Top Five English Top Flight Finishes for Every Season from 1888-89 to 2023-24
Explore our interactive table of the English Top Flight Top Five Finishes All-Time from Football League (1888-89 to 1891-92), Football League Division One (1892-93 to 1991-92) and Premier League (1992-93 to now). Eight clubs were Top-Flight Runner-Ups (but never Champions) once and have not repeated that performance: Bristol City (1907), Oldham Athletic (1915), Cardiff City (1924), Charlton Athletic (1937), Blackpool (1956), Queens Park Rangers (1976), Watford (1983) and Southampton (1984).
English Top Flight League Championships – Top Five Finishes 1888-89 to 2023-24
| Football League 1888-89 to 1891-92 (4 Seasons) |
|---|
| Football League Division One 1892-93 to 1991-92 (89 Seasons) |
| Premier League 1992-93 to 2023-24 (32 Seasons) |
| Season | League Champions | League Runners-Up | Third Place | Fourth Place | Fifth Place | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888-89 | Preston North End | Aston Villa | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackburn Rovers | Bolton Wanderers | 1888-89 |
| 1889-90 | Preston North End | Everton | Blackburn Rovers | Wolverhampton Wanderers | West Bromwich Albion | 1889-90 |
| 1890-91 | Everton | Preston North End | Notts County | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Bolton Wanderers | 1890-91 |
| 1891-92 | Sunderland | Preston North End | Bolton Wanderers | Aston Villa | Everton | 1891-92 |
| 1892-93 | Sunderland | Preston North End | Everton | Aston Villa | Bolton Wanderers | 1892-93 |
| 1893-94 | Aston Villa | Sunderland | Derby County | Blackburn Rovers | Burnley | 1893-94 |
| 1894-95 | Sunderland | Everton | Aston Villa | Preston North End | Blackburn Rovers | 1894-95 |
| 1895-96 | Aston Villa | Derby County | Everton | Bolton Wanderers | Sunderland | 1895-96 |
| 1896-97 | Aston Villa | Sheffield United | Derby County | Preston North End | Liverpool | 1896-97 |
| 1897-98 | Sheffield United | Sunderland | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Everton | The Wednesday | 1897-98 |
| 1898-99 | Aston Villa | Liverpool | Burnley | Notts County | Blackburn Rovers | 1898-99 |
| 1899-1900 | Aston Villa | Sheffield United | Sunderland | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Newcastle United | 1899-1900 |
| 1900-01 | Liverpool | Sunderland | Notts County | Nottingham Forest | Bury | 1900-01 |
| 1901-02 | Sunderland | Everton | Newcastle United | Blackburn Rovers | Nottingham Forest | 1901-02 |
| 1902-03 | The Wednesday | Aston Villa | Sunderland | Sheffield United | Liverpool | 1902-03 |
| 1903-04 | The Wednesday | Manchester City | Everton | Newcastle United | Aston Villa | 1903-04 |
| 1904-05 | Newcastle United | Everton | Manchester City | Aston Villa | Sunderland | 1904-05 |
| 1905-06 | Liverpool | Preston North End | The Wednesday | Manchester City | Bolton Wanderers | 1905-06 |
| 1906-07 | Newcastle United | Bristol City | Everton | Sheffield United | Aston Villa | 1906-07 |
| 1907-08 | Manchester United | Aston Villa | Manchester City | Newcastle United | The Wednesday | 1907-08 |
| 1908-09 | Newcastle United | Everton | Sunderland | Blackburn Rovers | The Wednesday | 1908-09 |
| 1909-10 | Aston Villa | Liverpool | Blackburn Rovers | Newcastle United | Manchester United | 1909-10 |
| 1910-11 | Manchester United | Aston Villa | Sunderland | Everton | Bradford City | 1910-11 |
| 1911-12 | Blackburn Rovers | Everton | Newcastle United | Bolton Wanderers | The Wednesday | 1911-12 |
| 1912-13 | Sunderland | Aston Villa | The Wednesday | Manchester United | Blackburn Rovers | 1912-13 |
| 1913-14 | Blackburn Rovers | Aston Villa | Middlesbrough | Oldham Athletic | West Bromwich Albion | 1913-14 |
| 1914-15 | Everton | Oldham Athletic | Blackburn Rovers | Burnley | Manchester City | 1914-15 |
