[208], The 19992000 campaign was one of contrasts. ++Middlesbrough (2017-18 to present) A run of poor form after the new year left them in serious trouble, and they were in the bottom three going into the final game at home to Bristol City. The club played some positive football and possessed two top-class players in Ndlovu and Phil Babb, but remained unable to play consistently through a whole season and finished 11th. Win . Poor form and injury meant the club finished in 16th place, with gates down from 20,000 at the start of the season to just 5,000 by the end. [149] Explaining the development, Hill cited the rise of hooliganism, saying "you can't be a hooligan sitting down". [163] The season began with low expectations, following the previous season's relegation battle, and they lost the opening game 10 at West Ham. The secret behind the current run of form. [254] Coventry started the 201617 season badly, failing to win any league games in August or September,[253] and causing Mowbray to resign as manager. With fans calling for the head of under-pressure manager Micky Adams, his position became untenable and he was dismissed the next day.[3]. [205][206] Another cup run seemed on the cards after a 70 win over Macclesfield and a 30 defeat at local rivals Leicester in the third and fourth rounds, but it was ended by a poor performance in a 21 fifth round defeat at Everton. [113] Hill went on to have a successful career in broadcasting, which included the hosting of the BBC's Match of the Day programme from 1973 to 1989. TV Channel: Peacock [28] Crystal Palace, who had been impressed by City's performance and supporters in the FA Cup game, were vocal in support for the application and it was duly accepted on 27 May 1908. [248] The other significant development during the season was the purchase of the Ricoh Arena by Wasps RFC, a Premiership rugby union club previously based in High Wycombe. And where are they now? +West Ham United (2003-04 and 2004-05) How Premier League relegation works: The lowest three positions in the Premier League are designated as the "Relegation Zone." The teams that finish the season in one of the bottom 3 positions drop to the lower Championship Division, where they will compete in the following season. The latter was on the bench in the loss to Spurs and Graham Potter likely wont make that move again. [250], 201516 was a season of contrasts. Keane also departed to Inter Milan for 13 million and, with neither player adequately replaced, the team struggled throughout the 200001 season. 195758 proved even worse: Warren was dismissed in September following a poor start, to be replaced by Billy Frith, returning for a second spell in charge,[87] but form did not improve and City finished 19th. Failed investment in the playing surface at the CBS Arena followed by the use of the stadium for Rugby 7's at the 2022 Commonwealth Games meant that the pitch was deemed unplayable by the start of the domestic football season. 1914/15: First relegation from the First Division ++Bolton Wanderers (2012-13 to present) +++Sunderland (2006-07) But after failing to win any of the first six games, they began a series of transfers to reshape the team. Premier League clubs have often had trouble reclaiming top-flight status upon relegation, especially given the playoff route determining the third promotion spot each season in the Championship. Wolves vs Tottenham, live! +Sheffield United (1994-95 to 2005-06), Fifteen seasons Leandro Trossard hobbles off and Emile Smith Rowe comes on. [185] Butcher, whose retirement as a player had led to a contract dispute, was dismissed in January after an FA Cup defeat to Cambridge. SAVE!!! Wow. Sky Blues historian believes he has located Coventry City's first-ever pitch", "Jim Brown: Clarrie Bourton Coventry City's greatest scorer", "This week in Coventry City history: The Sky Blues face Bayern Munich in European Fairs Cup", "Coventry City v Bristol City, 28 April 1934", "San Lorenzo's shameful night at Highfield Rd", "Look: Jimmy Hill and the Sky Blue Revolution - 1961 to 1967", "VIDEOS: Coventry City celebrate 50 years of The Sky Blue Song", "Former Coventry City midfielder Ian Gibson dies aged 73", "The History of Highfield Road - by Coventry City Club Historian Jim Brown", "Jimmy Hill: Match of the Day host who changed football", "Look: The day Highfield Road went up in flames", "Coventry braced for the end of a miracle", "Coventry City football club match record: 1970", "Coventry City digest: The day Sky Blues beat European giants Bayern Munich", "Ernie Hunt: 'Donkey kick' scorer for Coventry City dies aged 75", "SUPREMOS: A look at the career of Joe Mercer", "Mortimer warms to a whole new ball game", "Flashback: When Coventry City took on Zimbabwe at Highfield Road with Arsenal legend Charlie George in their ranks", "NEWS: Coventry City legend Steve Ogrizovic to retire at the end of the season", "ON THIS DAY: An emphatic 4-1 win over Everton completes the Sky Blues