Unreliable History |
Coming from the Lancashire holiday resort, there could only be one nickname for the club – “The Pool”. No, sorry, I mean “The Seasiders”. Possibly, the only team that were formed in Stanleys Arms (i.e. The Stanley Arms Hotel) and that was a name that would feature strongly in the future success of the club.
For the first twelve years of the club’s life, they led a nomadic existence moving from ground to ground, before they merged with the South Shore club and settled into Bloomfield Road. Shortly after the move, there was an infestation of fleas in the East Stand and to this day, it is known as the “Scratching Shed”. They toiled away in the Second Division until they were Champions in 1929-30, when they went up to the 1st Division and liked it so much that they stayed for 37 years. Since those days, they have only returned to the top flight for one season in 1970-71. In the 80′ and 90’s, they have slid down the ladder, falling to the bottom rung, but having escaped from Div. 2, they hope to continue their upward mobility. The FA Cup seemed, for quite a while, to be as fruitless as the League for Blackpool, as they were losing finalists in 1949 and 1951. Having returned North trophyless, it looked like the star wing wizard of dribble, Sir Stanley Matthews, would never hold a winners medal. However, in 1953, it all came right after being 1-3 behind with twenty minutes remaining, Stan produced a mesmerising display of trickery to provide chance after chance for the Pool forwards, which they gleefully accepted to take the Cup 4-3 over Bolton Wanderers. Striker Stan Mortensen (The Blackpool Bombshell) scored a Cup Final hat-trick, but in this classic match, he took second place in what became known as “the Matthews Final” . Stan often joked that if he died before Stan and was buried, the winger would attend and the whole thing would be known as “The Matthews Funeral” !! Jimmy Armfield, the club’s stalwart left-back, was voted as the best player in that position when he appeared for England in the 1962 World Cup Finals. He has since been employed as a commentator and consultant for the FA advising on the suitability of candidates for the England mangers post. Blackpool’s best league placing was second in Div.1 in 1956, but the Cup competitions produced more success, with a semi-final appearance in the League Cup in 1962 and a victory in the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1971, being pipped in the final the following season. The ground at Bloomfield Road is now run down and part of the terracing cannot be used for safety reasons, but jailed Millionaire chairman, Owen Oyston, has a big hat and big plans for the club, including a move to a purpose-built new stadium and hotel/complex to take the club into the 21st Century. Having taken on former England international Steve McMahon as manager, the Seasiders were unable to move away from the bottom of the Second Division and at the end of season 1999-2000, they were relegated to Division Three. With few sticks of rock being offered to the ex-Liverpool man when the team were struggling in the 2000-01 season, he pulled them up and got them to the play-offs, where they beat Orient to move up to Division Two. Investment was needed to ensure that Blackpool is noted for more than just it’s front. And the Wonga came with promotion to the Premier League in 2010 thanks to Ian Holloway’s inspired management and the sponsorship from a money lending firm that charged inflated interest rates and was called … Wonga.com. After a bright start, the interest dropped off in the team who played attacking football, but were going down the table as the future didn’t look so rosy for the Oranges. Relegation followed with a series of managers being poached before Blackpool could rock back into the top flight as they hit the bottom division and have started a gentle climb back up. FAMOUS PLAYERS: – Sir Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Barry Batt, Alan Ball, Jimmy Armfield, Trevor Sinclair, Paul Stewart. FAMOUS FANS : – . |
Club Records |
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Formed | 1887 |
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Turned Professional | 1887 |
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Became a Limited Company | 1896 |
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Previous names | Blackpool St. John’s = 1887 |
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Previous grounds | Raikes Hall Gardens (Pleasure Gardens) = 1887-1897 Athletic Grounds = 1897-1899 Raikes Hall Gardens (Pleasure Gardens) = 1899 |
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Nickname | “The SEASIDERS” |
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Motto | “PROGRESS” |
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Club Colours [Images courtesy of the wonderful Colours of Football website] |
HOME :
AWAY : THIRD : |
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Record Football League Win | 7-0 v Preston North End (Division 1) 01.05.1948 7-0 v Reading (Division 2) 10.11.1928 7-0 v Sunderland (Division 1) 05.10.1957 |
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Record Football Premier League Win | 4-0 v Wigan Athletic (Away) |
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Record Football League Defeat | 1-10 v Small Heath (Division 2) 02.03.1901 1-10 v Huddersfield Town (Division 1) 13.12.1930 |
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Record Premier League Defeat | 0-6 v Arsenal (Away) |
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Record Cup Win | 10-0 v Lanerossi Vicenza (Anglo-Italian Cup) 10.06.1972 |
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Record Fee Paid | £1.25 million to Leicester City for Dudley CAMPBELL (2010) |
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Record Fee Received | £6.75 million from Liverpool for Charlie ADAM (2011) |
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Record Appearances (includes non-league appearances) | 569 – Jimmy ARMFIELD (1952-1971) |
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Record League Appearances | 569 – Jimmy ARMFIELD (1952-1971) |
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Record Premier League Appearances | 38 – Ian EVATT (2010-2011) |
