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<b>re-election</b> system of the <a href="/wiki/English_Football_League" title="English Football League">Football League</a>, in use until <a href="/wiki/1985%E2%80%9386_Football_League" title="1985–86 Football League">1986</a>, was a process by which the worst-placed clubs in the League had to reapply for their place, while <a href="/wiki/Non-League_football" title="Non-League football">non-League</a> clubs could apply for a place. It was the only way for a non-League side to enter the Football League until direct <a href="/wiki/Promotion_and_relegation" title="Promotion and relegation">promotion and relegation</a> was introduced from the <a href="/wiki/1986%E2%80%9387_Football_League" title="1986–87 Football League">1986–87 season</a> onwards. The clubs placed on a re-election rank at the end of a season had to face their Football League peers at the <a href="/wiki/Annual_General_Meeting" class="mw-redirect" title="Annual General Meeting">Annual General Meeting</a> of the League. At the AGM the league members had the choice to either vote to retain the current league members, or allow entry to the League for non-League clubs which had applied.<sup id="cite_ref-Pool_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pool-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Re-election existed as early as 1890 when <a href="/wiki/Stoke_City_F.C." title="Stoke City F.C.">Stoke City</a> failed to retain their Football League status.<sup id="cite_ref-Pyramid_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pyramid-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> During the first five seasons of the League, that is, until the <a href="/wiki/1893%E2%80%9394_Football_League" title="1893–94 Football League">season 1893–94</a>, re-election process involved the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the League. From the <a href="/wiki/1894%E2%80%9395_Football_League" title="1894–95 Football League">1894–95 season</a> and until the <a href="/wiki/1920%E2%80%9321_Football_League" title="1920–21 Football League">1920–21 season</a> the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.<sup id="cite_ref-Rothmans_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Rothmans-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> From the <a href="/wiki/1921%E2%80%9322_Football_League" title="1921–22 Football League">1921–22</a> season on, it was used for the two last-placed teams of each of the <a href="/wiki/Football_League_Third_Division" title="Football League Third Division">Third Division</a> North and South. After the formation of the <a href="/wiki/Football_League_Fourth_Division" title="Football League Fourth Division">Fourth Division</a> in 1958, it applied to the bottom four clubs of that division. </p><p>The club which had to undergo the largest number of re-election campaigns, <a href="/wiki/Hartlepool_United_F.C." title="Hartlepool United F.C.">Hartlepool United</a>, with fourteen between 1924 and 1984, was never voted out of the league<sup id="cite_ref-Pool_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pool-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but a small number of other clubs were, the last of those being <a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> in 1977 and <a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a> in 1978, who lost their league places to <a href="/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C." title="Wimbledon F.C.">Wimbledon</a> and <a href="/wiki/Wigan_Athletic_F.C." title="Wigan Athletic F.C.">Wigan Athletic</a> respectively. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-Missing_information plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/44px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png" decoding="async" width="44" height="44" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/66px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/88px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="44" data-file-height="44" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>is missing information</b> about First and Second Divisions.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Re-election_(Football_League)" title="Talk:Re-election (Football League)">talk page</a>.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">July 2020</span>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Third_Division_North_and_South">Third Division North and South</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Third Division North and South"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The southern group of the Third Division was established in 1920, with the northern group following the next year. The two regional third tier leagues existed in parallel until 1958 when the national Fourth Division was established.<sup id="cite_ref-One_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-One-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In that era, <a href="/wiki/Walsall_F.C." title="Walsall F.C.">Walsall</a> faced the most re-election campaigns - seven. Clubs that lost their league place during that time were <a href="/wiki/Aberdare_Athletic_F.C." title="Aberdare Athletic F.C.">Aberdare Athletic</a> (1927), <a href="/wiki/Durham_City_A.F.C." title="Durham City A.F.C.">Durham City</a> (1928), <a href="/wiki/Ashington_A.F.C." title="Ashington A.F.C.">Ashington</a> (1929), <a href="/wiki/Merthyr_Town_F.C." title="Merthyr Town F.C.">Merthyr Town</a> (1930), <a href="/wiki/Newport_County_A.F.C." title="Newport County A.F.C.">Newport County</a> (1931), <a href="/wiki/Nelson_F.C." title="Nelson F.C.">Nelson</a> (1931), <a href="/wiki/Gillingham_F.C." title="Gillingham F.C.">Gillingham</a> (1938) and <a href="/wiki/New_Brighton_A.F.C." title="New Brighton A.F.C.">New Brighton</a> (1951).