I made a point of visiting all 12 clubs to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Football League, first played in the 1888-9 season. The first Champion was Preston North End. The League remained with one division and twelve clubs until 1891.
1892-3 two divisions were formed with 16 in Division One and 12 in Division Two.
1893-4 there were 16 and 15 clubs and in the next season from 1894 to' 98, Div 2 gained another club (16 + 16)
From 1898-1905 they expanded to 18 each. From 1905-1915 there were two divisions of 20 clubs.
Post First World War (1919-20) this grew to 22 in the First and Second Divisions with three divisions by 1920-1, adding Div 3, mainly southern clubs (Northampton furthest north) added, each containing 22 clubs. Some clubs folded and others joined.
Division 3 North was added in 1921-3 with 20 clubs; 86 in total. By 1923-4 each division had 22 clubs.
By 1950-1 until 1987 there were four divisions containing the well known 92 Football League Clubs (22 +22+24+24) and by.....
1958-9 the two lower divisions became Division 3 and 4 with no geographical limitation. (still 92 clubs)
1987-88 the divisions contained 21 First Division clubs, then 23 Second, 24 Third and 24 Fourth.
In 1988-9 this changed to (in order) 20, 24, 24 and 24.
The English Premier League was formed in 1992 with 20 clubs. The renamed English Football League consists of three divisions including the Championship, League One, League Two, totalling 72 clubs.
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