great escape of 1985", "Coventry City football club match record: 1987", "Blast From The Past 1987 FA Cup: Manchester Utd 0 Coventry City 1", "Stoke City football club match record: 1987", "League Division One table after close of play on 31 December 1986", "Football: Dublin exposes Chelsea's flaw", "Coventry City football club match record: 1988", "From the Vault: Sutton United knock Coventry City out of the FA Cup in 1989", "League Division One table after close of play on 21 February 1989", "In the matter of an agreement between the Football Association Premier League Limited and the Football Association Limited and the Football League Limited and their respective member clubs", "SUPREMOS: A look at former boss Bobby Gould", "How Don Howe steered one of the worst Coventry City sides in their 34-year top-flight stay to safety", "Making 'An Impossible Job': FourFourTwo's inside story from the men involved", "Historic league table generator: 5 December 2020", "Football: Coventry perform escape act once again", "Blast From The Past: On This Day 1997: Hucks Scores Goal Of The Month v Man.Utd", "Premier League Golden Boot award winners", "Football: Goodison goals almost too good to be true", "20 years on: How Coventry City and Robbie Keane stunned Arsene Wenger's Arsenal", "Coventry City football club match record: 2001", "Coventry are relegated to League One after defeat by Doncaster", "Coventry City defaults on 100,000 Ricoh Arena rent", "Huge bill for taxpayers - the Ricoh Arena court battle in numbers", "Coventry City football club match record: 2013", "League Division One table after close of play on 28 September 2012", "Huddersfield Town appoint Mark Robins as manager", "Coventry promotion hopes ended after 10-point deduction", "League Division One table after close of play on 27 April 2013", "Coventry City fans stay away from new 'home' Northampton ground", "Coventry City plan to build new stadium after Ricoh Arena dispute", "Coventry City kick off in Northampton but some fans shall not be moved", "Coventry City: Football League docks Sky Blues 10 points", "Jim Brown's Coventry City review for 2014/15 season", "League Division One table after close of play on 29 March 2014", "Coventry City 11 Wolverhampton Wanderers", "Coventry City Players' Player of the Season award! Enough Is Enough", "Historic league table generator: 12 August 2017", "Coventry City football club match record: 2018", "Colchester United 2-1 Coventry City: The Sky Blues lose ground on their promotion rivals", "Coventry beat Exeter in League Two play-off final to win first promotion in 51 years", "Historic league table generator: 4 May 2019", "What might come of Sisu's complaint to European Commission", "Coventry City off to Birmingham City as Ricoh Arena talks collapse", "Coventry City football club match record: 2020", "EFL confirm where Coventry City will finish if League One landmark vote goes their way", "STATEMENT: Coventry City confirm groundshare at St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium for 2020/21 season", "NEWS: Coventry City and Wasps Group agree Ricoh Arena deal", "Coventry vs Bristol City: Carabao Cup clash moved to Burton due to 'unsafe and unplayable' pitch at CBS Arena", "Coventry in talks about yet another groundshare", "NEWS: Statement following receipt of an eviction notice from Frasers Group, new owners of the CBS Arena", "NEWS: Local businessman to acquire majority stake in Coventry City Football Club", "NEWS: Doug King confirmed as new majority owner of Coventry City Football Club", "NEWS: Doug King completes full purchase of Coventry City, alongside company name change", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_Coventry_City_F.C.&oldid=1136572870, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 00:45. This was particularly disappointing for Coventry fans, as the club had been one of the favourites to win the title at the start of the season. Contents show 1 When was Coventry in the Premier League? Arsenal pushing hard for an equalizer before half time. The first game under King's ownership was a 1-0 defeat to Burnley on 14th January 2023. +Leicester City (1995-96) [42][43] Eighteenth- and nineteenth-place finishes followed in the subsequent two seasons and in 192425, facing their sixth relegation battle in a row, Coventry finally succumbed and were relegated to the Third Division North. Wolves are already down and for Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan and QPR, the trapdoor is perilously close. [273] The EFL permitted City to make this move, but insisted they "ensure progress is made in regard to finding a solution to getting the club back playing in Coventry at the earliest opportunity". [140] The 197576 season saw a similar pattern to the previous, but supporters were shocked when star midfielder Dennis Mortimer,[135] who had been with the club since the age of fifteen,[141] was sold to arch-rivals Aston Villa for 175,000. [32] They reached the third round