| 1919-20 | West Bromwich Albion | Burnley | Chelsea | Liverpool | Sunderland | 1919-20 |
| 1920-21 | Burnley | Manchester City | Bolton Wanderers | Liverpool | Newcastle United | 1920-21 |
| 1921-22 | Liverpool | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | Cardiff City | Aston Villa | 1921-22 |
| 1922-23 | Liverpool | Sunderland | Huddersfield Town | Newcastle United | Everton | 1922-23 |
| 1923-24 | Huddersfield Town | Cardiff City | Sunderland | Bolton Wanderers | Sheffield United | 1923-24 |
| 1924-25 | Huddersfield Town | West Bromwich Albion | Bolton Wanderers | Liverpool | Bury | 1924-25 |
| 1925-26 | Huddersfield Town | The Arsenal | Sunderland | Bury | Sheffield United | 1925-26 |
| 1926-27 | Newcastle United | Huddersfield Town | Sunderland | Bolton Wanderers | Burnley | 1926-27 |
| 1927-28 | Everton | Huddersfield Town | Leicester City | Derby County | Bury | 1927-28 |
| 1928-29 | The Wednesday | Leicester City | Aston Villa | Sunderland | Liverpool | 1928-29 |
| 1929-30 | Sheffield Wednesday | Derby County | Manchester City | Aston Villa | Leeds City | 1929-30 |
| 1930-31 | Arsenal | Aston Villa | Sheffield Wednesday | Portsmouth | Huddersfield Town | 1930-31 |
| 1931-32 | Everton | Arsenal | Sheffield Wednesday | Huddersfield Town | Aston Villa | 1931-32 |
| 1932-33 | Arsenal | Aston Villa | Sheffield Wednesday | West Bromwich Albion | Newcastle United | 1932-33 |
| 1933-34 | Arsenal | Huddersfield Town | Tottenham Hotspur | Derby County | Manchester City | 1933-34 |
| 1934-35 | Arsenal | Sunderland | Sheffield Wednesday | Manchester City | Grimsby Town | 1934-35 |
| 1935-36 | Sunderland | Derby County | Huddersfield Town | Stoke City | Brentford | 1935-36 |
| 1936-37 | Manchester City | Charlton Athletic | Arsenal | Derby County | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1936-37 |
| 1937-38 | Arsenal | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Preston North End | Charlton Athletic | Middlesbrough | 1937-38 |
| 1938-39 | Everton | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Charlton Athletic | Middlesbrough | Arsenal | 1938-39 |
| 1946-47 | Liverpool | Manchester United | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Stoke City | Blackpool | 1946-47 |
| 1947-48 | Arsenal | Manchester United | Burnley | Derby County | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1947-48 |
| 1948-49 | Portsmouth | Manchester United | Derby County | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 1948-49 |
| 1949-50 | Portsmouth | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Sunderland | Manchester United | Newcastle United | 1949-50 |
| 1950-51 | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester United | Blackpool | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 1950-51 |
| 1951-52 | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | Portsmouth | Bolton Wanderers | 1951-52 |
| 1952-53 | Arsenal | Preston North End | Wolverhampton Wanderers | West Bromwich Albion | Charlton Athletic | 1952-53 |
| 1953-54 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | West Bromwich Albion | Huddersfield Town | Manchester United | Bolton Wanderers | 1953-54 |
| 1954-55 | Chelsea | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Portsmouth | Sunderland | Manchester United | 1954-55 |
| 1955-56 | Manchester United | Blackpool | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Manchester City | Arsenal | 1955-56 |
| 1956-57 | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Preston North End | Blackpool | Arsenal | 1956-57 |
| 1957-58 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Preston North End | Tottenham Hotspur | West Bromwich Albion | Manchester City | 1957-58 |
