List of Arsenal F.C. seasons
In the 1930s, Arsenal were the dominant side of England, winning five
As of the end of the 2022–23 season, the club's first team have spent 106 seasons in the top division of English football, and 13 in the second. Their worst league finish to date is 10th in the second tier, their placing at the end of the 1896–97 season. Arsenal's best-ever start to a Premier League season came in 2022–23, when they won 9 of their first 10 matches.[11] The club's longest period without a competitive honour is 17 years, between the 1953-54 and 1969–70 seasons. Ted Drake holds the record for most competitive goals in a single season for Arsenal; he scored 44 during the 1934–35 campaign. The table details the club's achievements in major competitions, and the top scorers for each season. Records of competitions such as the London Combination and the London War Cup are not included.
History
When Arsenal was founded in 1886 by
In 1919, Norris arranged for the club's promotion back to the First Division, in contentious circumstances.
The growth of commercialism in English football during the late 1980s and early 1990s paved the way for Arsenal and other prominent clubs to seek the possibility of setting up a new top-flight division.
Arsenal added more league and cup doubles in 1998 and 2002,
Key
Key to league competitions:
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Key to colours and symbols:
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Key to league record:
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Key to cup record:
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Seasons
Footnotes
- Football League. The following year saw the creation of the Southern Football League, which was composed of amateur and professional teams. By the 1920–21 season, the top division of the Southern Football League was absorbed by the Football League, to create its third division.[2][3]
- ^ Contrary to what was stated at the time, clubs from Southern England did not boycott Arsenal following their move to professional football, nor were the club expelled from the London or Kent FA.[13]
- ^ Despite their status as champions in 1989, Arsenal were barred from participating in the 1989–90 European Cup as UEFA's ban on English teams from playing in European club competitions was in effect.[33] The embargo which began in 1985 as a consequence of Liverpool's role in the Heysel tragedy, was not lifted until April 1990.[34]
- ^ The expansion of the FA Cup, from 15 clubs in its inaugural season to currently more than 700 has meant successive changes in the competition's structure. Teams in the top two divisions were made exempt from the qualifying stages and the first two rounds of the Cup in 1925–26. Because of this rounds were renamed; the fifth and sixth qualifying rounds became first and second round proper. Since 1914–15 there have been a total of 14 rounds, in comparison to five in 1871–72.
- ^ Other competitions refer to the London Senior Cup, Kent Senior Cup, London Challenge Cup, London Charity Cup and the Football League Centenary Trophy. London Challenge Cup results are sourced to Kelly's first team line-ups (until the 1929–30 season) and Ollier (1995) thereafter. All other results, including the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup which was not administered by UEFA, are sourced to Kelly.
- Football League, Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Charity/Community Shield. The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and European competitions organised by UEFA are also included, as are several now-defunct leagues and cup competitions: the United League, London League Premier Division, Southern District Combination, London Senior Cup, London Challenge Cup, Kent Senior Cup, London Charity Cup, Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup and commemorative Football League Centenary Trophy. Goals scored are sourced from Ollier (1995) until the 1993–94 season, and Kelly's first team line-ups before and thereafter.
- ^ The club was a founding member of the United League in 1896. The league lasted for three seasons before it disbanded.[60]
- ^ Arsenal finished with exactly the same league record as Blackburn Rovers.[61]
- ^ Although they had finished outside the automatic promotion places in 1914–15, Arsenal were re-elected to the First Division after it expanded in 1919.[62] According to Bernard Joy, Arsenal secured eighteen votes to Tottenham Hotspur's eight.[6] However it has been alleged that Arsenal's promotion, on historical grounds rather than merit, was thanks to underhand actions by Norris, who was chairman of the club at the time; see History of Arsenal F.C. (1886–1966) for further details. These allegations range from political machinations to outright bribery; no firm proof of any wrongdoing has ever been found.
