We have taken a look at the League One league leaders at Christmas from the past 17 years and listed their final positions.
Many teams have had the honour of being top of the table for the festive period, though we’ve seen several other teams failing to keep their number one position before slipping down the league.
Time to check out just who managed to be League One leaders at Christmas from over the years and their final positions…
2008 – LEICESTER CITY
In the 2008/09 season, it was Leicester City who were top of the League One table at Christmas under Nigel Pearson.
They ended up finishing in 1st with 96 points and were crowned champions having never played at this tier of football in their history. Peterborough were 2nd with 89 points.
Today they sit 13th in the Championship, with 31 points from 22 games played.
Leicester City – League One Champions (2009) #LCFC pic.twitter.com/Df912ynXiQ
— Filbert Street (@FiIbertStreet) July 15, 2018
2009 – LEEDS UNITED
In the 2009/10 season, Simon Grayson’s Leeds United were top of League One at Christmas, in what was their third consecutive season in the third tier.
They ended up finishing in 2nd with 86 points and were promoted to the Championship. Norwich were champions with 95 points.
Fast forward to today and the Whites sit 16th in the Premier League table with 19 points from 17 games played.
6 years ago today, Beckford scored the vital goal as Leeds were promoted with a 2-1 win vs Bristol Rovers! #lufc pic.twitter.com/UiHLe7RCAy
— YBI (@YeboahBelieveIt) May 8, 2016
2010 – BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
In the 2010/11 season, Gus Poyet guided Brighton & Hove Albion were top of League One at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 1st with 95 points and were crowned champions. Southampton were second with 92 points.
Fast forward to today and Brighton sit 9th in the Premier League table with 24 points from 17 games played.
#BHAFC lift the 2011 League One title. #BackToTheFutureDay pic.twitter.com/IyaxZ2J14I
— Brighton & Hove Albion ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) October 21, 2015
2011 – CHARLTON ATHLETIC
In the 2011/12 season, it was good times for Chris Powell’s Charlton Athletic who managed to go top of League One at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 1st with 101 points and were crowned champions. Sheffield Wednesday were 2nd with 93 points.
Fast forward to today and Charlton sit 17th in the Championship table with 27 points from 21 games played.
CAFC League One Champions 2011/12!! Congrats to all at the club – what a season! #cafc @CAFCofficial pic.twitter.com/wh7F6Tzf
— Rob Sturley (@sturleydog) April 21, 2012
2012 – SHEFFIELD UNITED
In the 2012/13 season, it was the other Sheffield based club Sheffield United who were top of League One at Christmas.
It went awfully after that however, finding themselves in 5th place with 75 points and lost in the playoff semi final to Yeovil Town. Doncaster were champions with 84 points.
Sheffield United ended up getting promoted for the 2022/23 season, but Heckingbottom was soon sacked months into the Premier League campaign, bringing back Chris Wilder to try and prevent them from going down.
FT Yeovil 2-0 Sheffield United. Gary Johnson takes his side to Wembley. Fans stream onto the pitch #ytfc #sufc pic.twitter.com/oaX8LY9mlP
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) May 6, 2013
2013 – LEYTON ORIENT
In the 2013/14 season, it was the turn of Leyton Orient to go storming to the top of League One at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 3rd place with 86 points and lost in the playoff final to Rotherham United. Wolves were crowned champions with 103 points.
Fast forward to Christmas Day 2024, and they sit 15th in League One with 25 points from 20 games played, six above the drop zone and six from the playoff places.
Rotherham are promoted to the @SkyBetChamp after beating Leyton Orient on penalties in the #league1playofffinal pic.twitter.com/6BHPFjrmED
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 25, 2014
2014 – BRISTOL CITY
In the 2014/15 season, yet another team was leading the table. Bristol City were top of League One at Christmas and this time they didn’t slip up unlike others mentioned in this article.
They ended up finishing in 1st with 99 points and were crowned champions. MK Dons finished 2nd with 91 points.
The Robins currently sit in the Championship, 12th in the Championship, with 27 points from 22 games played, 8 points from the playoff places and 9 points above the drop zone.
GALLERY: Enjoy the celebrations as #BristolCity become champions of @SkyBetLeague1 https://t.co/T7eqoCM7VP pic.twitter.com/OLyqzUzqFA
— Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) April 18, 2015
2015 – BURTON ALBION
In the 2015/16 season, it was Burton Albion’s first season in the third tier of English football and they went top of League One at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 2nd place with 85 points and promoted to the Championship. Wigan were crowned champions with 87 points.
The Brewers currently sit 23rd in the League One standings, with 12 points taken from 20 games played, 9 points from safety.
Wow. What an achievement. #BAFCandProud #promoted @burtonalbionfc pic.twitter.com/J5JsRzAP7Z
— Matt Hancock (@MattHank4) May 8, 2016
2016 – SCUNTHORPE UNITED
In the 2016/17 season, Graham Alexander guided his side Scunthorpe United to the top of League One at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 3rd with 82 points and lost in the playoff semi final to Millwall. Sheffield United were champions with 100 points.
These days, the club are playing in the National League North, of which they sit 4th, 4 points from the league leaders Curzon Ashton.
