Oldham Athletic squad in 1905

This is a list of seasons completed by Oldham Athletic A.F.C. in English football, from 1904—when the club began playing professionally—to the most recent completed season. The list details accomplishments in all competitions the club has entered. The club has never participated in any major competitions outside of the United Kingdom.

History

The club was created in 1899 after Pine Villa Football Club folded earlier the same year.[1] In the early years, Oldham played mostly at the junior level of competition. In 1899, Oldham Athletic played their first game in the Manchester Alliance League versus Berry's Blacking Works Second XI.[2] The following season, the club would move to the Manchester Football League after finishing as runners-up. The club began to play professionally in 1904 as they moved into the Lancashire Combination B Division and were immediately promoted to the A Division by finishing as runners-up.[2]

After two seasons in the Lancashire Combination, the club gained acceptance into the Football League in June 1907 when Burslem Port Vale resigned from the league.[2] Unlike many clubs, Oldham Athletic gained early success in the league as they finished in third place in the Football League Second Division. By 1910, the club was playing in the top flight of English football after the club had finishing in the runners-up spot in the 1909–10 season. It would not be until the 1952–53 season when the club would once again win a trophy, as they finished at the top of the Football League Third Division North table. By the late 1950s, the club was in the Football League Fourth Division and twice had to apply for re-election into the Football League, including a finish of 23rd in 1959–60, their lowest rank in the League.[2]

By the mid-1960s, the club's fortunes had turned as they gained promotion back into the Football League Third Division. In 1973–74, Jimmy Frizzell led Oldham back to the Second Division as the club won their first league title since 1953. Unlike the previous visit into the division, the club was not relegated quickly. In the late 1970s, the club were runners-up in the Anglo-Scottish Cup following a loss to Burnley 4–2 on aggregate. Under Joe Royle in 1989–90 season, Oldham had their best finish in a major English cup by finishing as runners-up in the 1990 Football League Cup Final.[2] The following season, Oldham won the Second Division and were promoted to the Football League First Division for the first time in 64 years and,[2] in 1992–93, the club was a founding member of the FA Premier League.

The club was relegated back into the First Division[a] following the 1993–94 season with Joe Royle leaving to join Everton during the next season. In the 1996–97 season, the club was relegated for the second time in four seasons and were back in the Second Division.[a] After 21 consecutive seasons in the third tier of English football, the club were relegated to the renamed League Two for the first time since 1971. In 2021–22 they finished 23rd, 62 years after they had finished in the same position, and this time they were relegated automatically to the National League – the first former Premier League club to play non-League football.