| 1958-59 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Manchester United | Arsenal | Bolton Wanderers | West Bromwich Albion | 1958-59 |
| 1959-60 | Burnley | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Tottenham Hotspur | West Bromwich Albion | Sheffield Wednesday | 1959-60 |
| 1960-61 | Tottenham Hotspur | Sheffield Wednesday | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Burnley | Everton | 1960-61 |
| 1961-62 | Ipswich Town | Burnley | Tottenham Hotspur | Everton | Sheffield United | 1961-62 |
| 1962-63 | Everton | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | Leicester City | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1962-63 |
| 1963-64 | Liverpool | Manchester United | Everton | Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea | 1963-64 |
| 1964-65 | Manchester United | Leeds United | Chelsea | Everton | Nottingham Forest | 1964-65 |
| 1965-66 | Liverpool | Leeds United | Burnley | Manchester United | Chelsea | 1965-66 |
| 1966-67 | Manchester United | Nottingham Forest | Tottenham Hotspur | Leeds United | Liverpool | 1966-67 |
| 1967-68 | Manchester City | Manchester United | Liverpool | Leeds United | Everton | 1967-68 |
| 1968-69 | Leeds United | Liverpool | Everton | Arsenal | Chelsea | 1968-69 |
| 1969-70 | Everton | Leeds United | Chelsea | Derby County | Liverpool | 1969-70 |
| 1970-71 | Arsenal | Leeds United | Tottenham Hotspur | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Liverpool | 1970-71 |
| 1971-72 | Derby County | Leeds United | Liverpool | Manchester City | Arsenal | 1971-72 |
| 1972-73 | Liverpool | Arsenal | Leeds United | Ipswich Town | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1972-73 |
| 1973-74 | Leeds United | Liverpool | Derby County | Ipswich Town | Stoke City | 1973-74 |
| 1974-75 | Derby County | Liverpool | Ipswich Town | Everton | Stoke City | 1974-75 |
| 1975-76 | Liverpool | Queens Park Rangers | Manchester United | Derby County | Leeds United | 1975-76 |
| 1976-77 | Liverpool | Manchester City | Ipswich Town | Aston Villa | Newcastle United | 1976-77 |
| 1977-78 | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool | Everton | Manchester City | Arsenal | 1977-78 |
| 1978-79 | Liverpool | Nottingham Forest | West Bromwich Albion | Everton | Leeds United | 1978-79 |
| 1979-80 | Liverpool | Manchester United | Ipswich Town | Arsenal | Nottingham Forest | 1979-80 |
| 1980-81 | Aston Villa | Ipswich Town | Arsenal | West Bromwich Albion | Liverpool | 1980-81 |
| 1981-82 | Liverpool | Ipswich Town | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | 1981-82 |
| 1982-83 | Liverpool | Watford | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Nottingham Forest | 1982-83 |
| 1983-84 | Liverpool | Southampton | Nottingham Forest | Manchester United | Queens Park Rangers | 1983-84 |
| 1984-85 | Everton | Liverpool | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester United | Southampton | 1984-85 |
| 1985-86 | Liverpool | Everton | West Ham United | Manchester United | Sheffield Wednesday | 1985-86 |
| 1986-87 | Everton | Liverpool | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | Norwich City | 1986-87 |
| 1987-88 | Liverpool | Manchester United | Nottingham Forest | Everton | Queens Park Rangers | 1987-88 |
| 1988-89 | Arsenal | Liverpool | Nottingham Forest | Norwich City | Derby County | 1988-89 |
| 1989-90 | Liverpool | Aston Villa | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | Chelsea | 1989-90 |
| 1990-91 | Arsenal | Liverpool | Crystal Palace | Leeds United | Manchester City | 1990-91 |
| 1991-92 | Leeds United | Manchester United | Sheffield Wednesday | Arsenal | Manchester City | 1991-92 |
| 1992-93 | Manchester United | Aston Villa | Norwich City | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park Rangers | 1992-93 |
