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Club facts

A fact file for every club on FootyGrounds: when they were founded, the nickname, the home ground and when it opened, who is in the dugout and since when, honours won under the current manager, record wins and defeats, and the odd corners of each club’s history.

488 clubs

AC Milan

Serie A

“I Rossoneri” · founded 1899

Serie A club.

Home ground
San Siro · 75,817 capacity
Manager
Ruben Amorim

Record win 13–0 v Audax Modena. Record defeat 0–8 v Bologna.

Key dates

  • Club founded1899
  • San Siro opened1926
  • Record win4 October 1914
  • Record defeat5 November 1922

Full AC Milan club guide

Accrington Stanley

EFL League Two

“Stanley” · founded 1968

Home ground
Wham Stadium · 5,450 capacity
Manager
John Doolan

Key dates

  • Club founded1968
  • Wham Stadium opened1968
  • Origins: Accrington Stanley are named after Stanley Street, where the original founders drank at the Stanley Arms.
  • Heritage: A different Accrington club was a founder member of the Football League in 1888; the current Stanley resigned from the league in 1962 mid-season.

Full Accrington Stanley club guide

Arsenal

Premier League

“The Gunners” · founded 1886 · London

North London club playing at the Emirates Stadium since 2006.

Home ground
Emirates Stadium · 60,704 capacity
Manager
Mikel Arteta

Record win 12–0 v Loughborough. Record defeat 0–8 v Loughborough.

Key dates

  • Club founded1886
  • Emirates Stadium opened2006
  • Record win12 March 1900
  • Record defeat12 December 1896
  • Origins: Arsenal were founded by munitions workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, south London, and only moved north of the river to Highbury in 1913 — they are still the only club to have crossed the Thames and kept their name.
  • Record: They have never been relegated from the top flight since 1919, when they were controversially promoted to an expanded First Division despite finishing fifth in the Second.

Full Arsenal club guide

Aston Villa

Premier League

“The Villans” · founded 1874 · Birmingham

Founder members of the Football League, based at Villa Park.

Home ground
Villa Park · 43,205 capacity
Manager
Unai Emery

Record win 13–0 v Wednesbury Old Athletic. Record defeat 0–8 v Blackburn Rovers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1874
  • Villa Park opened1897
  • Record win30 October 1886
  • Record defeat16 February 1889
  • Origins: Villa were formed in 1874 by members of a Wesleyan chapel cricket team who wanted something to do in winter; their first game was half rugby, half football.
  • Heritage: Club director William McGregor founded the Football League itself in 1888 — the world's first organised league competition.

Full Aston Villa club guide

Barnsley

EFL League One

“The Tykes” · founded 1887

Home ground
Oakwell · 23,287 capacity

Record win 9–0 v Loughborough. Record defeat 0–9 v Notts County.

Key dates

  • Club founded1887
  • Oakwell opened1888
  • Record win28 January 1899
  • Record defeat19 November 1927
  • Origins: Barnsley were founded by a clergyman, the Reverend Tiverton Preedy, and were known as Barnsley St Peter's.

Full Barnsley club guide

Blackburn Rovers

EFL Championship

“Rovers” · founded 1875

Home ground
Ewood Park · 31,367 capacity
Manager
Tony Mowbray

Record win 11–0 v Rossendale. Record defeat 0–8 v Arsenal.

Key dates

  • Club founded1875
  • Ewood Park opened1882
  • Record win13 October 1884
  • Record defeat25 February 1933
  • Record: Rovers won the FA Cup five times before 1891, including three in a row, and were exempted from the early rounds as a reward.
  • Heritage: Their 1994-95 title made them the first club to win the Premier League without a single European place the year before.

Full Blackburn Rovers club guide

Blackpool

EFL League One

“The Seasiders” · founded 1887

Home ground
Bloomfield Road · 16,500 capacity
Manager
Ian Evatt

Record win 10–0 v Lanerossi Vicenza. Record defeat 1–10 v Small Heath.