Seasons

Season League FA Cup EFL
Cup[b] 		EFL
Trophy 		Other Top goalscorer(s)[c]
Division P W D L GF GA Pts Pos Name Goals
1895–1904 Unknown
1904–05 Lan C-2 ↑ 34 19 6 9 80 38 44 3rd
1905–06 Lan C-1 38 14 8 16 45 52 36 13th 4Q
1906–07 Lan C-1 ↑ 38 26 5 7 105 33 57 1st R2
1907–08 Div 2[d] 38 22 6 10 76 42 50 3rd R2 Frank Newton 29
1908–09 Div 2 38 17 6 15 55 43 40 6th R1 Frank Newton 14
1909–10 Div 2 ↑ 38 23 7 8 79 39 53 2nd R1 Jimmy Fay 26
1910–11 Div 1 38 16 9 13 44 41 41 7th R2 Alf Toward 13
1911–12 Div 1 38 12 10 16 46 54 34 18th R3 Evan Jones 17
1912–13 Div 1 38 14 14 10 50 55 42 9th SF Joe Walters 13
1913–14 Div 1 38 17 9 12 55 45 43 4th R1 Arthur Gee 12
1914–15 Div 1 38 17 11 10 70 56 45 2nd[e] QF Gilbert Kemp 19
1915–19 No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 because of the First World War.
1919–20 Div 1 42 15 8 19 49 52 38 17th R1 Arthur Gee 13
1920–21 Div 1 42 9 15 18 49 86 33 19th R2 Reuben Butler 16
1921–22 Div 1 42 13 11 18 38 50 37 19th R2 Reuben Butler 13
1922–23 Div 1 ↓ 42 10 10 22 35 65 30 22nd R1 Jack Marshall 6
1923–24 Div 2 42 14 17 11 43 52 45 7th R2 John Blair 15
1924–25 Div 2 42 13 11 18 35 51 37 18th R1 Chris Jones 6
1925–26 Div 2 42 18 8 16 74 66 44 7th R3 Arthur Ormston 23
1926–27 Div 2 42 19 6 17 74 84 44 10th R3 Albert Pynegar 19
1927–28 Div 2 42 19 8 15 75 51 46 7th R4 Albert Pynegar 19
1928–29 Div 2 42 16 5 21 54 75 37 18th R3 Stewart Littlewood 12
1929–30 Div 2 42 21 11 10 90 51 53 3rd R4 Stewart Littlewood 30
1930–31 Div 2 42 16 10 16 61 72 42 12th R3 Jimmy Dyson 15
1931–32 Div 2 42 13 10 19 62 84 36 18th R3 Bill Johnstone 12
1932–33 Div 2 42 15 8 19 67 80 38 16th R3 Jimmy Pears 12
1933–34 Div 2 42 17 10 15 72 60 44 9th R4 Tommy Reid 17
1934–35 Div 2 ↓ 42 10 6 26 56 95 26 21st R3 Billy Walsh 12
1935–36 Div 3N 42 18 9 15 86 73 45 7th R2 Tom Davis 35
1936–37 Div 3N 42 20 11 11 77 59 51 4th R3 Jack Diamond 18
1937–38 Div 3N 42 19 13 10 67 46 51 4th R1 Tom Davis 33
1938–39 Div 3N 42 22 5 15 76 59 49 5th R1 Ron Ferrier 21
1939–40 Div 3N 3 1 0 2 3 5 2 18th[f] –
1939–44 No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 because of the Second World War.
1945–46 R2[g]
1946–47 Div 3N 42 12 8 22 55 80 32 19th R2 Fred Howe 20
1947–48 Div 3N 42 14 13 15 63 64 41 11th R2 Blackshaw/Haddington 17
1948–49 Div 3N 42 18 9 15 75 67 45 6th R2 Eric Gemmell 23
1949–50 Div 3N 42 16 11 15 58 63 43 11th R3 Ray Haddington 24
1950–51 Div 3N 42 16 8 22 73 73 40 15th R3 Eric Gemmell 22
1951–52 Div 3N 42 24 9 13 90 61 57 4th R2 Eric Gemmell 29
1952–53 Div 3N ↑ 46 22 15 9 77 45 59 1st R3 Eric Gemmell 23
1953–54 Div 2 ↓ 42 8 9 25 40 89 25 22nd R3 Frank Scrine 9
1954–55 Div 3N 46 19 10 17 74 68 48 10th R2 Don Travis 30
1955–56 Div 3N 46 10 18 18 76 86 38 20th R1 Don Travis 15
1956–57 Div 3N 46 12 15 19 66 74 39 19th R2 Don Travis 14
1957–58 Div 3N 46 14 17 15 72 84 45 15th R2 Gerry Duffy 17
1958–59 Div 4[h] 46 16 4 26 59 84 36 21st R3 Peter Phoenix 14
1959–60 Div 4 46 8 12 26 41 83 28 23rd[i] R2 Peter Stringfellow 11
1960–61 Div 4 46 19 7 20 79 88 45 12th R2 R2 Bert Lister 21
1961–62 Div 4 44 17 12 15 77 70 46 11th R4 R1 Jimmy Frizzell 25
1962–63 Div 4 ↑ 46 24 11 11 95 60 59 2nd R1 R2 Bert Lister 33
1963–64 Div 3 46 20 8 18 73 40 48 9th R3 R1 Bert Lister 17
1964–65 Div 3 46 13 10 23 61 83 36 20th R3 R2 Jimmy Frizzell 11
1965–66 Div 3 46 12 13 21 55 81 37 20th R3 R2 Ian Towers 10
1966–67 Div 3 46 19 10 17 80 63 48 10th R3 R1 Ian Towers 27
1967–68 Div 3 46 18 7 21 60 65 43 16th R1 R1 Bob Ledger 11
1968–69 Div 3 ↓ 46 13 9 24 50 83 35 24th R1 R1 Keith Bebbington 13
1969–70 Div 4 46 13 13 20 60 65 39 19th R2 R1 David Shaw 12
