This is a list of seasons completed by Oldham Athletic A.F.C. in English football, from 1904—when the club began playing professionally—to the most recent completed season. The list details accomplishments in all competitions the club has entered. The club has never participated in any major competitions outside of the United Kingdom.

History The club was created in 1899 after Pine Villa Football Club folded earlier the same year. In the early years, Oldham played mostly at the junior level of competition. In 1899, Oldham Athletic played their first game in the Manchester Alliance League versus Berry's Blacking Works Second XI. The following season, the club would move to the Manchester Football League after finishing as runners-up. The club began to play professionally in 1904 as they moved into the Lancashire Combination B Division and were immediately promoted to the A Division by finishing as runners-up.

After two seasons in the Lancashire Combination, the club gained acceptance into the Football League in June 1907 when Burslem Port Vale resigned from the league. Unlike many clubs, Oldham Athletic gained early success in the league as they finished in third place in the Football League Second Division. By 1910, the club was playing in the top flight of English football after the club had finishing in the runners-up spot in the 1909–10 season. It would not be until the 1952–53 season when the club would once again win a trophy, as they finished at the top of the Football League Third Division North table. By the late 1950s, the club was in the Football League Fourth Division and twice had to apply for re-election into the Football League, including a finish of 23rd in 1959–60, their lowest rank in the League.

By the mid-1960s, the club's fortunes had turned as they gained promotion back into the Football League Third Division. In 1973–74, Jimmy Frizzell led Oldham back to the Second Division as the club won their first league title since 1953. Unlike the previous visit into the division, the club was not relegated quickly. In the late 1970s, the club were runners-up in the Anglo-Scottish Cup following a loss to Burnley 4–2 on aggregate. Under Joe Royle in 1989–90 season, Oldham had their best finish in a major English cup by finishing as runners-up in the 1990 Football League Cup Final. The following season, Oldham won the Second Division and were promoted to the Football League First Division for the first time in 64 years and, in 1992–93, the club was a founding member of the FA Premier League.

The club was relegated back into the First Division following the 1993–94 season with Joe Royle leaving to join Everton during the next season. In the 1996–97 season, the club was relegated for the second time in four seasons and were back in the Second Division. After 21 consecutive seasons in the third tier of English football, the club were relegated to the renamed League Two for the first time since 1971. In 2021–22 they finished 23rd, 62 years after they had finished in the same position, and this time they were relegated automatically to the National League – the first former Premier League club to play non-League football.

