Honourable mention for Dagenham and Redbridge.A purely empirical exercise, I’ve devised the ultimate fourth division. Clubs that just give the vibes of being in the EFL but nearly always in the lowest division of it. If you told me that any two of these sides were playing each other this weekend, it would so feel like a fourth-division fixture.
In no particular order:
Honourable mentions:
- Torquay
- York
- Carlisle
- Bury
- Macclesfield
- Rochdale
- Northampton
- Exeter
- Leyton Orient
- Shrewsbury
- Wrexham
- Grimsby
- Scunthorpe
- Hartlepool
- Mansfield
- Crewe
- Walsall
- Cambridge
- Cheltenham
- Doncaster
- Newport County
- Stockport
- Hereford
- Darlington
- Hull City but only before the move to the KC Stadium. Boothferry Park was so fourth tier. Likewise Swansea at the Vetch Field who could fly through the divisions and then fall back just as quickly.
- Barnet could well qualify for yo-yo status between the fourth tier and NL.
- Wycombe’s recent history has seen them steer clear of the list. I ummed and ahhed whether they should be there. Colchester and Lincoln also have too many non-league vibes.
Celtic, Reading and Torquay is a strange list of clubs to hate.I have always disliked Torquay, not sure why, but can't stand them
But sad to see, but this is going to be happening to lots of clubs down the leagues.
Tbf my list of clubs I can’t stand is Swindon, Reading, Luton and Lincoln.Celtic, Reading and Torquay is a strange list of clubs to hate.
I'd like to think we could become a top 41 club but would struggle to be much more than a top 42 to top 44 club.That’s a bloody good list.
I wonder what percentage of football supporters would put us in the Championship version, given some here think that’s our “natural” level.
I expect 0% outside an OX postcode.
Totally agree on Swindon Reading and Luton.Tbf my list of clubs I can’t stand is Swindon, Reading, Luton and Lincoln.
A purely empirical exercise, I’ve devised the ultimate fourth division. Clubs that just give the vibes of being in the EFL but nearly always in the lowest division of it. If you told me that any two of these sides were playing each other this weekend, it would so feel like a fourth-division fixture.
In no particular order:
Honourable mentions:
- Torquay
- York
- Carlisle
- Bury
- Macclesfield
- Rochdale
- Northampton
- Exeter
- Leyton Orient
- Shrewsbury
- Wrexham
- Grimsby
- Scunthorpe
- Hartlepool
- Mansfield
- Crewe
- Walsall
- Cambridge
- Cheltenham
- Doncaster
- Newport County
- Stockport
- Hereford
- Darlington
- Hull City but only before the move to the KC Stadium. Boothferry Park was so fourth tier. Likewise Swansea at the Vetch Field who could fly through the divisions and then fall back just as quickly.
- Barnet could well qualify for yo-yo status between the fourth tier and NL.
- Wycombe’s recent history has seen them steer clear of the list. I ummed and ahhed whether they should be there. Colchester and Lincoln also have too many non-league vibes.
A purely empirical exercise, I’ve devised the ultimate fourth division. Clubs that just give the vibes of being in the EFL but nearly always in the lowest division of it. If you told me that any two of these sides were playing each other this weekend, it would so feel like a fourth-division fixture.
In no particular order:
Honourable mentions:
- Torquay
- York
- Carlisle
- Bury
- Macclesfield
- Rochdale
- Northampton
- Exeter
- Leyton Orient
- Shrewsbury
- Wrexham
- Grimsby
- Scunthorpe
- Hartlepool
- Mansfield
- Crewe
- Walsall
- Cambridge
- Cheltenham
- Doncaster
- Newport County
- Stockport
- Hereford
- Darlington
- Hull City but only before the move to the KC Stadium. Boothferry Park was so fourth tier. Likewise Swansea at the Vetch Field who could fly through the divisions and then fall back just as quickly.