in 191011 and also achieved their only title in the Birmingham Senior Cup with a 10 win over Stourbridge. [69] Many fans at the time believed that the war had robbed the team of a probable promotion to the first division, although there was some evidence that the team was already beginning to decline by 1939. [146] The highlight of the 198081 season was a League Cup run which started with a win over Manchester United in the opening round, City winning both legs 10. [234] In August 2013, SISU applied for a judicial review into Coventry City Council's loan of 14 million to ACL;[235] this concluded in June 2014 with a decision that the deal did not amount to amounted to unlawful state aid. OUT: Hugo Bueno (hamstring), Sasa Kalajdzic (torn ACL), Chiquinho (knee), Hee-Chan Hwang (hamstring), | QUESTIONABLE: Matheus Cunha (ankle), Boubacar Traore (groin), OUT: Rodrigo Bentancur (torn ACL out for season), Hugo Lloris (knee), Yves Bissouma (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 4, 2023, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). [94] Hill immediately began changing things within the club, introducing Monday training to allow for more rest at the end of the week before Saturday matches, training in the afternoon, and allowing players to speak to the media. The following season started disastrously, with City losing ten of their opening sixteen games and Frith was dismissed in November 1948. [148] The club also introduced an unusual kit for the new season, featuring a large "T" representing sponsors Talbot. [175][176] The season was a disappointment, however, with their defence of the FA Cup ending in a fourth-round home defeat to Watford and another tenth-place league finish. Couple other of the big clubs that dropped to League One in similar circumstances - Southampton were down here for two years, Portsmouth 11 years and counting (including dropping to League Two), Luton Town 12 years (including dropping as far as non-league) Sheffield United were down there for 6 years too. Coventry rejected a 6,000 bid for him in the summer. They finally started to find some form and lifted up the table to leave themselves just outside the play-off spots as the season took an unprecedented pause in November in order to accommodate the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. [289], 18981919: Non-league years as Coventry City, 19671975: Early top-flight years and European football, 19831987: Rebuilding the team and FA Cup win, 19871995: Post-cup-win years and launch of the Premier League, 20062011: Operation Premiership and the Ranson/SISU era, 20112017: Stadium row and two relegations, 20182020: Exiled again and ascent back to the Championship, 2020-22: Consolidating back in The Championship, "Coventry City FC / Sky Blues history - 100 Years of Highfield Road", "Revealed: The Blitzed pub where Coventry City was born", "Home ground! The club decided not to pay its players for the last few games of the season, which led to a strike. +++Wigan Athletic (2013-14 to present) 2001 -. New signings during this time included goalkeeper Bill Glazier and striker Ian Gibson, while local player and future manager, Bobby Gould, began to appear regularly in the side. Villa have had plenty of the ball but Palace still look dangerous on the counter as Zaha is cutting in from the left and causing problems. On the pitch, the club's first game in the second tier for over 8 years was a 2-1 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate. [68] Coventry continued playing some friendly games until November 1940, when the Coventry Blitz damaged the stadium and brought all football in the city to a halt. Following a highly successful start to the season, Dowie was named "Manager of the Month" for August 2007, having secured top position after the first four league games and two successive League Cup wins. Championship. All eyes are on Kai Havertz who is the teams leading scorer but the total is a meager five and only one has come since January 1. They only managed five, and City were safe again. The new board was led by Erle Shanks and also featured Derrick Robins, who would later go on to become a highly influential figure in the club. Two new Blues have been exceptional since debuting for the club: Enzo Fernandez and Benoit Badiashile. SISU vowed to appeal. +++Swindon Town (1994-95 to present), One season in Championship [79] This placed a strain on the club's finances, and they were forced to sell winger Norman Lockhart to Aston Villa for 15,500. [218] In April 2012, SISU defaulted on the rent owed to ACL, setting in motion a multi-year battle between the club and the stadium's owners. [80] Fairbrother then left the club on 27 October, officially for health reasons his wife had been killed in an accident earlier in the year and he had been under considerable stress. [192], The arrival of Atkinson and Strachan, and Richardson's promise of considerable sums of money to spend on players, brought a sense