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RE-ELECTION

Re-election was something I thought was way in the past, but it ran for almost 100 seasons from the first season in 1888 through to 1986.

The idea was that teams in the lowest division had no relegation to be afraid of, so they had to ask to be allowed to the stay in the League. That was through the process of Re-Election, where they presented their case at the Football League Annual General Meeting and, presumably, sweated on the vote.
If they passed re-election they were allowed to stay in the League. If they failed, they were replaced with a non-League team that had requested an Election to the League.


THE TEAMS
The teams that faced the most re-elections were Hartlepool United and Lincoln City, both with fourteen. Amazingly, Hartlepool passed every one.

	Total				Division 1				Division 2				Division 3				Division 4
Club	Count	Pass	Fail		Count	Pass	Fail		Count	Pass	Fail		Count	Pass	Fail		Count	Pass	Fail
Hartlepool United	14	14	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	3	0		11	11	0
Lincoln City	14	11	3		0	0	0		9	6	3		0	0	0		5	5	0
Crewe Alexandra	13	12	1		0	0	0		4	3	1		3	3	0		6	6	0
Barrow	11	10	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		5	5	0		6	5	1
Halifax Town	11	11	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		6	6	0		5	5	0
Southport	11	10	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		5	5	0		6	5	1
Stockport County	11	10	1		0	0	0		6	5	1		0	0	0		5	5	0
Newport County	10	9	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		6	5	1		4	4	0
Rochdale	10	10	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		4	4	0		6	6	0
Exeter City	8	8	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		6	6	0		2	2	0
Accrington Stanley	7	7	0		2	2	0		0	0	0		5	5	0		0	0	0
Chester City	7	7	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		5	5	0
Darlington	7	7	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	3	0		4	4	0
Walsall	7	6	1		0	0	0		1	0	1		6	6	0		0	0	0
Workington	7	6	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		5	4	1
York City	7	7	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		6	6	0
Bradford Park Avenue	5	4	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		4	3	1
Burslem Port Vale	5	3	2		0	0	0		5	3	2		0	0	0		0	0	0
Chesterfield	5	4	1		0	0	0		5	4	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Gillingham	5	4	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		5	4	1		0	0	0
Grimsby Town	5	3	2		0	0	0		3	1	2		1	1	0		1	1	0
New Brighton	5	4	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		5	4	1		0	0	0
Blackpool	4	3	1		0	0	0		3	2	1		0	0	0		1	1	0
Doncaster Rovers	4	2	2		0	0	0		2	0	2		0	0	0		2	2	0
Glossop North End	4	3	1		0	0	0		4	3	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Northampton Town	4	4	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		4	4	0
Norwich City	4	4	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		4	4	0		0	0	0
Aldershot	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		1	1	0
Bradford City	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		2	2	0
Burnley	3	3	0		2	2	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Burton United	3	2	1		0	0	0		3	2	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Colchester United	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		1	1	0
Crystal Palace	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	3	0		0	0	0
Darwen	3	1	2		1	0	1		2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Gainsborough Trinity	3	2	1		0	0	0		3	2	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Hereford United	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	3	0
Leicester Fosse	3	3	0		0	0	0		3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Loughborough	3	2	1		0	0	0		3	2	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Merthyr Town	3	2	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	2	1		0	0	0
Stoke	3	2	1		3	2	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Swindon Town	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		3	3	0		0	0	0
Torquay United	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		2	2	0
Tranmere Rovers	3	3	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		1	1	0
Aberdare Athletic	2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0
Ashington	2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0
Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Brentford	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Burton Swifts	2	2	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Derby County	2	2	0		2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Durham City	2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0
Gateshead	2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		1	0	1
Millwall	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Nelson	2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0
Nottingham Forest	2	2	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Notts County	2	2	0		2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Oldham Athletic	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0
Queens Park Rangers	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Rotherham Town	2	1	1		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Scunthorpe United	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0
Southend United	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Walsall Town Swifts	2	1	1		0	0	0		2	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Watford	2	2	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		2	2	0		0	0	0
Aston Villa	1	1	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Barnsley	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Birmingham City	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Brighton and Hove Albion	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Bristol Rovers	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Burton Wanderers	1	0	1		0	0	0		1	0	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Cambridge United	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0
Cardiff City	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Carlisle United	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Charlton Athletic	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Clapton Orient	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Coventry City	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Leeds City	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Luton Town	1	0	1		0	0	0		1	0	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Manchester City	1	1	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Mansfield Town	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Northwich Victoria	1	0	1		0	0	0		1	0	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Port Vale	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0
Preston North End	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0
Rotherham County	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Rotherham United	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0		0	0	0
Swansea City	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0
West Bromwich Albion	1	1	0		1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Wrexham	1	1	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	1	0

RE-ELECTIONS BY SEASON
This is a list of the re-elections for each season, with notes for each season's changes. The first 20 seasons get confusing with elections, resignations and expansions, but hopefully it's all made crystal clear now!

