League One is a fiercely competitive and fascinating division, especially this season with clubs such as Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday and many more famous old teams competing to stay in the league, gain promotion - or merely to stay alive. The Foxes are one of the most established amongst the outfits: City gained worldwide notoriety, in a positive sense to begin with, following and during their 2015/16 Premier League title-win a decade ago.
The division is packed with ambition, as storied names like Barnsley, Blackpool, Huddersfield Town and Notts County all eye upward mobility while newer arrivals such as Bromley simply aim to consolidate their place at this level. It is a league of stark contrasts, where sides that were playing top flight football as recently as 2024 and 2025 rub shoulders with those only recently graduating from the non-league ranks.
Leicester City are the seventh oldest professional team in League One - but which clubs are older than the Foxes?
When it comes to history and heritage, however, there is a clear pecking order among the oldest competitors. At the summit stand County, formed in 1862 and recognised as the oldest professional football club in the world, followed closely by Sheffield Wednesday, whose roots stretch back to 1867 when a cricket club branched out into the beautiful game.
"They [the Magpies] are the oldest professional football club in the world"
Third in line is Reading, established in December 1871, before Doncaster Rovers complete the top four after being formed in 1879 by a group of friends seeking regular matches. Leyton Orient follow in fifth, founded in 1881, making them the second oldest club in London, while Stockport County were formed in 1883 by a group of Sunday School pupils.
LCFC (then known as Leicester Fosse) came into being in 1884, placing them seventh on the list, ahead of Luton Town in 1885. Plymouth Argyle founded in 1886, while Blackpool complete the top ten since 1887 formation.
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