[3] The league's early years were dominated by teams from the North and Midlands, where professionalism had been embraced more readily than in the South of England.

[4] It was teams such as Preston North End, Aston Villa and Sunderland that held the league title in monopoly.

[7] Financial considerations became an even bigger influence from 1992, when the teams then in the First Division defected to form the FA Premier League.

Leicester City were champions for the first time in 2016, becoming the first team to win the Premier League without having previously won the First Division.

Other than inaugural league champions Preston North End, Ipswich Town remain the only club to win the top flight division at their first attempt in the 1961–62 season.

[citation needed] Manchester City became the first men's team to win the league title in four consecutive seasons in 2024.

[citation needed] Seven teams have at some point held first or joint first place in the number of titles won: Preston North End (1889–1895), Sunderland (1893–1899 and 1936–1953), Aston Villa (1897–1953), Arsenal (1948–1976), Liverpool (1966–1971 and 1973–2011), Manchester United (1967–1971 and 2009–present) and Everton (1970–1971).

The longest current wait for former winners to regain their title as English league champions stands at 134 years, for current EFL Championship side, Preston North End F.C., winners of the first two editions of the Football League, and never champions of England since.