Football League Third Division

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Football League Third Division

Founded	1920; 104 years ago (1920)
Folded	2004; 20 years ago (2004)
Replaced by	2003–04)
Most championships	Plymouth Argyle (4 titles, including 2 in Third Division South)

The Football League Third Division was the third tier of the

.

Founder clubs of the Third Division (1920)

Most of these clubs were drawn from what was then the top division of the

exploits and Southern League dominance, they were sent directly into the Second Division and Grimsby Town, who finished in last place in the Second Division in 1919–20, were relegated.

• Brentford
• Brighton & Hove Albion
• Bristol Rovers
• Crystal Palace (inaugural champions in 1920–21)
• Exeter City
• Gillingham
• Grimsby Town
• Luton Town
• Merthyr Town
• Millwall
• Newport County
• Northampton Town
• Norwich City
• Plymouth Argyle
• Portsmouth
• Queens Park Rangers
• Reading
• Southampton
• Southend United
• Swansea Town
• Swindon Town
• Watford

The split Third Divisions

This league continued in 1921–22 as Football League Third Division South whilst the Football League Third Division North was formed with the Northern clubs, the two Divisions jointly forming the third tier.

Geographical separation was abolished in 1958 with the creation of the Football League Fourth Division.

As a single Third Division

The original members in 1958–59 were:

• From Third Division North: Accrington Stanley, Bradford City, Bury, Chesterfield, Halifax Town, Hull City, Mansfield Town, Rochdale, Stockport County, Tranmere Rovers, Wrexham
• From Third Division South: Bournemouth, Brentford, Colchester United, Newport County, Norwich City, Plymouth Argyle, Queens Park Rangers, Reading, Southampton, Southend United, Swindon Town
• Relegated from Second Division: Doncaster Rovers, Notts County

Of these, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brentford, Hull, Norwich, Notts, QPR, Reading,

were introduced in 1987. AFC Bournemouth, formerly Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, hold the record as the club to have spent most time in this division.

The Third Division of English football lasted for a total of 72 years, the first 38 years as two regionalised divisions (although just 31 seasons were played due to the advent of World War II) before a 34-year run as a national division. Plymouth Argyle were the most successful team at this level during these years, winning the national title twice, having already won the southern section twice.

In 1992 the

for subsequent third-tier history.

Winners of the Third Division

See

for winners afterwards.

References