Key dates

  • Club founded1887
  • Bloomfield Road opened1899
  • Record win10 June 1972
  • Record defeat2 March 1901
  • Heritage: Blackpool's 1953 FA Cup win is universally known as the "Matthews Final", despite Stan Mortensen scoring a hat-trick.

Full Blackpool club guide

Bolton Wanderers

EFL Championship

“The Trotters” · founded 1874 · Bolton

Greater Manchester club at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Home ground
Toughsheet Community Stadium · 28,723 capacity

Record win 13–0 v Sheffield United. Record defeat 0–7 v Manchester City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1874
  • Toughsheet Community Stadium opened1997
  • Record win1 February 1890
  • Record defeat21 March 1936
  • Heritage: Bolton played in the 1923 "White Horse Final", the first Wembley cup final, where an estimated 200,000 people got in.
  • Origins: They are named "Wanderers" because in their early years they had no fixed ground and moved constantly.

Full Bolton Wanderers club guide

Bradford City

EFL League One

“The Bantams” · founded 1903 · Bradford

West Yorkshire club at Valley Parade.

Home ground
Valley Parade · 24,840 capacity

Record win 11–1 v Rotherham United. Record defeat 1–9 v Colchester United.

Key dates

  • Club founded1903
  • Valley Parade opened1886
  • Record win25 August 1928
  • Record defeat30 December 1961
  • Oddity: Bradford City were elected to the Football League in 1903 before they had played a single match.

Full Bradford City club guide

Brentford

Premier League

“The Bees” · founded 1889

Home ground
Gtech Community Stadium · 17,250 capacity

Key dates

  • Club founded1889
  • Gtech Community Stadium opened2020
  • Oddity: Brentford were long famous for having a pub on each of the four corners of Griffin Park — a unique arrangement in English football.
  • Heritage: In 1937-38 Brentford finished sixth in the First Division, above both Manchester clubs.

Full Brentford club guide

Brighton & Hove Albion

Premier League

“The Seagulls” · founded 1901 · Falmer

South coast club playing at the Amex in Falmer.

Home ground
American Express Stadium · 32,176 capacity

Record win 10–1 v Wisbech Town. Record defeat 0–9 v Middlesbrough.

Key dates

  • Club founded1901
  • American Express Stadium opened2011
  • Record win13 November 1965
  • Record defeat23 August 1958
  • Oddity: Brighton spent two seasons in the 1990s playing home games in Gillingham — 70 miles away — after selling the Goldstone Ground.
  • Ground: Their next home, Withdean, was a converted athletics stadium with a running track and temporary scaffold stands.

Full Brighton & Hove Albion club guide

Bristol City

EFL Championship

“The Robins” · founded 1894 · Bristol

South West club at the redeveloped Ashton Gate.

Home ground
Ashton Gate · 26,462 capacity

Record win 11–0 v Chichester City. Record defeat 0–9 v Coventry City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1894
  • Ashton Gate opened1900
  • Record win5 November 1960
  • Record defeat28 April 1934
  • Origins: Ashton Gate was originally home to Bedminster FC; the two clubs merged in 1900 and City moved in.

Full Bristol City club guide

Burnley

EFL Championship

“The Clarets” · founded 1882

Home ground
Turf Moor · 21,944 capacity
Manager
Nicky Hayen

Key dates

  • Club founded1882
  • Turf Moor opened1883
  • Record: Burnley are one of only five clubs to have won all four professional divisions of English football.
  • Ground: Turf Moor has hosted football since 1883, making it one of the oldest continuously used league grounds in the world.

Full Burnley club guide

Chelsea

Premier League

“The Blues” · founded 1905 · London

West London club based at Stamford Bridge.