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Record League goal-scorer | 248 – Jimmy HAMPSON (1927-1938) |
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Record Premier League goal-scorer | 13 – Dudley CAMPBELL (2010-2011) |
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Record all-time goal-scorer | 252 – Jimmy HAMPSON (1927-1938) |
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Record goal-scorer in a season | ?? – ?? Division ?? (19??-19??) |
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Record goal-scorer in a League season | 45 – Jimmy HAMPSON Division 2 (1929-1930) |
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Record goal-scorer in a Premier League season | 13 – Dudley CAMPBELL (2010-2011) |
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Most goals scored in a League match | 5 – Jimmy HAMPSON v Reading (Division 2) 10.11.1928 5 – Jimmy McINTOSH v Preston North End (Division 1) 01.05.1948 |
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Record Home Attendance | 38,098 v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Division 1) 17.09.1955 |
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Record total of goals in a League season | 98 – Division 2 (1929-1930) |
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Record total of goals in a Premier League season | 55 – 2010-2011 |
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Record League points total | 2 points for a win : 58 – (1929-1930) Division 2 (?? games) 3 points for a win : 86 – (1984-1985) Division 4 (?? games) |
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Record Premier League points total | 39 – (2010-2011) (38 games) |
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Most Capped Player while at club | 43 – Jimmy ARMFIELD (England) |
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Youngest Player | Matty KAY – 16 years and 32 days v Scunthorpe United (Division ??) 13.11.2005 |
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Oldest Player | ?? – ?? years and ?? days v ?? (Division ??) .. |
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Stadium details |
Address : Bloomfield Road Stadium, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6JJ
Telephone : 01253 599344
Ticket Office : 01253 599745
Capacity : 17,338
Away Allocation : 2,500
Pitch size : 102.4m x 67.7m (112 yards x 74 yards)
Official website : www.blackpoolfc.co.uk
Directions |
There are good directions to the Bloomfield Road Stadium on the Blackpool website and more information on the Away Days website.
Honours |
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Division One Runners-up (Top Tier) | 1955-1956 |
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Division Two Champions (Second Tier) | 1929-1930 |
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Division Two Runners-up (Second Tier) | 1936-1937, 1969-1970 |
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Division Four Runners-up (Fourth Tier) | 1984-1985 |
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Anglo-Italian Cup Winners | 1971 |
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Anglo-Italian Cup Runners-up | 1972 |
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FA Cup Winners | 1953 |
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FA Cup Finalists | 1948, 1951 |
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FA Charity Shield Runners-up | 1954 |
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Football League Trophy Winners | 2001-2002, 2003-2004 |
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Managers |
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No manager | 1896 – 1903 |
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Tom BARCROFT | 1903 – 1909 |
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Jack COX (Player-Manager) | 1909 – 1911 |
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No manager | 1911 – 1915 |
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Bill NORMAN | 1 August 1918 – 31 May 1923 |
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No manager | 31 May 1923 – 5 October 1923 |
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Major Frank BUCKLEY | 6 October 1923 – 31 May 1927 |
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Sydney BEAUMONT | 1 August 1927 – 31 May 1928 |
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Harry EVANS (Honorary Manager) | 1 August 1928 – 31 May 19233 |
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Sandy MacFARLANE | 1 July 1933 – 31 July 1935 |
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Joe SMITH | 1 August 1935 – 30 April 1958 |
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Ron SUART | 1 May 1958 – 1 February 1967 |
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Stan MORTENSEN | 1 February 1967 – April 1969 |
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Harry JOHNSTON (Caretaker) | April 1969 |
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Les SHANNON | 1 May 1969 – 26 October 1970 |
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Jimmy MEADOWS (Caretaker) | 26 October 1970 – 20 December 1970 |
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Bob STOKOE | 20 December 1970 – 23 November 1972 |
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No manager | 23 November 1972 – 1 January 1973 |
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Harry POTTS | 1 January 1973 – 5 May 1976 |
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Allan BROWN | 5 May 1976 – 6 February 1978 |
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Bobby SMITH (Caretaker) | 6 February 1978 – 7 March 1978 |
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Jimmy MEADOWS (Caretaker) | 7 March 1978 – 20 May 1978 |
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Bob STOKOE | 20 May 1978 – 17 August 1979 |
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Stan TERNENT | 19 September 1979 – 1 February 1980 |
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Freddie SCOTT (Caretaker) | February 1980 |
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Alan BALL | February 1980 |
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Allan BROWN | 1 March 1980 – 31 May 1982 |
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Sam ELLIS | 1 June 1982 – 28 March 1989 |
