Burnley Football Club, an English association football club based in Burnley, Lancashire, was founded on 18 May 1882 as Burnley Rovers. The suffix "Rovers" was soon dropped, and the club was simply known as "Burnley Football Club" at the time of its first recorded match on 10 August 1882.Simpson (2007), pp. 12, 18 For the first six years of its existence, there was no league football, so matches were arranged on an ad hoc basis, supplemented by cup competitions organised at local and national level.Simpson (2007), pp. 18–29 The club won its first trophy in 1883: the Dr Dean's Cup, a knockout competition between amateur clubs in the local area. Burnley turned professional at the end of 1883, first entered the FA Cup in the 1885–86 season, and were one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888.Simpson (2007), pp. 13–25 The team have played in the top four tiers of English football from 1888 to the present day.

Burnley have been champions of England twice, in 1920–21 and 1959–60, have won the FA Cup once, in 1913–14, and have won the FA Charity Shield twice, in 1960 and 1973. They were the second, and are one of only five teams to have won all four professional divisions of English football, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End, Sheffield United and Portsmouth. Burnley have been runners-up in the First Division twice, in 1919–20 and 1961–62, and FA Cup runners-up twice, in 1946–47 and 1961–62. They are yet to win the League Cup, having reached the semi-finals on four occasions, most recently in 2008–09.

As of the end of the 2025–26 season, the team have spent 61 seasons in the top division of English football, 48 in the second, 11 in the third, and 7 in the fourth. Burnley have changed division on 27 occasions—13 promotions (6 as champions) and 14 relegations. Jimmy Robson and Willie Irvine hold the record for most goals scored in a season with 37, which they achieved in 1960–61 and 1965–66 respectively.Hayes (1999), p. 57 Burnley's highest average home attendance is 33,621, which the club set in 1947–48.Wiseman (2009), p. 17

The table details their achievements in domestic and international competitions, and records their top goalscorer and average home league attendance, for each completed season.

Key

Key to league record: Pld – Matches played W – Matches won D – Matches drawn L – Matches lost GF – Goals for GA – Goals against Pts – Points Pos – Final position

Key to colours and symbols: 1st or W Winners 2nd or F Runners-up Promoted Relegated ♦ Top league scorer in Burnley's division

Key to divisions: FL – Football League Div 1 – Football League First Division Div 2 – Football League Second Division Div 3 – Football League Third Division Div 4 – Football League Fourth Division Prem – Premier League Champ – EFL Championship

Key to rounds: DNE – Did not enter QR4 – Fourth qualifying round IntR – Intermediate round (between qualifying rounds and rounds proper) PO – Play-off round Group – Group stage Group(N) – Group stage Northern section R1 – First round, etc. R1(N) – First round Northern section, etc. QF – Quarter-final QF(N) – Quarter-final Northern section SF – Semi-final SF(N) – Semi-final Northern section P3rd – Third place F – Finalists F(N) – Finalists Northern section W – Winners

Details of the abandoned 1939–40 Football League are shown in italics and appropriately footnoted.