<sup id="cite_ref-Pyramid_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pyramid-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The following clubs had to face the re-election process during the Third Division North and South era:<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <table class="wikitable sortable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Club </th> <th>No </th> <th>Voted out </th> <th>Notes </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Walsall_F.C." title="Walsall F.C.">Walsall</a> </td> <td>7 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Exeter_City_F.C." title="Exeter City F.C.">Exeter City</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Halifax_Town_A.F.C." title="Halifax Town A.F.C.">Halifax Town</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Newport_County_A.F.C." title="Newport County A.F.C.">Newport County</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>1931 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Mansfield_Town_F.C." title="Mansfield Town F.C.">Mansfield Town</a> but was re-elected to the league in 1932 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Accrington_Stanley_F.C._(1891)" title="Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)">Accrington Stanley</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Barrow_A.F.C." title="Barrow A.F.C.">Barrow</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Gillingham_F.C." title="Gillingham F.C.">Gillingham</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>1938 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Ipswich_Town_F.C." title="Ipswich Town F.C.">Ipswich Town</a> but was re-elected to the league in 1950 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/New_Brighton_A.F.C." title="New Brighton A.F.C.">New Brighton</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>1951 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Rochdale_A.F.C." title="Rochdale A.F.C.">Rochdale</a> </td> <td>4 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Norwich_City_F.C." title="Norwich City F.C.">Norwich City</a> </td> <td>4 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Crystal_Palace_F.C." title="Crystal Palace F.C.">Crystal Palace</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Crewe_Alexandra_F.C." title="Crewe Alexandra F.C.">Crewe Alexandra</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Darlington_F.C." title="Darlington F.C.">Darlington</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Hartlepool_United_F.C." title="Hartlepool United F.C.">Hartlepools United</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Merthyr_Town_F.C." title="Merthyr Town F.C.">Merthyr Town</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>1930 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Thames_A.F.C." title="Thames A.F.C.">Thames</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Swindon_Town_F.C." title="Swindon Town F.C.">Swindon Town</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Aberdare_Athletic_F.C." title="Aberdare Athletic F.C.">Aberdare Athletic</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1927 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C." title="Torquay United F.C.">Torquay United</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_F.C." title="Aldershot F.C.">Aldershot</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Ashington_A.F.C." title="Ashington A.F.C.">Ashington</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1929 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/York_City_F.C." title="York City F.C.">York City</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/A.F.C._Bournemouth" class="mw-redirect" title="A.F.C. Bournemouth">A.F.C. Bournemouth</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Brentford_F.C." title="Brentford F.C.">Brentford</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Chester_City_F.C." title="Chester City F.C.">Chester City</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Colchester_United_F.C." title="Colchester United F.C.">Colchester United</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Durham_City_A.F.C." title="Durham City A.F.C.">Durham City</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1928 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Carlisle_United_F.C." title="Carlisle United F.C.">Carlisle United</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Millwall_F.C." title="Millwall F.C.">Millwall</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Nelson_F.C." title="Nelson F.C.">Nelson</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1931 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Chester_City_F.C." title="Chester City F.C.">Chester City</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Queens_Park_Rangers_F.C." title="Queens Park Rangers F.C.">Queens Park Rangers</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Rotherham_United_F.C." title="Rotherham United F.C.">Rotherham United</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Southend_United_F.C." title="Southend United F.C.">Southend United</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C." title="Tranmere Rovers F.C.">Tranmere Rovers</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Watford_F.C." title="Watford F.C.">Watford</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Bradford_City_A.F.C." title="Bradford City A.F.C.">Bradford City</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C." title="Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.">Bradford (Park Avenue)</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C." title="Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.">Brighton & Hove Albion</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Bristol_Rovers_F.C." title="Bristol Rovers F.C.">Bristol Rovers</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Cardiff_City_F.C." title="Cardiff City F.C.">Cardiff City</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Carlisle_United_F.C." title="Carlisle United F.C.">Carlisle