Division	Pos	Club	Pass/Fail	Replaced With	Notes
1888-89
1	9	Burnley	Pass
1	10	Derby County	Pass
1	11	Notts County	Pass
1	12	Stoke	Pass
1889-90
1	10	Notts County	Pass
1	11	Burnley	Pass
1	12	Stoke	Fail	Sunderland	Stoke demoted to the Football Alliance; re-elected next season
1890-91
1	9	Aston Villa	Pass
1	10	Accrington Stanley	Pass
1	11	Derby County	Pass
1	12	West Bromwich Albion	Pass
		League expanded by 2 clubs - Darwen elected and Stoke re-admitted
1891-92
1	11	Accrington Stanley	Pass
1	13	Stoke	Pass
1	14	Darwen	Fail		Subsequently admitted to the new Division 2 for next season
		West Brom finished 12th but were reprieved from re-election due to winning the FA Cup. However, the League was expanded to an extra division (Division 2), so Darwen were re-admitted to the new division.
1892-93
2	9	Lincoln City	Pass
2	10	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
2	11	Burslem Port Vale	Pass
2	12	Walsall Town Swifts	Pass
		Division 2 was expanded from 12 to 15 clubs. Liverpool, Middlesbrough Ironopolis, Newcastle, Rotherham and Woolwich Arsenal joined.
1893-94
2	13	Manchester City	Pass
2	14	Rotherham Town	Pass
2	15	Northwich Victoria	Fail		Failed re-election and resigned from the League
		Division 2 was expanded from 15 to 16 clubs. Burton Wanderers and Leicester were admitted.
1894-95
2	13	Lincoln City	Pass
2	14	Walsall Town Swifts	Fail	Loughborough Town	Resigned from the League
2	15	Burslem Port Vale	Pass
2	16	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
		Lincoln and Walsall tied on 20 points, so both were forced into Re-election. Walsall Town Swifts failed, and resigned from the League.
1895-96
2	14	Burslem Port Vale	Fail	Blackpool	Resigned from the League
2	15	Rotherham Town	Fail	Gainsborough Trinity	Resigned from the League
2	16	Crewe Alexandra	Fail	Walsall	Resigned from the League
1896-97
2	14	Burton Swifts	Pass
2	15	Burton Wanderers	Fail
2	16	Lincoln City	Pass
1897-98
2	14	Lincoln City	Pass
2	15	Darwen	Pass
2	16	Loughborough	Pass
1898-99
2	16	Blackpool	Fail
2	17	Loughborough	Pass
2	18	Darwen	Fail
1899-00
2	16	Barnsley	Pass
2	17	Luton Town	Fail
2	18	Loughborough	Fail
1900-01
2	16	Walsall	Fail
2	17	Stockport County	Pass
2	18	Burton Swifts	Pass
1901-02
2	16	Chesterfield	Pass
2	17	Stockport County	Pass
2	18	Gainsborough Trinity	Pass
1902-03
2	16	Doncaster Rovers	Fail
2	17	Stockport County	Pass
2	18	Burnley	Pass
1903-04
2	16	Stockport County	Fail
2	17	Glossop North End	Pass
2	18	Leicester Fosse	Pass
1904-05
2	16	Burslem Port Vale	Pass
2	17	Burton United	Pass
2	18	Doncaster Rovers	Fail
1905-06
2	18	Chesterfield	Pass
2	19	Burton United	Pass
2	20	Clapton Orient	Pass
1906-07
2	16	Burslem Port Vale	Fail
2	18	Chesterfield	Pass
2	19	Lincoln City	Pass
2	20	Burton United	Fail
1907-08
2	18	Grimsby Town	Pass
2	19	Chesterfield	Pass
2	20	Lincoln City	Fail
1908-09
2	18	Stockport County	Pass
2	19	Chesterfield	Fail
2	20	Blackpool	Pass
1909-10
2	18	Gainsborough Trinity	Pass
2	19	Grimsby Town	Fail
2	20	Birmingham City	Pass
1910-11
2	20	Lincoln City	Fail
1911-12
2	18	Glossop North End	Pass
2	19	Leeds City	Pass
2	20	Gainsborough Trinity	Fail
1912-13
2	18	Glossop North End	Pass
2	19	Stockport County	Pass
2	20	Blackpool	Pass
1913-14
2	18	Leicester Fosse	Pass
2	19	Lincoln City	Pass
2	20	Nottingham Forest	Pass
1914-15
2	18	Nottingham Forest	Pass
2	19	Leicester Fosse	Pass
2	20	Glossop North End	Fail
1919-20
