Fleetwood Town Football Club is an English professional football club, based in the town of Fleetwood in Lancashire. The club participates in League One, the third tier of English football.
History
The current club was officially established in 1997 but, in two previous incarnations, the club's history dates back to 1908. The original club, Fleetwood F.C., were champions of the Lancashire Combination in 1923–24. After almost sixty years as a Lancashire Combination club, they were made founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. After winning the Northern Premier League Cup in 1971, the club languished in the lower half of the table, finishing bottom for two successive seasons and folded in 1976 because of financial difficulties.
The club was re-established in 1977 as Fleetwood Town F.C.. Initially placed in Division One of the Cheshire League, they were moved in 1982 to the North West Counties League Division Two in its inaugural year, and promoted to Division One in 1984. They reached the final of the FA Vase in 1985, losing 3–1 to Halesowen Town in front of a 16,000 crowd at Wembley. The club was placed in Division One (second tier) of the Northern Premier League when the league established a second tier in 1987, becoming the inaugural Division One Champions in 1988. However, by 1996, this second club had also folded.
Re-formed in 1997 as Fleetwood Wanderers, the club was placed back in Division One of the North West Counties Football League (now the tenth tier of the English League system) and a sponsorship deal saw the club's name immediately changed to Fleetwood Freeport F.C.. The club was promoted to the Premier Division of the North West Counties League in 1999 and renamed Fleetwood Town F.C. in 2002. Successive promotions as North West Counties League champions in 2005 and Northern Premier League First Division runners-up in 2006 saw the club reach the Northern Premier League Premier Division. The 2007–08 season Fleetwood won the Northern Premier League, gaining promotion to the Conference North.
Fleetwood contested the play-offs in the second season in the Conference North, and after beating Droylsden on penalties in the semi-final Fleetwood won promotion to the Football Conference by beating Alfreton Town 2–1 in the final. For the next season the club made all of its players full-time professionals. The club spent most of the season in or near the play-off positions, eventually qualifying by finishing in fifth place. In the play-off semi-finals, against AFC Wimbledon, a new attendance record of 4,112 was set in the home leg, but Fleetwood lost both games with an 8–1 aggregate scoreline. Fleetwood's 2011–12 season was very successful. In the FA Cup they reached the Third Round for the first time. After beating Mansfield Town, Wycombe Wanderers, and Yeovil Town, they were drawn at home to local rivals Blackpool, but lost 5–1 to the Championship club, with Jamie Vardy scoring Fleetwood's only goal. In the league Fleetwood went on a 29-game unbeaten run and were declared champions with two games remaining, giving them promotion to the Football League for the first time.
The 2013–14 season was another successful one. Having been in and around the automatic promotion places all season and getting to the League Trophy area final, the club narrowly missed out on automatic promotion finishing in 4th place. After beating York City in the play-off semi-final, Fleetwood beat Burton Albion 1–0 from an Antoni Sarcevic free-kick in the play-off final at Wembley on 26 May to win promotion to League One for the first time.
Playing at the club's highest level the 2014–15 season was the club's most successful yet. After three games the club was top of the league for two games and apart from a couple of games remained in the top half of the league all season eventually finishing a very credible 10th place.
Key
Key to league record
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Key to cup records
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Seasons
Year | League | Lvl | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Position | Leading league scorer | FA Cup | FL Cup | FL Trophy FA Trophy |
Average home attendance | ||||
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Name | Goals | Res | Rec | Res | Rec | Res | Rec | |||||||||||||
1908–09 | PR | 0-0-1 | ||||||||||||||||||
1909–10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
1910–11 | Lancashire Combination Division Two |
38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 72 | 83 | -11 | 34 | 14th of 20 | EPR | 0-0-1 | ||||||||
1911–12 | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 64 | 31 | +33 | 36 | 4th of 16 Promoted |
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1912–13 | Lancashire Combination Division One |
34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 71 | 69 | +2 | 35 | 9th of 18 | ||||||||||
1913–14 | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 54 | 57 | -3 | 29 | 11th of 18 | |||||||||||
1914–15 | 32 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 65 | 94 | -29 | 23 | 14th of 17 | |||||||||||
No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the World War I. Lancashire Combination switched to a single division. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1919–20 | Lancashire Combination | 34 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 67 | 63 | +4 | 33 | 12th of 18 | PR | 0-0-1 | ||||||||
