List of Peterborough United F.C. seasons
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Peterborough United Football Club is an English association football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. After former Southern League club Peterborough & Fletton United folded in 1932, there had been no senior football in the Peterborough area. In the summer of 1934, a new professional club, named Peterborough United, was founded to take its place. It was welcomed into membership of the Midland League for 1934–35,[1] and the club's first team finished that initial season in mid-table.[2] They entered the national cup competition, the FA Cup, the following season, but lost their opening match 3–0 at home to Rushden Town in the first qualifying round.[3] When competitive football resumed after the Second World War, Peterborough enjoyed improved performances in both league and cup competition. In the cup, they regularly reached the rounds proper, and progressed to the fourth round in 1956–57 and 1959–60, eliminating two Football League teams on the first occasion and three on the second.[2] In the Midland League, they finished second in 1953–54, third the following year, and then embarked on a run of five consecutive championships, scoring more than 100 goals in each campaign. Repeated attempts at election to the Football League failed – albeit narrowly in 1958–59 – until they finally gained admission to the Fourth Division in 1960 at the expense of Gateshead.[4]
Their momentum continued into the new Football League season: in second place with Christmas approaching, Peterborough did not lose again until the following April.[5] They won the Fourth Division title, scoring what remains a Football League record 134 goals.[6] Terry Bly supplied 52 of those 134 – not a league record, but a seasonal total which has not been surpassed since.[6] They followed up with four top-half finishes at the higher level before dropping to mid-table, eliminated Arsenal among others on their way to the sixth round (quarter-final) of the 1964–65 FA Cup, and went one step further in the 1965–66 League Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion in the semifinal,[2] but problems off the field disrupted their further progress. In November 1967, the Football Association and Football League met to consider charges of making illegal payments to players, poor accounting practices and poor internal governance, stemming from claims surrounding an FA Cup match against Sunderland the previous January. They decided that Peterborough would be demoted to the Fourth Division at the end of the 1967–68 season. At the time, they stood fourth in the Third Division after 19 matches.[5][7] They won their second Fourth Division championship in 1973–74, this time spending five years in the Third before returning to the fourth tier until 1991.[2]
Back-to-back promotions – via a fourth-place finish in 1990–91 and the play-offs in 1992, beating Stockport County 2–1 in the final,[2][8] – earned Peterborough a place in the second tier for the first time in the club's history. They came 10th in what was called the First Division – when the newly formed FA Premier League split from the Football League, the remaining divisions of the Football League were renumbered upwards[9] – which remains the team's highest league finish.[1] and were relegated in 1993–94. They returned to the second tier, which by then had been rebranded as the Football League Championship, in 2009, again after two consecutive promotions. Although relegated straight back to League One, they were immediately re-promoted, and stayed up for two seasons.[2] Failure in the 2014 play-offs[10] was offset by a first ever victory in a nationally organised cup competition: Peterborough defeated Chesterfield by three goals to one in the the final of the 2013–14 Football League Trophy, a competition open to clubs in the third and fourth tiers of English football.[11]
As of the end of the 2015–16 season, the team have spent 25 seasons in the fourth tier of the English football league system, 26 in the third, and 5 in the second.[12] The table details the team's achievements and the top goalscorer in senior first-team competitions from their debut season in the Midland League in 1934–35 to the end of the most recently completed season.
Contents
Key
Key to league record:
Key to colours and symbols:
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Key to divisions:
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Key to stages of competitions:
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Details of the abandoned 1939–40 season are shown in italics and appropriately footnoted.
Seasons
Season | League[2][12] | FA Cup[3] | League Cup[5][lower-alpha 1] | Other[5][2][13] | Top scorer(s)[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||
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Division[lower-alpha 3] | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Competition | Result | Name | Goals | |||
1934–35 | Mid | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 81 | 84 | 40 | 10th | &
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&
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14 | |
1935–36 | Mid | 40 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 52 | 86 | 34 | 17th | QR1 | &
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— | &
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Dave Collins | 22 |
1936–37 | Mid | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 75 | 97 | 38 | 16th | R1 | &
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Jack Briggs | 32 |
1937–38 | Mid | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 67 | 105 | 27 | 19th | QR2 | &
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— | &
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Harry Roberts | 15 |
1938–39 | Mid | 42 | 20 | 4 | 18 | 99 | 77 | 44 | 10th | R1 | &
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Charlie MacCartney | 38 |
1939–40 | Mid[16] | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 6 | — | &
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&
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Jack Haycox | 5 |
1939–45 | The Midland League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.