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Jimmy MULLEN (Caretaker) | 28 March 1989 – 20 May 1989 |
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Jimmy MULLEN | 20 May 1989 – 30 April 1990 |
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Tom WHITE (Caretaker) | 30 April 1990 – 11 June 1990 |
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Graham CARR | 11 June 1990 – 30 November 1990 |
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Billy AYRE | 30 November 1990 – 10 June 1994 |
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Sam ALLARDYCE | 19 July 1994 – 29 May 1996 |
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Gary MEGSON | 5 July 1996 – 1 July 1997 |
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Nigel WORTHINGTON | 8 July 1997 – 23 December 1999 |
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Mike HENNIGAN/Mike DAVIES (Caretaker) | 23 December 1999 – 7 January 2000 |
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Steve McMAHON | 7 January 2000 – 6 June 2004 |
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Colin HENDRY | 7 June 2004 – 10 November 2005 |
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Simon GRAYSON (Caretaker) | 10 November 2005 – 5 June 2006 |
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Simon GRAYSON | 5 August 2006 – 23 December 2006 |
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Tony PARKES/Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) | 24 December 2006 – 18 May 2009 |
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Ian HOLLOWAY | 21 May 2009 – 3 November 2012 |
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Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) | 3 November 2012 – 7 November 2012 |
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Michael APPLETON | 7 November 2012 – 11 January 2013 |
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Steve THOMPSON (Caretaker) | 11 January 2013 – 18 February 2013 |
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Paul INCE | 18 February 2013 – 21 January 2014 |
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Barry FERGUSON (Caretaker) | 21 January 2014 – 3 May 2014 |
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Jose RIGA | 11 June 2014 – 27 October 2014 |
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Lee CLARK | 30 October 2014 – 9 May 2015 |
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Neil McDONALD | 2 June 2015 – 18 May 2016 |
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Gary BOWYER | 1 June 2016 – 6 August 2018 |
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Terry McPHILLIPS | 6 August 2018 – 5 July 2019 |
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Simon GRAYSON | 6 July 2019 – 12 February 2020 |
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David DUNN (Caretaker) | 12 February 2020 – 2 March 2020 |
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Neil CRITCHLEY | 2 March 2020 – 2 June 2022 |
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Michael APPLETON | 17 June 2022 – 18 January 2023 |
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Mick McCARTHY | 19 January 2023 – 8 April 2023 |
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Stephen DOBBIE (Interim manager) | 8 April 2023 – 23 May 2023 |
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Neil CRITCHLEY | 23 May 2023 – |
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League Record |
The Football League structure has historically been as follows …
1888-1892 | 1892-1920 | 1920-1921 | 1921-1958 | 1958-1992 | 1992-2004 | 2004 to date | |
First tier | Football League | Division One | Division One | Division One | Division One | Premiership | Premier League |
Second tier | Division Two | Division Two | Division Two | Division Two | Division One | Championship | |
Third tier | Division Three | Division Three (North) and (South) |
Division Three | Division Two | League One | ||
Fourth tier | Division Four | Division Three | League Two | ||||
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Elected to Division Two (Second Tier) | 1896 |
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Division Two (Second Tier) | 1896-1899 |
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Not re-elected | 1899-1900 |
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Division Two (Second Tier) | 1900-1930 |
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Division One (Top Tier) | 1930-1967 |
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Division Two (Second Tier) | 1967-1970 |
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Division One (Top Tier) | 1970-1971 |
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Division Two (Second Tier) | 1971-1978 |
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Division Three (Third Tier) | 1978-1981 |
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Division Four (Fourth Tier) | 1981-1985 |
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Division Three (Third Tier) | 1985-1990 |
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Division Four (Fourth Tier) | 1990-1992 |
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Division Two (Third Tier) | 1992-2000 |
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Division Three (Fourth Tier) | 2000-2001 |
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Division Two (Third Tier) | 2001-2004 |
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League One (Third Tier) | 2004-2007 |
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Championship (Second Tier) | 2007-2010 |
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Premier League (Top Tier) | 2010-2011 |
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Championship (Second Tier) | 2011-2015 |
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League One (Third Tier) | 2015-2016 |
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League Two (Fourth Tier) | 2016-2017 |
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League One (Third Tier) | 2017-2021 |
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Championship (Second Tier) | 2021-2023 |
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League One (Third Tier) | 2023- |
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