United</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Charlton_Athletic_F.C." title="Charlton Athletic F.C.">Charlton Athletic</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Gateshead_F.C." title="Gateshead F.C.">Gateshead</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Grimsby_Town_F.C." title="Grimsby Town F.C.">Grimsby Town</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Mansfield_Town_F.C." title="Mansfield Town F.C.">Mansfield Town</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Shrewsbury_Town_F.C." title="Shrewsbury Town F.C.">Shrewsbury Town</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C." title="Torquay United F.C.">Torquay United</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/York_City_F.C." title="York City F.C.">York City</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The era of the North and South sections of the Third Division saw many clubs face the first of many threats to their league status which would continue in the days of the Fourth Division from 1958-59 onwards, while at the same time a number of clubs previously more familiar with higher territory were faced with the threat of losing their league status. One of the first examples of this was <a href="/wiki/Bradford_City_A.F.C." title="Bradford City A.F.C.">Bradford City</a>, who had been <a href="/wiki/FA_Cup" title="FA Cup">FA Cup</a> winners in 1911 and First Division members as late as 1922, but finished bottom of the Third Division North in 1949 and had to apply for re-election to the Football League. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Norwich_City_F.C." title="Norwich City F.C.">Norwich City</a> had to apply for re-election to the Football League four times between 1931 and 1957, but this was soon followed by an upturn in fortunes which included a run to the FA Cup semi-finals in 1959, promotion to the Second Division a year later, <a href="/wiki/Football_League_Cup" class="mw-redirect" title="Football League Cup">Football League Cup</a> glory in 1962, and promotion to the First Division for the first time in 1972. Since then, the club has spent all but one of its seasons in the league's highest two divisions, winning a further League Cup in 1985, winning promotion to the top flight of English football a further six times and finishing in the top five of the English league three times, as well as competing in the <a href="/wiki/UEFA_Cup" class="mw-redirect" title="UEFA Cup">UEFA Cup</a> once. As of 2024, Norwich has spent a total of 24 seasons in the top flight. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Crystal_Palace_F.C." title="Crystal Palace F.C.">Crystal Palace</a> were another club who faced the threat of losing their league status during this era, only to retain their membership and go on to survive and prosper in the Football League. After having to apply for re-election three times between 1949 and 1956, Palace reached the First Division for the first time in 1969 and survived there for four seasons. Palace reached the First Division again in 1979 and survived for two seasons on this occasion. A third promotion to the top flight in 1989 was followed by an FA Cup final appearance the following season and a third place finish a year later. 2023-24 was Palace's 25th season overall in the top flight of English football. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Fourth_Division">Fourth Division</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Fourth Division"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238443738">.mw-parser-output .locmap .od{position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .id{position:absolute;line-height:0}.mw-parser-output .locmap .l0{font-size:0;position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pv{line-height:110%;position:absolute;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .locmap 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width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Green_pog.svg/12px-Green_pog.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Green_pog.svg/16px-Green_pog.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="64" data-file-height="64" /></span></span></div></div><div style="position: absolute;left:125px;top:133px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Barrow_A.F.C." title="Barrow A.F.C.">Barrow</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:233px;top:161px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C." title="Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.">Bradford (Park Avenue)</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:240px;top:67px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Gateshead_A.F.C." title="Gateshead A.F.C.">Gateshead</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:122px;top:169px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:93px;top:90px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:319px;top:281px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge Utd</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:109px;top:292px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Hereford_United_F.C." title="Hereford United F.C.">Hereford United</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:303px;top:252px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Peterborough_United_F.C." title="Peterborough United F.C.">Peterborough</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:118px;top:181px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Wigan_Athletic_F.C." title="Wigan Athletic F.C.">Wigan Athletic</a></div><div style="position: absolute;left:305px;top:340px;font-size: smaller;"><a href="/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C." title="Wimbledon F.C.">Wimbledon</a></div></div><div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:United_Kingdom_England_adm_location_map.svg" title="File:United Kingdom England adm location map.svg">class=notpageimage| </a></div>The north-south shift of Football League clubs during the Fourth Division re-election era: Red dots indicate clubs not re-elected, green dots clubs that were elected in their stead.