1920–21 | 34 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 86 | 51 | +35 | 44 | 3rd of 18 | QR4 | 4-1-1 | |||||||||
1921–22 | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 76 | 43 | +33 | 43 | 5th of 18 | QR3 | 3-0-1 | |||||||||
1922–23 | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 66 | 51 | +15 | 39 | 6th of 18 | QR4 | 3-2-1 | |||||||||
1923–24 | 38 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 100 | 40 | +60 | 62 | 1st of 20 | QR4 | 4-0-1 | |||||||||
1924–25 | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 39 | 7th of 19 | QR2 | 2-0-1 | |||||||||
1925–26 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 87 | 69 | +18 | 45 | 4th of 20 | QR1 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1926–27 | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 63 | 82 | -19 | 33 | 12th of 20 | PR | 0-0-1 | |||||||||
1927–28 | The club resigned from the league after 22 matches. Record was transferred to Prescot Cables. | QR1 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||||||||||
The club returned to the league after three seasons of absence. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1931–32 | Lancashire Combination | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 98 | 78 | +20 | 41 | 7th of 19 | ||||||||||
1932–33 | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 97 | 58 | +39 | 49 | 5th of 20 | |||||||||||
1933–34 | 38 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 109 | 60 | +49 | 58 | 2nd of 20 | |||||||||||
1934–35 | 38 | 25 | 5 | 8 | 99 | 44 | +55 | 55 | 2nd of 20 | |||||||||||
1935–36 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 117 | 64 | +53 | 52 | 3rd of 21 | |||||||||||
1936–37 | 40 | 22 | 5 | 13 | 99 | 82 | +17 | 49 | 7th of 21 | |||||||||||
1937–38 | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 91 | 94 | -3 | 34 | 17th of 21 | |||||||||||
1938–39 | 42 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 85 | 92 | -7 | 44 | 10th of 22 | |||||||||||
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 due to the World War II. The club missed the first post-war Lancashire Combination season. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1946–47 | Lancashire Combination | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 78 | 72 | +6 | 43 | 12th of 22 | ||||||||||
The Lancashire Combination expanded up to two divisions. The club remained in the top division. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1947–48 | Lancashire Combination Division One |
42 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 73 | 52 | +21 | 53 | 5th of 22 | QR3 | 3-1-1 | ||||||||
1948–49 | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 81 | 66 | +15 | 42 | 11th of 22 | QR3 | 3-0-1 | |||||||||
1949–50 | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 76 | 67 | +9 | 45 | 8th of 22 | R1 | 5-0-1 | |||||||||
1950–51 | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 100 | 70 | +30 | 52 | 4th of 22 | QR1 | 1-1-1 | |||||||||
1951–52 | 42 | 20 | 5 | 17 | 94 | 87 | +7 | 45 | 9th of 22 | QR4 | 3-0-1 | |||||||||
1952–53 | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 76 | 105 | -29 | 39 | 15th of 22 | QR1 | 0-1-1 | |||||||||
1953–54 | 40 | 14 | 7 | 19 | 78 | 88 | -10 | 35 | 17th of 21 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1954–55 | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 73 | 69 | +4 | 49 | 7th of 22 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | |||||||||
1955–56 | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 65 | 79 | -14 | 32 | 14th of 20 | QR3 | 1-2-1 | |||||||||
1956–57 | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 56 | 70 | -14 | 33 | 16th of 20 | QR3 | 2-1-1 | |||||||||
1957–58 | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 57 | 82 | -25 | 32 | 21st of 22 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||||
1958–59 | 42 | 20 | 4 | 18 | 72 | 87 | -15 | 44 | 10th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1959–60 | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 63 | 71 | -8 | 37 | 14th of 22 | QR1 | 0-1-1 | |||||||||
1960–61 | 42 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 82 | 110 | -28 | 29 | 20th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1961–62 | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 84 | 89 | -5 | 33 | 16th of 22 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | |||||||||
1962–63 | 42 | 23 | 1 | 18 | 97 | 71 | +26 | 47 | 9th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1963–64 | 42 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 54 | 88 | -34 | 33 | 17th of 22 | QR2 | 0-0-1 | |||||||||
1964–65 | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 68 | 93 | -25 | 40 | 12th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1965–66 | 42 | 18 | 5 | 19 | 95 | 101 | -6 | 41 | 13th of 22 | R1 | 4-2-1 | |||||||||
1966–67 | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 103 | 62 | +41 | 54 | 5th of 22 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | |||||||||
1967–68 | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 72 | 43 | +29 | 54 | 4th of 22 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||||