Seasons SeasonLeagueFA CupEFLCupEFLTrophyOtherTop goalscorer(s)DivisionP W D L GF GA Pts Pos Name Goals 1895–04Unknown 1904–05 Lan C-2 34 19 6 9 80 38 44 3rd 1905–06 Lan C-1 38 14 8 16 45 52 36 13th 4Q 1906–07 Lan C-1 38 26 5 7 105 33 57 1st R2 1907–08 Div 2 38 22 6 10 76 42 50 3rd R2 Frank Newton 29 1908–09 Div 2 38 17 6 15 55 43 40 6th R1 Frank Newton 14 1909–10 Div 2 38 23 7 8 79 39 53 2nd R1 Jimmy Fay 26 1910–11 Div 1 38 16 9 13 44 41 41 7th R2 Alf Toward 13 1911–12 Div 1 38 12 10 16 46 54 34 18th R3 Evan Jones 17 1912–13 Div 1 38 14 14 10 50 55 42 9th SF Joe Walters 13 1913–14 Div 1 38 17 9 12 55 45 43 4th R1 Arthur Gee 12 1914–15 Div 1 38 17 11 10 70 56 45 2nd QF Gilbert Kemp 19 1915–19No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 because of the First World War. 1919–20 Div 1 42 15 8 19 49 52 38 17th R1 Arthur Gee 13 1920–21 Div 1 42 9 15 18 49 86 33 19th R2 Reuben Butler 16 1921–22 Div 1 42 13 11 18 38 50 37 19th R2 Reuben Butler 13 1922–23 Div 1 42 10 10 22 35 65 30 22nd R1 Jack Marshall 6 1923–24 Div 2 42 14 17 11 43 52 45 7th R2 John Blair 15 1924–25 Div 2 42 13 11 18 35 51 37 18th R1 Chris Jones 6 1925–26 Div 2 42 18 8 16 74 66 44 7th R3 Arthur Ormston 23 1926–27 Div 2 42 19 6 17 74 84 44 10th R3 Albert Pynegar 19 1927–28 Div 2 42 19 8 15 75 51 46 7th R4 Albert Pynegar 19 1928–29 Div 2 42 16 5 21 54 75 37 18th R3 Stewart Littlewood 12 1929–30 Div 2 42 21 11 10 90 51 53 3rd R4 Stewart Littlewood 30 1930–31 Div 2 42 16 10 16 61 72 42 12th R3 Jimmy Dyson 15 1931–32 Div 2 42 13 10 19 62 84 36 18th R3 Bill Johnstone 12 1932–33 Div 2 42 15 8 19 67 80 38 16th R3 Jimmy Pears 12 1933–34 Div 2 42 17 10 15 72 60 44 9th R4 Tommy Reid 17 1934–35 Div 2 42 10 6 26 56 95 26 21st R3 Billy Walsh 12 1935–36 Div 3N 42 18 9 15 86 73 45 7th R2 Tom Davis 35 1936–37 Div 3N 42 20 11 11 77 59 51 4th R3 Jack Diamond 18 1937–38 Div 3N 42 19 13 10 67 46 51 4th R1 Tom Davis 33 1938–39 Div 3N 42 22 5 15 76 59 49 5th R1 Ron Ferrier 21 1939–40 Div 3N 3 1 0 2 3 5 2 18th – 1939–44No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 because of the Second World War. 1945–46 R2 1946–47 Div 3N 42 12 8 22 55 80 32 19th R2 Fred Howe 20 1947–48 Div 3N 42 14 13 15 63 64 41 11th R2 Blackshaw/Haddington 17 1948–49 Div 3N 42 18 9 15 75 67 45 6th R2 Eric Gemmell 23 1949–50 Div 3N 42 16 11 15 58 63 43 11th R3 Ray Haddington 24 1950–51 Div 3N 42 16 8 22 73 73 40 15th R3 Eric Gemmell 22 1951–52 Div 3N 42 24 9 13 90 61 57 4th R2 Eric Gemmell 29 1952–53 Div 3N 46 22 15 9 77 45 59 1st R3 Eric Gemmell 23 1953–54 Div 2 42 8 9 25 40 89 25 22nd R3 Frank Scrine 9 1954–55 Div 3N 46 19 10 17 74 68 48 10th R2 Don Travis 30 1955–56 Div 3N 46 10 18 18 76 86 38 20th R1 Don Travis 15 1956–57 Div 3N 46 12 15 19 66 74 39 19th R2 Don Travis 14 1957–58 Div 3N 46 14 17 15 72 84 45 15th R2 Gerry Duffy 17 1958–59 Div 4 46 16 4 26 59 84 36 21st R3 