Home ground
Stamford Bridge · 40,343 capacity
Manager
Xabi Alonso

Record win 13–0 v Jeunesse Hautcharage. Record defeat 1–8 v Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1905
  • Stamford Bridge opened1877
  • Record win29 September 1971
  • Record defeat26 September 1953
  • Origins: Chelsea were founded in 1905 because Stamford Bridge already existed as an athletics stadium and Fulham turned down the chance to rent it.
  • Oddity: Early Chelsea sides fielded 22-stone goalkeeper William "Fatty" Foulke, flanked by ball boys hired purely to make him look bigger.

Full Chelsea club guide

Coventry City

Premier League

“The Sky Blues” · founded 1883

Home ground
Coventry Building Society Arena · 40,000 capacity

Record win 9–0 v Bristol City. Record defeat 2–10 v Norwich City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1883
  • Coventry Building Society Arena opened2005
  • Record win28 April 1934
  • Record defeat15 March 1930
  • Origins: Coventry were founded by workers at Singer's bicycle factory and were originally called Singers FC.
  • Ground: Highfield Road became the first all-seater stadium in England in 1981 — the experiment was abandoned after three seasons.

Full Coventry City club guide

Crewe Alexandra

EFL League Two

“The Railwaymen” · founded 1877

Home ground
Mornflake Stadium · 10,153 capacity
Manager
Lee Bell

Record win 8–0 v Rotherham United. Record defeat 2–13 v Tottenham Hotspur.

Key dates

  • Club founded1877
  • Mornflake Stadium opened1906
  • Record win1 October 1932
  • Record defeat3 February 1960
  • Origins: Crewe are named after Princess Alexandra, and the club has long been famous for producing far more players than it buys.

Full Crewe Alexandra club guide

Crystal Palace

Premier League

“The Eagles” · founded 1905 · London

South London club with one of the loudest home ends in the division.

Home ground
Selhurst Park · 25,194 capacity
Manager
Pierre Sage

Record win 9–0 v Barrow. Record defeat 0–9 v Liverpool.

Key dates

  • Club founded1905
  • Selhurst Park opened1924
  • Record win10 October 1959
  • Record defeat12 September 1989
  • Origins: The club was founded by workers at the Crystal Palace exhibition building and originally played inside the grounds, next to the FA Cup final venue of the day.
  • Culture: The eagle on the badge was inspired by Benfica, whom chairman Ron Noades admired in the 1970s.

Full Crystal Palace club guide

Derby County

EFL Championship

“The Rams” · founded 1884

Home ground
Pride Park Stadium · 33,597 capacity
Manager
John Eustace

Record win 12–0 v Finn Harps. Record defeat 2–11 v Everton.

Key dates

  • Club founded1884
  • Pride Park Stadium opened1997
  • Record win15 September 1976
  • Record defeat18 January 1890
  • Origins: Derby were formed as an offshoot of Derbyshire County Cricket Club to give members winter income.
  • Ground: The old Baseball Ground got its name because it genuinely hosted baseball, promoted by industrialist Francis Ley after a trip to America.

Full Derby County club guide

Everton

Premier League

“The Toffees” · founded 1878 · Liverpool

Merseyside club with the most seasons in the English top flight.

Home ground
Hill Dickinson Stadium · 52,769 capacity
Manager
David Moyes

Record win 11–2 v Derby County. Record defeat 4–10 v Tottenham Hotspur.

Key dates

  • Club founded1878
  • Hill Dickinson Stadium opened2025
  • Record win18 January 1890
  • Record defeat11 October 1958
  • Origins: Everton began life as St Domingo's FC, a church side, and once played at Anfield — they left in a rent dispute, and the landlord simply founded Liverpool FC to fill the empty ground.
  • Ground: Goodison Park was the first purpose-built football stadium in England and hosted a 1966 World Cup semi-final.

Full Everton club guide

Fulham

Premier League

“The Cottagers” · founded 1879

Home ground
Craven Cottage · 28,107 capacity

Key dates

  • Club founded1879
  • Craven Cottage opened1896
  • Origins: Fulham are London's oldest professional club, founded in 1879 as Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School FC.
  • Ground: Craven Cottage's Grade II listed Cottage pavilion sits inside the ground, built in 1905 by Archibald Leitch.