Northern Premier League created. Club transferred to the newly created league. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1968–69 | Northern Premier League | 5 | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 38 | 10th of 20 | QR3 | 3-1-1 | |||||||
1969–70 | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 53 | 60 | -7 | 36 | 13th of 20 | QR4 | 3-0-1 | QR3 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1970–71 | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 56 | 90 | -34 | 31 | 18th of 22 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | QR2 | 1-2-1 | |||||||
1971–72 | 46 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 43 | 67 | -24 | 37 | 20th of 24 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | QR3 | 2-1-1 | |||||||
1972–73 | 46 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 31 | 77 | -46 | 25 | 24th of 24 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1973–74 | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 48 | 68 | -20 | 43 | 14th of 24 | QR2 | 1-2-1 | PR | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1974–75 | 46 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 26 | 97 | -71 | 20 | 24th of 24 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | PR | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1975–76 | 46 | 3 | 9 | 34 | 36 | 131 | -95 | 15 | 24th of 24 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | QR2 | 1-2-1 | |||||||
The club folded. Two years later new club named Fleetwood established. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1978–79 | Cheshire County League Division One |
42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 70 | 68 | +2 | 44 | 12th of 22 | QR3 | 2-3-1 | ||||||||
1979–80 | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 51 | 63 | -12 | 31 | 17th of 20 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | |||||||
1980–81 | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 33 | 53 | -20 | 31 | 14th of 20 | R1 | 5-1-1 | QR1 | 0-1-1 | |||||||
1981–82 | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 42 | 55 | -13 | 37 | 11th of 20 | QR1 | 0-1-1 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
League merged with the Lancashire Combination to create the North West Counties Football League. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1982–83 | North West Counties League Division Two |
8 | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 54 | 80 | -26 | 32 | 12th of 20 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | PR | 0-0-1 | |||||
1983–84 | 34 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 73 | 24 | +49 | 56 | 1st of 18 Promoted |
QR1 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
1984–85 | North West Counties League Division One |
7 | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 84 | 57 | +27 | 44 | 8th of 20 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1985–86 | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 70 | 34 | +36 | 50 | 5th of 20 | QR1 | 1-1-1 | |||||||||
1986–87 | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 61 | 49 | +12 | 45 | 8th of 20 | QR2 | 2-0-1 | |||||||||
Northern Premier League Division One created. The club joined the new division. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1987–88 | Northern Premier League Division One |
7 | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 85 | 45 | +40 | 73 | 1st of 19 Promoted |
QR3 | 2-1-1 | |||||||
1988–89 | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
6 | 42 | 19 | 16 | 7 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 73 | 7th of 22 | QR4 | 3-3-1 | R1 | 3-3-1 | |||||
1989–90 | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 76 | 66 | +7 | 63 | 8th of 22 | QR1 | 0-2-1 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
1990–91 | 40 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 69 | 44 | +25 | 69 | 4th of 21 | R1 | 4-0-1 | R1 | 3-0-1 | |||||||
1991–92 | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 67 | 64 | +3 | 59 | 10th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | R1 | 1-1-1 | |||||||
1992–93 | 42 | 10 | 7 | 25 | 50 | 77 | -27 | 37 | 19th of 22 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | QR3 | 0-0-1 | |||||||
Club changed name to Fleetwood. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1993–94 | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
6 | 42 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 55 | 114 | -59 | 28 | 22nd of 22 Relegated |
QR1 | 0-0-1 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | |||||
1994–95 | Northern Premier League Division One |
7 | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 51 | 74 | -23 | 44 | 18th of 22 | PR | 0-0-1 | QR3 | 2-1-1 | |||||
1995–96 | 40 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 41 | 81 | -40 | 31 | 20th of 21 | PR | 0-0-1 | QR2 | 1-0-1 | |||||||
The club folded and reestablished one year later under the name Fleetwood Freeport. | ||||||||||||||||||||
1997–98 | North West Counties League Division Two |
9 | 40 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 73 | 55 | +18 | 56 | 12th of 21 | |||||||||
1998–99 | 36 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 102 | 34 | +68 | 71 | 1st of 19 Promoted |
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1999–2000 | North West Counties League Division One |
8 | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 75 | 45 | +30 | 73 | 7th of 22 | QR2 | 2-0-0 | |||||||
