Kenya Sport

12 EFL Championship Clubs That Started With Different Names

The upcoming Championship season is just weeks away, promising intense competition among its 24 clubs. Only four teams—Bristol City, Millwall, Preston North End, and Wrexham—have played in the top flight during the Premier League era, each showing upward momentum.

This season features eight of the original 12 Football League founding members, bringing some of England’s largest fanbases into the mix. The Championship remains a showcase for historic clubs with proud traditions, boasting former top-flight champions like Blackburn Rovers and renowned cup competitors such as Bolton Wanderers. It also includes Preston’s ‘Invincibles’ and West Ham United, a European trophy winner.

Other notable clubs in the division include Burnley, Derby County, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Remarkably, only three clubs in the 2026-27 season were founded after 1900, with Swansea City being the youngest, though they started with a different name.

Many teams in the Championship began life under other names. Alongside Swansea, clubs like Bolton Wanderers, Stoke, West Brom, West Ham, Wolves, Cardiff City, Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, and Watford all changed their identities along the way. Here’s a look at how 12 clubs evolved to their current names.

Birmingham City (Small Heath Alliance)

Founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, named after a Birmingham suburb, the club shortened its name to Small Heath in 1888. Moving to St Andrew’s in 1905, they became Birmingham FC, finally adopting Birmingham City in 1943. They have carried this name for over 80 years.

Bolton Wanderers (Christ Church)

The club’s roots date back to 1874 as Christ Church. In 1877, following a dispute with a local vicar near their first ground on Deane Road, the team renamed itself Bolton Wanderers. Their use of multiple home venues inspired the ‘Wanderers’ tag, which remains today.

Cardiff City (Riverside AFC)

Originally formed in 1899 as Riverside AFC to keep cricketers fit during winter, the club played at Sophia Gardens. Attempts to rename the club Cardiff City in 1905 were initially rejected despite Cardiff gaining city status, but approval came in 1908 after joining the South Wales League.

Millwall (Millwall Rovers)

Millwall began as Millwall Rovers on London’s Isle of Dogs. In 1889, after relocating to The Athletic Grounds, they became Millwall Athletic. The club dropped ‘Athletic’ when joining the Football League in 1920, becoming simply Millwall.

Queens Park Rangers (Christchurch Rangers)

QPR formed in 1886 through a merger between St Jude’s and Christchurch Rangers, but acknowledge 1882—the founding year of Christchurch Rangers—as their origin. Thus, their earliest identity was Christchurch Rangers.

Southampton (St Mary’s YMA)

Established in November 1885 as St Mary’s Young Men Association FC (St Mary’s YMA), the club soon removed ‘YMA’ from its name. By the 1894-95 Southern League season, they played as Southampton St Mary’s before settling on Southampton in 1896.

Stoke City (Stoke Ramblers)

Stoke’s origins are debated, with evidence of games from 1863 and the club named Stoke Ramblers by 1868. The ‘Ramblers’ part was dropped in 1878. After Stoke-on-Trent became a city in 1925, the club adopted the name Stoke City.

Swansea City (Swansea Town)

Swansea’s professional team began in 1912 as Swansea Town, reflecting its town status at the time. The switch to Swansea City came in 1970, following city status granted in 1969.

Watford (Watford Rovers)

Formed in 1898 as Watford Rovers, the club changed its name to West Herts in 1893, shortening Hertfordshire. In spring 1898, with declining West Herts attendance but growing support at Watford St. Mary’s, the two merged to create Watford FC, a name that stuck.

West Bromwich Albion (West Bromwich Strollers)

Workers from George Salter’s Spring Works started West Bromwich Strollers in 1878. The ‘Strollers’ suffix lasted only a few years before switching to West Bromwich Albion, named after the local Albion area, now Greets Green.

  • Club: Birmingham City Original Name: Small Heath Alliance Year Founded: 1875 Name Changes: Small Heath (1888), Birmingham FC (1905), Birmingham City (1943)
  • Club: Bolton Wanderers Original Name: Christ Church Year Founded: 1874 Name Change: Bolton Wanderers (1877)
  • Club: Cardiff City Original Name: Riverside AFC Year Founded: 1899 Name Changes: Attempted Cardiff City (1905), Official Cardiff City (1908)
  • Club: Millwall Original Name: Millwall Rovers Year Founded: Late 19th century Name Changes: Millwall Athletic (1889), Millwall (1920)
  • Club: Queens Park Rangers Original Name: Christchurch Rangers Year Founded: 1882 Name Change: Merged to become QPR (1886)
  • Club: Southampton Original Name: St Mary’s YMA Year Founded: 1885 Name Changes: Southampton St Mary’s (1894-95), Southampton (1896)
  • Club: Stoke City Original Name: Stoke Ramblers Year Founded: Debated (1863 or 1868) Name Changes: Stoke (1878), Stoke City (1925)
  • Club: Swansea City Original Name: Swansea Town Year Founded: 1912 Name Change: Swansea City (1970)
  • Club: Watford Original Name: Watford Rovers Year Founded: 1898 Name Changes: West Herts (1893), Watford FC (1898)
  • Club: West Bromwich Albion Original Name: West Bromwich Strollers Year Founded: 1878 Name Change: West Bromwich Albion (early 1880s)

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