Full Fulham club guide

Grimsby Town

EFL League Two

“The Mariners” · founded 1878

Home ground
Blundell Park · 9,546 capacity
Manager
David Artell

Record win 9–2 v Darwen. Record defeat 1–9 v Arsenal.

Key dates

  • Club founded1878
  • Blundell Park opened1899
  • Record win15 April 1899
  • Record defeat28 January 1931
  • Oddity: Grimsby Town's ground, Blundell Park, is not in Grimsby at all — it stands in neighbouring Cleethorpes.

Full Grimsby Town club guide

Hull City

Premier League

“The Tigers” · founded 1904

Home ground
MKM Stadium · 24,983 capacity

Record win 11–1 v Carlisle United. Record defeat 0–8 v Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1904
  • MKM Stadium opened2002
  • Record win14 January 1939
  • Record defeat4 November 1911
  • Oddity: Hull City are the only English league club whose name contains no letters that can be coloured in.
  • Heritage: They played their first matches at the Boulevard, a rugby league ground, and remained the largest English city never to have hosted top-flight football until 2008.

Full Hull City club guide

Inter Milan

Serie A

“I Nerazzurri” · founded 1908

Serie A club based in Milan.

Home ground
San Siro · 75,817 capacity

Record win 16–0 v ACIVI Vicenza. Record defeat 0–5 v Paris Saint-Germain.

Key dates

  • Club founded1908
  • San Siro opened1926
  • Record win10 January 1915
  • Record defeat31 May 2025

Full Inter Milan club guide

Ipswich Town

Premier League

“Tractor Boys” · founded 1878

Home ground
Portman Road · 30,056 capacity
Manager
Gary O'Neil

Key dates

  • Club founded1878
  • Portman Road opened1884
  • Heritage: Ipswich stayed amateur until 1936 and were managed by two future England bosses, Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson.
  • Record: They won the First Division title in 1961-62, their first ever season in the top flight.

Full Ipswich Town club guide

Leeds United

Premier League

“The Whites” · founded 1919 · Leeds

West Yorkshire club with a famously fierce Elland Road atmosphere.

Home ground
Elland Road · 37,633 capacity
Manager
Daniel Farke

Record win 10–0 v Lyn Oslo. Record defeat 1–8 v Stoke City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1919
  • Elland Road opened1897
  • Record win17 September 1969
  • Record defeat27 August 1934
  • Origins: Leeds United were formed in 1919 after the FA expelled Leeds City for making illegal payments — the old club's players were auctioned off in a hotel.
  • Culture: Don Revie changed the strip to all white in 1961 specifically to imitate Real Madrid.

Full Leeds United club guide

Liverpool

Premier League

“The Reds” · founded 1892 · Liverpool

Anfield-based club and record European Cup winners in England.

Home ground
Anfield · 61,276 capacity

Record win 11–0 v Strømsgodset. Record defeat 1–9 v Birmingham City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1892
  • Anfield opened1884
  • Record win17 September 1974
  • Record defeat11 December 1954
  • Origins: Liverpool FC exists only because Everton walked out of Anfield in 1892, leaving owner John Houlding with a stadium and no team.
  • Culture: "You'll Never Walk Alone" came from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, reaching the Kop via Gerry and the Pacemakers in 1963.

Full Liverpool club guide

Luton Town

EFL League One

“The Hatters” · founded 1885

Home ground
Kenilworth Road · 12,056 capacity

Key dates

  • Club founded1885
  • Kenilworth Road opened1905
  • Ground: Luton's Kenilworth Road has an away entrance reached by a staircase over a row of terraced houses.
  • Oddity: They were expelled from the Football League in 1986-87 for banning away supporters entirely.

Full Luton Town club guide

Manchester City

Premier League

“The Cityzens” · founded 1880 · Manchester

East Manchester club based on the Etihad Campus.

