We have taken a look at the League Two league leaders at Christmas from the past 16 years and listed their final positions.
Many teams have had the honour of being top of the table for the festive period, though weβve seen several other teams failing to keep their number one position before slipping down the league.
Right, time to check out the League Two league leaders at Christmas from over the years and their final positions…
2008 – WYCOMBE WANDERERS
In the 2008/09 season, Wycombe Wanderers managed to get as high as the top of the League Two table at Christmas.
Despite falling away from their position, they still ended up finishing in 3rd place and won promotion up to League One.
Fast forward to today, they sit 2nd in the third tier, with 44 points from 20 games played, a point behind leaders Birmingham, and two ahead of 3rd place Wrexham.
On #throwbackthursday we look back at our last promotion, on this day four years ago #tbt pic.twitter.com/Nl1fT7suSc
β Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) May 7, 2015
2009 – ROCHDALE
In the 2009/10 season, Rochdale were doing brilliantly, claiming top spot when it came to the League Two table at Christmas.
They may have been disappointed not to finish top and instead 3rd however they did get promoted to League One.
These days they find themselves sitting down in the National League, sitting 6th with 36 points from 21 games played.
#ThrowbackThursday Chris Dagnall celebrating Dale’s promotion in 2010 #RAFC #tbt @officiallydale @dags86 pic.twitter.com/nm7NGkJZsr
β George Hilton (@NoContextGeorge) May 1, 2014
2010 – CHESTERFIELD
In the 2010/11 season, Chesterfield were top of League Two at Christmas, back when they were doing well compared to now.
They ended up finishing in 1st and were crowned champions under manager John Sheridan, who unsurprisingly flopped at Swindon Town in recent times.
Fast forward to today, they sit 5th in League Two, with 34 points from 21 games played, and two points from 3rd place Doncaster, who sit in the automatic promotion places.
2011 – CRAWLEY TOWN
In the 2011/12 season, Crawley Town impressed many by climbing to the top of League Two at Christmas under Steve Evans.
They ended up finishing in 3rd but nonetheless were promoted to League One, something many didn’t see coming at the start of the season.
Fast forward to today, they sit 21st in League One, with 19 points from 20 games played, and two points from safety.
#OnThisDay // #League2 05.05.2012: Crawley Town #CTFC were promoted to #League1 after a 2-0 away victory over #ASFC pic.twitter.com/JPr5gvYnGg
β TalkingTikiTaka (@talkingtikitaka) May 5, 2015
2012 – GILLINGHAM
In the 2012/13 season, Gillingham were top of League Two at Christmas with manager Martin Allen at the helm.
They ended up finishing in 1st and were crowned champions, with crowds over 11,000 at Priestfield to watch their team go up.
Fast forward to today, they sit 10th in League Two, with 30 points from 20 games playted, and just a point from the playoff places.
#OnThisDay | Five years ago #Gills drew 2-2 with @AFCWimbledon to clinch the @SkyBetLeagueTwo title!
Scenes which will live long in the memory. #Champions
@chriswhelpdale @charlielee06 @leonlegge32 @DKedwell @DeonBurton20 @mylesweston @strikerab_adam @BradDacks40 pic.twitter.com/VHiMyArc33
β Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) April 20, 2018
2013 – CHESTERFIELD
In the 2013/14 season, Chesterfield were once again top of League Two at Christmas, and were for much of the season.
They ended up finishing in 1st and like in the 2010/11 season, were crowned champions for a record fourth time, and to seal their return to the third tier after a two-year absence.
The Spireites finally got out of the National League in 2024, and prior that, they lost in the playoff final to Notts County in 2023.
ππππππ½πΌπΎπ ππππππΏπΌπ
Iβm not sure this weekβs video even needs a caption… it speaks for itself. @11_robbo scoring the goal that clinched the Spireites the League Two title back in 2014.
What. A. Day. #Spireites #TBThursday pic.twitter.com/ojM24zlL8R
β Chesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) October 1, 2020
2014 – WYCOMBE WANDERERS
In the 2014/15 season, Wycombe Wanderers were top of League Two at Christmas, once again with Gareth Ainsworth at the helm.
However they seemed to have started a trend by finishing in 4th and then lost in the playoff final to Southend.
The Chairboys beat Oxford United in the League One playoff final at Wembley Stadium for the 2019/20 season, and despite giving it their best shot in the second tier of English football. They couldn’t avoid the drop.
Great to be at Wembley to see @SUFCRootsHall win promotion. Delighted for everyone at the club (and @CJPhillips1982)! pic.twitter.com/dUOCcv6vmm
β Tom Biggs (@TWKBiggs) May 23, 2015
2015 – PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
In the 2015/16 season, Derek Adams’s Plymouth Argyle were flying high at the top of League Two at Christmas.
However they then dropped down a few positions, finishing in 5th and lost in the playoff final to AFC Wimbledon. Ouch.
Fast forward to today, they are bottom of the Championship, Wayne Rooney as manager, with 18 points from 21 games played and a point from safety.
