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3 unusual facts about The Football League


English Football League

The Football League, the highest four divisions of English football until 1992 and the three divisions below the Premier League since 1992

FA Charter Standard Award

The FA's Charter Standard Award recognises and rewards high quality of levels of provision in club, league and schools football.

Gap Connah's Quay F.C.

McGregor previously played in The Football League for Wrexham, where he began his career before transfers to Burnley, Blackpool and Port Vale, making more than 500 senior appearances in total.


1952–53 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1952–53 season was Manchester United's 51st season in the Football League, and their eighth consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1953–54 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1953–54 season was Manchester United's 52nd season in the Football League, and their ninth consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1954–55 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1954–55 season was Manchester United's 53rd season in the Football League, and their tenth consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1957–58 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1957–58 season was Manchester United's 56th season in the Football League, and their 13th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1958–59 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1958–59 season was Manchester United's 57th season in the Football League, and their 14th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1959–60 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1959–60 season was Manchester United's 58th season in the Football League, and their 15th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1960–61 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1960–61 season was Manchester United's 59th season in the Football League, and their 16th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1961–62 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1961–62 season was Manchester United's 60th season in the Football League, and their 17th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1962–63 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1962–63 season was Manchester United's 61st season in the Football League, and their 18th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1963–64 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1963–64 season was Manchester United's 62nd season in the Football League, and their 19th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1968–69 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1968–69 season was Manchester United's 66th season in the Football League, and their 24th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1972–73 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1972–73 season was Manchester United's 70th season in the Football League, and their 28th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1973–74 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1973–74 season was Manchester United's 71st season in the Football League, and their 29th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1984–85 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1984–85 season was Manchester United's 82nd season in the Football League, and their 10th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1985–86 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Manchester United's 83rd season in the Football League, and their 11th consecutive season in the top division of English football.

1992–93 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1992–93 season was Port Vale's eighty-first season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive (thirty-sixth overall) season in the Second Division.

1993 Football League Second Division play-off Final

The 1993 Football League Second Division play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 30 May 1993, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of The Football League in the 1992–93 season.

Andy Hunt, Nicky Reid and Kevin Donovan went on to score for Albion, to take their side into the second tier of the Football League.

1995 Football League Second Division play-off Final

The 1995 Football League Second Division play-off final was a football match played at on 28 May 1995, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Second Division to the First Division of The Football League in the 1994–95 season.

2003–04 Luton Town F.C. season

On 12 May Bill Tomlins, head of the consortium buying Luton Town, confirmed The Football League had formally approved the purchase of the club from administrative receivership.

Al Saunders

Saunders was born in the north London suburb of Hendon as part of a sporting family; his great-uncle, Ron Saunders, played soccer for a number of teams in The Football League and later became a manager, winning honours with Norwich City and Aston Villa.

Albert Rawson

Albert Noble Rawson (October 1900 – 1949) was an English professional footballer born in West Melton, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire, who played in the Football League for Sheffield United, Birmingham and Barnsley.

Asmir Begović

After gaining a UK Visa in the summer of 2006 he was able to get match experience in the Football League playing for Macclesfield Town, Bournemouth, Yeovil Town and Ipswich Town.

Barry Bridges

Barry John Bridges (born 29 April 1941 in Horsford, Norfolk) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Chelsea, Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers, Millwall and Brighton & Hove Albion and was capped four times for England.

Bill Heggie

William Campbell Heggie (born 7 June 1927) in Scone, Scotland, is a former Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League.

Dave Mangnall

As a player, he scored 144 goals from 221 appearances in the Football League playing for Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Birmingham, West Ham United, Millwall and Queens Park Rangers.

Dave Waller

David Harold Waller (born 20 December 1963 in Urmston, Lancashire) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League, as a forward.

Derrick Parker

He played for six different teams in the Football League during his career, as well as having a spell in Finland with Haka Valkeakoski.

Enoch Showunmi

Regular midfielder and captain Kevin Nicholls received an injury that was to prevent him playing for three months, and Luton were able to use this injury to seek dispensation from the Football League to sign Showunmi.

Gareth Ainsworth

On 21 October 2010, he represented The Football League at the unveiling of the Footballers' Battalions memorial on the site of the Battle of the Somme.

Grant Morrow

Morrow was to never play in the Football League again, but did however join Boston United later on in the 1993–94 season, making 14 appearances for the club before joining Gainsborough Trinity.

Jonathan Atkinson

Jonathan David Atkinson (born 1 January 1976 in Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England) was an English footballer who played as a midfielder for Darlington in The Football League.

Kevin Poole

He made his debut in the Football League while on loan at Northampton Town in late 1984, and played the first of his 32 games for Villa later in the 1984–85 season.

Mark Shail

Mark Shail (born 15 October 1966 in Sandviken, Sweden) is a former footballer who played in The Football League for Bristol City and Kidderminster Harriers.

Newcastle Benfield F.C.

In the 2006–07 season, the team, which has never made it to the first round proper of the FA Cup, were drawn at home to former Football League side York City in the final qualifying round of the 2006–07 competition, but lost 1–0, a Clayton Donaldson penalty winning the tie for York.