| 1993-94 | Manchester United | Blackburn Rovers | Newcastle United | Arsenal | Leeds United | 1993-94 |
| 1994-95 | Blackburn Rovers | Manchester United | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool | Leeds United | 1994-95 |
| 1995-96 | Manchester United | Newcastle United | Liverpool | Aston Villa | Arsenal | 1995-96 |
| 1996-97 | Manchester United | Newcastle United | Arsenal | Liverpool | Aston Villa | 1996-97 |
| 1997-98 | Arsenal | Manchester United | Liverpool | Chelsea | Leeds United | 1997-98 |
| 1998-99 | Manchester United | Arsenal | Chelsea | Leeds United | West Ham United | 1998-99 |
| 1999-2000 | Manchester United | Arsenal | Leeds United | Liverpool | Chelsea | 1999-2000 |
| 2000-01 | Manchester United | Arsenal | Liverpool | Leeds United | Ipswich Town | 2000-01 |
| 2001-02 | Arsenal | Liverpool | Manchester United | Newcastle United | Leeds United | 2001-02 |
| 2002-03 | Manchester United | Arsenal | Newcastle United | Chelsea | Liverpool | 2002-03 |
| 2003-04 | Arsenal | Chelsea | Manchester United | Liverpool | Newcastle United | 2003-04 |
| 2004-05 | Chelsea | Arsenal | Manchester United | Everton | Liverpool | 2004-05 |
| 2005-06 | Chelsea | Manchester United | Liverpool | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | 2005-06 |
| 2006-07 | Manchester United | Chelsea | Liverpool | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | 2006-07 |
| 2007-08 | Manchester United | Chelsea | Arsenal | Liverpool | Everton | 2007-08 |
| 2008-09 | Manchester United | Liverpool | Chelsea | Arsenal | Everton | 2008-09 |
| 2009-10 | Chelsea | Manchester United | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | 2009-10 |
| 2010-11 | Manchester United | Chelsea | Manchester City | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | 2010-11 |
| 2011-12 | Manchester City | Manchester United | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | Newcastle United | 2011-12 |
| 2012-13 | Manchester United | Manchester City | Chelsea | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | 2012-13 |
| 2013-14 | Manchester City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Arsenal | Everton | 2013-14 |
| 2014-15 | Chelsea | Manchester City | Arsenal | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | 2014-15 |
| 2015-16 | Leicester City | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | Manchester United | 2015-16 |
| 2016-17 | Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | Liverpool | Arsenal | 2016-17 |
| 2017-18 | Manchester City | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Liverpool | Chelsea | 2017-18 |
| 2018-19 | Manchester City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | 2018-19 |
| 2019-20 | Liverpool | Manchester City | Manchester United | Chelsea | Leicester City | 2019-20 |
| 2020-21 | Manchester City | Manchester United | Liverpool | Chelsea | Leicester City | 2020-21 |
| 2021-22 | Manchester City | Liverpool | Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | 2021-22 |
| 2022-23 | Manchester City | Arsenal | Manchester United | Newcastle United | Liverpool | 2022-23 |
| 2023-24 | Manchester City | Arsenal | Liverpool | Aston Villa | Tottenham Hotspur | 2023-24 |
| 2024-25 | Liverpool | Arsenal | Manchester City | Chelsea | Newcastle United | 2024-25 |
| 2025-26 | Arsenal | Manchester City | Manchester United | Aston Villa | Liverpool | 2025-26 |
About the author: Ben Jardine
Ben Jardine is the managing editor of My Football Facts and has covered football since 2014. He writes across football statistics, history and current affairs, from all-time records and World Cup deep dives to live transfer-window coverage, with a focus on rigorously fact-checked, data-led analysis. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.