2000–01 | 42 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 90 | 50 | +40 | 82 | 5th of 22 | QR2 | 2-2-1 | |||||||||
2001–02 | 44 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 70 | 86 | -16 | 52 | 14th of 23 | QR1 | 1-0-1 | |||||||||
Club changed name to Fleetwood Town. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2002–03 | North West Counties League Division One |
8 | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 73 | 70 | +3 | 60 | 10th of 22 | PR | 0-1-1 | |||||||
2003–04 | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 84 | 51 | +33 | 86 | 3rd of 22 | QR2 | 3-1-1 | |||||||||
Level of the league decreased after the Conference North and South creation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2004–05 | 9 | 42 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 107 | 42 | +65 | 99 | 1st of 22 Promoted |
QR2 | 3-1-1 | ||||||||
2005–06 | Northern Premier League Division One |
8 | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 72 | 48 | +24 | 76 | 2nd of 22 Promoted |
PR | 0-0-1 | QR3 | 2-0-1 | 466 | ||||
2006–07 | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
7 | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 67 | 8th of 22 | R1 | 4-0-1 | QR1 | 0-0-1 | 537 | ||||
2007–08 | 40 | 28 | 7 | 5 | 81 | 39 | +42 | 91 | 1st of 21 Promoted |
QR3 | 2-0-1 | QR2 | 1-1-1 | 721 | ||||||
2008–09 | Conference North | 6 | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 70 | 66 | +4 | 62 | 8th of 22 | R2 | 4-1-1 | QR3 | 0-0-1 | 920 | ||||
2009–10 | 40 | 26 | 7 | 7 | 86 | 44 | +42 | 85 | 2nd of 21 | R1 | 3-1-1 | R2 | 2-0-1 | 1,319 | ||||||
Promoted after winning the play-offs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010–11 | Conference Premier |
5 | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 78 | 5th of 24 | Magno Vieira | 22 | R1 | 1-1-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | 1,748 | ||
Lost in the play-off semifinal. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2011–12 | 46 | 31 | 10 | 5 | 102 | 48 | +54 | 103 | 1st of 24 Promoted |
Jamie Vardy | 31 | R3 | 3-2-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | 2,265 | ||||
2012–13 | Football League Two |
4 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 55 | 57 | -2 | 60 | 13th of 24 | Junior Brown Jon Parkin |
10 | R2 | 1-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R1 | 0-1-0 | 2,856 |
2013–14 | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 66 | 52 | +14 | 76 | 4th of 24 | Antoni Sarcevic | 13 | R2 | 1-1-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | AF | 5-0-1 | 2,819 | ||
Promoted after winning the play-offs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2014–15 | Football League One |
3 | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 49 | 52 | -3 | 63 | 10th of 24 | David Ball Josh Morris Jamie Proctor |
8 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | 3,522 |
2015–16 | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 52 | 56 | -4 | 51 | 19th of 24 | Bobby Grant | 10 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | AF | 2-3-0 | 3,308 | ||
2016–17 | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 82 | 4th of 24 | David Ball | 14 | R3 | 3-3-1 | R1 | 0-1-0 | GS | 1-0-2 | 3,272 | ||
Lost in the play-off semifinal. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2017–18 | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 59 | 68 | -9 | 57 | 14th of 24 | Devante Cole | 10 | R3 | 2-2-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R4 | 5-0-1 | 3,140 | ||
2018–19 | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 58 | 52 | +6 | 61 | 11th of 24 | Ched Evans | 17 | R3 | 2-0-1 | R2 | 0-1-1 | GS | 0-1-2 | 3,165 | ||
2019–20 | 35 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 51 | 38 | +13 | 60 | 6th of 24 | Paddy Madden | 15 | R3 | 2-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R3 | 2-2-1 | 3,130 | ||
Lost in the play-off semifinal. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2020–21 | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 60 | 15th of 24 | Callum Camps | 8 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R3 | 2-0-1 | R3 | 3-1-1 | – | ||
2021–22 | 46 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 62 | 82 | -20 | 40 | 20th of 24 | Gerard Garner | 7 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R2 | 2-0-2 | 3,228 | ||
2022–23 | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 53 | 51 | 2 | 58 | 13th of 24 | Jack Marriott | 8 | R5 | 4-1-1 | R2 | 1-0-1 | GS | 0-1-2 | 3,497 | ||
2023–24 | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 49 | 72 | -23 | 43 | 22nd of 24 Relegated |
Jayden Stockley | 9 | R2 | 1-0-1 | R1 | 0-0-1 | R2 | 2-1-1 | 3,430 |
- Average home attendance calculated using league games only
- COVID-19 prevented fans from attending games
External links
- Fleetwood at the Football Club History Database (1910–76 and 1993–96)
- Fleetwood Freeport at the Football Club History Database (1997-2002)
- Fleetwood Town at the Football Club History Database(1978–93 and 2002-current)
References
- "Fleetwood FC club details". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
- "English non-league attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
Fleetwood Town Football Club | |
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The Club | |
Home stadium | |
Rivalries | |
Seasons | |
Related articles |