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1945–46 | Mid | 36 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 63 | 74 | 37 | 9th | QR3[lower-alpha 4] | &
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Hustwaite | 12 |
1946–47 | Mid | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 90 | 77 | 48 | 9th | R2 | &
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Arnold Bramham | 21 |
1947–48 | Mid | 42 | 22 | 4 | 16 | 88 | 78 | 48 | 6th | QR4 | &
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Nat Brooksbank | 9 |
1948–49 | Mid | 42 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 58 | 83 | 36 | 16th | R1 | &
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Billy Guest | 20 |
1949–50 | Mid | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 91 | 70 | 56 | 4th | QR3 | &
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Freddie Martin | 30 |
1950–51 | Mid | 42 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 69 | 65 | 47 | 9th | QR2 | &
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Freddie Martin | 16 |
1951–52 | Mid | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 90 | 71 | 50 | 5th | QR4 | &
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Johnny Dowson | 28 |
1952–53 | Mid | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 76 | 55 | 51 | 8th | R2 | &
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Freddie Martin | 30 |
1953–54 | Mid | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 111 | 73 | 62 | 2nd | R3 | &
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Doug Taft | 45 |
1954–55 | Mid | 46 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 69 | 38 | 62 | 3rd | QR4 | &
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Jimmy Kelly | 10 |
1955–56 | Mid | 46 | 33 | 11 | 2 | 137 | 46 | 77 | 1st | R2 | &
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Dennis Emery | 33 |
1956–57 | Mid | 46 | 36 | 6 | 4 | 148 | 35 | 78 | 1st | R4 | &
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Dennis Emery | 51 |
1957–58 | Mid | 46 | 35 | 5 | 6 | 160 | 46 | 75 | 1st | R1 | &
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Dennis Emery | 53 |
1958–59 | Mid | 36 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 137 | 26 | 68 | 1st | R3 | &
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Jimmy Rayner | 42 |
1959–60 | Mid | 32 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 108 | 37 | 52 | 1st | R4 | &
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Jimmy Rayner | 28 |
1960–61 | Div 4 | 46 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 134 | 65 | 66 | 1st[lower-alpha 5] | R4 | R1 | — | &
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Terry Bly[lower-alpha 6] | 54 ♦ |
1961–62 | Div 3 | 46 | 26 | 6 | 14 | 107 | 82 | 58 | 5th | R4 | R1 | — | &
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Terry Bly | 33 |
1962–63 | Div 3 | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 93 | 75 | 51 | 6th | R3 | R2 | — | &
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George Hudson | 26 |
1963–64 | Div 3 | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 75 | 70 | 47 | 10th | R1 | R2 | — | &
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Derek Dougan | 21 |
1964–65 | Div 3 | 46 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 85 | 74 | 51 | 8th | QF | R2 | — | &
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Derek Dougan | 25 |
1965–66 | Div 3 | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 80 | 66 | 46 | 13th | R2 | SF | — | &
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John Byrne | 25 |
1966–67 | Div 3 | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 66 | 71 | 43 | 15th | R4 | R2 | — | &
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John Fairbrother | 23 |
1967–68 | Div 3 | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 79 | 67 | 50 | 24th[lower-alpha 7] | R3 | R1 | — | &
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John Fairbrother | 14 |
1968–69 | Div 4 | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 60 | 57 | 42 | 18th | R1 | R4 | — | &
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Jim Hall | 24 |
1969–70 | Div 4 | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 77 | 69 | 48 | 9th | R4 | R1 | — | &
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Jim Hall | 27 |
1970–71 | Div 4 | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 70 | 71 | 43 | 16th | R2 | R1 | — | &
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Colin Garwood | 18 |
1971–72 | Div 4 | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 82 | 64 | 50 | 8th | R3 | R1 | — | &
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Peter Price[lower-alpha 8] | 32 ♦ |
1972–73 | Div 4 | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 71 | 76 | 41 | 19th | R3 | R1 | — | &
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Jim Hall | 23 |
1973–74 | Div 4 | 46 | 27 | 11 | 8 | 75 | 38 | 65 | 1st | R4 | R1 | — | &
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John Cozens | 25 |