- goal average, which was not corrected until 1975.[63]
- ^ No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War. Arsenal competed in the London Combination from 1915–16 to 1918–19.[64][65]
- ^ In September 1939 first-class football was suspended due to the Second World War, with the 1939–40 league table voided and regional competitions contested instead.[66]
- ^ The FA Cup resumed in 1945, but league football remained regionally structured until the start of the 1946–47 season.[67]
- ^ Arsenal were not invited to take part in the 1950 FA Charity Shield despite winning the FA Cup, as the match was held between the England national football team that competed in the 1950 FIFA World Cup and the FA squad that participated in an exhibition tour of Canada during the same summer.[68]
- ^ For the first six seasons of the Football League Cup, Arsenal declined to take part as its board preferred the London-centric Floodlit Cup (which became defunct once the new competition was introduced), and were against the League Cup acting as "an interim step towards league re-organisation."[69] Arsenal eventually joined in the 1966–67 season for reasons unspecified; by the 1971–72 season it became mandatory for all Football League clubs to participate.[70]
- ^ Arsenal did not participate in the 1971 FA Charity Shield due to a previously arranged pre-season tour that clashed with the event.[71] Leicester City were invited to take part, and beat Cup runners-up Liverpool.[72]
- ^ This season saw the introduction of three points for a win instead of two.[73]
- a brawl with Manchester United on 20 October 1990.[74]
- ^ Ian Wright scored 29 goals in the First Division, five of which for Crystal Palace before his move to Arsenal in September 1991.[75]
- UEFA Cup under the rules of the tournament at the time.[76]
- ^ Thierry Henry was the division's top goalscorer with 30 goals, winning the European Golden Shoe in the process.[77]
- ^ Joint holder of the European Golden Shoe with Diego Forlán, both of whom scored 25 goals.[78]
References
General
- Dobson, Stephen; Goddard, Jeff (2001). The Economics of Football. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-51714-1.
- Harris, Jeff; Hogg, Tony (1995). Arsenal Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4.
- Joy, Bernard (1952). Forward, Arsenal!. London: GCR Books Limited. ISBN 0-9559211-1-2.
- Kelly, Andrew. "Arsenal first team line-ups". The Arsenal History. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- King, Anthony (2002). The end of the terraces: the transformation of English football in the 1990s. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 0-7185-0259-0.
- Motson, John (2005). Motson's FA Cup Odyssey: The World's Greatest Knockout Competition. London: Robson. ISBN 1-86105-903-5.
- Ollier, Fred (1995). Arsenal: A Complete Record. London: Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-011-0.
- Palmer, Myles (2007). The Professor: Arsène Wenger. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-7535-1097-1.
- Rundle, Richard. "Arsenal". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 February 2006.
- Scott, Les (2008). End to End Stuff. London: Random House. ISBN 978-0-593-06068-1.
- Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1986). Arsenal 1886–1986: The Official Centenary History of Arsenal Football Club. Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-35871-2.
- Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (2005). The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-61344-5.
- Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (2011). Arsenal 125 Years in the Making: The Official Illustrated History 1886–2011. Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-62353-3.
Specific
- ^ Soar & Tyler (2011), p. 24.
- ISBN 978-0-19-921381-8.
- ISBN 978-0-7486-4056-0.
- ^ Joy (1952), p. 9.
- ^ Joy (1952), p. 32.
- ^ a b Joy (1952), p. 28.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archivedfrom the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
- ^ "Match Pack: Arsenal v Villa". Aston Villa F.C. 26 December 2009. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal – Complete cup finals". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Sanghera, Mandeep (16 September 2015). "Dinamo Zagreb 2–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "S outhampton v Arsenal: Head-to-head stats". BBC Sport. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d "125 years of Arsenal history – 1891–1896". Arsenal F.C. 5 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Kelly, Andy. "What really happened when Arsenal turned professional". The Arsenal History. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Atwood, Tony (20 February 2014). "Arsenal's great pre-Highbury rivals". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ a b Soar & Tyler (2005), p. 33.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1911–16". Arsenal F.C. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal Annual Report 2004/2005" (PDF). Arsenal F.C. 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "Norris negotiates top-flight return". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Soar & Tyler (2005), p. 45.
- ^ "GGM 36: Arsenal win their first major trophy". Arsenal F.C. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Herbert Chapman – Overview". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Wallace, Sam (18 September 2011). "In football's long, cyclical game Arsenal's present lack of success is scarcely a drop in the ocean". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "The managers". Arsenal F.C. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal win the Fairs Cup in 1970". Arsenal F.C. 14 July 2007. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "From Fairs Cup via UEFA Cup to UEFA Europa League". UEFA. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1970–1971". Arsenal F.C. 16 February 2012. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "'The Five Minute Final' stuns Manchester Utd". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1976–1980". Arsenal F.C. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal's League Cup Finals – A history". Arsenal F.C. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Thomas strike seals title at Anfield". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1986–1990". Arsenal F.C. 21 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "Graham's Gunners clinch league title". Arsenal F.C. 8 July 2007. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Delaney, Miguel (21 June 2013). "What if ... England hadn't been banned from Europe". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Ball, Peter (20 April 1990). "Liverpool receive lift for Europe return". The Times. p. 44.