</div></div></div> <p>The Fourth Division was established in 1958 out of the bottom clubs of the two groups of the Third Division. The bottom four of the Fourth Division had to face re-election on an annual basis.<sup id="cite_ref-One_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-One-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In this era, 32 clubs had to face the re-election process in 28 seasons. Of those, five failed to gain re-election: <a href="/wiki/Gateshead_A.F.C." title="Gateshead A.F.C.">Gateshead</a> (1960), <a href="/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C." title="Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.">Bradford (Park Avenue)</a> (1970), <a href="/wiki/Barrow_A.F.C." title="Barrow A.F.C.">Barrow</a> (1972), <a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> (1977) and <a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a> (1978). Elected in their stead were <a href="/wiki/Peterborough_United_F.C." title="Peterborough United F.C.">Peterborough United</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge United</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hereford_United_F.C." title="Hereford United F.C.">Hereford United</a>, <a href="/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C." title="Wimbledon F.C.">Wimbledon</a> and <a href="/wiki/Wigan_Athletic_F.C." title="Wigan Athletic F.C.">Wigan Athletic</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Geographically, all newly elected clubs were located further south than the club they replaced, a shift away from the more remote parts of northern England to the south. </p><p>Of those, Gateshead was the first to lose its league place, after only two seasons in the Fourth Division. The club had joined the Football League in 1930 and faced a successful re-election campaign in 1937. The club was convinced it would be re-elected, especially with Southport making their third consecutive re-election bid. In the end, on 28 May 1960, Gateshead only achieved 18 votes, with Southport the next lowest at 29. Gateshead lost their league place to Peterborough United who made their 21st attempt at entry into the Football League.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Gateshead was followed ten years later by former First Division side Bradford Park Avenue. The club had been a league member since 1908 and had faced re-election five times before, being successful in 1956, 1958, 1967, 1968 and 1969. Faced with the process for the fourth year running in 1970, the club received only 17 votes and dropped out of the league while Cambridge United was voted in with 31. Unsuccessful, Wigan Athletic even achieved a higher vote then Bradford Park Avenue, reaching 18.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Two seasons later, Barrow was replaced by Hereford United<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Barrow would not regain their Football League status until 2020. </p><p>A five-year break followed before Workington was voted out of the league in 1977. The club had only joined the league in 1951, being voted in at the expense of <a href="/wiki/New_Brighton_A.F.C." title="New Brighton A.F.C.">New Brighton</a> which they beat by ten votes.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Workington faced two successful re-election campaigns in its first two seasons in the league but then did not have to apply again from 1953 to 1974. After three more successful campaigns in 1974, 1975 and 1976 the club's league membership came to an end on 17 June 1977 when Wimbledon received 27 votes and Workington only 21, finishing fifth in the tally.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The last club to lose their Football League status through a vote was Southport, who were voted out in favour of Wigan Athletic in 1978. Southport was tied with Wigan on 26 votes and a second round between the two was necessary which Wigan carried by nine votes.<sup id="cite_ref-Pool_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pool-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>No club was voted out in the following eight seasons until 1986, after which the system was abandoned in favour of direct promotion between the Football League and the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(English_football)" title="National League (English football)">Football Conference</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 23 May 1986, the last time a re-election vote was held, <a href="/wiki/Exeter_City_F.C." title="Exeter City F.C.">Exeter City</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge United</a>, <a href="/wiki/Preston_North_End_F.C." title="Preston North End F.C.">Preston North End</a> and <a href="/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C." title="Torquay United F.C.">Torquay United</a> had their league places confirmed while <a href="/wiki/Enfield_F.C." title="Enfield F.C.">Enfield</a> was denied a place in the league.