Robert Priday

Robert Priday (born 29 March 1925 in Cape Town, South Africa) was a South African footballer who played as a midfielder for Liverpool F.C. in The Football League.

Ronnie Sales

He was plucked by Newcastle United in 1942 where he made 42 wartime appearances before securing a move to Football League club Leyton Orient.

Ronald Duncan "Ronnie" Sales (19 September 1920 – August 1995) was an English footballer who played in the Football League as a defender for Leyton Orient and Hartlepool United.

Roy Swinbourne

Royston Harry "Roy" Swinbourne (born 25 August 1929 in Denaby Main, Yorkshire) is an English former footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Rundell Winchester

Prior to the 2013–14 season, Central FC and Walsall of Football League One agreed to a partnership that featured the Saddlers in a pre-season tour of Trinidad and Tobago.

Steve Guppy

At Wycombe, he first teamed up with newly appointed Martin O'Neill and helped take them into the Football League as Conference champions in 1992–93 as well as completing the non-league double by winning the FA Trophy.

The Combination

As the competition evolved, the nature of the teams changed, with many more Welsh teams being involved, as well as the reserve teams of the Football League clubs such as Everton and Crewe Alexandra.

Five of the founding teams would eventually go on to play in the Football League, although in the case of Macclesfield, this would not happen until 1997–98.

Tiffany Chapman

She is also the daughter of former footballer and football manager Les Chapman who played around 1000 games for various clubs in the Football League.

Wally Quinton

Walter "Wally" Quinton (13 December 1917 – 1996) was an English professional footballer who made 85 appearances in the Football League playing for Rotherham United, Birmingham City, Brentford and Shrewsbury Town.

William Jex

William Jex (23 March 1885 − 19 February 1934) was an English footballer who played as an inside left with Norwich City, Doncaster Rovers, Rotherham Town and Croydon Common, and in the Football League with Gainsborough Trinity in the early 20th century.

Zigor Aranalde

Aranalde joined Football League outfit Walsall on a two-year contract, just before the start of the 2000–01 season.


see also

1889–90 Stoke F.C. season

At the end of the season manager Harry Lockett left the club to concentrate on his job as secretary of the Football League and Joseph Bradshaw took over.

1905–06 in English football

Crystal Palace were formed this year but failed to gain election to the Football League by one vote and instead started their existence in the Southern League.

1920–21 Burnley F.C. season

The Football League president, John McKenna, made the official presentation of the trophy to the Burnley captain Boyle and congratulated the side on their achievement, particularly praising "their splendid training and their beautiful football".

1920–21 Gillingham F.C. season

Only five players who had represented the club in non-league football went on to make appearances in the Football League: Jock Robertson, Jack Branfield, Joseph Griffiths, Donald McCormick and Arthur Wood.

1982–83 Blackpool F.C. season

They competed in the 24-team Division Four, then the bottom tier of English football, finishing 21st, their lowest-ever finish in the Football League.

1989–90 Football League Cup

The 1989–90 Football League Cup, known as the Littlewoods Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 30th season of the Football League Cup, a knockout competition for England's top 92 football clubs.

2004–05 Football League Championship

The Football League 2004–05 (called Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons), was the thirteenth season under its current league division format.

Capewell

Bill Capewell (born 1878), former professional footballer, where he played in the Football League for Stoke

Carre's Grammar School

Paul Holland (1984–1991) Professional footballer who made over 300 appearances in the Football League for Mansfield Town, Sheffield United, Chesterfield and Bristol City and was capped four times for the England U21s

FL1

Football League One, the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system

Gordon McKeag

He was president of the Football League, chairman of the FA Challenge Cup Committee, director of the Football Association and director of the Football League and PFA Administration.

JPT

Football League Trophy, known for sponsorship reasons as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, an association football competition in England for clubs in the two lower divisions of The Football League.

Leon McSweeney

In tandem with this, McSweeney tasted success at a number of non-league clubs starting at Hucknall Town, where he spent half a season, under then manager Steve Burr, helping them win what was then the Unibond league title (now Conference North) and achieve promotion to the Football League Conference.

Manish Bhasin

In addition to his football roles on Football Focus and now The Football League Show, Bhasin has emerged as the BBC's primary cricket presenter, hosting highlights of the 2006–07 Ashes Series, the 2007 World Cup, the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament and the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Ralph van Dooren

After his surprise move to B68 Toftir in March 2006, he became the first Dutch footballer to play in the football league of Faroe Islands.

Richard Challoner School

Jimmy Glass, Former Goalkeeper known for last minute winner for Carlisle United in 1999 that kept them in the Football League.

Stelios Delibasis

In 2011, Delibasis joined Evia-based Iraklis Psachna, who were recently promoted to the Football League.

Steve Guppy

He was a virtual ever-present in Wycombe's debut 1993–94 season in the Football League at the end of which they secured promotion to Second Division via the play-offs.

Trawden Forest F.C.

Several footballers began their careers at Trawden Forest before moving into professional football; Arthur Dixon went on to play professionally with Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Bradford Park Avenue, while William Nunnick represented Burnley in the Football League.