Kings of London: Ultimate Edition (part one)
Time to get as definitive as possible about which team is the best in London.
Arsenal have been the best team in London in the past two seasons, gaining more points from league derbies than any other.
When I set out to write this blog, among the many things I wanted to explore was to find out which team, definitively, are the Ultimate Kings of London.
First, some ground rules:
For the purposes of this exercise, I’ve limited the seasons analysed1 to those with four or more London teams in the top tier.
It was two points for a win up until 1980-81, then three points for a win from 1981-82.
Teams were separated on goal average up until 1974-75, then on goal difference from 1975-76.
League games only.
Pre-war seasons
Woolwich Arsenal were promoted to the First Division in 1903-04, meaning that the first time a team from the country’s capital played in the top tier was 1904-05.
They were joined by Chelsea from 1907-08, and Tottenham Hotspur made it three from 1909-10. For the record, the Gunners won three out of four derbies that season, drawing the fourth away to Spurs.
It wasn’t until 1923-24 that West Ham United were promoted to the top division, which might have annoyed Clapton (later Leyton) Orient and Millwall, who had been in the Football League far longer.
That first season of four London teams in the First Division saw all the capital’s teams struggle. The Hammers amassed eight points from their six derbies, giving them the title of the inaugural Kings of London by the above rules. Chelsea dropped out of the First Division with just 32 points.
First Kings of London: West Ham United, 1923-24
Spurs were relegated in 1927-28 in what appears to have been the ultimate relegation battle. Middlesbrough were bottom with 37 points and Spurs finished second bottom with 38, but there were seven teams (including West Ham) that finished with 39 points.
Arsenal finished in 10th place, but this was just three points above the relegation zone. Derby County finished fourth, nine points behind champions Everton but just six points above relegated Spurs!
The 1930s
Under the stewardship of Herbert Chapman, Arsenal won their first silverware and began to dominate English football.
It wasn’t until 1936-37 that London again had four teams in the First Division - and it was newcomers Brentford that took the crown. By the time war was declared in 1939, there had been four seasons with four London clubs - and Brentford finished with the best derby record in three of them.
1946 to 1970
After the Second World War, Arsenal tried to pick up where they left off. The Gunners were crowned champions in 1948 and 1953 and won the FA Cup in 1950, but then their challenge began to fade.
This coincided with a consistent period of four or five London teams in the top tier. Arsenal ‘won’ London for the first time in 1951-52, and did so again the following season when they were champions. Interestingly, they managed the feat again in 1954-55 despite finishing ninth - and Chelsea winning the First Division for the first time.
As Arsenal’s fortunes declined, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham took turns with the best derby record. Spurs took charge in the early 1960s, a period that saw them win the double in 1960-61, before the Blues started to dominate later in the decade.
By the end of the 1969-70 season, this was how many times each team had been crowned Kings of London:2
Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur (6)
West Ham United (5)
Arsenal (4)
Brentford (3)
Charlton Athletic (1)
In the next blog, we’ll go through the 1970s right up to the modern day - and a certain team in red and white taking over as the only team in London
.
I use the word “analysed” advisedly.
Admittedly I’m only crowning them now. Seems a bit late to hand out medals. Sorry, Spurs fans.