- Barnet could well qualify for yo-yo status between the fourth tier and NL.
- Wycombe’s recent history has seen them steer clear of the list. I ummed and ahhed whether they should be there. Colchester and Lincoln also have too many non-league vibes.
That’s a bloody good list.
I wonder what percentage of football supporters would put us in the Championship version, given some here think that’s our “natural” level.
I expect 0% outside an OX postcode.
Honourable mention for Dagenham and Redbridge.
I also agree that Hull City are a League 2 club.
I would add Colchester to that list, probably relegate Hereford or Macclesfield to the conference, maybe a play off to settle it
Hali-faax
(Delivered in a 'Grim up North' stylee)
Quite a lot of clubs not currently in the fourth division, 2 up and down from the conference has ruined it for you a bit, if that hadn’t of changed I reckon a good chunk of these teams would still be battling to finish 16th in the fourth division.
I'd probably swap Huddersfield Town for Swansea City, and MK Dons for Walsall, if you are looking for 'typically third tier'I'd be cool with a league that looked like that. And I put Swindon last for the lols.
- Oxford
- Peterborough
- Bristol Rovers
- Port Vale
- Southend
- Plymouth
- Blackpool
- Rotherham
- Gillingham
- Brentford
- Bournemouth
- Millwall
- Chesterfield
- Wycombe
- Huddersfield
- MK Dons
- Bradford
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Barnsley
- Luton
- Hull
- Reading
- Swindon
Sir, please may I enter the following name for your consideration:Oh, we're prime third tier. Obviously we've had our ups and downs but I suspect if you drew an average league position over all FL seasons we'd end up somewhere in the third tier.
The ultimate third tier to me looks like this. The first 18 or so were easy to reel off but the last six were a lot trickier. Hull and Wigan, for example, have history in the lower leagues but with jazzy new stadiums rise up a few notches. Brentford and Bournemouth need to be pushed back down here to their 'natural' level. I had to put MK Dons in somewhere and there they are ...
I'd be cool with a league that looked like that. And I put Swindon last for the lols.
- Oxford
- Peterborough
- Bristol Rovers
- Port Vale
- Southend
- Plymouth
- Blackpool
- Rotherham
- Gillingham
- Brentford
- Bournemouth
- Millwall
- Chesterfield
- Wycombe
- Huddersfield
- MK Dons
- Bradford
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Barnsley
- Luton
- Hull
- Reading
- Swindon
Agree fully but harsh on Lincoln, only 5 seasons in non-league since 1920. They're a bigger club than Wycombe.A purely empirical exercise, I’ve devised the ultimate fourth division. Clubs that just give the vibes of being in the EFL but nearly always in the lowest division of it. If you told me that any two of these sides were playing each other this weekend, it would so feel like a fourth-division fixture.
In no particular order:
Honourable mentions:
- Torquay
- York
- Carlisle
- Bury
- Macclesfield
- Rochdale
- Northampton
- Exeter
- Leyton Orient
- Shrewsbury
- Wrexham
- Grimsby
- Scunthorpe
- Hartlepool
- Mansfield
- Crewe
- Walsall
- Cambridge
- Cheltenham
- Doncaster
- Newport County
- Stockport
- Hereford
- Darlington
- Hull City but only before the move to the KC Stadium. Boothferry Park was so fourth tier. Likewise Swansea at the Vetch Field who could fly through the divisions and then fall back just as quickly.
- Barnet could well qualify for yo-yo status between the fourth tier and NL.
- Wycombe’s recent history has seen them steer clear of the list. I ummed and ahhed whether they should be there. Colchester and Lincoln also have too many non-league vibes.
Agree fully but harsh on Lincoln, only 5 seasons in non-league since 1920. They're a bigger club than Wycombe.
Ah, Kevin Toms - programming legend. Good Call. Here's a screenshot...Who was in the fourth division in the first Football Manager game on the spectrum? That’s the ultimate 4th division for me.