1970–71 Div 4 ↑ 46 24 11 11 88 63 59 3rd R1 R2 Jim Fryatt 26
1971–72 Div 3 46 17 11 18 59 63 45 11th R1 R2 David Shaw 19
1972–73 Div 3 46 19 16 11 72 54 54 4th R1 R1 David Shaw 18
1973–74 Div 3 ↑ 46 25 12 9 83 47 62 1st R4 R1 Colin Garwood 17
1974–75 Div 2 42 10 15 17 40 48 35 18th R3 R1 Ian Robins 10
1975–76 Div 2 42 13 12 17 57 68 38 17th R3 R2 David Shaw 13
1976–77 Div 2 42 14 10 18 52 64 38 13th R5 R1 Vic Halom 22
1977–78 Div 2 42 13 16 13 54 58 42 8th R3 R3 Ang-Sco Cup GS Steve Taylor 21
1978–79 Div 2 42 13 13 16 52 61 39 14th R5 R2 Ang-Sco Cup RU Alan Young 14
1979–80 Div 2 42 16 11 15 49 53 43 11th R5 R2 Simon Stainrod 11
1980–81 Div 2 42 12 15 15 39 48 39 15th R3 R2 Rodger Wylde 12
1981–82 Div 2 42 15 14 13 50 51 59[j] 11th R3 R3 Rodger Wylde 17
1982–83 Div 2 42 14 19 9 64 47 61 7th R3 R2 Rodger Wylde 19
1983–84 Div 2 42 13 8 21 47 73 47 19th R3 R3 Roger Palmer 14
1984–85 Div 2 42 15 8 19 49 67 53 14th R4 R1 Micky Quinn 25
1985–86 Div 2 42 17 9 16 62 61 60 8th R4 R2 Ron Futcher 17
1986–87 Div 2 42 22 9 11 65 44 75 3rd R3 R3 Play-offs SF Roger Palmer 17
1987–88 Div 2 44 18 11 15 72 64 65 10th R3 R4 Palmer/Ritchie 20
1988–89 Div 2 46 11 21 14 75 72 54 16th R3 R3 Andy Ritchie 16
1989–90 Div 2 46 19 14 13 70 57 71 8th SF RU Andy Ritchie 28
1990–91 Div 2 ↑ 46 25 13 8 83 53 88 1st R4 R3 Ian Marshall 18
1991–92 Div 1 42 14 9 19 63 57 51 17th R3 R4 Graeme Sharp 16
1992–93 Prem[k] 42 13 10 19 63 74 49 19th R3 R4 Ian Olney 13
1993–94 Prem ↓ 42 9 13 20 42 68 40 21st SF R4 Graeme Sharp 11
1994–95 Div 1 46 16 13 17 60 60 61 14th R4 R3 Sean McCarthy 18
1995–96 Div 1 46 14 14 18 54 50 56 18th R4 R2 Ang-Ital Cup GS Richardson/McCarthy 11
1996–97 Div 1 ↓ 46 10 13 23 51 66 43 23rd R3 R3 Stuart Barlow 12
1997–98 Div 2 46 15 16 15 62 54 61 13th R3 R1 R1 Stuart Barlow 13
1998–99 Div 2 46 14 9 23 48 66 51 20th R3 R1 R1 Mark Allott 8
1999–2000 Div 2 46 16 12 18 50 55 60 14th R3 R1 R2 Allott/Whitehall 11
2000–01 Div 2 46 15 13 18 53 65 58 15th R2 R2 R1 Lee Duxbury 10
2001–02 Div 2 46 18 16 12 77 65 70 9th R3 R2 SF(N) David Eyres 14
2002–03 Div 2 46 22 16 8 66 38 82 5th R2 R4 R1 Play-offs SF David Eyres 16
2003–04 Div 2 46 12 21 13 66 60 57 15th R2 R1 R2 Scott Vernon 15
2004–05 Lge 1[l] 46 14 10 22 60 73 52 19th R4 R2 F(N) Chris Killen 15
2005–06 Lge 1 46 18 11 17 58 60 65 10th R2 R1 R1 Luke Beckett 18
2006–07 Lge 1 46 21 12 13 69 47 75 6th R3 R1 R2 Play-offs SF Chris Porter 22
2007–08 Lge 1 46 18 13 15 58 46 67 8th R4 R2 R2 Craig Davies 14
2008–09 Lge 1 46 16 17 13 66 65 65 10th R1 R2 R1 Lee Hughes 18
2009–10 Lge 1 46 13 13 20 39 57 52 16th R1 R1 R1 Paweł Abbott 13
2010–11 Lge 1 46 13 17 16 53 60 56 17th R1 R1 R1 Chris Taylor 11
2011–12 Lge 1 46 14 12 20 50 66 54 16th R3 R1 F(N) Shefki Kuqi 16
2012–13 Lge 1 46 14 9 23 46 59 51 19th R5 R1 R1 Jose Baxter 15
2013–14 Lge 1 46 14 14 18 50 59 56 15th R3 R1 SF(N) Danny Philliskirk 12
2014–15 Lge 1 46 14 15 17 54 67 57 15th R2 R1 QF(N) Jonathan Forte 12
2015–16 Lge 1 46 12 18 16 44 58 54 17th R1 R1 R1N Danny Philliskirk 7
2016–17 Lge 1 46 12 17 17 31 44 53 17th R2 R2 R3 Lee Erwin 10
2017–18 Lge 1 ↓ 46 11 17 18 58 75 50 21st R1 R1 QF Eoin Doyle 14
2018–19 Lge 2 46 16 14 16 67 60 62 14th R4 R1 R2 Callum Lang 16
2019–20 Lge 2 37 9 14 14 44 57 41 19th[m] R2 R1 R1 Jonny Smith 11
2020–21 Lge 2 46 15 9 22 72 81 54 18th R3 R2 R2 Conor McAleny 21
2021–22 Lge 2 ↓ 46 9 11 26 46 75 38 23rd R1 R3 R2 Davis Keillor-Dunn 17
2022–23 NL 46 16 13 17 63 64 61 12th R1 —[n] —[o] FA Trophy R4 Mike Fondop 13
2023–24 NL 26 10 9 7 42 38 39 10th R1 — — FA Trophy R4 James Norwood 14

