changes are amazing since 1982

[blade too long]

1981/82 Football League Division 4 - Final Table (1st team)​

	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Sheffield United	46	27	15	4	94	41	53	96
2	Bradford City	46	26	13	7	88	45	43	91
3	Wigan Athletic	46	26	13	7	80	46	34	91
4	AFC Bournemouth	46	23	19	4	62	30	32	88
5	Peterborough United	46	24	10	12	71	57	14	82
6	Colchester United	46	20	12	14	82	57	25	72
7	Port Vale	46	18	16	12	56	49	7	70
8	Hull City	46	19	12	15	70	61	9	69
9	Bury	46	17	17	12	80	59	21	68
10	Hereford United	46	16	19	11	64	58	6	67
11	Tranmere Rovers	46	14	18	14	51	56	-5	60
12	Blackpool	46	15	13	18	66	60	6	58
13	Darlington	46	15	13	18	61	62	-1	58
14	Hartlepool United	46	13	16	17	73	84	-11	55
15	Torquay United	46	14	13	19	47	59	-12	55
16	Aldershot	46	13	15	18	57	68	-11	54
17	York City	46	14	8	24	69	91	-22	50
18	Stockport County	46	12	13	21	48	67	-19	49
19	Halifax Town	46	9	22	15	51	72	-21	49
20	Mansfield Town	46	13	10	23	63	81	-18	49
21	Rochdale	46	10	16	20	50	62	-12	46
22	Northampton Town	46	11	9	26	57	84	-27	42
23	Scunthorpe United	46	9	15	22	43	79	-36	42
24	Crewe Alexandra	46	6	9	31	29	84	-55	27

how the leagues changed since we won div 4
those aaat the top have been to the prem, hull bradford wigan and us and bournemouth meet this weekend
the majority though are now non league

 

[Balham]

1981/82 Football League Division 4 - Final Table (1st team)​

	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Sheffield United	46	27	15	4	94	41	53	96
2	Bradford City	46	26	13	7	88	45	43	91
3	Wigan Athletic	46	26	13	7	80	46	34	91
4	AFC Bournemouth	46	23	19	4	62	30	32	88
5	Peterborough United	46	24	10	12	71	57	14	82
6	Colchester United	46	20	12	14	82	57	25	72
7	Port Vale	46	18	16	12	56	49	7	70
8	Hull City	46	19	12	15	70	61	9	69
9	Bury	46	17	17	12	80	59	21	68
10	Hereford United	46	16	19	11	64	58	6	67
11	Tranmere Rovers	46	14	18	14	51	56	-5	60
12	Blackpool	46	15	13	18	66	60	6	58
13	Darlington	46	15	13	18	61	62	-1	58
14	Hartlepool United	46	13	16	17	73	84	-11	55
15	Torquay United	46	14	13	19	47	59	-12	55
16	Aldershot	46	13	15	18	57	68	-11	54
17	York City	46	14	8	24	69	91	-22	50
18	Stockport County	46	12	13	21	48	67	-19	49
19	Halifax Town	46	9	22	15	51	72	-21	49
20	Mansfield Town	46	13	10	23	63	81	-18	49
21	Rochdale	46	10	16	20	50	62	-12	46
22	Northampton Town	46	11	9	26	57	84	-27	42
23	Scunthorpe United	46	9	15	22	43	79	-36	42
24	Crewe Alexandra	46	6	9	31	29	84	-55	27

how the leagues changed since we won div 4
those aaat the top have been to the prem, hull bradford wigan and us and bournemouth meet this weekend
the majority though are now non league

Given that this table dates back to before I was born it's not really surprising that there's been a fair amount of change. That said, 16 of the 24 teams are within a division of where they were in 81/82 which would suggest that over time the majority of clubs stay at a similar level. What backs that up is that the teams in the top half are at the same level or higher while the teams in the bottom half are at the same level or lower, with the exception of Bury and Hereford where the original club folded and a phoenix team is now playing under a similar name.

Prem x2: United, Bournemouth
Champ x1: Hull
League One x5: Wigan, Peterborough, Port Vale*, Blackpool, Northampton
League Two x6: Bradford, Colchester, Tranmere*, Stockport*, Mansfield*, Crewe
National League x5: Hartlepool, Aldershot, York, Halifax^, Rochdale
Nat North/South x4: Hereford^, Darlington^, Torquay, Scunthorpe
Lower x1: Bury^

*were in non-league between 1982 and 2023
^original club wound up; phoenix club position taken

 

[blade too long]

Given that this table dates back to before I was born it's not really surprising that there's been a fair amount of change. That said, 16 of the 24 teams are within a division of where they were in 81/82 which would suggest that over time the majority of clubs stay at a similar level. What backs that up is that the teams in the top half are at the same level or higher while the teams in the bottom half are at the same level or lower, with the exception of Bury and Hereford where the original club folded and a phoenix team is now playing under a similar name.