Peter Phoenix 14 1959–60 Div 4 46 8 12 26 41 83 28 23rd R2 Peter Stringfellow 11 1960–61 Div 4 46 19 7 20 79 88 45 12th R2 R2 Bert Lister 21 1961–62 Div 4 44 17 12 15 77 70 46 11th R4 R1 Jimmy Frizzell 25 1962–63 Div 4 46 24 11 11 95 60 59 2nd R1 R2 Bert Lister 33 1963–64 Div 3 46 20 8 18 73 40 48 9th R3 R1 Bert Lister 17 1964–65 Div 3 46 13 10 23 61 83 36 20th R3 R2 Jimmy Frizzell 11 1965–66 Div 3 46 12 13 21 55 81 37 20th R3 R2 Ian Towers 10 1966–67 Div 3 46 19 10 17 80 63 48 10th R3 R1 Ian Towers 27 1967–68 Div 3 46 18 7 21 60 65 43 16th R1 R1 Bob Ledger 11 1968–69 Div 3 46 13 9 24 50 83 35 24th R1 R1 Keith Bebbington 13 1969–70 Div 4 46 13 13 20 60 65 39 19th R2 R1 David Shaw 12 1970–71 Div 4 46 24 11 11 88 63 59 3rd R1 R2 Jim Fryatt 26 1971–72 Div 3 46 17 11 18 59 63 45 11th R1 R2 David Shaw 19 1972–73 Div 3 46 19 16 11 72 54 54 4th R1 R1 David Shaw 18 1973–74 Div 3 46 25 12 9 83 47 62 1st R4 R1 Colin Garwood 17 1974–75 Div 2 42 10 15 17 40 48 35 18th R3 R1 Ian Robins 10 1975–76 Div 2 42 13 12 17 57 68 38 17th R3 R2 David Shaw 13 1976–77 Div 2 42 14 10 18 52 64 38 13th R5 R1 Vic Halom 22 1977–78 Div 2 42 13 16 13 54 58 42 8th R3 R3 ASC GS Steve Taylor 21 1978–79 Div 2 42 13 13 16 52 61 39 14th R5 R2 ASC RU Alan Young 14 1979–80 Div 2 42 16 11 15 49 53 43 11th R5 R2 Simon Stainrod 11 1980–81 Div 2 42 12 15 15 39 48 39 15th R3 R2 Rodger Wylde 12 1981–82 Div 2 42 15 14 13 50 51 59 11th R3 R3 Rodger Wylde 17 1982–83 Div 2 42 14 19 9 64 47 61 7th R3 R2 Rodger Wylde 19 1983–84 Div 2 42 13 8 21 47 73 47 19th R3 R3 Roger Palmer 14 1984–85 Div 2 42 15 8 19 49 67 53 14th R4 R1 Micky Quinn 25 1985–86 Div 2 42 17 9 16 62 61 60 8th R4 R2 Ron Futcher 17 1986–87 Div 2 42 22 9 11 65 44 75 3rd R3 R3 P-O SF Roger Palmer 17 1987–88 Div 2 44 18 11 15 72 64 65 10th R3 R4 Palmer/Ritchie 20 1988–89 Div 2 46 11 21 14 75 72 54 16th R3 R3 Andy Ritchie 16 1989–90 Div 2 46 19 14 13 70 57 71 8th SF RU Andy Ritchie 28 1990–91 Div 2 46 25 13 8 83 53 88 1st R4 R3 Ian Marshall 18 1991–92 Div 1 42 14 9 19 63 57 51 17th R3 R4 Graeme Sharp 16 1992–93 Prem 42 13 10 19 63 74 49 19th R3 R4 Ian Olney 13 1993–94 Prem 42 9 13 20 42 68 40 21st SF R4 Graeme Sharp 11 1994–95 Div 1 46 16 13 17 60 60 61 14th R4 R3 Sean McCarthy 18 1995–96 Div 1 46 14 14 18 54 50 56 18th R4 R2 AIC GS Richardson/McCarthy 11 1996–97 Div 1 46 10 13 23 51 66 43 23rd R3 R3 Stuart Barlow 12 1997–98 Div 2 46 15 16 15 62 54 61 13th R3 R1 R1 Stuart Barlow 13 1998–99 Div 2 46 14 9 23 48 66 51 20th R3 R1 R1 Mark Allott 8 1999–00 Div 2 46 16 12 18 50 55 60 14th R3 R1 R2 Allott/Whitehall 11 2000–01 Div 2 46 15 13 18 53 65 58 15th R2 R2 R1 Lee Duxbury 10 2001–02 Div 2 46 18 16 12 77 65 70 9th R3 R2 SF(N) David Eyres 14 2002–03 Div 2 46 22 16 8 66 38 82 5th R2 R4 R1 P-O SF David Eyres 16 2003–04 Div 2 46 12 21 13 66 60 57 15th R2 R1 R2 Scott Vernon 15 2004–05 Lge 1 46 14 