List of Northampton Town F.C. seasons

For details of the current season, see 2024–25 Northampton Town F.C. season.

This is a list of seasons played by Northampton Town Football Club in English football. It covers the period from the club's inaugural season in 1899, to the end of the last completed season. It details the club's achievements in all major competitions, together with the top scorers and the average attendances for each season. Details of the abandoned 1939–40 season and unofficial Second World War leagues are not included.

Northampton Town were founded in 1897, joining the Northamptonshire League and then the Midland League for two seasons before taking their place in the Southern League, and finally joined The Football League for the 1920–21 season.

Seasons

Season League FA
Cup[1] 		League
Cup[2] 		League
Trophy 		Other Most appearances Top goalscorer(s)[3] Avg.
Att[4]
Division Lvl P W D L F A Pts Pos Competition Res Overall A[5] Overall G
1897–98 NL 14 7 1 6 33 35 15 4th DNE Three Players[6] 14 England Albert Dunkley
England Maurice Jones		 6 n/a
1898–99 NL 16 13 2 1 49 17 28 1st 2QR Six Players[7] 18 England Everard Lawrence 20
1899–1900 ML 24 16 2 6 66 36 34 3rd 1QR Northants Senior Cup RU Scotland Jack Hendry 25 England F. Warner 14
1900–01 ML 26 13 10 7 65 43 33 3rd 1QR Three Players[8] 27 14
1901–02 SL 30 11 5 14 53 64 27 11th R1 Northants Senior Cup RU Three Players[9] 37 England Tim Coleman 17 2,928
1902–03 SL 30 12 6 12 39 48 30 8th 1QR RU Five Players[10] 30 England Len Benbow 22 1,812
1903–04 SL 34 10 7 17 36 60 27 15th 3QR England Bill Perkins 35 10 2,550
1904–05 SL 34 12 8 14 43 54 32 12th 5QR Northants Senior Cup W 37 England Herbert Chapman 10 n/a
1905–06 SL 34 8 5 21 32 79 21 18th R1 37 England Harry Springthorpe 7
1906–07 SL 38 5 9 24 29 88 19 20th R1 England Pat Tirrell
Wales Mart Watkins		 40 Wales Mart Watkins 12
1907–08 SL 38 15 11 12 50 41 41 8th R1 England George Cooch
Scotland Dave McCartney		 40 England Jack Platt 14
1908–09 SL 40 25 5 10 90 45 55 1st R1 FA Charity Shield RU England Fred Lessons 43 England Albert Lewis 31
1909–10 SL 42 22 4 16 90 44 48 4th R2 England Thomas Thorpe
England Fred Whitaker		 46 26
1910–11 SL 38 18 12 8 54 27 48 2nd R2 England Thomas Thorpe 41 14
1911–12 SL 38 22 7 9 82 41 51 3rd R3 England Thomas Thorpe
England Jack Hampson		 42 England Harry King 21
1912–13 SL 38 12 12 14 61 48 36 10th R1 Four Players[11] 39 27
1913–14 SL 38 14 19 5 50 37 47 3rd R1 England Fred Clipston
Scotland Jock Manning		 39 22
1914–15 SL 38 19 5 14 56 51 43 5th R1 England Bobby Hughes 40 England Bobby Hughes
England William Lockett		 13
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after World War I.
1919–20 SL 42 12 9 21 64 103 33 19th 6QR England Frank Grendon 44 England George Whitworth 24 n/a
1920–21 Div 3 3 42 15 8 19 59 75 38 14th R1 England Billy Pease 45 31[12] 7,125
1921–22 Div 3 S 42 13 11 18 47 71 37 17th R2 England Billy Pease
England William Lockett		 45 England William Lockett 21 6,725
1922–23 Div 3 S 42 17 11 14 54 44 45 8th 5QR England Billy Pease
England Charles Smith		 43 14 8,250
1923–24 Div 3 S 42 17 11 14 64 47 45 8th R1 Four Players[13] 47 England William Lockett
England Ernest Myers		 20 9,425