Prem x2: United, Bournemouth
Champ x1: Hull
League One x5: Wigan, Peterborough, Port Vale*, Blackpool, Northampton
League Two x6: Bradford, Colchester, Tranmere*, Stockport*, Mansfield*, Crewe
National League x5: Hartlepool, Aldershot, York, Halifax^, Rochdale
Nat North/South x4: Hereford^, Darlington^, Torquay, Scunthorpe
Lower x1: Bury^

*were in non-league between 1982 and 2023
^original club wound up; phoenix club position taken

several have been non league and climbed back so 10 in all gone and 4 teams having been out and got back means 14 been relegated from our only season in div 4

 

[Revolution]

Given that this table dates back to before I was born it's not really surprising that there's been a fair amount of change. That said, 16 of the 24 teams are within a division of where they were in 81/82 which would suggest that over time the majority of clubs stay at a similar level. What backs that up is that the teams in the top half are at the same level or higher while the teams in the bottom half are at the same level or lower, with the exception of Bury and Hereford where the original club folded and a phoenix team is now playing under a similar name.

Prem x2: United, Bournemouth
Champ x1: Hull
League One x5: Wigan, Peterborough, Port Vale*, Blackpool, Northampton
League Two x6: Bradford, Colchester, Tranmere*, Stockport*, Mansfield*, Crewe
National League x5: Hartlepool, Aldershot, York, Halifax^, Rochdale
Nat North/South x4: Hereford^, Darlington^, Torquay, Scunthorpe
Lower x1: Bury^

*were in non-league between 1982 and 2023
^original club wound up; phoenix club position taken

Port vale have not been out of the league since 1982.

Aldershot is a phoenix club. Original was wound up in 1992 (the league last team to fail mid season, I think).

 

[Balham]

Port vale have not been out of the league since 1982.

Aldershot is a phoenix club. Original was wound up in 1992 (the league last team to fail mid season, I think).

Could have sworn Port Vale went into the National League (which will forever be the Conference to me...!) but you're right. I also didn't know that about Aldershot but in my defence I was 8 when they folded.

Edit: technically Maidstone United folded during the 1992/93 season but only two days (and one game) in.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Port vale have not been out of the league since 1982.

Aldershot is a phoenix club. Original was wound up in 1992 (the league last team to fail mid season, I think).

Weren't Aldershot wound up during the United promotion season from the old division 3?

 

[blade too long]

automatic relegation from div 4 didnt start until 1986
crewe who finished botton also were 23rd following season so were lucky to stay

Aldershot could not pay their players so folded mid season
In March 1992, the town of Aldershot was without a football club after Aldershot F.C. became the first Football League team to fold during the football season since Accrington Stanley in 1962. The original Aldershot club had been in the Football League since 1932 and competed in the Third and Fourth Divisions. Promotion had been achieved as recently as 1987, but relegation followed two years later and debts well into six figures had almost brought about the club’s demise in the summer of 1990. Despite a rescue package allowing the original winding-up order to be rescinded, the club’s debts remained high and the club finally went bust just over 18 months later.

 

[Revolution]

For no reason whatsoever other than it interests me, here are lists of the teams who were founder members of division 3 (in 1920, effectively Division 3 South) and division 3 North (in 1921), using Balham Blade's categories. Italics indicates the team (or its replacement) has spent time in non-league since they first came into the league. Bold indicates the team has been in the top division since they came into the league. Grimsby were founders of both Divisions.


Premier league: Brentford, Brighton, Luton, Crystal Palace
Championship: Norwich, Plymouth, Millwall, Watford, Swansea, QPR, Southampton
League 1: Reading, Exeter City, Northampton, Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers
League 2 Gillingham, Grimsby, Newport (Phoenix), Swindon
Conference: Southend
Defunct: Merthyr Town


Premier league: None
Championship: None
League 1: Lincoln, Wigan (Phoenix)
League 2: Stockport, Grimsby, Accrington Stanley (Phoenix), Crewe, Walsall, Wrexham, Barrow
Conference: Hartlepool, Chesterfield, Halifax (Phoenix), Rochdale
Conference North: Darlington (Phoenix), Southport
Tier 8: Stalybridge Celtic, Ashington
Tier 10: Nelson (Phoenix)
Tier 12: Durham City

I always think it's interesting how one league was so much stronger than the other, but then the best Northern sides were already in the League, whereas vast areas of the South were unrepresented.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

It hasn't really changed that much.