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The following clubs had to face the re-election process during the Fourth Division era:<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <table class="wikitable sortable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Club </th> <th>No </th> <th>Voted out </th> <th>Notes </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Hartlepool_United_F.C." title="Hartlepool United F.C.">Hartlepool United</a> </td> <td>11 </td> <td>— </td> <td>Known as Hartlepools United until 1968, and then Hartlepool F.C. until 1977 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Crewe_Alexandra_F.C." title="Crewe Alexandra F.C.">Crewe Alexandra</a> </td> <td>7 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Barrow_A.F.C." title="Barrow A.F.C.">Barrow</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>1972 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Hereford_United_F.C." title="Hereford United F.C.">Hereford United</a>. Promoted back into the Football League in 2020. </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Halifax_Town_A.F.C." title="Halifax Town A.F.C.">Halifax Town</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Rochdale_A.F.C." title="Rochdale A.F.C.">Rochdale</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>1978 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Wigan_Athletic_F.C." title="Wigan Athletic F.C.">Wigan Athletic</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/York_City_F.C." title="York City F.C.">York City</a> </td> <td>6 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Chester_City_F.C." title="Chester City F.C.">Chester City</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Darlington_F.C." title="Darlington F.C.">Darlington</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Lincoln_City_F.C." title="Lincoln City F.C.">Lincoln City</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Stockport_County_F.C." title="Stockport County F.C.">Stockport County</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> </td> <td>5 </td> <td>1977 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C." title="Wimbledon F.C.">Wimbledon</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C." title="Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.">Bradford (Park Avenue)</a> </td> <td>4 </td> <td>1970 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge United</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Newport_County_A.F.C." title="Newport County A.F.C.">Newport County</a> </td> <td>4 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Northampton_Town_F.C." title="Northampton Town F.C.">Northampton Town</a> </td> <td>4 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Doncaster_Rovers_F.C." title="Doncaster Rovers F.C.">Doncaster Rovers</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Hereford_United_F.C." title="Hereford United F.C.">Hereford United</a> </td> <td>3 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Bradford_City_A.F.C." title="Bradford City A.F.C.">Bradford City</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Exeter_City_F.C." title="Exeter City F.C.">Exeter City</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C." title="Oldham Athletic A.F.C.">Oldham Athletic</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Scunthorpe_United_F.C." title="Scunthorpe United F.C.">Scunthorpe United</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C." title="Torquay United F.C.">Torquay United</a> </td> <td>2 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_F.C." title="Aldershot F.C.">Aldershot</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Blackpool_F.C." title="Blackpool F.C.">Blackpool</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge United</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Colchester_United_F.C." title="Colchester United F.C.">Colchester United</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Gateshead_A.F.C." title="Gateshead A.F.C.">Gateshead</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>1960 </td> <td>Lost league place to <a href="/wiki/Peterborough_United_F.C." title="Peterborough United F.C.">Peterborough United</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Grimsby_Town_F.C." title="Grimsby Town F.C.">Grimsby Town</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Preston_North_End_F.C." title="Preston North End F.C.">Preston North End</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Swansea_City_A.F.C." title="Swansea City A.F.C.">Swansea City</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C." title="Tranmere Rovers F.C.">Tranmere Rovers</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Wrexham_F.C." class="mw-redirect" title="Wrexham F.C.">Wrexham</a> </td> <td>1 </td> <td>— </td> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>While not voted out, in 1962 <a href="/wiki/Accrington_Stanley_F.C._(1891)" title="Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)">Accrington Stanley</a> resigned from the league and in its place <a href="/wiki/Oxford_United_F.C." title="Oxford United F.C.">Oxford United</a> was elected. In 1968 <a href="/wiki/Port_Vale_F.C." title="Port Vale F.C.">Port Vale</a> was forced to face the re-election process after having been expelled that season.<sup id="cite_ref-Four_4-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Four-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p>Between 1958 and 1986, many of the teams faced with re-election to the Football League after finishing in the bottom four of the Fourth Division were among those who had faced this threat while members of the regionalised Third Division. However, several clubs more familiar with the higher reaches of English football were also faced with the re-election process. </p><p>Bradford Park Avenue, who had played in the First Division during the <a href="/wiki/1914-15_in_English_football" class="mw-redirect" title="1914-15 in English football">1914-15 season</a> and for two seasons after the resumption of league football following <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, were voted out of the Football League in 1970 and replaced by <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_United_F.C." title="Cambridge United F.C.">Cambridge United</a>. </p><p>Oldham Athletic, who spent nine seasons in the First Division leading up to 1923 and had been league runners-up in 1915, had to apply for re-election at the end of the first two campaigns of the new Fourth Division. </p><p>Two even more recently successful clubs were faced with having to apply for re-election during the final years of the system. <a href="/wiki/Blackpool_F.C." title="Blackpool F.C.">Blackpool</a>, FA Cup winners in 1953 and First Division members as recently as 1971, had to apply for re-election in 1983, as did <a href="/wiki/Preston_North_End_F.C." title="Preston North End F.C.">Preston North End</a>, who had won the first two <a href="/wiki/Football_League" class="mw-redirect" title="Football League">Football League</a> titles in 1889 and 1890, as well as winning the FA Cup as late as 1938 and playing in the First Division as late as 1961. </p><p>Hartlepool United had to apply for re-election 11 times in 28 seasons after finishing in the bottom four of the Fourth Division, but were successful every time. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Pool-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Pool_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pool_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pool_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.poolstats.co.uk/seasons/reelection.htm">Football League Re-Election</a> www.poolstats.co.uk, accessed: 13 July 2012</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Pyramid-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Pyramid_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pyramid_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thepyramid.info/stats/updownyear.htm">Promotion to/Relegation from the Football League by year</a> www.thepyramid.info, accessed: 13 July 2012</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Rothmans-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Rothmans_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ian Laschke: <i>Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79</i>. MacDonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Four-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Four_4-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Rothmans 2002–03</i>, p. 584</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-One-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-One_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-One_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Rothmans 2002–03</i>, p. 581</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Twydell</i>, p. 160 & 161</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Twydell</i>, p. 94</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Twydell</i>, p. 273</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Twydell</i>, p. 282</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Rothmans 1986–87</i>, p. 31</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sources">Sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><i>Backpass magazine 2013-14 (Ghosts of the League series)</i>, Hyder Jawad</li> <li><i>Rothmans Football Yearbook 1986–87</i>, Editor: Peter Dunk, published: 1986</li> <li><i>Rothmans Football Yearbook 2002–2003</i>, Editors: Glenda & Jack Rollin, published: 2002</li> <li><i>Rejected F.C.</i>, Volume 1, Dave Twydell, published: 1992</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Re-election_(Football_League)&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.football-league.co.uk">The Football League official website</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" 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.navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Former_English_Football_League_clubs" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th 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id="Former_English_Football_League_clubs" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/List_of_former_English_Football_League_clubs" title="List of former English Football League clubs">Former English Football League clubs</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/English_Football_League" title="English Football League">English Football League</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">First tier (League 1888–1992)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Accrington_F.C." title="Accrington F.C.">Accrington</a></i> (1888–93)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Second tier (1892–present)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Bootle_F.C._(1879)" title="Bootle F.C. (1879)">Bootle</a></i> (1892–93)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Burton_Swifts_F.C." title="Burton Swifts F.C.">Burton Swifts</a></i> (1892–1901)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Burton_United_F.C." title="Burton United F.C.">Burton United</a></i> (1901–07)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Burton_Wanderers_F.C." title="Burton Wanderers F.C.">Burton Wanderers</a></i> (1894–97)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Darwen_F.C._(1870)" title="Darwen F.C. (1870)">Darwen</a></i> (1891–99)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gainsborough_Trinity_F.C." title="Gainsborough Trinity F.C.">Gainsborough Trinity</a> (1896–1912)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glossop_North_End_A.F.C." title="Glossop North End A.F.C.">Glossop North End</a> (1898–1915)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Leeds_City_F.C." title="Leeds City F.C.">Leeds City</a></i> (1905–19)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Loughborough_F.C." title="Loughborough F.C.">Loughborough</a></i> (1895–1900)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Middlesbrough_Ironopolis_F.C." title="Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C.">Middlesbrough Ironopolis</a></i> (1893–94)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/New_Brighton_Tower_F.C." title="New Brighton Tower F.C.">New Brighton Tower</a></i> (1898–1901)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northwich_Victoria_F.C." title="Northwich Victoria F.C.">Northwich Victoria</a> (1892–94)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Rotherham_Town_F.C._(1878)" title="Rotherham Town F.C. (1878)">Rotherham Town</a></i> (1893–96)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Wimbledon_F.C." title="Wimbledon F.C.">Wimbledon</a></i> Became <a