English football league system
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The English football league system, otherwise known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in England (although for historical reasons a small number of Welsh clubs also compete). The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, and allows even the smallest club to dream of rising to the very top of the system.
About the system
The system consists of a hierarchy of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. Clubs that are successful in their league can rise higher in the pyramid, whilst those that finish at the bottom can find themselves sinking further down. In theory it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to rise to the pinnacle of the English game and become champions of the FA Premier League. While this may be unlikely in practice, there certainly is significant movement within the pyramid. The number of teams promoted between leagues or divisions varies, and promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.The top five levels contain one division each. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Many leagues have more than one division. At the lower levels the existence of leagues becomes intermittent, although in some areas there are as many as twenty layers. There are also some leagues that are not officially part of the system as they do not have formal agreements with other leagues, but are recognised at various levels by county football associations.
The seven levels immediately below the The Football League are known as the National League System and come under the jurisdiction of The Football Association. Under the direction of The Football Association, the National League System evolved over many years. Recent re-organisation saw the formation of a Conference North and Conference South immediately below the Football Conference, renamed Conference National, forcing the top divisions of the Southern League, Isthmian League and Northern Premier League down one level.
The English football league system does not include the amateur version of the game often called Sunday League football. These leagues are independent entities with no promotion or relegation involving the football pyramid. However, some Sunday League clubs have been known to join pyramid leagues if they desire to progress higher.
Structure
At the top is the single division of the FA Premier League (which is sometimes referred to as Level 1 of the league 'pyramid'), containing 20 clubs. Below the Premier League is The Football League, which is divided into three divisions of 24 clubs each: The Championship (Level 2), League One (Level 3) and League Two (Level 4). The 92 clubs in the Premier League and Football League all are full-time professional clubs. Confusingly, all 92 are often referred to as 'League' clubs because, before the establishment of the Premier League in 1992, The Football League consisted of four divisions and 92 clubs (the same as The Football League and Premier League combined now). Clubs outside this group are referred to as 'non-League' clubs, although they too play most of their football in league competitions.The top tier of non-League football is the Football Conference, which contains a national division of 24 clubs (Level 5), followed by two divisions at Level 6, covering the north (Conference North) and south (Conference South), with 22 clubs each. Some of these clubs are full-time professional and the others are semi-professional. Below the Conference some of the stronger clubs are semi-professional, but continuing down the tiers, soon all the clubs are amateur.
Next down from the Football Conference are three regional leagues, each associated different geographical areas, although some overlap exists. They are the Northern Premier League (which covers the north of England), Southern League (which covers southern England, the Midlands and parts of Wales) and the Isthmian League (which covers the south east). All of the leagues have a Premier Division (Level 7) with two parallel divisions below (Level 8), except for the Northern Premier League, which only has one division below.
Level 9 contains the top divisions of a large group of local leagues: the North West Counties Football League, the Northern Counties East Football League, the Northern League, the Western Football League, the Wessex League, the Sussex County Football League, the Hellenic Football League, the Midland Football Alliance, the United Counties Football League, the Eastern Counties Football League, the Kent League, the Spartan South Midlands Football League, the Combined Counties Football League and the Essex Senior Football League.
Each of these leagues has a different divisional set up, but they all have one thing in common: there are yet more leagues below them, each covering smaller and smaller geographical levels.
The system
Below shows how the current system works. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which often differs radically from its official name) and number of clubs is given. Each division promotes to the division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the division(s) that lie directly below it:
| Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
FA Premier League (Barclays Premiership) 20 clubs | |||||
| 2 |
Football League Championship (Coca-Cola Football League Championship) 24 clubs | |||||
| 3 |
Football League One (Coca-Cola Football League 1) 24 clubs | |||||
| 4 |
Football League Two (Coca-Cola Football League 2) 24 clubs | |||||
| 5 |
Conference National (Nationwide Conference) 24 clubs | |||||
| 6 |
Conference North (Nationwide North) 22 clubs |
Conference South (Nationwide South) 22 clubs | ||||
| 7 |
Northern Premier League Premier Division (UniBond League Premier Division) 22 clubs |
Southern Football League Premier Division (British Gas Business Southern Football League Premier Division) 22 clubs |
Isthmian League Premier Division (Ryman Football League Premier Division) 22 clubs | |||
| 8 |
Northern Premier League First Division (UniBond League First Division) 24 clubs |
Southern Football League Division One Midlands (British Gas Business Southern Football League Division One Midlands) 22 clubs |
Southern Football League Division One South & West (British Gas Business Southern Football League Division One South & West) 22 clubs |
Isthmian League Division One North (Ryman Football League Division One North) 22 clubs |
Isthmian League Division One South (Ryman Football League Division One South) 22 clubs | |
| 9 |