Home ground
Etihad Stadium · 61,038 capacity
Manager
Enzo Maresca

Record win 12–0 v Liverpool Stanley. Record defeat 1–9 v Everton.

Key dates

  • Club founded1880
  • Etihad Stadium opened2003
  • Record win4 October 1890
  • Record defeat3 September 1906
  • Origins: City can trace their roots to St Mark's, a west Gorton church side set up to combat gang violence and heavy drinking in the 1880s.
  • Oddity: In 1937-38 City were relegated as reigning champions — while scoring more goals than any other club in the division.

Full Manchester City club guide

Manchester United

Premier League

“The Red Devils” · founded 1878 · Manchester

Old Trafford club and record English league champions.

Home ground
Old Trafford · 74,158 capacity

Record win 10–0 v RSC Anderlecht. Record defeat 0–7 v Blackburn Rovers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1878
  • Old Trafford opened1910
  • Record win26 September 1956
  • Record defeat10 April 1926
  • Origins: United started as Newton Heath LYR, a railway depot team, and were saved from bankruptcy in 1902 reportedly after the club dog wandered off and was found by a wealthy brewer.
  • Ground: The club played home games at Maine Road, Manchester City's ground, for eight seasons after Old Trafford was bombed in 1941.

Full Manchester United club guide

Middlesbrough

EFL Championship

“Boro” · founded 1876

Home ground
Riverside Stadium · 33,746 capacity
Manager
Kim Hellberg

Record win 9–0 v Brighton & Hove Albion. Record defeat 0–9 v Blackburn Rovers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1876
  • Riverside Stadium opened1995
  • Record win23 August 1958
  • Record defeat6 November 1954
  • Origins: Boro were reportedly founded at a tripe supper at the Talbot Hotel in 1876.
  • Oddity: In 1997 they were deducted three points for failing to turn up to a Premier League fixture at Blackburn, and were relegated by exactly that margin.

Full Middlesbrough club guide

Millwall

EFL Championship

“The Lions” · founded 1885

Home ground
The Den · 20,146 capacity
Manager
Alex Neil

Record win 9–1 v Torquay United. Record defeat 1–9 v Aston Villa.

Key dates

  • Club founded1885
  • The Den opened1993
  • Record win29 August 1927
  • Record defeat28 January 1946
  • Origins: Millwall were founded by workers at J.T. Morton's canning factory on the Isle of Dogs — hence the Scottish rampant lion on the badge, reflecting the firm's Aberdeen roots.

Full Millwall club guide

Newcastle United

Premier League

“The Magpies” · founded 1892 · Newcastle upon Tyne

North East club at the heart of Newcastle city centre.

Home ground
St James' Park · 52,719 capacity

Record win 13–0 v Newport County. Record defeat 0–9 v Burton Wanderers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1892
  • St James' Park opened1892
  • Record win5 October 1946
  • Record defeat15 April 1895
  • Origins: Newcastle were formed by a merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End in 1892 — West End were the ones who held the lease on St James' Park.
  • Oddity: The club briefly considered renaming itself "Newcastle City" before the merger vote settled on United.

Full Newcastle United club guide

Norwich City

EFL Championship

“The Canaries” · founded 1902 · Norwich

East Anglian club at Carrow Road.

Home ground
Carrow Road · 27,150 capacity

Record win 10–2 v Coventry City. Record defeat 2–10 v Swindon Town.

Key dates

  • Club founded1902
  • Carrow Road opened1935
  • Record win15 March 1930
  • Record defeat5 September 1908
  • Origins: Norwich's nickname "The Canaries" comes from the city's 16th-century Flemish weavers, who bred canaries as a hobby.
  • Record: Their 1993 UEFA Cup run made them the first English club to beat Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion.

Full Norwich City club guide

Nottingham Forest

Premier League

“The Tricky Trees” · founded 1865 · Nottingham

Two-time European Cup winners on the banks of the Trent.