1924–25 Div 3 S 42 20 6 16 51 44 46 9th R1 England Willie Watson 43 England Louis Page 14 7,400
1925–26 Div 3 S 42 17 7 18 82 80 41 12th R3 England Ernie Cockle 46 England Les Robinson 29 6,978
1926–27 Div 3 S 42 15 5 22 59 87 35 18th R2 England Frank Brett
England Len Hammond		 45 England Ernie Cockle 15 6,053
1927–28 Div 3 S 42 23 9 10 102 64 55 2nd R3 England Tom Smith 46 England Harry Loasby 21 10,095
1928–29 Div 3 S 42 20 12 10 96 57 52 3rd R3 43 England Ted Bowen 34 10,131
1929–30 Div 3 S 42 21 8 13 82 58 50 4th R3 England Len Hammond 45 28 8,833
1930–31 Div 3 S 42 18 12 12 77 59 48 6th R1 England Albert Dawes 43 28 7,846
1931–32 Div 3 S 42 16 7 19 69 69 39 14th R4 England Len Hammond 45 England Albert Dawes 18 6,535
1932–33 Div 3 S 42 18 8 16 76 66 44 8th R2 Three Players[14] 43 37[15] 6,056
1933–34 Div 3 S 42 14 12 16 71 78 40 13th R5 Football League
Third Division
South Cup		 R3 Wales Frank Davies 47 England George Henson 20 6,271
1934–35 Div 3 S 42 19 8 15 65 67 46 7th R3 R3 England Richard Brown 46 England Richard Brown 14 6,420
1935–36 Div 3 S 42 15 8 19 62 90 38 15th R1 SF 44 England Tommy Bell 16 7,050
1936–37 Div 3 S 42 20 6 16 85 68 46 7th R1 R1 Scotland Billy Simpson 44 England Ralph Allen 27 9,960
1937–38 Div 3 S 42 17 9 16 51 57 43 9th R1 R1 England Bill Gormlie 44 14 7,416
1938–39 Div 3 S 42 15 8 19 51 58 38 17th R1 R2 England Billy Thayne 46 England Fred Tilson 8 8,001
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after World War II.
1945–46 n/a[D] R3 n/a Grp n/a
1946–47 Div 3 S 3 42 15 10 17 72 75 40 13th R3 England Tom Smalley
England Dave Smith		 46 Scotland Archie Garrett 32 7,951
1947–48 Div 3 S 42 14 11 17 58 72 39 14th R2 England Tom Smalley 46 England James Briscoe 12 8,571
1948–49 Div 3 S 42 12 9 21 51 62 33 20th R2 England Bill Barron 42 Four Players[16] 8 9,211
1949–50 Div 3 S 42 20 11 11 72 50 51 2nd R5 England Jack Ansell
England Tom Smalley		 49 England Bert Mitchell 20 12,677
1950–51 Div 3 S 46 10 16 20 55 67 36 21st R4 England Bert Mitchell 46 Scotland Adam McCulloch 13 10,308
1951–52 Div 3 S 46 22 5 19 93 74 49 8th R1 England Fred Ramscar 47 England Fred Ramscar 24 12,095
1952–53 Div 3 S 46 26 10 10 109 70 62 3rd R2 Five Players[17] 49 Scotland Willie O'Donnell 27 12,031
1953–54 Div 3 S 46 20 11 15 82 55 51 5th R2 England Tommy Fowler
England Alf Wood		 49 England Jack English 31[18] 10,289
1954–55 Div 3 S 46 19 8 19 73 81 46 13th R1 England Tommy Fowler 47 England Bernard Jones 15 7,852
1955–56 Div 3 S 46 20 7 19 67 71 47 11th R3 Three Players[19] 49 England Jack English 19 11,319
1956–57 Div 3 S 46 18 9 19 66 73 45 14th R1 England Tommy Fowler 46 England Syd Asher 11 8,158
1957–58 Div 3 S 46 19 6 21 87 79 44 13th R4 Wales Colin Gale 50 England Barry Hawkings 22 8,127
1958–59 Div 4 4 46 21 9 16 85 78 51 8th R2 England Tommy Fowler 47 England Alan Woan 32 8,090
1959–60 Div 4 46 22 9 15 85 63 53 6th R1 England Tommy Fowler
England Roly Mills		 42 England Mike Deakin 20 8,306
1960–61 Div 4 ↑ 46 25 10 11 90 62 60 3rd R3 R2 England Roly Mills 50 England Laurie Brown 25 10,682
1961–62 Div 3 3 46 20 11 15 85 57 51 8th R3 R1 Northants Senior Cup RU England Derek Leck 50 England Cliff Holton 39[20] 13,420
