2015–16 | Wigan Athletic# | Burton Albion | Barnsley |
| 2016–17 | Sheffield United | Bolton Wanderers# | Millwall |
| 2017–18 | Wigan Athletic# | Blackburn Rovers# | Rotherham United |
| 2018–19 | Luton Town | Barnsley# | Charlton Athletic |
| 2019–20 | Coventry City | Rotherham United# | Wycombe Wanderers |
| 2020–21 | Hull City# | Peterborough United | Blackpool |
| 2021–22 | Wigan Athletic | Rotherham United# | Sunderland |
| 2022–23 | Plymouth Argyle | Ipswich Town# | Sheffield Wednesday |
| 2023–24 | Portsmouth | Derby County# | Oxford United |
| 2024–25 | Birmingham City# | Wrexham | Charlton Athletic |
* 1994–95 had one automatic place; second promotion place via play-offs.
# Denotes a club that returned to the Championship immediately after relegation.
It is often the case that at least one of the clubs that have been relegated from the Championship bounce straight back up; they have the fanbase, infrastructure and quality. We have witnessed this multiple times over the years, with clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United usually bouncing between the two leagues.
There are also others who have been promoted and never returned, though usually, these were ‘big clubs’ who had a period of bad luck but then sprung back. Think Leicester City, Southampton, Norwich City and Leeds United – four so-called ‘big clubs’ that were way too good for the third tier of English football and proved this during their promotion campaigns.
Occasionally, you get “minnow” clubs such as Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers or success stories such as Wrexham, who enjoy promotion to the second tier. For clubs such as these, it is usually for the first time in modern history.
Clubs Promoted More Than Once (Third Tier → Championship), 1992–93 to 2024–25
| Club | Promotions | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Rotherham United | 4 | 2000–01, 2013–14 (PO), 2019–20, 2021–22 |
| Wigan Athletic | 4 | 2002–03, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22 |
| Barnsley | 3 | 2005–06 (PO), 2015–16 (PO), 2018–19 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | 2001–02, 2003–04 (PO), 2010–11 |
| Charlton Athletic | 3 | 2011–12, 2018–19 (PO), 2024–25 (PO) |
| Millwall | 3 | 2000–01, 2009–10 (PO), 2016–17 (PO) |
| Peterborough United | 3 | 2008–09, 2010–11 (PO), 2020–21 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3 | 2011–12, 2022–23 (PO), 2004–05 (PO) |
| Birmingham City | 2 | 1994–95, 2024–25 |
| Blackpool | 2 | 2006–07 (PO), 2020–21 (PO) |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1997–98, 2014–15 |
| Burnley | 2 | 1993–94 (PO), 1999–2000 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 1996–97 (PO), 2002–03 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 2007–08 (PO), 2012–13 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2 | 1994–95 (PO), 2011–12 (PO) |
| Hull City | 2 | 2004–05, 2020–21 |
| Luton Town | 2 | 2004–05, 2018–19 |
| Oxford United | 2 | 1995–96, 2023–24 (PO) |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2 | 2003–04, 2022–23 |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1999–2000, 2014–15 (PO) |
| Reading | 2 | 1993–94, 2001–02 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 2006–07, 2008–09 (PO) |
| Stoke City | 2 | 1992–93, 2001–02 (PO) |
| Walsall | 2 | 1998–99, 2000–01 (PO) |
It probably comes as no surprise that Rotherham United have been promoted to the Championship the joint-most amount of times, along with Wigan Athletic – two clubs which have flitted between both leagues over the years. Indeed, the Lancashire side even enjoyed a stint in the Premier League during the 2000s, boasting a quality side and two lethal strikers in Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington.
Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic (both clubs once notable Premier League outfits), Millwall and Barnsley are the standout clubs that have been promoted on three occasions, while Yorkshire sides Huddersfield Town and Doncaster Rovers are two clubs that have been promoted twice.
Promotion Records & Trivia (1992–93 to 2024–25)
There are some interesting facts about League One based on various events over the years. Perhaps, most notably, Welsh club Wrexham, following their takeover by Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds are the latest to achieve back-to-back-to-back promotions, reaching the Championship in 2024/25 as League One runners-up.
Meanwhile, it seems unthinkable that once upon a time, only one automatic promotion spot was available, due to the Premier League in the 1994/95 season reducing the number of clubs from 22 to 20. During that campaign, Birmingham City got promoted automatically, with Huddersfield Town going up via the play-offs.
- Most promotions from the third tier in this span: Rotherham United (4) and Wigan Athletic (4).
- Most play-off promotions: Four clubs have won the League One/third-tier play-offs twice apiece — Charlton Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Millwall and Blackpool.
- One automatic spot in 1994–95: Due to the Premier League reducing from 22 to 20 clubs, only the champions (Birmingham City) went up automatically; the second promotion place came via the play-offs (Huddersfield Town).
- Back-to-back climb (recent): Wrexham earned three consecutive promotions from 2022–23 to 2024–25, reaching the Championship as 2024–25 League One runners-up.