of optimism to Highfield Road in the summer of 1995. He became seriously ill and died in April 1947. Wasps had previously said that they would not agree to a deal while legal action involving them and SISU was outstanding. Have all 3 relegated teams ever been promoted? Cornet has missed more than five months and the last 24 games with a calf issue suffered on his full Premier League debut for the club in October. A large following of just under 3,000 Sky Blues travelled to the Ashton Gate stadium in the hope of some respite from their appalling league form. Wolves are three points clear of the bottom three despite claiming 10 of the last 18 points available to them. [126] City's form dipped further in 197172, as they finished 18th and were beaten in the FA Cup in a home game against Hull City. Shane Long has that record from a few years again for Southampton against Watford. Score, updates, how to watch, videos, Chelsea vs Leeds, live! [100] The fifth round match again Sunderland was one of the most-attended games ever at Highfield Road; the official figure was just over 40,000 but, with many fans entering the stadium through three gates which were broken down, it is likely to have been closer to 50,000. The fans, who had assumed Mortimer would be the player around whom the team was built, were outraged at the apparent lack of ambition at Coventry, and the sale proved to be poor value as Mortimer went on to have a stellar career and captaincy at Villa, culminating in victory in the 1982 European Cup Final. [5] They following season was even more successful with only four defeats and twenty-six wins from their thirty-four games,[16] as well as a cup treble: the team lifted the Wednesbury and Walsall Cups as well as successfully defending the Birmingham Junior Cup. Mikel Artetas side can feel the breath of Manchester City are their necks but they are holding firm and have won three-straight Premier League games to put them back in charge of their own destiny with 13 games to go. They rallied in the middle part of the season, but another poor run consigned them to a poor finish. League Position 2nd Manager Ron Atkinson. [239] It proved to be his last for the club as he departed for AFC Bournemouth in July 2014. [260] This application was refused by the High Court in July 2017,[261] Once again, SISU sought permission to appeal this decision at the Court of Appeal. [96] For the supporters it seemed like yet another false dawn under a new manager, and attendances dropped to just 6,000. Leeds were in the Second Division at the time and City started as favourites,[170] but the Yorkshire side started better, forcing goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic to make two early saves and taking the lead after fourteen minutes. [186] The club decided in summer 1992 to bring back Bobby Gould, who had enjoyed some success at Wimbledon and West Bromwich since his dismissal by Coventry, for a second stint as manager. Coventry were challenging for the Southern League title at Christmas and went on to reach the FA Cup quarter final, beating top-flight teams Preston and Nottingham Forest before losing to Everton. Boosted by the arrival of Robbie Keane for 6 million, as well as Moroccans Moustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo, Coventry achieved 12 wins from their 19 home games. [21] The following season was also a poor one, including a 102 FA Cup defeat to Worcester-based Berwick Rangers. Al Ahly were founded in 1912, but Egypt didn't have a formal national league until 1948. [213] Strachan tried numerous different team structures, but the poor run continued. King's takeover was ratified by the EFL on the 10th January 2023. [256] In early March, with City bottom of the table and 13 points below safety, Slade was sacked and replaced by Robins, returning for a second spell. was born. [164] But this was followed up with a win over Arsenal and they didn't lose another game until 4 October. Who wouldve predicted this start? [245] Attendances at the stadium began to fall, eventually reaching the lowest level for home games in Coventry in more than 50 years. In the season's final game, City came from behind to beat Bury 21 in front of a then-record 22,000 crowd. This resulted in their first promotion for 51 years since being guided into the First Division by Hill in 1967. by Willie Stanley, an employee of cycle firm Singer Motors. ++Queens Park Rangers (2013-14) Robins' side battled against relegation for the bulk of the season however pulled away from the bottom three in the closing weeks of the season eventually sealing a 16th placed finish, their highest since the 200506 season. Fantasy Premier League Quiz Player of the Month Goal of the Month Manager of the Month ePremier League FPL Player Price changes. +++Ipswich Town (2002-03 to present) They arrived in Coventry having lost all their games in the UK thus far, to Brentford, Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday, and Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves), the