1962–63 Div 3 ↑ 46 26 10 10 109 60 62 1st R1 R3 RU Scotland Chic Brodie
England Barry Lines		 50 England Alec Ashworth 26 12,680
1963–64 Div 2 2 42 16 9 17 58 60 41 11th R3 R3 RU England Terry Branston
England Mike Everitt		 45 England Frank Large 12 15,366
1964–65 Div 2 ↑ 42 20 16 6 66 50 56 2nd R3 QF W[21] Republic of Ireland Theo Foley
England Bryan Harvey		 47 England Don Martin 16 15,393
1965–66 Div 1 ↓ 1 42 10 13 19 55 92 33 21st R3 R3 Scotland Joe Kiernan 45 England Bobby Brown 10 18,584
1966–67 Div 2 ↓ 2 42 12 6 24 47 84 30 21st R3 QF Northants Senior Cup W England Barry Lines 44 England Don Martin 18 11,977
1967–68 Div 3 3 46 14 13 19 58 72 41 17th R1 R3 England Brian Faulkes 45 13 8,937
1968–69 Div 3 ↓ 46 14 12 20 54 61 40 21st R3 R1 Northants Senior Cup RU England Ray Fairfax 48 England John Fairbrother 14 6,790
1969–70 Div 4 4 46 16 12 18 64 55 44 14th R5 R1 RU England John Fairbrother 56 25 5,594
1970–71 Div 4 46 19 13 14 63 59 51 7th R1 R3 W[22] England Kim Book 53 18 6,602
1971–72 Div 4 46 12 13 21 66 79 37 21st R2 R1 W England Alan Starling 50 England Frank Large 22 4,486
1972–73 Div 4 46 10 11 25 40 73 31 23rd R1 R1 W Scotland Billy Baxter 43 England Phil Neal 9 2,835
1973–74 Div 4 46 20 13 13 63 48 53 5th R2 R1 Three Players[23] 50 Scotland John Buchanan
England Paul Stratford		 15 5,424
1974–75 Div 4 46 15 11 20 67 73 41 16th R2 R2 Scotland Billy Best 51 England Paul Stratford 16 4,179
1975–76 Div 4 ↑ 46 29 10 7 87 40 68 2nd R1 R1 Northants Senior Cup W Wales Barry Tucker 49 England Jim Hall 22 6,416
1976–77 Div 3 ↓ 3 46 13 8 25 60 75 34 22nd R1 R2 England John Gregory 50 England Paul Stratford 13 5,750
1977–78 Div 4 4 46 17 13 16 63 68 47 10th R2 R2 England John Farrington
Scotland George Reilly		 49 Scotland George Reilly 22 3,517
1978–79 Div 4 46 15 9 22 64 76 39 19th R1 R3 England John Farrington 52 23 2,829
1979–80 Div 4 46 16 12 18 51 66 44 13th R1 R3 England Peter Denyer 52 Wales Keith Bowen 12 3,024
1980–81 Div 4 46 18 13 15 65 67 49 10th R1 R1 England Andy Poole 49 England Steve Phillips 22 2,305
1981–82[24] Div 4 46 11 9 26 57 84 42 22nd R2 R3 54 12 2,308
1982–83 Div 4 46 14 12 20 65 75 54 15th R3 R2 Grp England Steve Massey
Scotland Ian Phillips		 54 England Steve Massey 25 2,594
1983–84 Div 4 46 13 14 19 53 78 53 18th R2 R1 R1 England Peter Gleasure 54 England Terry Austin 13 2,343
1984–85 Div 4 46 14 5 27 53 74 47 23rd R2 R1 R1 England Ray Train 54 England Ian Benjamin 19 1,826
1985–86 Div 4 46 18 10 18 79 58 64 8th R1 R2 AQF England Ian Benjamin 54 26 2,384
1986–87 Div 4 ↑ 46 30 9 7 103 53 99 1st R3 R1 R1 Three Players[25] 54 England Richard Hill 33[26] 6,316
1987–88 Div 3 3 46 18 19 9 70 51 73 6th R2 R2 Grp England Peter Gleasure
England Russ Wilcox		 54 England Trevor Morley 16 5,514
1988–89 Div 3 46 16 6 24 66 76 54 20th R1 R2 AQF England Peter Gleasure 55 England Tony Adcock 20 3,919
1989–90 Div 3 ↓ 46 11 14 21 51 68 47 22nd R4 R1 R1 England Peter Gleasure
England Russ Wilcox		 56 England Bobby Barnes 20 3,190
1990–91 Div 4 4 46 18 13 15 57 58 67 10th R2 R2 R1 England Steve Terry 56 16 3,710
1991–92 Div 4 42 11 13 18 46 57 46 16th R1 R1 R1 England Jason Burnham 46 England Tony Adcock 9 2,789
1992–93[27] Div 3 42 11 8 23 48 74 41 20th R3 R1 AQF England Barry Richardson
