The History of the 92 Club

The History of the 92 Club

We all know and love the structure of the 92 Club, but did you know that the Football League started over 120 years ago with just 12 teams? Or that actually consisted of 93 team for a brief period in the early 90s? With a plan to increase to 94? Read on for more info about the history of the 92 Club.

1888/89 - The Football League was founded by 12 clubs from the Midlands and North of England. The very first League title was won by Preston North End, who were crowned champions without losing a game.

Full list of Football League founder members:

• Accrington
• Aston Villa
• Blackburn Rovers
• Bolton Wanderers
• Burnley
• Derby County
• Everton
• Notts County
• Preston North End
• Stoke City
• West Bromwich Albion
• Wolverhampton Wanderers

1891/1892 - the Football League expanded to 14 clubs.

1892/1893 - the First Division expanded to 16 clubs A new Second Division of 12 clubs was formed which included Newton Heath (later to be renamed Manchester United), Nottingham Forest and both Sheffield clubs.

1893/1894 - the Second Division was expanded to 15 clubs with the addition of Liverpool, Newcastle United and Woolwich Arsenal (the first Southern club to be admitted to the Football League, who would later be known as Arsenal).

1894/1895 - the Second Division expanded again up to 16 clubs. The Football League now comprises of 32 professional teams.

1898/1899 - each division is expanded to 18 teams. Promotion and relaxation is changed to a simple 2 up, 2 down system instead of the previous test match system. The 19th Century ends with 36 teams in the Football League.

1905/1806 - each division expands to 20 clubs, with Chelsea being a notable addition.

1908/1909 - Tottenham Hotspur are elected to the league for the first time.

1915/1916 - 1918/1919 -the League is suspended due to the outbreak of the First World War.

1919/1920 - 4 more teams are added as the First and Second Divisions each expand to 22 teams.

1920/1921 - a new Third Division is created, comprising of 22 teams who had mainly competed in the Southern League. The Football League now has 66 clubs.

1921/1922 - another large expansion sees 22 new teams join the Football League as the Third Division is expanded and regionalised, split into different leagues for North and South. 88 clubs now compete in the Football League.

1923/1924 - 1925/1926 - Huddersfield Town become the first team to win the league title 3 seasons in a row.

1927/1928 - Everton's Dixie Dean scores 60 goals in just 42 matches. He is the first and only player to score more than 50 goals in a single season in the top flight.

1935/1936 - the largest ever League attendance is set as 82,905 squeeze into Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea entertain Arsenal.

1939/1940 - 1945/1946 -the League is suspended again, due to the Second World War.

1950/1951 - the Third Division North and South expanded to 24 teams each and the 92 Club is born.

1958/1959 - the regionalised Third Division North and South are scrapped in favour of a new national Fourth Division added.

1979/1980 - the Football Conference is formed to sit below the Fourth Division.

1986/1987 - the First Division is reduced to 20 teams. One automatic promotion and relegation between the Fourth Division and the Football Conference is introduced. This replaces the need for the bottom four clubs in the Fourth Division to apply for re-election into the Football League. The Play-Offs are introduced to decide the final promotion place.

1991/1992 - the First Division is increased to 22 teams. The Football League expands to 93 teams, with plans to take on a 94th.

1992/1993 - the Premier League is formed, with other divisions renamed Division 1-3. Aldershot go bust sending the League structure back down to 92 clubs. Plans to expand to 94 teams are abandoned.

1995/1996 - the Premier League is reduced to 20 clubs.

2002/2003 - a 2nd promotion place is opened up from the Football Conference to Division 3.

2004/2005 - Coca-Cola take over as sponsors of the Football League and rebrand the divisions to the Championship, League 1 and League 2.

2016/2017 - the Football League is re-branded to the EFL (English Football League).

2017/2018 - 2018/2019 - Tottenham become tempoary tenants of Wembley, as the National Stadium becomes a part of the 92 Club.

2019/2020 - Bury are expelled from the EFL and Coventry City are forced to groundshare at St Andrew's as the 92 Club drops down to 90.