Longest major trophy droughts in English football

With the ever-present dominance of the 'big six', major honours are often hard to come by for so-called smaller clubs, but some fanbases have had a longer wait than others when it comes to tasting success.

Of all the English clubs who have previously won major silverware, we take a look at the teams who have gone the longest period of time without adding to their trophy cabinets.

Longest major trophy droughts in English football

10) Burnley - 65 years

In more recent years, Burnley have been known more for their inability to remain in the top flight, having spent two of the last three seasons in the Championship.

For periods during the 20th century however, the Lancashire-based club were competing for major honours, winning the First Division on two occasions and the FA Cup once.

Burnley's top flight triumph in the 1959/60 campaign was the last time the club tasted major success, having endured a 65 year wait since they last lifted a major title.

9) Bolton Wanderers - 67 years

Bolton Wanderers currently play their football in the third flight of English football, a decline they wouldn't have seen coming after lifting the FA Cup in 1958.

Bolton faced Manchester United in the final that year, with an attendance of 99,756 at the former Wembley Stadium.

Nat Lofthouse was the hero on the day, scoring both of the club's goals in a 2-0 win over the Red Devils.

8) Blackpool - 72 years

The 1953 FA Cup final, also known as the "Matthews Final", was the last time Blackpool won a major trophy, coming from 3-1 down to defeat Bolton 4-3, inspired by a remarkable Stanley Matthews performance.

The Tangerines have spent just two of the last 53 seasons in the top flight, so it's hard to envisage the club winning a major honour anytime soon.

7) Charlton Athletic - 78 years

Having lost to Derby County in the FA Cup final just a year before, Charlton Athletic had a second chance at silverware in the 1946/47 campaign, facing a Burnley side who hadn't reached a final since 1914.

It took extra-time to separate the two sides, and it was Charlton's Chris Duffy who scored the winning goal in the 114th minute. It was the first time that the club had won a major honour, and they are yet to do so again since.

6) Preston North End - 87 years

Preston's stature in English football is often disregarded due to their 87-year trophy drought, but we mustn't forget that they are one of the founding members of the English Football League, and also the first team to win the league title and FA Cup in the same campaign.

They have, however, struggled to maintain a place in the top division in the 21st century, let alone claim big trophies. Their last major success came in 1938, lifting the FA Cup after defeating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the final.

5) Sheffield Wednesday - 90 years

Like many of the clubs on this list, Sheffield Wednesday endured domestic success in the early stages of the 20th century, wining four league titles between 1903 and 1930.

The Owls made the trip to Wembley in 1935, where they would face West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup final. Ellis Rimmer's brace secured a 4-2 victory for Billy Walker's side that day, and 90 years later that remains the most recent major honour the club have clinched.

4) Cardiff City - 98 years

Cardiff City's 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the 1927 FA Cup Final remains the only time that the trophy has been won by a team outside of England, and it's also the last time the Welsh side lifted major silverware.

Dave Jones' Cardiff had the chance to bring the FA Cup back to Wales for just the second time in 2008, but they were were defeated 1-0 by Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth in the final.

3) Huddersfield Town - 97 years

Huddersfield Town's prolonged struggles in the lower divisions in recent years would have been hard to believe given their success in the 1920s, but they have now gone 97 years without winning a major honour, the third longest drought in English football.

The Terriers won three consecutive Frist Division titles between 1924 and 1926, dominating the league for a short period. They were unable to follow this up with any real intent, however, and they now play their football in League One.

2) Sheffield United - 100 years

Sheffield United join rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the list for the longest major trophy droughts in English football, and the conclusion of the 2024/25 season will mark 100 years since the Blades have won a major trophy.

While the club have enjoyed promotions to the Premier League in recent years, their last FA Cup triumph, defeating Cardiff 1-0 in the final at Wembley in 1925, remains the most recent time they lifted a major honour.

1) Notts County - 131 years

Notts County were the winners of the 23rd edition of the FA Cup in 1894, and it was the first and only major trophy that the club have ever won.

Since then, Notts County have never matched that success, with protracted periods spent in the lower divisions meaning they are far from another piece of silverware.