North West Counties Football League Division One (Moore & Co Construction Solicitors League Division One) 22 clubs Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division 20 clubs Northern League Division One (Arngrove Northern League Division One) 21 clubs Western Football League Premier Division (Toolstation League Premier Division) 20 clubs Wessex League Premier Division (Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division) 20 clubs Sussex County Football League Division 1 20 clubs Hellenic Football League Premier Division (GLS Football Hellenic League Premier Division) 22 clubs Midland Football Alliance (Harvey World Travel Midland Football Alliance) 24 clubs United Counties Football League Premier Division (Eagle Bitter United Counties League Premier Division) 20 clubs Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division (Ridgeons Football League Premier Division) 20 clubs Kent League Premier Division (Kentish Observer Football League Premier Division) 17 clubs Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division (Minerva Footballs Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division) 20 clubs Combined Counties Football League Premier Division (Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Premier Division) 24 clubs Essex Senior Football League (Eastway Essex Senior League) 17 clubs (All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 10 |
North West Counties Football League Division Two (Moore & Co Construction Solicitors League Division Two) Northern Counties East Football League Division One Northern League Division Two (Arngrove Northern League Division Two) 21 clubs Western Football League Division One (Toolstation League Division One) Wessex League Division One (Sydenhams Wessex League Division One) Sussex County Football League Division 2 Hellenic Football League Division One West (GLS Football Hellenic League Division One West) Hellenic Football League Division One East (GLS Football Hellenic League Division One East) United Counties Football League Division One (Eagle Bitter United Counties League Division One) Eastern Counties Football League First Division (Ridgeons Football League First Division) Spartan South Midlands Football League Division One (Minerva Footballs Spartan South Midlands Football League Division One) Combined Counties Football League Division One (Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One) West Midlands Regional League Premier Division Midland Football Combination Premier Division (All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 11 |
Anglian Combination Premier Division Bedford and District League Premier Division Brighton Hove and District Football League Premier Division Cambridgeshire Football League Premier Division Central Midlands League Supreme Division Crawley and District Football League Premier Division Devon County Football League Dorset Premier Football League East Berkshire Football League Premier Division East Sussex Football League Premier Division Essex and Suffolk Border League Premier Division Essex Olympian Football League Division One Gloucestershire County League Hertfordshire County League Premier Division |
Kent County League Premier Division Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division Liverpool County Premier League Manchester Football League Premier Division Mid Cheshire Football League Division One Mid-Sussex Football League Premier Division Middlesex County Football League Premier Division North Berks Football League Division One Northamptonshire Combination Premier Division Northampton Town League Premier Division Northern Football Alliance Premier Division Oxfordshire Senior Football League Premier Division Peterborough and District League Premier Division Reading Football League Senior Division |
Somerset County Football League Premier Division South Western Football League Spartan South Midlands League Division Two Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division Suffolk and Ipswich League Senior Division Sussex County League Division 3 Wearside Football League Wessex League Division Two West Cheshire Amateur League Division One West Lancashire Football League Premier Division West Sussex Football League Wiltshire Football League Premier Division Worthing and District Football League Premier Division | |||
| (All of the above divisions run in parallel. The list has been divided into three columns for reasons of compactness, and this split has no relation to the geographic split shown at higher levels.) | ||||||
|
For level 12 and below, only the name of the league is shown at the level of its top division. Most leagues below level 11 do not have separate articles for each division | ||||||
| 12 |
Anglian Combination Division One | Bedford and District Football League Division One | Brighton Hove and District Football League Division One | Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division | Bristol and Suburban Football League Premier Division One | Cambridgeshire Football League Senior A Division | Central Midlands League Premier Division | Cornwall Combination | Crawley and District Football League Division One | Devon and Exeter Football League Premier Division | Dorset County League | East Berkshire Football League Division One | East Cornwall League | East Sussex Football League Division One | Essex Olympian Football League Division Two | Gloucester Northern Senior League Division One | Hampshire League | Kent County League Division One East | Kent County League Division One West |Leicester and District League | Leicester City League | Leicestershire Combination | Leicestershire Senior League Division One | Manchester Football League Division One | Mid Cheshire Football League Division Two | Mid-Sussex Football League Division One | Middlesex County Football League Division One | North Bucks and District League | North Devon League | North Leicestershire League | Plymouth and West Devon Combination | South Devon League | Wiltshire Football League Division One | plus lower divisions of leagues given at level 11
(All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 13 |
Anglian Combination Division Two | Altrincham and District Amateur League | Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA | Bedford and District Football League Division Two | Brighton Hove and District Football League Division Two | Bristol Premier Combination Division One | Bristol and Suburban Football League Premier Division Two | Cambridgeshire Football League Senior B Division | Chesterfield and District Amateur League | Crawley and District Football League Division Two | Devon and Exeter Football League Senior Division One | Doncaster and District Senior League | East Berkshire Football League Division Two | East Sussex Football LeagueDivision Two | Essex Olympian Football League Division Three | Falmouth and Helston League Division One | Gloucester Northern Senior League Division Two | Hertfordshire Senior County League Division One | Humber Premier League | Ilford and District League | Kent County League Division Two East | Kent County League Division Two West | Manchester Football League Division Two | Mid-Essex League | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two | Middlesex County Football League Division Two | Midland Regional Alliance | Mining League | Nottinghamshire Alliance | Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League | Southend Borough Combination | Witney and District League | plus lower divisions of leagues given at higher levels.
