After 130 years, founders Notts County dropped out of the league in 2019. They will now be overtaken in the ATLT by Hull City in 2020, and by Norwich in 2021.
Whoever you support you’ll agree this is a sad state of affairs. Remarkable, too, since 10 of the original 12 clubs have healthy records in the top two divisions.
Apart from Bolton, struggling uncharacteristically in the third tier and heading for the fourth, the only other founding team not flourishing is Accrington. There have been 135 clubs in the league up to 2019, and Accrington’s five seasons in the very earliest league has been enough to keep them in the top 100 – until now.
Wimbledon, the phoenix from the flames, have now pushed them into 101st. This, however, relies on me crediting the old Wimbledon’s record to the new Wimbledon, home of the fans, and not MK Dons, legal owners. I’m sure you’d approve.