League One: who’s the most successful ever?

Have you ever been sat there in the pub and someone has asked, “Hey, who do you think has been the most successful team in the League One…like ever?” Well now you may be able to answer that question thanks to the Stats Geeks at The72…courtesy of Statto.com.

Top 5 most succesful current FL72 sides in England’s third tier

  • Brentford: P 1840: W 686, D 507, L 647, F 2460, A 2402, GD +58: 2385 points – Win ratio .511
    Home: W 445, D 243, L 232, F 1458, A 1008, GD + 450
    Away: W 245, D 264, L 415, F 1002, A 1394, GD – 392
  • Wallsall: P 1907: W 699, D 525, L 683, F 2543, A 2487, GD +56: 2325 points – Win ratio .504
    Home: W 454, D 269, L 231, F 1544, A 1041, GD + 503
    Away: W 245, D 256, L 452, F 999, A 1446, GD – 447
  • Bristol Rovers: P 1518: W 600, D 409, L 509, F 2188, A 1973, GD  +215: 1984 points – Win ratio .530
    Home: W 397, D 204, L 158, F 1308, A 803, GD + 505
    Away: W 203, D 205, L 351, F 351, A 880, GD – 529
  • Gillingham: P 1494: W 557, D 407, L 531, F 1981, A 1965, GD +16: 1856 points – Win ratio .509
    Home: W 388, D 199, L 160, F 1191, A 726, GD + 465
    Away: W 169, D 207, L 371, F 790, A 1239, GD – 449
  • Swindon Town: P 1494: W 579, D 413, L 502, F 2152, A 1922, GD +230: 1855 points – Win ratio .526
    Home: W 390, D 188, L 169, F 1306, A 780, GD + 526
    Away: W 189, D 225, L 333, F 846, A 1142, GD – 296

Brentford, currently in the Championship (England’s second tier of football), are the most successful team in England’s third tier – a division that is now the Sky Bet League One boasting the most points scored (2385). However, Walsall manage to be represented in most other ‘headline’ categories: most games played  (1907), most wins (699), most draws Walsall again (525), most losses (683), most goals scored (2543) and most goals conceded (2487).

League One
Southport FC

Just in case you need some other ‘ammunition’ for your mates down the pub, here’s a few other ‘leading’ teams…mostly that aren’t Walsall. Some of these teams are now in the Premier League, still in the Football League or no longer in existence.

  • Highest goal difference: Bristol City +408
  • Worst goal difference: Colchester United – 229
  • Highest win ratio (100+ total games): Leeds United .663
  • Lowest win ratio (100+ total games): Darlington .372
  • Most away wins (100+ total games): Walsall 245
  • Least away wins (50+ away games): Southport 12 (92 away games)
  • Most home wins (100+ home games): Bournemouth 465
  • Least home wins (100+ games): Stevenage Borough 24 (138 games)
  • Least home goals scored (50+ home games): Crawley Town 88 (69 games)
  • Least total points (100+ games): Barrow 122

So, if anyone challenges you to name the most successful team ever to play in the third tier of English football – you can say with total confidence and aplomb, “Points-wise? It’s Brentford fella, but I bet you a couple of pints you don’t know who leads the other main categories.”

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