1974–75 | Div 3 | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 47 | 53 | 50 | 7th | R5 | R1 | — | &
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David Gregory | 14 |
1975–76 | Div 3 | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 63 | 63 | 48 | 10th | R4 | R4 | — | &
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David Gregory | 17 |
1976–77 | Div 3 | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 55 | 65 | 41 | 16th | R2 | R2 | — | &
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John Cozens | 10 |
1977–78 | Div 3 | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 47 | 33 | 56 | 4th | R3 | R3 | — | &
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Tommy Robson | 15 |
1978–79 | Div 3 | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 44 | 63 | 36 | 21st | R1 | R4 | — | &
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Barry Butlin | 7 |
1979–80 | Div 4 | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 58 | 47 | 52 | 8th | R1 | R3 | — | &
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Billy Kellock | 23 |
1980–81 | Div 4 | 46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 68 | 54 | 52 | 5th | R5 | R2 | — | &
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Robbie Cooke | 29 |
1981–82 | Div 4 | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 71 | 57 | 82[lower-alpha 9] | 5th | R3 | R1 | Football League Group Cup | QF | Robbie Cooke | 31 |
1982–83 | Div 4 | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 58 | 52 | 64 | 9th | R3 | R2 | Football League Group Cup | Group | Micky Gynn | 21 |
1983–84 | Div 4 | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 72 | 48 | 68 | 7th | R1 | R2 | Associate Members Cup | R1(S) | Alan Waddle | 12 |
1984–85 | Div 4 | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 54 | 53 | 62 | 11th | R2 | R1 | Associate Members Cup | R1(S) | Errington Kelly | 9 |
1985–86 | Div 4 | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 52 | 64 | 56 | 17th | R5 | R1 | Associate Members Cup | Prelim(S) | Jackie Gallagher | 14 |
1986–87 | Div 4 | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 57 | 50 | 65 | 10th | R1 | R2 | Associate Members Cup | Prelim(S) | Steve Phillips | 12 |
1987–88 | Div 4 | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 52 | 53 | 70 | 7th | R2 | R3 | Associate Members Cup | QF(S) | Mick Gooding | 24 |
1988–89 | Div 4 | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 52 | 74 | 54 | 17th | R2 | R2 | Associate Members Cup | Prelim(S) | Nick Cusack | 12 |
1989–90 | Div 4 | 42 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 59 | 46 | 68 | 9th | R2 | R1 | Associate Members Cup | R1(S) | Mick Halsall | 12 |
1990–91 | Div 4 | 46 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 67 | 45 | 80 | 4th | R3 | R2 | Associate Members Cup | Prelim(S) | Paul Culpin | 14 |
1991–92 | Div 3 | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 65 | 58 | 74 | 6th[lower-alpha 10] | R2 | QF | Associate Members Cup | F(S) | Ken Charlery | 26 |
1992–93 | Div 1[lower-alpha 11] | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 55 | 63 | 62 | 10th[lower-alpha 12] | R2 | R2 | Anglo-Italian Cup | Prelim | Tony Adcock | 19 |
1993–94 | Div 1 | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 48 | 76 | 37 | 24th | R3 | R4 | Anglo-Italian Cup | Prelim | Tony Adcock | 13 |
1994–95 | Div 2 | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 54 | 69 | 60 | 15th | R2 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Ken Charlery | 19 |
1995–96 | Div 2 | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 59 | 66 | 52 | 19th | R4 | R2 | Football League Trophy | SF(S) | Gary Martindale[lower-alpha 13] | 18 |
1996–97 | Div 2 | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 55 | 73 | 47 | 21st | R4 | R2 | Football League Trophy | F(S) | Ken Charlery | 13 |
1997–98 | Div 3 | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 63 | 51 | 67 | 10th | R3 | R2 | Football League Trophy | SF(S) | Jimmy Quinn | 25 |
1998–99 | Div 3 | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 72 | 56 | 66 | 9th | R1 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Giuliano Grazioli | 15 |
1999–2000 | Div 3 | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 63 | 54 | 78 | 5th[lower-alpha 14] | R1 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Andy Clarke | 18 |
2000–01 | Div 2 | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 61 | 66 | 59 | 12th | R3 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Leon McKenzie | 13 |
2001–02 | Div 2 | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 64 | 59 | 55 | 17th | R4 | R2 | Football League Trophy | QF(S) | Leon McKenzie | 20 |
2002–03 | Div 2 | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 51 | 54 | 58 | 11th | R1 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R1(S) | Andy Clarke | 19 |
2003–04 | Div 2 | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 58 | 58 | 52 | 18th | R3 | R1 | Football League Trophy | QF(S) | 12 | |
