Football League First Division
The First Division of The Football League is the second highest league division in the English football league system. For sponsorship reasons it is referred to as the Nationwide Football League Division One (though from next season this will change to the Coca-Cola Football League Championship). It was the top league division until the creation of the FA Premier League prior to the 1992/93 season.
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2 Current First Division Teams 3 Previous League champions |
Teams
There are 24 teams in the First Division. At the end of each season the top two teams, together with the winner of the play-offs between the teams which finished in 3rd-6th position, are promoted to the Premier League and are replaced by the three teams which finished at the bottom of the Premier League. Similarly the three teams which finished at the bottom of the First Division are relegated to the Second Division and are replaced by the teams which finished 1st, 2nd, and won the 3rd-6th place play-off winners, in the Second Division.
Current First Division Teams
Previous League champions
Winners of the old format First Division
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1889 | Preston North End |
| 1890 | Preston North End |
| 1891 | Everton |
| 1892 | Sunderland |
| 1893 | Sunderland |
| 1894 | Aston Villa |
| 1895 | Sunderland |
| 1896 | Aston Villa |
| 1897 | Aston Villa |
| 1898 | Sheffield United |
| 1899 | Aston Villa |
| 1900 | Aston Villa |
| 1901 | Liverpool |
| 1902 | Sunderland |
| 1903 | The Wednesday |
| 1904 | The Wednesday |
| 1905 | Newcastle United |
| 1906 | Liverpool |
| 1907 | Newcastle United |
| 1908 | Manchester United |
| 1909 | Newcastle United |
| 1910 | Aston Villa |
| 1911 | Manchester United |
| 1912 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1913 | Sunderland |
| 1914 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1915 | Everton |
| 1916-19 | League suspended due to World War One |
| 1920 | West Bromwich Albion |
| 1921 | Burnley |
| 1922 | Liverpool |
| 1923 | Liverpool |
| 1924 | Huddersfield Town |
| 1925 | Huddersfield Town |
| 1926 | Huddersfield Town |
| 1927 | Newcastle United |
| 1928 | Everton |
| 1929 | Sheffield Wednesday |
| 1930 | Sheffield Wednesday |
| 1931 | Arsenal |
| 1932 | Everton |
| 1933 | Arsenal |
| 1934 | Arsenal |
| 1935 | Arsenal |
| 1936 | Sunderland |
| 1937 | Manchester City |
| 1938 | Arsenal |
| 1939 | Everton |
| 1940-46 | League suspended due to World War Two |
| 1947 | Liverpool |
| 1948 | Arsenal |
| 1949 | Portsmouth |
| 1950 | Portsmouth |
| 1951 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 1952 | Manchester United |
| 1953 | Arsenal |
| 1954 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 1955 | Chelsea |
| 1956 | Manchester United |
| 1957 | Manchester United |
| 1958 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 1959 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 1960 | Burnley |
| 1961 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 1962 | Ipswich Town |
| 1963 | Everton |
| 1964 | Liverpool |
| 1965 | Manchester United |
| 1966 | Liverpool |
| 1967 | Manchester United |
| 1968 | Manchester City |
| 1969 | Leeds United |
| 1970 | Everton |
| 1971 | Arsenal |
| 1972 | Derby County |
| 1973 | Liverpool |
| 1974 | Leeds United |
| 1975 | Derby County |
| 1976 | Liverpool |
| 1977 | Liverpool |
| 1978 | Nottingham Forest |
| 1979 | Liverpool |
| 1980 | Liverpool |
| 1981 | Aston Villa |
| 1982 | Liverpool |
| 1983 | Liverpool |
| 1984 | Liverpool |
| 1985 | Everton |
| 1986 | Liverpool |
| 1987 | Everton |
| 1988 | Liverpool |
| 1989 | Arsenal |
| 1990 | Liverpool |
| 1991 | Arsenal |
| 1992 | Leeds United |
Winners of the new format First Division
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Newcastle United |
| 1994 | Crystal Palace |
| 1995 | Middlesbrough |
| 1996 | Sunderland |
| 1997 | Bolton Wanderers |
| 1998 | Nottingham Forest |
| 1999 | Sunderland |
| 2000 | Charlton Athletic |
| 2001 | Fulham |
| 2002 | Manchester City |
| 2003 | Portsmouth |