href="/wiki/Milton_Keynes_Dons_F.C." title="Milton Keynes Dons F.C.">Milton Keynes Dons</a> (1977–92, 2000–04)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Third tier (1920–present)<br /> North/South (1921–1958)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Aberdare_Athletic_F.C." title="Aberdare Athletic F.C.">Aberdare Athletic</a></i> (1921–27)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ashington_A.F.C." title="Ashington A.F.C.">Ashington</a> (1921–29)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bury_F.C." title="Bury F.C.">Bury</a> (1894–2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Durham_City_A.F.C." title="Durham City A.F.C.">Durham City</a> (1921–28)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merthyr_Town_F.C." title="Merthyr Town F.C.">Merthyr Town</a> (1920–30)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nelson_F.C." title="Nelson F.C.">Nelson</a> (1921–31)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/New_Brighton_A.F.C." title="New Brighton A.F.C.">New Brighton</a></i> (1923–51)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Rotherham_County_F.C." title="Rotherham County F.C.">Rotherham County</a></i> (1919–25)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Gateshead_A.F.C." title="Gateshead A.F.C.">South Shields</a></i> (1919–30)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalybridge_Celtic_F.C." title="Stalybridge Celtic F.C.">Stalybridge Celtic</a> (1921–23)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Thames_A.F.C." title="Thames A.F.C.">Thames</a></i> (1930–32)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Wigan_Borough_F.C." title="Wigan Borough F.C.">Wigan Borough</a></i> (1921–31)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Fourth tier (by election, 1958–1987)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Accrington_Stanley_F.C._(1891)" title="Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)">Accrington Stanley</a></i> (1921–62)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C." title="Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.">Bradford (Park Avenue)</a> (1908–70)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Gateshead_A.F.C." title="Gateshead A.F.C.">Gateshead</a></i> (1930–60)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southport_F.C." title="Southport F.C.">Southport</a> (1921–78)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Workington_A.F.C." title="Workington A.F.C.">Workington</a> (1951–77)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Fourth tier (relegated since 1987)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_F.C." title="Aldershot F.C.">Aldershot</a></i> (1932–92)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_Town_F.C." title="Aldershot Town F.C.">Aldershot Town</a> (2008–13)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Barnet_F.C." title="Barnet F.C.">Barnet</a> (1991–2001, 2005–13, 2015–18)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boston_United_F.C." title="Boston United F.C.">Boston United</a> (2002–07)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Chester_City_F.C." title="Chester City F.C.">Chester City</a></i> (1931–2000, 2004–09)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dagenham_%26_Redbridge_F.C." title="Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.">Dagenham & Redbridge</a> (2007–16)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Darlington_F.C." title="Darlington F.C.">Darlington</a> (1921–89, 1990–2010)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Forest_Green_Rovers_F.C." title="Forest Green Rovers F.C.">Forest Green Rovers</a> (2017–24)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Halifax_Town_A.F.C." title="Halifax Town A.F.C.">Halifax Town</a></i> (1921–93, 1998–2002)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hartlepool_United_F.C." title="Hartlepool United F.C.">Hartlepool United</a> (1921–2017, 2021–23)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Hereford_United_F.C." title="Hereford United F.C.">Hereford United</a></i> (1972–97, 2006–12)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kidderminster_Harriers_F.C." title="Kidderminster Harriers F.C.">Kidderminster Harriers</a> (2000–05)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Macclesfield_Town_F.C." title="Macclesfield Town F.C.">Macclesfield Town</a></i> (1997–2012, 2018–20)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Maidstone_United_F.C._(1897)" title="Maidstone United F.C. (1897)">Maidstone United</a></i> (1989–92)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C." title="Oldham Athletic A.F.C.">Oldham Athletic</a> (1907–2022)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rochdale_A.F.C." title="Rochdale A.F.C.">Rochdale</a> (1921–2023)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Rushden_%26_Diamonds_F.C." title="Rushden & Diamonds F.C.">Rushden & Diamonds</a></i> (2001–06)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Scarborough_F.C." title="Scarborough F.C.">Scarborough</a></i> (1987–99)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scunthorpe_United_F.C." title="Scunthorpe United F.C.">Scunthorpe United</a> (1950–2022)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southend_United_F.C." title="Southend United F.C.">Southend United</a> (1920–2021)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sutton_United_F.C." title="Sutton United F.C.">Sutton United</a> (2021–24)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C." title="Torquay United F.C.">Torquay United</a> (1927–2007, 2009–14)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yeovil_Town_F.C." title="Yeovil Town F.C.">Yeovil Town</a> (2003–19)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/York_City_F.C." title="York City F.C.">York City</a> (1929–2004, 2012–16)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li>Listed according to division last performed in. 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