last featuring altercations with the referee. [187] The intention was for him to work jointly with Don Howe but the latter decided to step down due to a combination of ill health, a difficult commute and a lack of popularity with supporters. [5][8] The Singers Cycle Company founder, George Singer, became the first president of the club. Assistant Manager Adrian Heath was named caretaker manager and threw his hat into the ring for the full-time position despite a demoralising 32 defeat away at Plymouth Argyle in his first game in charge. Watch Southampton vs Leicester live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm on Saturday Night Football; kick-off 5.30pm. [90] But a run of three defeats in the final matches meant that they missed out. Saturday's Premier League action will deliver more twists and turns in what is turning out to be the most thrilling season in recent memory. Current division: League Two. +Fulham (2019-20) [55] Bourton, in particular, was an instant success and other clubs became interested in signing him a few months into the season. [88] Finances were extremely tight but Frith made some shrewd low-cost signings, including Irish international Reg Ryan, Alan Daley, and Accrington's George Stewart. The tactic meant City conceded more goals than previously, but with Yorath and Barry Powell as anchors in midfield, Hutchison and new signing Ray Graydon on the wings, and Wallace and Mick Ferguson as strikers, the attack were more than able to compensate. Coventry finished seventh, narrowly missing out on qualifying for Europe for a second time. This triggered another 10-point deduction, but the Football League allowed the club to continue playing by agreeing to transfer its golden share to the administrator's preferred bidder, Otium Entertainment Group,[233] a company majority owned by SISU. . Introducing your Aston Villa team to face Crystal Palace. Pep Guardiola's side have been plagued by inconsistency and are off Arsenal's title-challenging pace. The sides havent met since Week 3 of the Premier League season, when Harry Kanes 64th-minute goal was all Spurs would need to claim all three points. [64] In 193738 they performed even better, being undefeated for the first fifteen games and finishing fourth, one point behind promoted Manchester United. [97] But Hill, with strong support from Robins, was already planning for the following season. [158], Bobby Gould made several more signings in the summer and autumn of 1984, with the nucleus of the future cup-winning side beginning to take shape. The new recruits included members of the future cup-winning side, Dave Bennett, Michael Gynn and Trevor Peake, as well as Micky Adams, Sam Allardyce and Stuart Pearce, the last of whom joined from non-league Wealdstone a few months into the season. Don Howe took over but the club continued to play poorly and were pulled into a relegation fight. Never have all three relegated teams have come right back to the Premier League the next season, and only five times in 27 seasons have two teams bounced back after just a single Championship season. [152] But this was short-lived, as further players were sold the following season including Garry Thompson, who was sold to West Bromwich for just 225,000. Speaking of Sheffield, Wednesday are . For the remainder of the . The 202223 season started off in farcical fashion off the pitch once again for the club. Once more in a perilous financial situation, Coventry started 196061 poorly with only four wins in the first sixteen games. After falling behind in the second half, they eventually won the game to assure their League One status. 66 min: Gakpo and Jota try to make inroads near the Palace area. Promotion to the Premier League and the Championship play-off trophy go to the game's victor. [211] They won two of their first three games, ending the run of winless away games in the process,[212] but they then won only two further games before Christmas. [40] Both clubs received a heavy fine, along with life bans from football for several officials including David Cooke and later, in 1925, Harry Pollitt. [222] A run of five defeats followed,[221] leaving the club second from bottom in late September. Arteta looks stunned. [129] They started out the 197273 season with the existing squad, seeking to play in what Mercer called "the attractive way". The team did not play regularly and games were played under a variety of football rules, with some being closer to rugby union than Association football. The goal won the BBC Goal of the Season award, but the technique was outlawed at the end of the season. They scored a notable victory against top-of-the-table Nottingham Forest in November. A nervous moment for Bournemouth but no penalty kick given. 