List of Preston North End F.C. seasons

This is a list of seasons played by Preston North End Football Club in English football, from 1883, the year of the club's first FA Cup campaign, to the present day. It details the club's achievements in major competitions, including its invincible season in the first season of the Football League, and the top scorers for each season.

Seasons SeasonLeagueFACupEFL CupOtherTop scorer(s)Goals in all competitions (English Football League or Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, EFL Trophy, FA Charity Shield or FA Community Shield) are counted.DivPldWDLGFGAPtsPosPlayer(s)Goals1883–84There was no League football until 1888.R4Disqualified for the first time1884–85N/ADid not enter in the FA Cup because they was disqualified1885–86R3Disqualified for a second time1886–87SF1887–88R/U1888–89FLPreston North End was a founding member of the Football League.22 18407415401stWJohn Goodall221889–902215347130331stQFNick Ross241890–912212374423272ndR1Hugh Gallacher61891–922618176131372ndQFJimmy Ross181892–93Div 130173105739372ndSFFrank Becton231893–94301031744562314thR2Jimmy Ross241894–9530155106246354thR2David SmithAdam Henderson121895–9630116134448289thR1Jackie Pierce81896–9730111275540344thQFDavid Boyd141897–9830881435432412thR1Sandy Brown111898–99341091544472915thR2Tom Pratt171899–1900341241838482816thQFAdam Henderson131900–0134971849752517thR1Andrew Gara111901–02Div 234186107132423rdR1Harry Wilcox141902–03341310115640367thR2Frank Pearson181903–0434201046224501stR2Percy Smith261904–05Div 1341310114237368thQF141905–0638171385439472ndR1Dicky Bond171906–07381471744573514thR1Charlie Dawson111907–083812121447533612thR1Percy Smith121908–093813111448443710thR2James Wilson111909–10381551852583512thR1David McLean191910–113812111540493514thR2David McLeanJimmy Bannister71911–12381371840573319thR1William Kirby141912–13Div 238191545633531stR1Ben Green131913–14Div 1381262052693019thR3Fred Osborn261914–15Div 238201086142502ndR117No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the World War I1919–20Div 14214101857733819thR3Tommy Roberts291920–21421591861653916thSF251921–224213121742653816thR/U251922–234213111860643716thR2291923–244212102052673418thR1261924–25421062637742621stR2Rowland Woodhouse91925–26Div 2421871771844312thR3Alex James141926–2742209137472496thR4Tommy Roberts301927–28422291110066534thR3Norman Robson191928–29421591878793913thR3Alex Hair191929–304213111865803716thR3James McCellandGeorge Smithies101930–31421711148364457thR3George BarghTom Scott141931–324216101675774213thR5Ted Harper271932–33421610167470429thR3371933–3442236137152522ndQFGeorge Stephenson161934–35Div 14215121562674211thQFBud Maxwell261935–3642188166764447thR4191936–374214131556674114thR/UFrank O'Donnell271937–3842161796444493rdWGeorge Mutch181938–39421612146359449thQFCharity ShieldR/UJimmy Dougal191939–403021022The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled.No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to the World War II1945–46R51946–47Div 1421811137674477thQFJimmy McIntosh321947–4842207156768477thQFAndy McLaren181948–494211112062753321stR4Bobby Langton121949–50Div 242189156049456thR3Eddy Brown131950–5142265119149571stR4Charlie Wayman291951–52Div 1421712137454467thR3241952–5342211298560542ndR4261953–54421951887584311thR/U321954–55421681883644014thR4Jimmy Baxter171955–56421482073723619thR3Tommy Thompson241956–5742231098456563rdR5291957–5842267910051562ndR3341958–59421771870774112thR5241959–60421612147976449thQFTom Finney211960–614210102243713022ndR4R3Peter Thompson121961–62Div 24215101755574010thQFR3Alfie Biggs221962–634213111859743717thR3R4Alex Dawson271963–6442231097954563rdR/UR2361964–654214131576814112thR4R2271965–664211151662703717thQFR4Brian Godfrey201966–67421671965673913thR3R3Alex Dawson131967–684212111943653520thR4R2Derek Temple81968–694212151538443914thR4R2Willie Irvine201969–70428122243632822ndR3R1Archie