England Steve Terry		 52 England Steve Brown 12 3,139
1993–94 Div 3[28] 42 9 11 22 44 66 38 22nd R1 R1 R2 England Steve Terry 45 England Martin Aldridge 11 3,454
1994–95 Div 3 42 10 14 18 45 67 44 17th R1 R1 R2 England Ian Sampson 48 England Neil Grayson 10 5,085
1995–96 Div 3 46 18 13 15 51 44 67 11th R2 R1 AQF England Ray Warburton 52 England Jason White 16 4,878
1996–97 Div 3 ↑ 46 20 12 14 67 44 72 4th R1 R2 ASF League play-offs W England Ian Clarkson
England Andy Woodman		 56 England Neil Grayson 12 4,825
1997–98 Div 2 3 46 18 17 11 52 37 71 4th R3 R1 AQF League play-offs RU England John Frain 58 Australia David Seal 14 6,389
1998–99 Div 2 ↓ 46 10 18 18 43 57 48 22nd R2 R3 R2 48 Canada Carlo Corazzin 17 6,068
1999–2000 Div 3 ↑ 4 46 25 7 14 63 45 82 3rd R1 R1 R2 England Duncan Spedding 49 15 5,459
2000–01 Div 2 3 46 15 12 19 46 59 57 18th R2 R1 R1 England Jamie Forrester 47 England Jamie Forrester 19 5,654
2001–02 Div 2 46 14 7 25 54 79 49 20th R2 R2 R2 48 18 5,253
2002–03 Div 2 ↓ 46 10 9 27 40 79 39 24th R2 R1 R2 England Paul Harsley 51 England Marco Gabbiadini 14 5,211
2003–04 Div 3 4 46 22 9 15 58 51 75 6th R4 R2 ASF League play-offs SF England Martin Smith 56 England Martin Smith 15 5,306
2004–05[29] Lge 2 46 20 12 14 62 51 72 7th R3 R2 AQF League play-offs SF England Chris Willmott 54 England Scott McGleish 17 5,927
2005–06 Lge 2 ↑ 46 22 17 7 63 37 83 2nd R3 R2 R2 England Lee Harper 50 24 5,935
2006–07 Lge 1 3 46 15 14 17 48 51 59 14th R2 R1 R1 Northern Ireland Andy Kirk 48 13 5,573
2007–08 Lge 1 46 17 15 14 60 55 66 9th R2 R2 R1 England Mark Bunn 52 Denmark Poul Hübertz 13 5,409
2008–09 Lge 1 ↓ 46 12 13 21 61 65 49 21st R1 R3 R1 England Andy Holt 50 England Adebayo Akinfenwa 15 5,200
2009–10 Lge 2 4 46 18 13 15 62 53 67 11th R2 R1 AQF England Ryan Gilligan 48 17 4,427
2010–11 Lge 2 46 11 19 16 63 71 52 16th R2 R4 R1 England Michael Jacobs 48 England Leon McKenzie 10 4,605
2011–12 Lge 2 46 12 12 22 56 79 48 20th R1 R2 R1 50 England Adebayo Akinfenwa 18 4,809
2012–13 Lge 2 46 21 10 15 64 55 73 6th R1 R2 AQF League play-offs RU England Ben Tozer 56 17 4,785
2013–14 Lge 2 46 13 14 19 42 57 53 21st R2 R1 R1 England Matt Duke 50 England Darren Carter
England Luke Norris		 5 4,548
2014–15 Lge 2 46 18 7 21 67 62 61 12th R1 R2 AQF England Lee Collins 43 England Marc Richards 18 4,599
2015–16 Lge 2 ↑ 46 29 12 5 82 46 99 1st R3 R2 R2 Northern Ireland David Buchanan 54 18 5,279
2016–17 Lge 1 3 46 14 11 21 60 73 53 16th R2 R3 Grp 53 13 6,245
2017–18 Lge 1 ↓ 46 12 11 23 44 77 47 22nd R1 R1 R2 Wales Ash Taylor 52 England Chris Long 9 5,830
2018–19 Lge 2 4 46 14 19 13 64 63 61 15th R1 R1 R3 Wales David Cornell 48 England Andy Williams 12 5,100
2019–20[30] Lge 2 ↑ 37 17 7 13 54 40 1.57 7th R4 R1 R2 League play-offs W England Sam Hoskins 47 England Sam Hoskins 12 5,101
2020–21 Lge 1 ↓ 3 46 11 12 23 41 67 45 22nd R1 R2 R3 49 England Ryan Watson 9 n/a[31]
2021–22 Lge 2 4 46 23 11 12 60 38 80 4th R1 R2 Grp League play-offs SF England Fraser Horsfall 53 England Sam Hoskins 13 5,366
2022–23 Lge 2 ↑ 46 23 14 9 62 42 83 3rd R1 R1 Grp England Mitch Pinnock 48 22 5,920
2023–24 Lge 1 3 46 17 9 20 57 66 60 14th R1 R1 Grp Scotland Marc Leonard 49 15 6,841
2024–25 Lge 1 R1 R1 R2

