List of winners of the EFL League One and predecessors

English League (3rd tier) Country England Founded 1920 Number of teams 24 (2025–26 season) Current champions Lincoln City (2025–26) Most successful club Plymouth Argyle(5 championships)

A national third tier of English league football was established in 1958–59, as the Third Division. This followed on from the regional third tier that had been established in the south in 1920 and the north in 1921. In 1992, with the departure of the First Division clubs to become the Premier League, the third tier became known as the Second Division. Since 2004 it has been known as League One.

Football League Third Division (1920–1921) SeasonChampionsRunners-up (not promoted)1920–21Crystal PalaceSouthampton

Football League Third Division North/South (1921–1958) SeasonNorthSouthChampionsRunners-up (not promoted)ChampionsRunners-up (not promoted)1921–22Stockport CountyDarlingtonSouthamptonPlymouth Argyle1922–23NelsonBradford Park AvenueBristol CityPlymouth Argyle1923–24Wolverhampton WanderersRochdalePortsmouthPlymouth Argyle1924–25DarlingtonNelsonSwansea CityPlymouth Argyle1925–26Grimsby TownBradford Park AvenueReadingPlymouth Argyle1926–27Stoke CityRochdaleBristol City (2)Plymouth Argyle1927–28Bradford Park AvenueLincoln CityMillwallNorthampton Town1928–29Bradford CityStockport CountyCharlton AthleticCrystal Palace1929–30Port ValeStockport CountyPlymouth ArgyleBrentford1930–31ChesterfieldLincoln CityNotts CountyCrystal Palace1931–32Lincoln CityGatesheadFulhamReading1932–33Hull CityWrexhamBrentfordExeter City1933–34BarnsleyChesterfield Norwich CityCoventry City1934–35Doncaster RoversHalifax TownCharlton Athletic (2)Reading1935–36Chesterfield (2)Chester CityCoventry CityLuton Town1936–37Stockport County (2)Lincoln CityLuton TownNotts County1937–38Tranmere RoversDoncaster RoversMillwall (2)Bristol City1938–39Barnsley (2)Doncaster RoversNewport CountyCrystal Palace1939–40 to 1945–46League suspended due to World War II1946–47Doncaster Rovers (2)Rotherham UnitedCardiff CityQueens Park Rangers1947–48Lincoln City (2)Rotherham UnitedQueens Park RangersBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1948–49Hull City (2)Rotherham UnitedSwansea City (2)Reading1949–50Doncaster Rovers (3)GatesheadNotts County (2)Northampton Town1950–51Rotherham UnitedMansfield TownNottingham ForestNorwich City1951–52Lincoln City (3)Grimsby TownPlymouth Argyle (2)Reading1952–53Oldham AthleticPort ValeBristol RoversMillwall1953–54Port Vale (2)BarnsleyIpswich TownBrighton & Hove Albion1954–55Barnsley (3)Accrington StanleyBristol City (3)Leyton Orient1955–56Grimsby Town (2)Derby CountyLeyton OrientBrighton Hove & Albion1956–57Derby CountyHartlepool UnitedIpswich Town (2)Torquay United1957–58Scunthorpe UnitedAccrington StanleyBrighton & Hove AlbionBrentford

Football League Third Division (1958–1992) SeasonChampionsRunners-upAlso promotedPlay-off winners1958–59Plymouth Argyle (3)Hull City1959–60Southampton (2)Norwich City1960–61BuryWalsall1961–62Portsmouth (2)Grimsby Town1962–63Northampton TownSwindon Town1963–64Coventry City (2)Crystal Palace1964–65Carlisle UnitedBristol City1965–66Hull City (3)Millwall1966–67Queens Park Rangers (2)Middlesbrough1967–68Oxford UnitedBury1968–69WatfordSwindon Town1969–70Leyton Orient (2)Luton Town1970–71Preston North EndFulham1971–72Aston VillaBrighton and Hove Albion1972–73Bolton WanderersNotts County1973–74Oldham Athletic (2)Bristol RoversYork City1974–75Blackburn RoversPlymouth ArgyleCharlton Athletic1975–76Hereford UnitedCardiff CityMillwall1976–77Mansfield TownBrighton and Hove AlbionCrystal Palace1977–78WrexhamCambridge UnitedPreston North End1978–79Shrewsbury TownWatfordSwansea City1979–80Grimsby Town (3)Blackburn RoversSheffield Wednesday1980–81Rotherham United (2)BarnsleyCharlton Athletic1981–82BurnleyCarlisle UnitedFulham1982–83Portsmouth (3)Cardiff CityHuddersfield Town1983–84Oxford United (2)WimbledonSheffield United1984–85Bradford City (2)MillwallHull City1985–86Reading (2)Plymouth ArgyleDerby County1986–87AFC BournemouthMiddlesbroughSwindon Town1987–88SunderlandBrighton and Hove AlbionWalsall1988–89Wolverhampton Wanderers (2)Sheffield UnitedPort Vale1989–90Bristol Rovers (2)Bristol CityNotts County1990–91Cambridge UnitedSouthend UnitedGrimsby TownTranmere Rovers1991–92Brentford (2)Birmingham CityPeterborough United

Football League Second Division (1992–2004) SeasonChampionsRunners-upPlay-off winners1992–93Stoke City (2)Bolton WanderersWest Bromwich Albion1993–94Reading (3)Port ValeBurnley1994–95Birmingham CityBrentford (not promoted)Huddersfield Town1995–96Swindon TownOxford UnitedBradford City1996–97Bury (2)Stockport CountyCrewe Alexandra1997–98Watford (2)Bristol CityGrimsby Town1998–99Fulham (2)WalsallManchester City1999–2000Preston North End (2)BurnleyGillingham2000–01Millwall (3)Rotherham UnitedWalsall2001–02Brighton & Hove Albion (2)ReadingStoke City2002–03Wigan AthleticCrewe AlexandraCardiff City2003–04Plymouth Argyle (4)Queens Park RangersBrighton & Hove Albion