1992/93. (@CPFC) March 4, 2023, Latest USMNT news [117][118] Coventry entered the last game of the season knowing that they would be safe from relegation if they matched the result of Sheffield United. Their manager at the time was John Sillett. The resulting investigation found shortcomings in the management of the club, and the syndicate was fined 10. This was accompanied by off-field improvements such as the construction of a new main stand and the purchase of the freehold to Highfield Road, made possible by a loan of 20,000 from local motor-industry entrepreneur John Siddeley. Meanwhile, the club were selling key players including fan-favourite Tommy Hutchison, who departed for Manchester City, while failing to invest in replacements. But they won only one league game after the turn of 2003 and finished 20th in the final table just two places above the relegation zone. None more so than in 1998, when the club only stayed in the Premier League on goal difference after one of the most tumultuous seasons in modern times. City had an excellent first four months of the campaign,[251] and were top of the division in late November following a 41 over previous leaders Gillingham. [119], The 199798 season, Strachan's first full campaign in charge, was much more successful. Great to see ESR back in action after such a long time out with injury. 2015-16: Burnley and Hull City All told, 22 of 82 teams relegated between 1992-93 and 2018-19 returned to the Premier League after just one season. This decision proved a very unpopular one with the majority of the club's fans, as Black (who was popular and had been doing a good job with relatively limited resources) had been seen to have been ousted for a 'big name' whose management style was perceived as 'old school' and not fitting with the modern game. Harry Kanes 18-goal Premier League season is driving Spurs toward a top-four spot and the English center forward has started every PL match for the club, going 90 minutes in all but one match. Bourton's individual tally of 49 goals was the Football League record for 193132,[58] and his overall total of 50 remains the club record. After another poor start to the season their fortunes changed with the signing of Patsy Hendren, a player who became better known as a cricketer, going on to play the sport for England. Many sections of the media pinpointed this as a 'must-win' fixture for Adams. +West Ham United (2011-12) [183] The 199192 season was thus the last in the old First Division before the launch of the Premier League, and it was another disappointing one for Coventry. [83] The first part of the season was mixed, with good results at home offset by a poor away record. As an ex-Coventry player from 1983 to 1987, Adams was a popular choice with fans as he had a genuine fondness for the club and preferred a more technical and Continental approach to playing than his predecessor. [131] League form also suffered and the club finished 19th. On 13 January 2005, the club touched off a controversy when it announced that the traditional badge would be replaced with an updated, more modern version. Leeds is still without arguably its top performer this season, Rodrigo, but the next group of stars will be there as Maximilian Wober, Tyler Adams, and Marc Roca are available. [137], Robins' replacement as chairman was Sir Jack Scamp, a local industrial relations expert who had previously chaired Rugby Town F.C. Al Ahly won each of the first nine Egyptian Premier League titles, and in 2019 they won their 41st title. ++++Bradford City (2001-02 to present) But Coventry scored twice in the final stages to progress to their first ever semi-final, against Leeds United. @ParimatchGlobal | #CheLee pic.twitter.com/wKpG5SmigY, OUT: Rodrigo (ankle), Stuart Dallas (thigh), Adam Forshaw (groin) | QUESTIONABLE: Luis Sinisterra (thigh), Liam Cooper (undisclosed), Pascal Struijk (concussion), Your Starting XI to face Chelsea pic.twitter.com/l3wEHtW2xd. [92] The first months of the season were amongst the worst in the club's history, as the club lacked a consistent centre-forward. MON March 30, 2020 Derby became the first Premier League side to be relegated on March 29, 2008, and remain statistically the worst side the competition has seen after a truly. [195] They also rejected offers of several million pounds each for Dublin and Ndlovu. The club acquired new players Gary Gillespie and Steve Hunt for relatively low prices, both of whom would go on to enjoy success at the club. At the time, only Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal could boast longer tenures in the top flight. Returning from the team's brief trip to Spain to escape the cold George Curtis told the press "Our name is on the cup", but United were the firm favourites. [286] Coventry City and Frasers were able to agree a deal to keep the club at the Arena until at least the end of the 2022-23 season. Dougie Freedman (9) Most Appearances. Chelsea vs Leeds, live! Coventry won two of them and escaped relegation again. Despite these improvements, the club's first twelve years in the Football League were mostly disastrous, both on and off the field.