Key

Champions Runners-up Play-offs Promoted Relegated Semi-finals

Top scorers shown in bold are Northampton Town who were also top scorers in their division that season.

Footnotes and references

  1. ^ Northampton Town Football Club History Database. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  2. ^ The League Cup was founded in 1960.
  3. ^ English League leading goalscorers 1889-2007 RSSSF. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  4. ^ League matches only.
  5. ^ Includes substitute appearances. Bold indicates "ever-present". With equal number of appearances, starts take priority.
  6. ^ England Albert Dunkley
    England Maurice Jones
    England F. Warner
  7. ^ England Byles
    England Albert Dunkley
    England Everard Lawrence
    England G.Sargent
    England F.Warner
    England Roger Warner
  8. ^ England Ralph Howe
    England Richard Murrell
    England William Pell
  9. ^ England Tim Coleman
    England Jack Farrell
    England James Frost
  10. ^ England Len Benbow
    England Fred Cooke
    England Bert Dainty
    England Peter Durber
    England James Frost
  11. ^ England Harry King
    Wales Lloyd Davies
    England Eric Tompkins
    England Thomas Thorpe
  12. ^ 28 League goals.
  13. ^ England Louis Page
    England Billy Pease
    England Charles Smith
    Wales Billy Williams
  14. ^ England Albert Dawes
    England John Dowsey
    England Tommy Wells
  15. ^ 32 League goals
  16. ^ England Tommy Fowler
    Scotland Archie Garrett
    England Dave Smith
    England Bill Smith
  17. ^ England Tommy Fowler
    Scotland Willie O'Donnell
    England Ron Patterson
    England Jack Southam
    England Alf Wood
  18. ^ 31 League goals
  19. ^ England Tommy Fowler
    England Peter Pickering
    Scotland Ray Yeoman
  20. ^ 36 League goals
  21. ^ Joint winners with Peterborough United.
  22. ^ Joint winners with Peterborough United.
  23. ^ England John Gregory
    England Phil Neal
    England Alan Starling
  24. ^ The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win.
  25. ^ England Peter Gleasure
    England Keith McPherson
    England Ian Benjamin
  26. ^ 29 League goals
  27. ^ The 22 top English clubs break away from The Football League to form the FA Premier League as the new top tier of the English football pyramid.
  28. ^ Northampton avoided relegation due Kidderminster not having the ground regulations to be promoted into the Football League
  29. ^ The three divisions in the Football League are re-named: Division One becomes The Championship, Division Two becomes League One and Division Three becomes League Two.
  30. ^ The 2019–20 season was ended early with nine fixtures left to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, On 15 May 2020, the clubs voted to end the season with immediate effect with the final table being determined on a weighed points-per-game basis
  31. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, only a few games were played in front of a reduced crowd, the rest were played behind closed doors.