Home ground
The City Ground · 31,212 capacity

Record win 14–0 v Clapton. Record defeat 1–9 v Blackburn Rovers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1865
  • The City Ground opened1898
  • Record win17 January 1891
  • Record defeat10 April 1937
  • Origins: Forest chose red because they admired Giuseppe Garibaldi's Italian revolutionaries — and they gave Arsenal their first set of kit.
  • Record: They won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, a year after being promoted from the Second Division.

Full Nottingham Forest club guide

Notts County

EFL League One

“The Magpies” · founded 1862 · Nottingham

The world's oldest professional football club.

Home ground
Meadow Lane · 19,841 capacity

Record win 15–0 v Rotherham Town. Record defeat 1–9 v Aston Villa.

Key dates

  • Club founded1862
  • Meadow Lane opened1910
  • Record win24 October 1885
  • Record defeat29 September 1888
  • Heritage: Notts County, founded in 1862, are the oldest professional football club in the world, and gave Juventus their black and white stripes.

Full Notts County club guide

Plymouth Argyle

EFL League One

“The Pilgrims” · founded 1886

Home ground
Home Park · 17,900 capacity

Key dates

  • Club founded1886
  • Home Park opened1901
  • Origins: The name "Argyle" is thought to come from either the Argyle Tavern where the club was founded or the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regiment.
  • Ground: Home Park is the most southerly and westerly ground in the Football League.

Full Plymouth Argyle club guide

Port Vale

EFL League Two

“The Valiants” · founded 1876

Home ground
Vale Park · 16,800 capacity
Manager
Jon Brady

Record win 9–1 v Chesterfield. Record defeat 0–10 v Sheffield United.

Key dates

  • Club founded1876
  • Vale Park opened1950
  • Record win24 September 1932
  • Record defeat10 December 1892
  • Oddity: Port Vale are the only English league club not named after a place — the name came from Port Vale House, where the club was formed.

Full Port Vale club guide

Portsmouth

EFL Championship

“Pompey” · founded 1898 · Portsmouth

South coast club famous for the Fratton End bell.

Home ground
Fratton Park · 20,867 capacity

Record win 9–1 v Notts County. Record defeat 0–10 v Leicester City.

Key dates

  • Club founded1898
  • Fratton Park opened1898
  • Record win9 April 1927
  • Record defeat20 October 1928
  • Record: Portsmouth held the FA Cup for a record seven years — they won it in 1939 and the competition was suspended for the Second World War.
  • Culture: The Pompey Chimes, based on the Guildhall clock, is one of the oldest surviving football chants in England.

Full Portsmouth club guide

Preston North End

EFL Championship

“The Lilywhites” · founded 1880

Home ground
Deepdale · 23,404 capacity
Manager
Vacant

Record win 26–0 v Hyde. Record defeat 0–7 v Blackpool.

Key dates

  • Club founded1880
  • Deepdale opened1878
  • Record win15 October 1887
  • Record defeat1 May 1948
  • Record: Preston were the original "Invincibles", winning the first Football League title in 1888-89 unbeaten and the FA Cup without conceding.
  • Ground: Deepdale is the world's oldest continuously used football league ground, in use since 1878.

Full Preston North End club guide

Queens Park Rangers

EFL Championship

“The Hoops” · founded 1882

Home ground
Loftus Road · 18,439 capacity

Record win 9–2 v Tranmere Rovers. Record defeat 1–8 v Mansfield Town.

Key dates

  • Club founded1882
  • Loftus Road opened1904
  • Record win3 December 1960
  • Record defeat15 March 1965
  • Oddity: QPR have had more home grounds than any other British club — around 20 in their history.
  • Ground: In 1981 Loftus Road became the first Football League ground with an artificial pitch.

Full Queens Park Rangers club guide

Schalke 04

Bundesliga

“Die Knappen” · founded 1904

Bundesliga club based in Gelsenkirchen.