Gemmill61970–71Div 346221776339611stR1R3Gerry Ingram241971–72Div 24212121852583618thR4R4Hughie McIlmoyle131972–734211121937643419thR3R1Alex Bruce131973–744291419406231One point deducted for fielding an ineligible player.21stR3R191974–75Div 3461911166356499thR3R3Mel Holden221975–76461910176257488thR2R2Mike Elwiss161976–77462112136443546thR2R1Alex Bruce261977–78462016106338563rdR2R2301978–79Div 2421218125957427thR4R2261979–804212191156524310thR3R2Steve Elliott231980–814211141741623620thR3R4Alex Bruce151981–82Div 34616131750566114thR1R2191982–834615131860695816thR3R2Steve Elliott231983–844615112066665616thR1R3League TrophyR2201984–854613726511004623rdR2R2League TrophyR1Peter Houghton91985–86Div 44611102554894323rdLowest League finishR1R2League TrophyGSJohn ThomasGary Brazil181986–8746261287247902ndR4R2League TrophyQFJohn Thomas281987–88Div 34615131848595816thR1R1League TrophyAFGary Brazil201988–89461915127960726thR1R2League TrophyR1Tony Ellis20Play-offSF1989–904614102265795219thR2R1League TrophyR1Warren Joyce131990–914615112054675617thR1R1League TrophyAFGraham Shaw151991–924615121961725717thR3R1League TrophyR1171992–93Div 2The Four Divisions Changed name Level 1 was called the Premier LeagueLevel 2 was called Football League Division 1Level 3 was called Football League Division 2Level 4 was called Football League Division 3461382565944721stR1R1League TrophyGSTony Ellis251993–94Div 3421813117960675thR4R1League TrophyR231 Play-offR/U1994–95421910135841675thR2R1League TrophyGSMike Conroy11Play-offSF1995–9646231767838861stR2R1League TrophyR2Andy Saville301996–97Div 2461872149556115thR2R2League TrophyR2Dave Reeves141997–984615141756565915thR3R2League TrophyASFLee Ashcroft161998–99462213117850795thR3R1League TrophyR2Kurt Nogan21Play-offSF1999–200046281177437951stR5R3League TrophyR2Jon Macken252000–01Div 146239146452784thR3R2Play-offR/U222001–02462012147159728thR5R2Richard Cresswell162002–034616131768706112thR3R4162003–044615141769715915thR4R1Ricardo Fuller192004–05ChampThe Football League changed the Divisions and they were called Football League Championship Football League 1 Football League 2462112136758755thR3R3Play-offR/URichard Cresswell202005–0646202065930804thR5R1Play-offSFDavid Nugent102006–0746228166453747thR5R1172007–084615112050565615thR5R1Neil Mellor102008–09462111146654746thR3R2Play-offSF122009–104613151858735417thR4R3Jon Parkin132010–114610122454794222ndR3R3Iain Hume122011–12L14613151854685415thR1R3League TrophyASF102012–134614171554495914thR3R3League TrophyASFNicky Wroe112013–1446231677246855thR4R2League TrophyR2Joe Garner24Play-offSF2014–1546251477940893rdR5R2League TrophyAFJoe Garner26Play-offW2015–16Champ4615171445456211thQFR4Daniel Johnson82016–174616141664636211thR3R4Jordan Hugill132017–18461916115845737thR4R1Sean Maguire102018–194616131767676114thR3R3Callum Robinson132019–20461812165954669thR3R3Daniel Johnson122020–21461872149566113thR3R3Scott Sinclair92021–224616161452566413thR3R4Emil Riis Jakobsen202022–234617121745596312thR4R2Ched Evans92023–24 461881956676310thR3R1Will Keane112024–254610201648595020thQFR1Milutin Osmajic152025–264615151655626014thR3R2Lewis Dobbin11

Seasons spent at Level 1 of football league system: 46 Seasons spent at Level 2 of football league system: 52 Seasons spent at Level 3 of football league system: 23 Seasons spent at Level 4 of football league system: 5

Key

Pld = Matches played W = Matches won D = Matches drawn L = Matches lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

FL = Football League Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division Champ = EFL Championship FLT = EFL Trophy

IR = Intermediate Round R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals R/U = Runners-up W= Winners

Colour key

Pld = Matches played W = Matches won D = Matches drawn L = Matches lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

ChampionsRunners-upPlay-offsPromotedRelegated

Footnotes