2016 – PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
In the 2016/17 season, Plymouth Argyle were once again top of League Two at Christmas and their chances were looking much brighter that year.
Luckily they didn’t go down the same route as the previous season and ended up finishing in 2nd and promoted to League One.
They had an encouraging start to the 2020/21 campaign, sitting within the top ten up for most of the season, though fell away and finished in 18th.
2017 – LUTON TOWN
In the 2017/18 season, Nathan Jones’s Luton Town were top of League Two at Christmas, picking up great winning runs and didn’t lose twice in a row.
They ended up finishing in 2nd and achieved promotion back to League One for what was the club’s fourth consecutive season in League Two and 92nd season in the English Football League.
Fast forward to Christmas 2024, they find themselves sitting 15th in the Championship table, with 25 points from 22 games played.
#WeAreGoingUp
@LutonTown Promoted to @league1UK #COYH
@sheezdogg @dannyhylton09 @DanPotts03 @lutontownST @HattersNews @rickyahill pic.twitter.com/34j3Asq9Uv
β Stephen Land (@landsp2017) April 21, 2018
2018 – LINCOLN CITY
In the 2018/19 season, Lincoln City were top of League Two at Christmas under the brilliant Cowley Brothers.
It was the Imps’ second season back in League Two after missing out on the League Two playoff final in the 2017/2018 season
They ended up finishing in 1st and promoted to League One with a total of 85 points.
For 2020/21, they impressive by finishing 5th but lost in the playoffs, and then 2021/22 saw them have a tougher start, finishing 17th, picking up 52 points from 46 games played.
These days, they’re 6th place in League One,with 31 points from 21 games, and just missed out on the playoffs in the summer of 2024.
2019 – SWINDON TOWN
In the 2019/20 season, Swindon Town were top of League Two at Christmas thanks to Richie Wellens and co.
They ended up finishing in 1st and promoted to League One based on PPG (points-per-game) with the season suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fast forward to Christmas 2024, the Robins sit 21st in the League Two table, with 19 points from 21 games played.
League Two Champions
#STFC
pic.twitter.com/d1Vrtat7qT
β Sky Bet (@SkyBet) June 26, 2020
2020 – NEWPORT COUNTY
The League Two leaders at Christmas for the 2020/21 season was Newport County, who sat one points clear of second place Forest Green Rovers at the time, and were two ahead of Carlisle United in 3rd while four ahead of Cheltenham who sat 4th.
Newport’s challenge for the title faltered however, finishing 5th and lost to Morecambe (AET) at Wembley in the final, meaning that wait to win promotion to the third tier of English football waits.
For Christmas 2024, they sit 16th in League Two with 26 games played from 20 games played. They are 5 points from the playoffs and 11 points above the drop zone.
2021 – FOREST GREEN
The league leaders at Christmas 2021 in League Two were Forest Green Rovers, sat with 44 points from 20 games played.
At the time ad a game in hand and were four points ahead of second place Northampton Town. Sutton United, in their debut season, were third with 36 points.
Forest Green went on to win the league, picking up 84 points from 46 games played. Exeter and Bristol Rovers also claimed the automatic promotion places while Port Vale won the playoffs.
However, they suffered back to back relegations (2023, 2024), and currently sit 3rd in the National League, with 46 points from 22 games played, two points behind league leaders York and second place Barnet.
2022 – LEYTON ORIENT
The league leaders at Christmas for 2023 in League Two were Leyton Orient, sitting at the time with 51 points from 21 games played, Stevenage were second with 44 points and Northampton sat 3rd with 42 points.
And that was the exact top three by the end of the campaign, with Leyton Orient finishing top with 91 points, Stevenage on 2nd with 85 points and Northampton in 3rd with 83 points, with 5th place Carlisle beating Stockport in the playoff final to seal promotion.
Table-topping Leyton Orient were promoted from League Two, despite a 2-0 defeat to Gillingham and a power cut at Priestfield.
Orient were promoted back to League One on the 18th of April 2023, after eight years away from the level, securing it with four games remaining despite a 2β0 defeat to Gillingham. The O’s took the League Two title four days later with a 2β0 home victory over Crewe Alexandra.
Orient currently sit 15th in League One with 25 points from 20 games played, six points above the drop zone and six points from the playoff places.
2023 – STOCKPORT
For Christmas 2023, Stockport lead the way at the top with 50 points from 24 games, four clear of 2nd place Wrexham, five clear of 3rd place Mansfield, while Barrow were 4th with 44 points, with all those sides below Stockport having game(s) in hand.
They ended up winning the title, with 92 points. Wrexham were 2nd with 88 points, Mansfield 3rd with 86 points and 7th place Crawley winning the playoffs.
2024 – WALSALL
Walsall go top of the League Two table for the first time since their fourth tier title-winning campaign under Richard Money in 2006.
They currently sit 1st with 43 points from 20 games played, and have a game in hand over second place Port Vale, who have 37 points, and 3rd place Doncaster who have 36 points.
Can they go on to secure promotion back to League One for the first time since they were relegated from it back in 2019.
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