The Football League

The Football League forms in English professional football the substructure of the top division, the autonomous Premier League. It is made up of the leagues League Championship, League 1 and League 2.

Game operation

At the end of each season, some teams rise in each lower division and vice versa some teams in the respective higher on.

As a further incentive for the teams to avoid the safe positions in the midfield, play-offs were introduced in Divisions 1-3, which include the four places behind the safe ascent places. The winner of each play-offs also rises. In 2003 it was proposed to extend the play-offs on six teams. Although most teams this idea "in principle" agreed that change was ultimately rejected.

In addition, two teams from the Nationwide Conference can ascend if their field satisfies the requirements of professional football. In this case, the two last-place teams in the third division will be relegated to the Nationwide Conference.

Exists for the top ranked teams no play-off system, the master of a league is determined solely on points. Points are awarded based on an analysis of victories and defeats: for a win, there are three points for one for a draw; at equal points decides the goal difference. Does that still no winner determine winner is the team with the most goals scored. If there is no decision thus continues, a play-off match to be played on neutral ground.

Welsh and Scottish Teams

The Welsh professional team Cardiff City played in the English Football League and thus disqualified himself from participating in the club UEFA competitions, while poorer teams in the League of Wales and play the top ranked there are qualified for the UEFA Cup. Currently, this team may just about winning the FA Cup or the Carling Cup to qualify for the UEFA competitions. The places in the Champions League are only accessible via the Premier League, this is represented as the Welsh club currently Swansea City. Scotland has its own football league system, in which the English team Berwick Rangers is involved. Until recently, the English team Oswestry Town played in the Welsh Premier League.

In English Football Bay FC more Welsh teams are represented with FC Wrexham, Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil and Colwyn FC; these are, however, with the exception of longtime football league clubs Wrexham in the shadows of the teams. Last were also many English teams near the Welsh border, which played along in the Welsh Cup. Since then, however, the UEFA qualification has enabled international competitions over the Welsh Cup, could no team from outside the Welsh League longer participate in the Welsh Cup competition.

Former league structures

Founded in The Football League by William McGregor on 22 March 1888 a division which at its launch on 8 September of the same year the teams FC Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton FC, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke FC, ​​West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers included.

  • The Second Division was added in 1892.
  • The Third Division was added in 1920.
  • The Third Division (North ) in 1921 has been added and renamed the Third Division in Third Division (South ).
  • In 1958, the Third Division (South ), and the Third Division (North ) united to form the Third Division and Fourth Division.
  • 1992, the FA Premier League was formed after a break with The Football League. After designated by the Second Division in First Division, Third Division Second Division and the Fourth Division to the Third Division.
  • 2004, the three leagues in the Football League have been renamed. From the First Division League Championship was, from the Second Division, the League 1 and from the Third Division to League 2

National Cup Competitions

The FA Cup is the real national cup competition and is open to teams from all levels. The winner qualifies for the UEFA Cup next season. At the League Cup only Premiership and Football League teams may participate. Even beyond this trophy, the opportunity to participate in the international competitions. Between the winners of the Premiership and the FA Cup winners of the Community Shield ( formerly known as the Charity Shield ) is also played. There are also competitions in which only the teams may participate at the lower levels: the Football League Trophy for lowest teams in the Second and Third Division, the FA Trophy semi-professional teams that do not play in the Football League and the FA Vase for the teams placed outside the Football League.

Football League: 1888/89 | 1889/90 | 1890/91 | 1891/92

First Division: 1892/93 | 1893/94 | 1894/95 | 1895/96 | 1896/97 | 1897/98 | 1898/99 | 1899/1900 | 1900/ 01 | 1901/ 02 | 1902/ 03 | 1903/ 04 | 1904/ 05 | 1905/ 06 | 1906/ 07 | 1907/ 08 | 1908/ 09 | 1909/10 | 1910/11 | 1911/12 | 1912/13 | 1913/14 | 1914/15 | 1915 to 1919 | 1919 / 20 | 1920/21 | 1921/22 | 1922/23 | 1923/24 | 1924/25 | 1925/26 | 1926/27 | 1927/28 | 1928/29 | 1929/30 | 1930/31 | 1931/32 | 1932/33 | 1933/34 | 1934/35 | 1935/36 | 1936/37 | 1937/38 | 1938/39 | 1939 to 1946 | 1946/47 | 1947/48 | 1948/49 | 1949/50 | 1950 / 51 | 1951/52 | 1952/53 | 1953/54 | 1954/55 | 1955/56 | 1956/57 | 1957/58 | 1958/59 | 1959/60 | 1960/61 | 1961/62 | 1962/63 | 1963/64 | 1964/65 | 1965/66 | 1966/67 | 1967/68 | 1968/69 | 1969/70 | 1970/71 | 1971/72 | 1972/73 | 1973/74 | 1974/75 | 1975 / 76 | 1976/77 | 1977/78 | 1978/79 | 1979/80 | 1980/81 | 1981/82 | 1982/83 | 1983/84 | 1984/85 | 1985/86 | 1986/87 | 1987/88 | 1988/89 | 1989/90 | 1990/91 | 1991/92

Premier League: 1992/93 | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/2000 | 2000 /01 | 2001 /02 | 2002 /03 | 2003 /04 | 2004 /05 | 2005 /06 | 2006 /07 | 2007 /08 | 2008 /09 | 2009/10 | 2010 /11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14

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