Seasons +List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results, top scorer and average league attendanceSeasonLeagueSimpson (2007), pp. 529–531FA Cup Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.League CupOtherTop scorer(s)DivisionCompetitionResultPlayer(s)Goals1882–85Burnley played only friendly matches or in local cup competitions.Simpson (2007), pp. 18–251885–86—————————R1—n/a——1886–87—————————R1—2—1887–88—————————R2—2—1888–89FL2273124262179thR2—94,2001889–90FL22451336651311thR1—65,4001890–91FL2293105263218thR2—177,5801891–92FL26114114945267thR2—186,1251892–93Div 130134135144306thR2—86,8051893–94Div 130154116151345thR1—156,3001894–95Div 130114154456269thR1—116,2351895–96Div 1301071348442710thR2—125,8751896–97Div 1 30671743611916thR1—125,2501897–98Div 2 3020828024481stQF—254,1251898–99Div 134159104547393rdR1—126,3551899–1900Div 1 341151834542717thR1—105,8801900–01Div 234204105329443rdR2—113,2751901–02Div 2341010144145309thR1—122,2251902–03Div 234682030772018thIntR—71,5001903–04Div 234159105055395thQR4—104,1001904–05Div 2341261643523011thIntR—134,2601905–06Div 238158154253389thR1—104,9751906–07Div 238176156247407thR1—165,2751907–08Div 238206126750467thR1—247,7251908–09Div 2381371851583314thQF—186,8151909–10Div 2381461862613414thR2—196,5551910–11Div 2381315104545418thQF—147,7001911–12Div 23822887741523rdR1—33 ♦14,0001912–13Div 2 3821898853502ndSF—36 ♦12,9701913–14Div 13812121461533612thW—1921,8201914–15Div 138187136147434thR3—2011,4151915–19The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.1919–20Div 142219126559512ndR2—1219,5301920–21Div 142231367936591stR3Charity ShieldF3131,5351921–22Div 142225157254493rdR1—2123,6401922–23Div 1421662058593815thR1—1716,8851923–24Div 14212121855603617thSF—2114,8901924–25Div 14211121946753419thR1—1615,8901925–26Div 142131019851083620thR3—2617,8571926–27Div 142199149180475thR5—2719,4221927–28Div 1421671982983919thR3—3517,4081928–29Div 14215819811033819thR4—3217,2391929–30Div 1 421482079973621stR3—1514,7261930–31Div 2421711148177458thR4—2511,4931931–32Div 2421392059873519thR3—128,4101932–33Div 24211141767793619thQF—169,4011933–34Div 2421861860724213thR3—1811,4031934–35Div 2421691763734112thSF—2410,8251935–36Div 24212131750593715thR3—1010,4021936–37Div 24216101657614213thR5—1312,0411937–38Div 2421710155454446thR4—1613,3941938–39Div 2421591850563914thR3—1013,7311939–40Div 2201131—1—1939–45The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.1945–46—————————R3—1—1946–47Div 2 42221466529582ndF—1725,8561947–48Div 1422012105643523rdR3—1433,6211948–49Div 14212141643503815thR5—1130,2901949–50Div 14216131340404510thR5—1227,6311950–51Div 14214141448434210thR3—1228,2961951–52Div 14215101756634014thQF—1926,6241952–53Div 1421812126752486thR5—2228,4801953–54Div 142214177867467thR4—2028,1511954–55Div 1421791651484310thR3—1425,0941955–56Div 142188166454447thR4—2723,3971956–57Div 1421810145650467thQF—1622,4931957–58Div 142215168074476thR4—1922,2511958–59Div 1421910138170487thQF—2923,7331959–60Div 142247118561551stQF—2426,9781960–61Div 1422271310277514thSFSF3723,8271961–62Div 14221111010167532ndFDNE—2627,1251962–63Div 1422210107857543rdR4DNE—2025,1801963–64Div 1421710157164449thQFDNE—1419,7551964–65Div 14216101670704212thR5DNE—2515,7391965–66Div 142247117947553rdR4QF—37 ♦19,9681966–67Div 1421591866763914thR3R3Inter-Cities Fairs CupQF2420,5081967–68Div 14214101864713814thR3QF—1717,4351968–69Div 1421591855823914thR4SF—2116,0731969–70Div 14212151556613914thR4R4—1816,4521970–71Div 1 427132229632721stR3R2Texaco CupR1516,1561971–72Div 242206167055467thR3R3—1912,8931972–73Div 2 42241447235621stR3R2Watney CupSF1514,0831973–74Div 1421614125653466thP3rdR32120,6701974–75Div 14217111468674510thR3R4—1719,6411975–76Div 1 429102343662821stR3QF—1718,1201976–77Div 24211141746643616thR4R2Anglo-Scottish CupGroup1512,1731977–78Div 24215101756644011thR4R3Anglo-Scottish CupGroup1311,5811978–79Div 24214121651624013thR5R3Anglo-Scottish CupW1610,7481979–80Div 2 426152139732721stR4R2Anglo-Scottish CupGroup78,1181980–81Div 3461814146048508thR2R2Anglo-Scottish CupGroup176,4691981–82Div 3 46211786645801stR4R1Football League Group CupSF196,9361982–83Div 2 421282256664421stQFSF—199,0851983–84Div 34616141676616212thR3R1Associate Members' CupSF(N)216,6251984–85Div 3 4611132260734621stR3R2Associate Members' CupQF(N)224,1771985–86Div 44616111960655914thR3R1Associate Members' CupGroup(N)213,2041986–87Div 44612132153744922ndR1R1Associate Members' CupR1(N)123,3421987–88Div 4462071957626710thR1R2Associate Members' CupF196,2821988–89Div 44614131952615516thR1R2Associate Members' CupR1(N)187,0621989–90Div 44614141845555616thR3R1Associate Members' CupGroup(N)106,2221990–91Div 4462310137051796thR3R2Associate Members' CupSF(N)207,8821991–92Div 4 4225897943831stR3R1Associate Members' CupF(N)2810,5191992–93Div 24615161557596113thR3R1Football League TrophyQF(N)2310,5371993–94Div 2 462110157958736thR3R2Football League TrophyGroup(N)2811,3171994–95Div 1 4611132249744622ndR4R2—1012,0631995–96Div 24614131956685517thR1R2Football League TrophyQF(N)269,0641996–97Div 2461911167155689thR3R2Football League TrophyR2(N)2510,0531997–98Div 24613132055655220thR1R2Football League TrophyF(N)2010,4811998–99Div 24613161754735515thR1R1Football League TrophyR1(N)2310,6041999–2000Div 2 46251386947882ndR4R1Football League TrophyR1(N)27 ♦12,9372000–01Div 146219165054727thR3R2—1516,2342001–02Div 1462112137062757thR4R1—1615,9482002–03Div 14615102165895516thQFR4—1713,9772003–04Div 14613141960775319thR5R3—2212,5412004–05Champ4615151638396013thR5R4—1312,6402005–06Champ4614122046545417thR3R3—1412,4622006–07Champ4615121952495715thR3R1—1411,9562007–08Champ4616141660676213thR3R3—1312,3652008–09Champ 462113127260765thR5SF—1913,0822009–10Prem 38862442823018thR4R3—1220,6542010–11Champ461814146561688thR5R4—1514,9312011–12Champ4617111862615813thR3R4—2114,0482012–13Champ4616131762606111thR3R3—2812,9282013–14Champ 46261557237932ndR3R4—2613,7192014–15Prem 387121928533319thR3R2—1119,1312015–16Champ 46261557235931stR4R1—23 ♦16,8232016–17Prem381172039554016thR5R2—1220,5582017–18Prem381412123639547thR3R3—1120,6882018–19Prem381172045684015thR4R3UEFA Europa LeaguePO1320,5342019–20Prem381591443505410thR4R2—1420,2602020–21Prem381091933553917thR5R4—123,3872021–22Prem 387141734533518thR3R4—919,3992022–23Champ 462914387351011stQFR4—1919,9532023–24Prem 38592441782419thR3R4—721,1522024–25Champ 462816269161002ndR5R2—1819,8762025–26Prem 384102438752219thR4R3—1221,005

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