⚽️ Match Report: Iron 2-3 Millwall (2-3 agg) – https://t.co/CNjv9IJMoQ pic.twitter.com/ncSkNw2YF2
— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) May 7, 2017
2017 – WIGAN ATHLETIC
In the 2017/18 season, Paul Cook’s Wigan Athletic were top of League One at Christmas in what was a superb campaign for them.
They ended up finishing in 1st and were crowned champions with 98 points. Blackburn were 2nd with 96 points.
Wigan currently sit 17th in League One, with 24 points from 20 games played, 5 points above the drop zone and 7 points from the playoff places.
Your 2015-16 @SkyBetLeague1 CHAMPIONS! #wafc pic.twitter.com/J4Lm6idMXc
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) May 8, 2016
2018 – PORTSMOUTH
In the 2018/19 season, Portsmouth fans were loving life when their club were top of League One at Christmas.
Miserably however, they ended up finishing in 4th with 88 points and lost to Sunderland in the playoff semi final. Luton were champions with 94 points.
Fast forward to Christmas 2024 and Pompey sit 20th in the Championship table, first season back in the second tier after winning the third tier title earlier in the year.
They’ve done it!
Luton Town are League One champions.
More: https://t.co/XFEeatxKvk pic.twitter.com/5XjGqZr1Lo
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 4, 2019
2019 – WYCOMBE
In the 2019/20 season, Gareth Ainsworth’s Chairboys were top of League One at Christmas and couldn’t believe their luck.
They slipped down the table, though ended up finishing in 4th with the league standings based on PPG, however beat Oxford United in the playoff final. Coventry City were champions returning to the Championship.
Wycombe currently sit 2nd in League One, with 44 points from 20 games played, a point behind leaders Birmingham, and two ahead of 3rd place Wrexham.
2020 – PORTSMOUTH
In the 2020/21 season, Portsmouth were top of League One at Christmas and at the time, times looked on the up.
They however bottled it, slipping down the table, and finished in 8th, missing out on a playoff place on the final day. Winning the title was actually Hull City.
2021 – ROTHERHAM UNITED
The League One leaders for the 2021/22 season was Rotherham United, who sat two points ahead of 2nd place Wigan Athletic and were four ahead of Sunderland in third.
The Millers extended their unbeaten run to 21 games in all competitions with a 1-0 triumph at Cambridge United. Daniel Barlaser’s second-half strike was the difference as the visitors.
Rotherham went on to win promotion, but failed to be crowned champions, with Wigan snatching that instead, winning the league with 92 points while Rotherham were second with 90 points.
Rotherham fell back into the third tier last season, and are struggling, sitting down in 18th with 23 points from 19 games played, 4 points above the drop zone.
2022 – PLYMOUTH
Top of the 2022/23 League One table at Christmas was Plymouth Argyle with 47 points from 22 games played at the time, with Ipswich in second on 45 points and Sheffield Wednesday third and with 43 points.
In the end, Plymouth went on to win the league, picking up 101 points from 46 games played, while Ipswich were second with 98 points, and Sheffield Wednesday third with 96 points, the latter winning the playoff final against Barnsley.
After thirteen years below the second tier, Argyle would go on to participate in the Championship for the 2023–24 season, and are giving a good go at it, sitting 17th with 27 points from 23 games, 7 points above the drop zone and 9 points from the playoffs.
Plymouth, currently managed by Wayne Rooney, currently sit bottom of the Championship table with 18 points from 21 games, and are just a point from safety.
Plymouth Argyle are the champions of League One! 🏆🔥 pic.twitter.com/NGg981O6pb
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 7, 2023
2023 – PORTSMOUTH
Top of the League One table for Christmas 2023 is Portsmouth, picking up 49 points from 22 games played, with those putting pressure on them somewhat falling away leading up to the festive period.
The likes of Peterborough, Bolton, Derby, Oxford, Stevenage and Barnsley had all been chasing that automatic promotion place.
The Boxing Day fixtures saw Pompey fall to defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers, with those below them upping the pressure by bettering Portsmouth’s result.
Portsmouth were able to get back to winning ways, and go on to finally get out of the third tier, for a return to the Championship, a league they haven’t been in since 2012.
2024 – BIRMINGHAM CITY
Birmingham were the league leaders for Christmas 2024, on 45 points from 19 games played, a point ahead and a game in hand over 2nd place Wycombe, and three points ahead of 3rd place Wrexham, who played 21 games.
The Blues, who were strong favourites since pre-season to win promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt, moved to the top of League One when Jay Stansfield’s headed goal saw them see off Crawley Town, his 7th goal in 7 games.
Birmingham went on to win the league with 111 points from 46 games played, while Wrexham finished 2nd with 92 points, and 4th place Charlton secured promotion, beating Leyton Orient in the playoff final.
2025 – CARDIFF CITY
Leading the way in League One for 2025 is Cardiff City, three points clear of second place Lincoln, and four clear of third place Bradford.
Bluebirds fans remain optimistic about an immediate return to the Championship, but there are some concerns with January transfer window a priority, with some vulnerabilities in defensive, a lack of left-back cover, attacking reinforcements and squad depth.
While there’s confidence in manager Brian Barry-Murphy and his youth-driven style, with the football entertaining, most agree reinforcements are needed for a top-two finish.
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