 

[blade too long]

For no reason whatsoever other than it interests me, here are lists of the teams who were founder members of division 3 (in 1920, effectively Division 3 South) and division 3 North (in 1921), using Balham Blade's categories. Italics indicates the team (or its replacement) has spent time in non-league since they first came into the league. Bold indicates the team has been in the top division since they came into the league. Grimsby were founders of both Divisions.


Premier league: Brentford, Brighton, Luton, Crystal Palace
Championship: Norwich, Plymouth, Millwall, Watford, Swansea, QPR, Southampton
League 1: Reading, Exeter City, Northampton, Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers
League 2 Gillingham, Grimsby, Newport (Phoenix), Swindon
Conference: Southend
Defunct: Merthyr Town


Premier league: None
Championship: None
League 1: Lincoln, Wigan (Phoenix)
League 2: Stockport, Grimsby, Accrington Stanley (Phoenix), Crewe, Walsall, Wrexham, Barrow
Conference: Hartlepool, Chesterfield, Halifax (Phoenix), Rochdale
Conference North: Darlington (Phoenix), Southport
Tier 8: Stalybridge Celtic, Ashington
Tier 10: Nelson (Phoenix)
Tier 12: Durham City

I always think it's interesting how one league was so much stronger than the other, but then the best Northern sides were already in the League, whereas vast areas of the South were unrepresented

strange how 16 of the southern div 3 are in top 3 divisions compared to 1 from the north

 

[Revolution]

strange how 16 of the southern div 3 are in top 3 divisions compared to 1 from the north

Division 3 North was a bunch of weak clubs, that were largely second rate.

 

[Selly]

1981/82 Football League Division 4 - Final Table (1st team)​

	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Sheffield United	46	27	15	4	94	41	53	96
2	Bradford City	46	26	13	7	88	45	43	91
3	Wigan Athletic	46	26	13	7	80	46	34	91
4	AFC Bournemouth	46	23	19	4	62	30	32	88
5	Peterborough United	46	24	10	12	71	57	14	82
6	Colchester United	46	20	12	14	82	57	25	72
7	Port Vale	46	18	16	12	56	49	7	70
8	Hull City	46	19	12	15	70	61	9	69
9	Bury	46	17	17	12	80	59	21	68
10	Hereford United	46	16	19	11	64	58	6	67
11	Tranmere Rovers	46	14	18	14	51	56	-5	60
12	Blackpool	46	15	13	18	66	60	6	58
13	Darlington	46	15	13	18	61	62	-1	58
14	Hartlepool United	46	13	16	17	73	84	-11	55
15	Torquay United	46	14	13	19	47	59	-12	55
16	Aldershot	46	13	15	18	57	68	-11	54
17	York City	46	14	8	24	69	91	-22	50
18	Stockport County	46	12	13	21	48	67	-19	49
19	Halifax Town	46	9	22	15	51	72	-21	49
20	Mansfield Town	46	13	10	23	63	81	-18	49
21	Rochdale	46	10	16	20	50	62	-12	46
22	Northampton Town	46	11	9	26	57	84	-27	42
23	Scunthorpe United	46	9	15	22	43	79	-36	42
24	Crewe Alexandra	46	6	9	31	29	84	-55	27

how the leagues changed since we won div 4
those aaat the top have been to the prem, hull bradford wigan and us and bournemouth meet this weekend
the majority though are now non league

And even being the biggest fish in that pond, another of the fish has won a major trophy since then (unlike us)

 

[Trigger Blade]

automatic relegation from div 4 didnt start until 1986
crewe who finished botton also were 23rd following season so were lucky to stay

Crewe was the club that caught my eye. Although they’re back in the old Div 4, by the late 90s they were in the Championship equivalent and spent 8 seasons there with a relegation. Most memorably, they finished 11th the season Man City, Stoke and Reading went down and we lost to Sunderland in the play offs. Pretty remarkable for a club that had to apply for re-election ten times over the years.

 

[BladesOnToast]

Port vale have not been out of the league since 1982.

Aldershot is a phoenix club. Original was wound up in 1992 (the league last team to fail mid season, I think).