- ^ Jones, Stuart (7 November 1991). "Arsenal outclassed in extra time". The Times. p. 40.
- ^ Conn, David (12 September 2007). "How Dein's 'dead money' helped kill off a football ideal". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Ball, Peter (17 August 1991). "First division clubs pull out of the Football League". The Times. p. 1.
- ^ "The history of the FA". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Langford, Adrian; Hunt, Richard (14 December 1992). "How Sky scored an own goal". The Guardian. London. p. A13.
- ^ "Arsenal – 1992–93". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Gunners clinch FA and League Cup double". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ "GGM 20: Gunners stun Parma in Copenhagen". Arsenal F.C. 23 August 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "1994–95: Nayim's bolt from the blue sinks Arsenal". UEFA. 1 June 1995. Archived from the original on 22 August 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Double top Gunners". BBC Sport. 9 July 2002. Archived from the original on 23 April 2003. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal's 'Invincibles' voted greatest Premier League team". BBC Sport. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "'The Invincibles' go 49 games unbeaten". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal play in European Cup Final". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Fynn, Alex; Whitcher, Kevin (31 August 2008). "Young guns". The Observer. London. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ Ornstein, David (20 February 2012). "Arsene Wenger at lowest point as Arsenal boss – Emmanuel Petit". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ Wilson, Bill (21 September 2011). "Arsenal aim to be financial role models". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Ronay, Barney (13 May 2012). "Arsenal secure Champions League place with victory at West Brom". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Arsene Wenger: Keep FA Cup replays, says Arsenal manager". BBC Sport. 19 February 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ Northcroft, Jonathan (31 May 2015). "Arsenal 4 Aston Villa 0: Gunners' star quality leaves Villa flailing". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2016. (subscription required)
- ^ McNulty, Phil (1 August 2020). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ Ross, James M.; Ross (9 June 2016). "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ^ "The FA Cup Past Results". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
- ^ a b All results are sourced to Kelly's first team line-ups.
- ^ For Arsenal results and final league tables in the Football League, Premier League, United League, Southern District Combination, London League Premier Division, and the abandoned 1939–40 season please refer to Kelly's first team line-ups website, listed in the general section.
- ^ "Arsenal". UEFA. 2 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- ^ Attwood, Tony (7 September 2013). "Arsenal in the United League, and the unsavoury end to the southern District Combination". The History of Arsenal (AISA Arsenal History Society). Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Scott (2008), p. 223.
- ^ Kelly, Andy; Andrews, Mark (7 January 2015). "Arsenal elected to the First Division – 10 March 1919". The Arsenal History. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Soar & Tyler (1986), p. 42.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1911–1916". Arsenal F.C. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ^ "125 years of Arsenal history – 1915–1920". Arsenal F.C. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ^ "Arsenal at War". Arsenal F.C. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ Scott (2008), p. 226.
- ^ "Ask Albert – Number 39". BBC Sport. 2 November 2001. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Attwood, Tony (6 April 2015). "Arsenal in the Southern Floodlight Challenge Cup (Southern Professional Floodlit Cup)". The History of Arsenal (AISA Arsenal History Society). Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Dobson & Goddard (2001), p. 142.
- ^ "FA in search of substitute". The Times. 25 May 1971. p. 8.
- ^ Moore, Brian (9 August 1971). "Leicester's win suggests season of achievement". The Times. p. 8.
- ^ Murray, Scott; Ingle, Sean (21 February 2001). "Whatever happened to Third Lanark?". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Taylor, Louise (23 October 1990). "FA charges clubs after the brawl at Old Trafford". The Times. p. 48.
- ^ Silver, Neil (17 March 1996). "I'm all Wright". Sunday Mirror. London. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
He had scored 29 goals in total, 24 of them counting for Arsenal after his move from Crystal Palace.
- ^ Palmer (2007), p. 194.
- ^ "Henry ready to celebrate". UEFA. 24 May 2004. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ "Henry and Forlan win Golden Shoe". BBC Sport. 30 May 2005. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
External links
- The History of Arsenal Football Club – 1886 to 1992 Archived 9 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine at Arseweb.com