British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,967
It looks like Oxford Utd are the only one's to have done it by winning back to back championships.
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3rd to 1st in consecutive seasons
- Thread starter Jake Manthorpe
- Start date
Mendoza
NSC's Most Stalked
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,967
1997/98 - 1998/99 according to the book i'm reading.
Jake Manthorpe
You anoy me
- Thread starter
- #24
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
No! They did it but not consecutively. The TLO has already answered this, but this had some info about other teams who have done similar.
4. Division Four was formed in 1958, when the bottom 12 clubs in Division 3 (South) joined the bottom 12 clubs in Division 3 (North). The top half of each regional league was reformed as a national Division Three. Which team was the first to win promotion from Division Four all the way up to the top rung, to Division One?
Your Answer: Northampton Town
Northampton Town were not only the first to climb from Division Four to Division One, they were also the first team to be relegated all the way down! In 1960-61 they finished 3rd in Division Four, were Division Three champions two seasons later (62-63), and then finished runners-up in Division Two in 1963-64. They played / lasted just one season in Division One, finishing bottom in 1965-66, and dropped down again in the next season when they finished last in Division Two. They survived for two seasons in Division Three, but were back in Division Four when they were relegated from Division Three at the end of the 1968-69 season. In other words, they finished the 1960s where they were at the start of the decade!
Coventry City were the second team to climb from Division Four to Division One -- 2nd in Division Four 1958-59, won the Third Division title in 1963-64, and then won the Division Two title in 1966-67. As was the case with Northampton Town, their promotion to Division One saw them make their debut appearance in the top tier of English Football. However, unlike Northampton Town, Coventry City survived in Division One for more than one season. In fact they were still there 24 years later, to become a foundation member of the FA Premier League.
Luton Town and Carlisle United were the next two teams to climb the ladder from Division Four up to Division One, when they were 2nd and 3rd respectively in Division Two for the 1973-74 season. Carlisle lasted one season, like Northampton Town.
Unlike the other three teams, Luton Town had previously seen Division One football. They finished bottom in Division One in 1959-60, fell all the way down to Division Four, and then climbed all the way back again.
Northampton Town were the first to go all the way up, and then back down again; whereas Luton Town were the first to ride the same roller-coaster, in the opposite direction!
sams dad
I hate Palarse
I remember losing 8-0 in a league cup replay in 1965 (?)
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
under graham taylor, when they ended up in the premiership in 99/00
last team that did it - bar bristol city if they achieve it this year. could be the last time it happens for a long long time, what with parachute payments in the massive gap now developing between the premiership and the football league
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,967
I guess one of the best achievements was Wimbledon, Southern League to the first division in 9 years, and then won the F A cup 2 years later.
Zesh Rehman
New member
Bristol City will NOT go up
MK Dons - Watch this space
MK Dons - Watch this space
I thought Wolves had. Guess I must be wrong then 
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,967
I thought Wolves had. Guess I must be wrong then
Wolves managed to go the opposite way from the first to the fourth in successive seasons in 1984-5-6
Guy Fawkes
The voice of treason
- Sep 29, 2007
- 8,274
Didn't Swindon go up 4 years running, only to go down 4 years running too?
bhaexpress
New member
QPR, 1967-69 I think.
NMH
Banned
That makes you wonder how success is defined in football. Sitting in the top flight, with the increased gates, tv rights, extra kit sales, SFA payments and etc - where did the money go?
Reading Posh
Sophisticated rhetorician
Posh went from the fourth to the first division in three seasons
Divn 4 promoted 90/91
Divn 3 play-off winners 91/92
Divn 1 92/93 (finished 10th)
Divn 4 promoted 90/91
Divn 3 play-off winners 91/92
Divn 1 92/93 (finished 10th)
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sten_super
Brain Surgeon
The problem with Gretna is that they were never anywhere near solvent. They were kept afloat by weekly payments from one mans bank account. All the way up the leagues they have been losing money. They have picked up a few fans along the way, but it's pretty much impossible for a clubs fan base to grow quickly enough to sustain SPL football (and revenue streams equivalent with other teams in the division) only about 3/4 years after being non-league (and Scottish non-league at that!).