Home ground
Veltins-Arena · 62,271 capacity

Record win 11–1 v FC Teningen. Record defeat 0–11 v Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Key dates

  • Club founded1904
  • Veltins-Arena opened2001
  • Record win31 July 2011
  • Record defeat7 January 1967

Full Schalke 04 club guide

Sheffield United

EFL Championship

“The Blades” · founded 1889

Home ground
Bramall Lane · 32,050 capacity
Manager
Chris Wilder

Key dates

  • Club founded1889
  • Bramall Lane opened1855
  • Ground: Bramall Lane staged first-class cricket until 1973 and for decades had only three stands, with the cricket outfield on the fourth side.
  • Origins: The club was founded by Sheffield United Cricket Club to make money from an underused ground.

Full Sheffield United club guide

Sheffield Wednesday

EFL League One

“The Owls” · founded 1867 · Sheffield

One of the oldest professional clubs in the world.

Home ground
Hillsborough · 39,732 capacity

Record win 12–0 v Halliwell. Record defeat 0–10 v Aston Villa.

Key dates

  • Club founded1867
  • Hillsborough opened1899
  • Record win17 January 1891
  • Record defeat5 October 1912
  • Origins: Wednesday are named after the day of the week when their founding cricket club, formed in 1820, played its matches.
  • Ground: Hillsborough is one of only two English grounds to have hosted a World Cup match and a European Championship match.

Full Sheffield Wednesday club guide

Southampton

EFL Championship

“Saints” · founded 1885

Home ground
St Mary's Stadium · 32,384 capacity
Manager
Tonda Eckert

Key dates

  • Club founded1885
  • St Mary's Stadium opened2001
  • Origins: Southampton began as St Mary's Church of England Young Men's Association — still the source of the nickname "The Saints" and their stadium's name.
  • Heritage: The club's academy has produced Bale, Walcott, Shaw, Chamberlain and both Chamberlains' generation of England internationals.

Full Southampton club guide

Southend United

National League

“The Shrimpers” · founded 1906

Home ground
Roots Hall · 10,500 capacity
Manager
Kieron Dyer

Record win 10–1 v Golders Green. Record defeat 1–9 v Brighton & Hove Albion.

Key dates

  • Club founded1906
  • Roots Hall opened1955
  • Record win24 November 1934
  • Record defeat27 November 1965
  • Origins: Southend United were founded in the Blue Boar pub in 1906 and adopted blue shirts as a result.

Full Southend United club guide

Stoke City

EFL Championship

“The Potters” · founded 1863

Home ground
bet365 Stadium · 30,089 capacity
Manager
Mark Robins

Record win 10–3 v West Bromwich Albion. Record defeat 0–10 v Preston North End.

Key dates

  • Club founded1863
  • bet365 Stadium opened1997
  • Record win4 February 1937
  • Record defeat14 September 1889
  • Origins: Stoke City are among the oldest professional clubs in the world, with roots traced to 1863 apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway works.
  • Record: Sir Stanley Matthews played his final First Division game for Stoke aged 50 years and five days.

Full Stoke City club guide

Sunderland

Premier League

“The Black Cats” · founded 1879 · Sunderland

North East club with one of the biggest followings outside the top flight.

Home ground
Stadium of Light · 49,000 capacity

Record win 11–1 v Fairfield. Record defeat 0–8 v Sheffield Wednesday.

Key dates

  • Club founded1879
  • Stadium of Light opened1997
  • Record win2 February 1895
  • Record defeat26 December 1911
  • Origins: Sunderland were founded by a Scottish schoolteacher as the Sunderland and District Teachers' Association FC — for teachers only.
  • Heritage: Their 1936-37 side were nicknamed the "Bank of England club" for the size of their transfer spending.

Full Sunderland club guide

Torquay United

National League South

“The Gulls” · founded 1899

Home ground
Plainmoor · 6,200 capacity
Manager
Jimmy Ball

Record win 9–0 v Swindon Town. Record defeat 2–10 v Fulham.

