Football League First Division
The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First Division's winning club became English football champions.
| Organising body | The Football League |
|---|---|
| Founded | 17 April 1888 |
| Folded | 2004 |
| Country | England |
| Other club(s) from | Wales |
| Number of teams | 24 (1992–2004) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 (1888–1992) 2 (1992–2004) |
| Promotion to | Premier League (1992–2004) |
| Relegation to | Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Community Shield |
| League cup(s) | League Cup |
| International cup(s) | European Cup (1956–1985, 1991–1992) UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1960–1985, 1990–1999) UEFA Cup (1971–1985, 1990–2004) Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1955–1971) |
| Last champions | Leeds United (1st tier) (1991–92) Norwich City (2nd tier) (2003–04) |
| Most championships | Liverpool (18 titles) |
| Most appearances | Peter Shilton (849) |
| Top goalscorer | Jimmy Greaves (357) |
The First Division contained between 12 and 24 clubs, playing each other home and away in a double round robin. The competition was based on two points for a win from 1888 until the increase to three points for a win in 1981.
After the creation of the Premier League, the name First Division was given to the second-tier division (from 1992). The name ceased to exist after the 2003–04 First Division season. The division was rebranded as the Football League Championship (now EFL Championship).