2004–05 | League 1[lower-alpha 15] | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 49 | 73 | 39 | 23rd | R4 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R1(S) | Calum Willock | 14 |
2005–06 | League 2 | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 57 | 49 | 62 | 9th | R1 | R1 | Football League Trophy | QF(S) | Danny Crow | 17 |
2006–07 | League 2 | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 70 | 61 | 65 | 10th | R3 | R2 | Football League Trophy | QF(S) | 10 | |
2007–08 | League 2 | 46 | 28 | 8 | 10 | 84 | 43 | 92 | 2nd | R4 | R2 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Aaron Mclean | 33 |
2008–09 | League 1 | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 54 | 89 | 2nd | R3 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Craig Mackail-Smith | 26 |
2009–10 | Champ | 46 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 46 | 80 | 34 | 24th | R3 | R4 | — | &
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George Boyd | 12 |
2010–11 | League 1 | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 106 | 75 | 79 | 4th[lower-alpha 16] | R3 | R3 | Football League Trophy | R2(S) | Craig Mackail-Smith[lower-alpha 17] | 35 ♦ |
2011–12 | Champ | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 67 | 77 | 50 | 18th | R3 | R2 | — | &
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Paul Taylor | 12 |
2012–13 | Champ | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 66 | 75 | 54 | 22nd | R3 | R2 | — | &
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13 | |
2013–14 | League 1 | 46 | 23 | 5 | 18 | 72 | 58 | 74 | 6th[lower-alpha 18] | R3 | R3 | Football League Trophy | W | Britt Assombalonga | 33 |
2014–15 | League 1 | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 53 | 56 | 63 | 9th | R2 | R1 | Football League Trophy | R1(S) | Conor Washington | 13 |
2015–16 | League 1 | 46 | 19 | 6 | 21 | 82 | 73 | 63 | 13th | R4 | R2 | Football League Trophy | R1(S) | Conor Washington | 15 |
Notes
- ↑ The Football League Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season.[9]
- ↑ Includes goals scored in all nationally organised competitions, i.e. the Football League, including play-offs, FA Cup, Football League Cup, Football League Group Cup, Associate Members Cup / Football League Trophy and Anglo-Italian Cup, as well as goals scored in the Midland League before Peterborough's admission to the Football League. For seasons from 1934–35 to 2009–10, sourced to Up The Posh!;[14] from 2010–11 onwards sourced to Soccerbase.[15]
- ↑ From the 1960–61 Football League season onwards, divisions are sorted according to their level within the English football league system, and separately from the pre-Football League division.
- ↑ The FA Cup was contested in 1945–46. From the first round proper to the sixth round (quarter-final), results were determined on aggregate score over two legs.[3]
- ↑ In their first season in the Football League, Peterborough not only won the Fourth Division title, they set a League record of 134 goals which still stands, and Terry Bly's 52-goal return, while not a League record, has not been bettered since.[17]
- ↑ Bly was top scorer in the 1960–61 Fourth Division with 52 goals.[18]
- ↑ Demoted for financial irregularities.[7]
- ↑ Price was top scorer in the 1971–72 Fourth Division with 28 goals.[18]
- ↑ The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win instead of two.[9]
- ↑ Promoted to the second tier for the first time. After defeating Huddersfield Town 4–3 on aggregate in the semifinal of the play-offs, Peterborough beat Stockport County 2–1 in the final.[2][8]
- ↑ The newly formed FA Premier League split from the Football League, and the remaining divisions of the Football League were renumbered upwards.[9]
- ↑ Peterborough's record high finish, of 10th in the second tier.[12]
- ↑ Martindale was top scorer in the 1995–96 Second Division with 21 goals, of which 6 were scored for Notts County after he left Peterborough.[18][19]
- ↑ After defeating Barnet 5–1 on aggregate in the semifinal of the play-offs, Peterborough beat Darlington 2–1 in the final.[2][20]
- ↑ From the 2004–05 season, the Football League divisions were rebranded: Division One was renamed the Football League Championship, and Divisions Two and Three became Football League One and Football League Two respectively.[21]
- ↑ After defeating Milton Keynes Dons 4–3 on aggregate in the semifinal of the play-offs, Peterborough beat Huddersfield Town 3–0 in the final.[2][22]
- ↑ Mackail-Smith was top scorer in the 2010–11 League One season with 27 goals.[23]
- ↑ Lost 3–2 on aggregate to Leyton Orient in the semifinal of the play-offs.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select seasons required via Div 3S and Div 4 links; pages give breakdown of voting figures.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Access to other seasons via dropdown menu at top of page.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select season required via dropdown menu.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select season via dropdown menu.