Key dates

  • Club founded1899
  • Plainmoor opened1910
  • Record win8 March 1952
  • Record defeat7 September 1931
  • Oddity: A police dog bit a Torquay player in 1987, and the resulting stoppage time allowed them to score the goal that kept them in the Football League.

Full Torquay United club guide

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League

“Spurs” · founded 1882 · London

North London club at the modern Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Home ground
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium · 62,850 capacity

Record win 13–2 v Crewe Alexandra. Record defeat 0–8 v 1. FC Köln.

Key dates

  • Club founded1882
  • Tottenham Hotspur Stadium opened2019
  • Record win3 February 1960
  • Record defeat22 July 1995
  • Origins: Spurs are named after Harry Hotspur, the 14th-century knight from Shakespeare's Henry IV whose family owned land nearby.
  • Record: In 1901 they became the only non-League club to win the FA Cup since the Football League was formed.

Full Tottenham Hotspur club guide

Walsall

EFL League Two

“The Saddlers” · founded 1888

Home ground
Bescot Stadium · 11,300 capacity
Manager
Lee Grant

Record win 10–0 v Darwen. Record defeat 0–12 v Small Heath.

Key dates

  • Club founded1888
  • Bescot Stadium opened1990
  • Record win4 March 1899
  • Record defeat17 December 1892
  • Record: Walsall knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup in 1933 in one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history.

Full Walsall club guide

Watford

EFL Championship

“The Hornets” · founded 1881

Home ground
Vicarage Road · 22,220 capacity

Record win 10–1 v Lowestoft Town. Record defeat 0–10 v Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1881
  • Vicarage Road opened1922
  • Record win27 November 1926
  • Record defeat24 January 1912
  • Culture: Watford's colours were black and white until Graham Taylor and Elton John switched them to yellow and red in 1976.
  • Heritage: Elton John's two spells as chairman took the club from the Fourth Division to runners-up in the First.

Full Watford club guide

West Ham United

EFL Championship

“The Hammers” · founded 1895 · London

East London club playing at the London Stadium.

Home ground
London Stadium · 62,500 capacity

Record win 10–0 v Bury. Record defeat 2–8 v Blackburn Rovers.

Key dates

  • Club founded1895
  • London Stadium opened2016
  • Record win25 October 1983
  • Record defeat26 December 1963
  • Origins: West Ham grew out of Thames Ironworks, a shipbuilding company — hence the crossed rivet hammers on the badge and the nickname "The Irons".
  • Heritage: England's 1966 World Cup final goals were scored by West Ham players, with the captain, Bobby Moore, also a Hammer.

Full West Ham United club guide

Wolverhampton Wanderers

EFL Championship

“Wolves” · founded 1877 · Wolverhampton

Founder members of the Football League, based at Molineux.

Home ground
Molineux · 31,750 capacity

Record win 14–0 v Crosswell's Brewery. Record defeat 1–10 v Newton Heath.

Key dates

  • Club founded1877
  • Molineux opened1889
  • Record win13 November 1886
  • Record defeat15 October 1892
  • Heritage: Wolves played in the very first Football League fixture list in 1888 and are one of only two founder members never to have dropped out of the league system.
  • Heritage: Their floodlit friendlies against Honvéd and Spartak Moscow in the 1950s directly inspired the creation of the European Cup.

Full Wolverhampton Wanderers club guide

Wrexham

EFL Championship

“The Red Dragons” · founded 1864 · Wrexham

Welsh club competing in the English pyramid at the Racecourse Ground.

Home ground
Racecourse Ground · 10,771 capacity

Record win 10–1 v Hartlepools United. Record defeat 0–9 v Brentford.

Key dates

  • Club founded1864
  • Racecourse Ground opened1864
  • Record win3 March 1962
  • Record defeat15 October 1963
  • Ground: Wrexham play at the Racecourse Ground, the world's oldest international stadium still hosting international football.
  • Origins: The club is the third oldest professional club in the world, founded in 1864 by members of a cricket club.

Full Wrexham club guide