2	20	Coventry City	Pass
2	21	Lincoln City	Fail
2	22	Grimsby Town	Fail
1920-21
3	21	Brentford	Pass
3	22	Gillingham	Pass
1921-22
3N	19	Halifax Town	Pass
3N	20	Rochdale	Pass
3S	21	Exeter City	Pass
3S	22	Southend United	Pass
1922-23
3N	19	Ashington	Pass
3N	20	Durham City	Pass
3S	21	Aberdare Athletic	Pass
3S	22	Newport County	Pass
1923-24
3N	21	Hartlepool United	Pass
3N	22	Barrow	Pass
3S	21	Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic	Pass
3S	22	Queens Park Rangers	Pass
1924-25
3N	21	Tranmere Rovers	Pass
3N	22	Rotherham County	Pass
3S	21	Brentford	Pass
3S	22	Merthyr Town	Pass
1925-26
3N	21	Walsall	Pass
3N	22	Barrow	Pass
3S	21	Charlton Athletic	Pass
3S	22	Queens Park Rangers	Pass
1926-27
3N	21	Accrington Stanley	Pass
3N	22	Barrow	Pass
3S	21	Watford	Pass
3S	22	Aberdare Athletic	Fail
1927-28
3N	21	Durham City	Fail
3N	22	Nelson	Pass
3S	21	Merthyr Town	Pass
3S	22	Torquay United	Pass
1928-29
3N	21	Hartlepool United	Pass
3N	22	Ashington	Fail
3S	21	Exeter City	Pass
3S	22	Gillingham	Pass
1929-30
3N	21	Halifax Town	Pass
3N	22	Barrow	Pass
3S	21	Gillingham	Pass
3S	22	Merthyr Town	Fail
1930-31
3N	21	Rochdale	Pass
3N	22	Nelson	Fail
3S	21	Newport County	Fail
3S	22	Norwich City	Pass
1931-32
3N	20	New Brighton	Pass
3N	21	Rochdale	Pass
3S	21	Gillingham	Pass
1932-33
3N	21	New Brighton	Pass
3N	22	Darlington	Pass
3S	21	Newport County	Pass
3S	22	Swindon Town	Pass
1933-34
3N	21	Rotherham United	Pass
3N	22	Rochdale	Pass
3S	21	Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic	Pass
3S	22	Cardiff City	Pass
1934-35
3N	21	Southport	Pass
3N	22	Carlisle United	Pass
3S	21	Southend United	Pass
3S	22	Newport County	Pass
1935-36
3N	21	Southport	Pass
3N	22	New Brighton	Pass
3S	21	Newport County	Pass
3S	22	Exeter City	Pass
1936-37
3N	21	Gateshead	Pass
3N	22	Darlington	Pass
3S	21	Exeter City	Pass
3S	22	Aldershot	Pass
1937-38
3N	21	Barrow	Pass
3N	22	Accrington Stanley	Pass
3S	21	Walsall	Pass
3S	22	Gillingham	Fail
1938-39
3N	21	Hartlepool United	Pass
3N	22	Accrington Stanley	Pass
3S	21	Walsall	Pass
3S	22	Bristol Rovers	Pass
1946-47
3N	21	Southport	Pass
3N	22	Halifax Town	Pass
3S	21	Norwich City	Pass
3S	22	Mansfield Town	Pass
1947-48
3N	21	Halifax Town	Pass
3N	22	New Brighton	Pass
3S	21	Norwich City	Pass
3S	22	Brighton and Hove Albion	Pass
1948-49
3N	21	Southport	Pass
3N	22	Bradford City	Pass
3S	21	Aldershot	Pass
3S	22	Crystal Palace	Pass
1949-50
3N	21	Halifax Town	Pass
3N	22	York City	Pass
3S	21	Newport County	Pass
3S	22	Millwall	Pass
1950-51
3N	23	Accrington Stanley	Pass
3N	24	New Brighton	Fail
3S	23	Watford	Pass
3S	24	Crystal Palace	Pass
1951-52
3N	23	Darlington	Pass
3N	24	Workington	Pass
3S	23	Exeter City	Pass
3S	24	Walsall	Pass
1952-53
3N	23	Workington	Pass
3N	24	Accrington Stanley	Pass
1953-54
3N	23	Halifax Town	Pass
3N	24	Chester City	Pass
3S	23	Colchester United	Pass
3S	24	Walsall	Pass
1954-55
3N	23	Grimsby Town	Pass
3N	24	Chester City	Pass
3S	23	Walsall	Pass
3S	24	Colchester United	Pass
1955-56
3N	23	Bradford Park Avenue	Pass
3N	24	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
3S	23	Crystal Palace	Pass
3S	24	Swindon Town	Pass
1956-57
3N	23	Tranmere Rovers	Pass
3N	24	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
3S	23	Swindon Town	Pass
3S	24	Norwich City	Pass
1957-58
3N	23	Southport	Pass
3N	24	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
3S	23	Millwall	Pass
3S	24	Exeter City	Pass
1958-59
4	21	Oldham Athletic	Pass