Do Bury count? They were kicked out in late August, with several fixtures having been scheduled, but postponed.

Fun fact: they were due to play Wednesday in the League Cup when they were expelled from the Football League, so the pigs got through on a bye.

 

[SuperSonicBlade89]

And even being the biggest fish in that pond, another of the fish has won a major trophy since then (unlike us)

Wigan Athletic 2013 FA Cup winners.
I bet since then Wigan have been the overall best team out of all those teams in terms of averages. Bournemouth probably catching up.
Then us. Then Blackpool. Then Bradford had a brief stint at being good and plummeted.

And poor SUFC... I mean Scunthorpe. Very wibbley wobbley since and look at them now.

 

[Revolution]

Wigan Athletic 2013 FA Cup winners.
I bet since then Wigan have been the overall best team out of all those teams in terms of averages. Bournemouth probably catching up.
Then us. Then Blackpool. Then Bradford had a brief stint at being good and plummeted.

And poor SUFC... I mean Scunthorpe. Very wibbley wobbley since and look at them now.

On average league position since 1982 I strongly suspect we are higher than Wigan. We are defiant higher than everyone else, including Bournemouth.

Yes, I think I'm correct. Since 1982:

seasons in top tier: Blades 8, Wigan 8
seasons in 2nd tier: Blades 25, Wigan 8
seasons in 3rd tier: Blades 9, Wigan 22
seasons in 4th tier: Blades 0, Wigan 4

Although they have won the Cup and reached the league cup final, whereas we can't get past a semi final to save our lives.

 

[Gimli]

Given that this table dates back to before I was born it's not really surprising that there's been a fair amount of change. That said, 16 of the 24 teams are within a division of where they were in 81/82 which would suggest that over time the majority of clubs stay at a similar level. What backs that up is that the teams in the top half are at the same level or higher while the teams in the bottom half are at the same level or lower, with the exception of Bury and Hereford where the original club folded and a phoenix team is now playing under a similar name.

Prem x2: United, Bournemouth
Champ x1: Hull
League One x5: Wigan, Peterborough, Port Vale*, Blackpool, Northampton
League Two x6: Bradford, Colchester, Tranmere*, Stockport*, Mansfield*, Crewe
National League x5: Hartlepool, Aldershot, York, Halifax^, Rochdale
Nat North/South x4: Hereford^, Darlington^, Torquay, Scunthorpe
Lower x1: Bury^

*were in non-league between 1982 and 2023
^original club wound up; phoenix club position taken

Quite depressing for some fans to think that in 40 odd years they could well be exactly where they were before

 

[Revolution]

I've got the bug for this.

Our first League season was in 1892-3, the first season of Division 2. It was a 12 team division. Here's where those teams are now:

Premier league: Sheffield United, Manchester City
Championship: Birmingham City
League 1: Lincoln City, Port Vale
League 2 Walsall, Crewe, Grimsby
Tier 9: Northwich Victoria
Tier 10: Darwen (Phoenix club)
Defunct: Bootle, Burton Swifts

 

[coaxingstar71]

That season in Division 4 probably ranks as a highlight to any Blade over the age of 50 (like myself) in terms of enjoyment. I've got so many memories from that season, even though I was only 10 or 11 and yet some later seasons I can barely remember at all.

I keep saying it, but it goes to show that it doesn't matter what League you're in, if you're winning games and playing good football, that's all that matters.

I even remember most of the squad : Keith Waugh, John Ryan, Paul Garner, Tony Kenworthy, John MacPhail, John McAlle, John Matthews, Colin Morris (signed mid season), Mike Trusson, King Keith Edwards, Bob Hatton, Steve Charles, Stewart Houston, Steve Neville, Jeff King (signed mid season) and fans favourite, Paul Richardson.

 

[SuperSonicBlade89]

On average league position since 1982 I strongly suspect we are higher than Wigan. We are defiant higher than everyone else, including Bournemouth.

Yes, I think I'm correct. Since 1982:

seasons in top tier: Blades 8, Wigan 8
seasons in 2nd tier: Blades 25, Wigan 8
seasons in 3rd tier: Blades 9, Wigan 22
seasons in 4th tier: Blades 0, Wigan 4

Although they have won the Cup and reached the league cup final, whereas we can't get past a semi final to save our lives.

Yeah, that cup win though probably gives them a couple of points to our imaginary best clubs from Div 4 from the 1982 table-table.

I think putting Bournemouth above us was skewed due to their recent history too.