(All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 14 |
Anglian Combination Division Three | Bath and District League | Bradford League | Brighton Hove and District Football League Division Three | Bristol and District League Senior Division | Cambridgeshire County League | Cheltenham League | Cirencester and District League | Craven and District League | Crawley and District Football League Division Three | Devon and Exeter Football League Senior Division Two | Driffield and District League | Duchy League | East Berkshire Football League Division Three | East Riding Amateur League | East Riding County League | East Sussex Football League Division Three | Falmouth and Helston League Division Two | Furness Premier League | Guildford and Woking Alliance League | Halifax and District League | Harrogate and District League | Hertford and District League | Huddersfield and District Association League | Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division | Leeds Red Triangle | Mid-Hertfordshire League | Mid Somerset League | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three | Middlesex County Football League Division Three | North Gloucestershire League | North Hertfordshire League | North Northumberland League | Perry Street League | Spen Valley League | Stroud and District League | Taunton & District Saturday League | Tyneside Amateur League | Wakefield and District League | Weston super Mare and District League | Yeovil and District League | York and District League | Yorkshire Old Boys League | plus lower divisions of leagues given at higher levels.
(All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 15 |
Anglian Combination Division Four | Aldershot Senior League | Bath and District League | Bournemouth League | Brighton Hove and District Football League Division Four | Bristol and District League Division One | Colchester and East Essex Football League | Devon and Exeter Football League Senior Division Three | East Sussex Football League Division Four | Falmouth and Helston League Division Three | Isle of Wight League | Lancashire Amateur League Division One | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four | Middlesex County Senior League | North Hants League | Portsmouth League | Southampton League
(All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 16 |
Anglian Combination Division Five | Andover and District League | Barnsley League | Basingstoke League | Bristol and District League Division Two | Devon and Exeter Football League Senior Division Four | East Sussex Football League Division Five | Lancashire Amateur League Division Two | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five | Sheffield Sports and Athletic League | South Yorkshire Amateur league | Winchester and District League
(All divisions run in parallel) | |||||
| 17 | Anglian Combination Division Six | Bristol and District League Division Three | Devon and Exeter Football League Senior Division Five | East Sussex Football League Division Six | Lancashire Amateur League Division Three | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Six (NOTE: No league has its top division at level 17) | |||||
| 18 | Bristol and District League Division Four | Bury and District League | Central and South Norfolk League Division One | Lancashire Amateur League Division Four | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Seven | |||||
| 19 | Bristol and District League Division Five | Central and South Norfolk League Division Two | Huddersfield and District Works and Combination League | Lancashire Amateur League Division Five | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Eight | |||||
| 20 | Bristol and District League Division Six | Central and South Norfolk League Division Three | Lancashire Amateur League Division Six | Mid-Sussex Football League Division Nine (NOTE: No league has its top division at level 20) | |||||
| 21 | Bristol and Avon League | Bristol Downs Football League | Central and South Norfolk League Division Four | Lancashire Amateur League Division Seven | |||||
Changes made for the 2006-2007 season
- Conference National (Level 5) increased to twenty-four clubs.
- Levels 6 and 7 remained unchanged.
- The number of Level 8 divisions increased from four to five.
- * The Isthmian League's existing First Division was split into parallel (north and south) divisions.
- * The Southern League's two Division Ones will become split into Midlands and South and West divisions, rather than the previous West and East split.
- * The Northern Premier League continued to have only one First Division, but it is planned to bring it into line and have two parallel First Divisions at some point in the future.
- * Each Level 8 division should have had twenty-two clubs, but for the 2006-07 season the Northern Premier League First Division will run with twenty-four clubs.
- At Level 9, the number of divisions operating was reduced from fifteen to fourteen, with the Isthmian League Second Division discontinued. It was planned to reduce the number of divisions to twelve but there is still no consensus on how this will be achieved, so 2006-07 will run with fourteen leagues at this level. Each Level 9 division will have between eighteen and twenty-two clubs.
Lower down the pyramid, the Liverpool County Combination has merged with the I Zingari League to form the Liverpool County Premier League, while the Somerset County League has changed the format of its lower divisions. Instead of a Division Two and a Division Three, a geographical split has been made with a Division Two East and a Division Two West being formed. Also, the East Cornwall Premier League has changed name to the East Cornwall League and divided into two parts - Premier Division and Division One.
See also
- British Football League
- League system, for a list of similar systems in other countries
References
External link
| Football in the United Kingdom |
|
|---|---|
| National teams: England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | UK | |
| UK-wide national team competitions: British Home Championship | Rous Cup | |
| UK-wide club competitions: Coronation Cup | Texaco Cup | Anglo-Scottish Cup | |
| Football in... England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | |
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