4	22	Aldershot	Pass
4	23	Barrow	Pass
4	24	Southport	Pass
1959-60
4	21	Southport	Pass
4	22	Gateshead	Fail
4	23	Oldham Athletic	Pass
4	24	Hartlepool United	Pass
1960-61
4	21	Exeter City	Pass
4	22	Barrow	Pass
4	23	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	24	Chester City	Pass
1961-62
4	21	Doncaster Rovers	Pass
4	22	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	23	Chester City	Pass
1962-63
4	21	Chester City	Pass
4	22	Lincoln City	Pass
4	23	Bradford City	Pass
4	24	Hartlepool United	Pass
1963-64
4	21	Southport	Pass
4	22	York City	Pass
4	23	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	24	Barrow	Pass
1964-65
4	21	Barrow	Pass
4	22	Lincoln City	Pass
4	23	Halifax Town	Pass
4	24	Stockport County	Pass
1965-66
4	21	Rochdale	Pass
4	22	Lincoln City	Pass
4	23	Bradford City	Pass
4	24	Wrexham	Pass
1966-67
4	21	Rochdale	Pass
4	22	York City	Pass
4	23	Bradford Park Avenue	Pass
4	24	Lincoln City	Pass
1967-68
4	18	Port Vale	Pass
4	21	York City	Pass
4	22	Chester City	Pass
4	23	Workington	Pass
4	24	Bradford Park Avenue	Pass
1968-69
4	21	York City	Pass
4	22	Newport County	Pass
4	23	Grimsby Town	Pass
4	24	Bradford Park Avenue	Pass
1969-70
4	21	Newport County	Pass
4	22	Darlington	Pass
4	23	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	24	Bradford Park Avenue	Fail
1970-71
4	21	Lincoln City	Pass
4	22	Newport County	Pass
4	23	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	24	Barrow	Pass
1971-72
4	21	Northampton Town	Pass
4	22	Barrow	Fail
4	23	Stockport County	Pass
4	24	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
1972-73
4	21	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
4	22	Colchester United	Pass
4	23	Northampton Town	Pass
4	24	Darlington	Pass
1973-74
4	21	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
4	22	Doncaster Rovers	Pass
4	23	Workington	Pass
4	24	Stockport County	Pass
1974-75
4	21	Darlington	Pass
4	22	Swansea City	Pass
4	23	Workington	Pass
4	24	Scunthorpe United	Pass
1975-76
4	21	Stockport County	Pass
4	22	Newport County	Pass
4	23	Southport	Pass
4	24	Workington	Pass
1976-77
4	21	Halifax Town	Pass
4	22	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	23	Southport	Pass
4	24	Workington	Fail
1977-78
4	21	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	22	York City	Pass
4	23	Southport	Fail
4	24	Rochdale	Pass
1979-80
4	21	Hereford United	Pass
4	22	Darlington	Pass
4	23	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
4	24	Rochdale	Pass
1980-81
4	21	Tranmere Rovers	Pass
4	22	Hereford United	Pass
4	23	Halifax Town	Pass
4	24	York City	Pass
1981-82
4	21	Rochdale	Pass
4	22	Northampton Town	Pass
4	23	Scunthorpe United	Pass
4	24	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
1982-83
4	21	Blackpool	Pass
4	22	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	23	Crewe Alexandra	Pass
4	24	Hereford United	Pass
1983-84
4	21	Halifax Town	Pass
4	22	Rochdale	Pass
4	23	Hartlepool United	Pass
4	24	Chester City	Pass
1984-85
4	21	Halifax Town	Pass
4	22	Stockport County	Pass
4	23	Northampton Town	Pass
4	24	Torquay United	Pass
1985-86
4	21	Exeter City	Pass
4	22	Cambridge United	Pass
4	23	Preston North End	Pass
4	24	Torquay United	Pass

The City Ground.com    Seasons: 161 | Games: 7,611 | Goals: 12,334 | Players: 2,028 |Opponents: 579 | Opponent lineups: 7,578 | Sources: 21,069 | Players pictures: 998 | Game cuttings: 1,036 | Half-time scores: 91%