Key

Champions Runners-up Promoted Relegated

Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion or relegation.

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b The Second Division was renamed to the First Division following the advent of the FA Premier League. The Third Division was also renamed to Second Division.
  2. ^ The League Cup was founded in the 1960–61 season.
  3. ^ Figures include goals include all competitions. Goals in bold show new club record.
  4. ^ Oldham Athletic left the Lancashire Combination after gaining acceptance into the Football League.
  5. ^ Highest League finish.
  6. ^ The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled, after only three matches had been played.
  7. ^ All FA Cup ties in 1945–46 were played on a two legged basis.
  8. ^ Having finished in the lower half of the table, Oldham Athletic were placed in the new Football League Fourth Division following the amalgamation of the Third Division North and Third Division South.
  9. ^ Lowest League finish.
  10. ^ The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win.
  11. ^ Founding member of FA Premier League.
  12. ^ The Second Division was renamed to League One following advent of the Championship.
  13. ^ The 2019–20 season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with league positions decided on a points-per-game basis. Oldham Athletic averaged 1.11 points from 37 games.
  14. ^ Ineligible to compete after relegation from the EFL.
  15. ^ Ineligible to compete after relegation from the EFL.

References

  1. ^ "Club history". Oldham Athletic AFC. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Oldham Athletic - Historical Football Kits". Retrieved 24 August 2008.

External links

Oldham Athletic Association Football Club
Oldham Athletic A.F.C. seasons
Lists of English men's football seasons by club
Categories