Football League One/EFL League One (2004 onwards) SeasonChampionsRunners-upPlay-off winners2004–05Luton Town (2)Hull CitySheffield Wednesday2005–06Southend UnitedColchester UnitedBarnsley2006–07Scunthorpe United (2)Bristol CityBlackpool2007–08Swansea City (3)Nottingham ForestDoncaster Rovers2008–09Leicester CityPeterborough UnitedScunthorpe United2009–10Norwich City (2)Leeds UnitedMillwall2010–11Brighton & Hove Albion (3)SouthamptonPeterborough United2011–12Charlton Athletic (3)Sheffield WednesdayHuddersfield Town2012–13Doncaster Rovers (4)BournemouthYeovil Town2013–14Wolverhampton Wanderers (3)BrentfordRotherham United2014–15Bristol City (4)Milton Keynes DonsPreston North End2015–16Wigan Athletic (2)Burton AlbionBarnsley2016–17Sheffield UnitedBolton WanderersMillwall2017–18Wigan Athletic (3)Blackburn RoversRotherham United2018–19Luton Town (3)BarnsleyCharlton Athletic2019–20Coventry City (3)Rotherham UnitedWycombe Wanderers2020–21Hull City (4)Peterborough UnitedBlackpool2021–22Wigan Athletic (4)Rotherham UnitedSunderland2022–23Plymouth Argyle (5)Ipswich TownSheffield Wednesday 2023–24Portsmouth (4)Derby CountyOxford United2024–25Birmingham City (2)WrexhamCharlton Athletic2025–26Lincoln City (4)Cardiff CityBolton Wanderers

Number of titles overall Clubs in bold are competing in the 2025–26 EFL League One.

Rank Club Winners Winning seasons 1 Plymouth Argyle 5 1929–30 South, 1951–52 South, 1958–59, 2003–04, 2022–232 Bristol City 4 1922–23 South, 1926–27 South, 1954–55 South, 2014–15 Doncaster Rovers 4 1934–35 North, 1946–47 North, 1949–50 North, 2012–13 Hull City 4 1932–33 North, 1948–49 North, 1965–66, 2020–21 Lincoln City 4 1931–32 North, 1947–48 North, 1951–52 North, 2025–26 Portsmouth 4 1923–24 South, 1961–62, 1982–83, 2023–24 Wigan Athletic 4 2002–03, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22 7 Barnsley 3 1933–34 North, 1938–39 North, 1954–55 North Brighton & Hove Albion 3 1957–58 South, 2001–02, 2010–11 Charlton Athletic 3 1928–29 South, 1934–35 South, 2011–12 Coventry City 3 1935–36 South, 1963–64, 2019–20 Grimsby Town 3 1925–26 North, 1955–56 North, 1979–80 Luton Town 3 1936–37 South, 2004–05, 2018–19 Millwall 3 1927–28 South, 1937–38 South, 2000–01 Reading 3 1925–26 South, 1985–86, 1993–94 Swansea City 3 1924–25 South, 1948–49 South, 2007–08 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 1923–24 North, 1988–89, 2013–14 19 Birmingham City 2 1994–95, 2024–25 Bradford City 2 1928–29 North, 1984–85 Brentford 2 1932–33 South, 1991–92 Bristol Rovers 2 1952–53 South, 1989–90 Bury 2 1960–61, 1996–97 Chesterfield 2 1930–31 North, 1935–36 North Fulham 2 1931–32 South, 1998–99 Ipswich Town 2 1953–54 South, 1956–57 South Leyton Orient 2 1955–56 South, 1969–70 Norwich City 2 1933–34 South, 2009–10 Notts County 2 1930–31 South, 1949–50 South Oldham Athletic 2 1952–53 North, 1973–74 Oxford United 2 1967–68, 1983–84 Port Vale 2 1929–30 North, 1953–54 North Preston North End 2 1970–71, 1999–2000 Queens Park Rangers 2 1947–48 South, 1966–67 Rotherham United 2 1950–51 North, 1980–81 Scunthorpe United 2 1957–58 North, 2006–07 Southampton 2 1921–22 South, 1959–60 Stockport County 2 1921–22 North, 1936–37 North Stoke City 2 1926–27 North, 1992–93 Watford 2 1968–69, 1997–98 41 AFC Bournemouth 1 1986–87 Aston Villa 1 1971–72 Blackburn Rovers 1 1974–75 Bolton Wanderers 1 1972–73 Bradford Park Avenue 1 1927–28 North Burnley 1 1981–82 Cambridge United 1 1990–91 Cardiff City 1 1946–47 South Carlisle United 1 1964–65 Crystal Palace 1 1920–21 Darlington 1 1924–25 North Derby County 1 1956–57 North Hereford United 1 1975–76 Leicester City 1 2008–09 Mansfield Town 1 1976–77 Nelson 1 1922–23 North Newport County 1 1938–39 South Northampton Town 1 1962–63 Nottingham Forest 1 1950–51 South Sheffield United 1 2016–17 Shrewsbury Town 1 1978–79 Southend United 1 2005–06 Sunderland 1 1987–88 Swindon Town 1 1995–96 Tranmere Rovers 1 1937–38 North Wrexham 1 1977–78

References

Playfair Football Annual, various editions