10 22 60 73 52 19th R4 R2 F(N) Chris Killen 15 2005–06 Lge 1 46 18 11 17 58 60 65 10th R2 R1 R1 Luke Beckett 18 2006–07 Lge 1 46 21 12 13 69 47 75 6th R3 R1 R2 P-O SF Chris Porter 22 2007–08 Lge 1 46 18 13 15 58 46 67 8th R4 R2 R2 Craig Davies 14 2008–09 Lge 1 46 16 17 13 66 65 65 10th R1 R2 R1 Lee Hughes 18 2009–10 Lge 1 46 13 13 20 39 57 52 16th R1 R1 R1 Paweł Abbott 13 2010–11 Lge 1 46 13 17 16 53 60 56 17th R1 R1 R1 Chris Taylor 11 2011–12 Lge 1 46 14 12 20 50 66 54 16th R3 R1 F(N) Shefki Kuqi 16 2012–13 Lge 1 46 14 9 23 46 59 51 19th R5 R1 R1 Jose Baxter 15 2013–14 Lge 1 46 14 14 18 50 59 56 15th R3 R1 SF(N) Danny Philliskirk 12 2014–15 Lge 1 46 14 15 17 54 67 57 15th R2 R1 QF(N) Jonathan Forte 12 2015–16 Lge 1 46 12 18 16 44 58 54 17th R1 R1 R1N Danny Philliskirk 7 2016–17 Lge 1 46 12 17 17 31 44 53 17th R2 R2 R3 Lee Erwin 10 2017–18 Lge 1 46 11 17 18 58 75 50 21st R1 R1 QF Eoin Doyle 14 2018–19 Lge 2 46 16 14 16 67 60 62 14th R4 R1 R2 Callum Lang 16 2019–20 Lge 2 37 9 14 14 44 57 41 19th R2 R1 R1 Jonny Smith 11 2020–21 Lge 2 46 15 9 22 72 81 54 18th R3 R2 R2 Conor McAleny 21 2021–22 Lge 2 46 9 11 26 46 75 38 23rd R1 R3 R2 Davis Keillor-Dunn 17 2022–23 NL 46 16 13 17 63 64 61 12th R1 — — FAT R4 Mike Fondop 13 2023–24 NL 46 15 18 13 63 60 63 10th R1 — — FAT R4 James Norwood 18 2024–25 NL 46 19 16 11 64 48 73 5th R2 — — P-O 1st Mike Fondop 20 2025–26 Lge 2 46 18 14 14 60 44 68 10th R2 PR R1 Michael Mellon 10

Key

P – Played W – Games won D – Games drawn L – Games lost F – Goals for A – Goals against Pts – Points Pos – Final position

Lan C-1 – Lancashire Combination A Division Lan C-2 – Lancashire Combination B Division Div 1 – Football League First Division Div 2 – Football League Second Division Div 3 – Football League Third Division Div 3N – Football League Third Division North Div 4 – Football League Fourth Division Prem – Premier League Champ – Football League Championship Lge 1 – Football League One Lge 2 – Football League Two NL – National League P-O - Play-offs ASC – Anglo-Scottish Cup AIC – Anglo-Italian Cup FAT – FA Trophy

GS – Group stage R1 – First round R2 – Second round R3 – Third round R4 – Fourth round R5 – Fifth round QF – Quarter-finals SF – Semi-finals F – Regional final RU – Runners-up W – Winners (N) – Northern section of regionalised stage

ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion or relegation.

Overall Seasons spent at Level 1 of the football league system: 12 Seasons spent at Level 2 of the football league system: 36 Seasons spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 46 Seasons spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 11 Seasons spent below the English Football League: 13

Footnotes

References

External links Oldham Athletic at Soccerbase Football Club History Database Football Site Oldham Athletic at Historical Football Kits