| 1878-79 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1879-80 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1884-85 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1889-90 | Founder member of Football Alliance |
| 1890-91 | Two points deducted for playing an unregistered player |
| 1891-92 | Football Alliance Champions |
|
| F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1892-93 | Elected into First Division of Football League |
| 1897-98 | F.A. Cup Winners |
| 1899-00 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1901-02 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1906 | Relegated to Division Two (on goal average) |
| 1906-07 | Football League Division Two Champions |
|
| Promoted to Division One |
| 1911 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 1921-22 | Football League Division Two Champions |
|
| Promoted to Division One |
| 1924 | Escaped relegation on goal average |
| 1925 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 1938 | Escaped relegation to Division Three on goal average |
| 1939-40 | Football League programme abandoned due to outbreak of war |
| 1949 | Relegated to Division Three South |
| 1950-51 | Football League Division Three South Champions |
|
| Promoted to Division Two |
| 1956-57 | Football League Division Two runner-up |
|
| Promoted to Division One |
| 1958-59 | F.A. Cup Winners (2nd time) |
| 1966-67 | Football League runner-up (on goal average) |
|
| F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1972 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 1976-77 | Promoted to Division One |
|
| Anglo Scottish Cup Winners |
| 1977-78 | Football League Champions |
|
| Football League Cup Winners |
| 1978-79 | Football League runner-up |
|
| European Cup Winners |
|
| Football League Cup Winners (2nd time) |
| 1979-80 | European Cup Winners (2nd time) |
|
| European Super Cup runner-up |
|
| Football League Cup runner-up |
| 1983-84 | UEFA Cup Semi-Finalists |
| 1987-88 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1988-89 | Football League Cup Winners (3rd time) |
|
| F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1989-90 | Football League Cup Winners (4th time) |
| 1990-91 | F.A. Cup runner-up |
| 1991-92 | Football League Cup runner-up |
| 1992-93 | Founder members of F.A. Premiership |
|
| Relegated to Football League Division One |
| 1993-94 | Football League runner-up |
|
| Promoted to F.A. Premiership |
| 1995-96 | UEFA Cup Quarter Finalists |
| 1997 | Relegated to Football League Division One |
| 1997-98 | Football League Champions (3rd time) |
|
| Promoted to F.A. Premiership |
| 1999 | Relegated to Football League Division One |
| 2002-03 | Not promoted after play-offs (SF Nottingham Forest 1 Sheffield |
|
| United 1, Sheffield United 4 Nottingham Forest 3 - Agg 4-5) |
| 2004-05 | Division One renamed "Football League Championship" |
| 2005 | Relegated to League One |
