Football Conference
The Football Conference is the highest football league system of the English National League System, the area below the Football League ( the so-called "non -League football" ) in England. The Conference is divided into three divisions, the Conference National is located in the hierarchy top. The Conference North and Conference South, as a regionally-organized leagues, a stage and are including teams from these leagues can ascend to the end of the season in the Conference National. The Football Conference consisted only of a division until 2004, but was extended at the beginning of the 2004/05 season due to a major restructuring within the National League System.
Structure
The Football Conference is the top of the National League System ( NLS), a comprehensive structure that connects over 50 different leagues under the auspices of the Football Association (FA). The Conference National is on the first stage of the NLS, and the Conference North and Conference South are the stage 2 dar. Above the Conference play 92 English professional clubs in the top levels of English football, the Premier League and in the Football League; below the Conference are the leagues of the third stage and the other niederklassigeren leagues of the NLS.
Current regulation
The top division of the Football Conference - the Conference National - consists of 24 participating clubs since the start of the 2006/07 season. The other divisions - Conference North and Conference South - each consisting of 22 clubs. In all three leagues each club in a simple round return match in a total of 46 or 42 games against each other. Every victory is rewarded with three points and each draw a dot.
At the end of the season the champion of Conference National rises directly in the Football League Two. Furthermore, a second climber is determined who has completed the playing time between the second and fifth position and two play-off rounds wins. The two climbers are replaced by the two relegated from the Football League Two, who the last two slots are occupied in their league at the final table. Similarly, climb the last four teams in the Football Conference from the underlying Conference North or in the Conference South. The decision, in which league descends an association is made by the Committee of the NLS within the FA, the regional location of the Absteigers shall prevail.
The relegated to the Football Conference will be replaced by clubs from the Conference North and Conference South. The respective winners of the two leagues ascend directly and are accompanied by a third and fourth intermediate, which have emerged within their respective league as playoff winner.
Changes at the end of the season 2005/ 06
The ascent and descent control was changed in the 2005/06 season due to an increase in the Conference National, from 22 to 24 clubs. This season only increased from the last two clubs from the Football Conference. Four teams from the Conference North and Conference South on rose which were made up of the Masters and playoff winners. Previously had to compete against each other to determine the third climber, as only three teams from the Conference National descended into the lower leagues, the two playoff winner.
The three placed at the bottom of the table clubs in the Conference North and Conference South form six relegated to NLS - leagues in the third stage, the Northern Premier League, Southern League, and the Isthmian League. The master of these leagues on the 3rd stage will advance to the Northern or Southern League and are accompanied by the clubs, who graduated from the end of the season between the second and fifth position and have won two play-off rounds. The Committee of the NLS also determined here, which join the leagues relegated from the Conference North and South and in which division to enter the climbers from leagues in the third stage, respectively.
For all athletic reached ascents, whether of the Football Conference in the Football League, within the Football Conference or the various leagues of the NLS, clubs must meet certain economic conditions. If this is not the case, an association of access to the higher league may be refused.
History
The Football Conference was founded in 1979 as an association of clubs in the Northern Premier League and the Southern League under the original name Alliance Premier League. Since 1984 she has been known under the name of each changing sponsors. The official name Football Conference was introduced in 1986. The following sponsors have given its name during the time of the League:
An automatic ascent and descent control between the Football Conference and the American Football League was established for a club in 1987. The extension to two clubs took place in 2003.
Within the first 25 years was the Football Conference from only one division. With the start of the 2004/05 season it was expanded to three divisions. The original league was renamed Conference National. In addition, two new leagues were founded with the Conference North and Conference South. The new clubs for those leagues was removed from the Northern Premier League, Southern League, Isthmian League and according to certain rules of the NLS Committee.