English Football League teams

As a further incentive to teams to avoid the comfort zone of mid-table mediocrity, play-offs have been instituted for teams from Divisions 1, 2, and 3 finishing within 4 positions of the automatic qualifiers in their respective divisions. The winner of each set of play-offs is also promoted. In 2003 it was proposed to increase the play-offs to six, whilst most teams agreed to this "in principle", the motion was eventually defeated.

The rewards for Premiership teams are places in European competitions such as the Champions League, and represent a considerable financial incentive for teams.

In addition, if the topmost team from the Nationwide Conference has a ground which is satisfactory for League football, the lowest team from the Third Division is relegated to the Conference and the promoted team acquires full league status as happened in the season 2000/01 with the promotion of Rushden and Diamonds F.C. and the relegation of Barnet F.C. For season 2002/03 two up, two down was introduced, the second team promoted under the play-off system.

There is no system of play-offs for the top teams in a division; the league winner is determined solely based on the best record. The record is evaluation primarily on wins and losses, with three points for a win and one point for a draw, with goal differential serving as a tie-breaker; however, if the teams are entirely equal, the team which has scored the most goals would finish top, if that was equal a play-off would be held at a neutral venue. The League-wide League Cup, and the FA Cup that is dominated by League teams, use a single-elimination format to determine a champion.

Welsh and Scottish Teams

Professional football teams from Wales (Cardiff City, Wrexham, and Swansea City) play in the English Football League, thus largely disqualifying themselves from the UEFA club competitions, although lower teams play in the League of Wales. Currently, the three Welsh clubs that play in the English Football League can only enter the UEFA Cup by winning the FA Cup or Carling Cup. Champions League places are available only to Premier League clubs, and no Welsh clubs are currently in the Premiership. Scotland has its own football league system which includes the English team, Berwick Rangers. Until recently, the English team Oswestry Town played in the Welsh Premier Division. The club merged with (and took the name of) Total Network Solutions in 2003 and currently plays in the Welsh town of Llansantffraid. However, the club plans to build a new stadium in Oswestry.

There are other Welsh teams in the English pyramid. These are Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil and Colwyn Bay. These unfamous teams are often overshadowed by Cardiff City, Swansea City and Wrexham. Four Welsh teams are invited each year to play in the FAW Premier Cup, an invitational tournament for the top Welsh clubs. Also many English teams near the Welsh border used to play in the Welsh Cup. However since UEFA granted European qualification from the Welsh Cup, no club playing outside of the Welsh leagues has been allowed to compete.

Former Structures of the English Football League

Formed in 1888 as one division comprising Accrington F.C., Aston Villa F.C., Blackburn Rovers F.C., Bolton Wanderers F.C., Burnley F.C., Derby County F.C., Everton F.C., Notts County F.C., Preston North End F.C., Stoke F.C., West Bromwich Albion F.C. and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

• Second Division added in 1892.
• Third Division added in 1920.
• Third Division (North) added in 1921, Third Division renamed Third Division (South).
• Third Division (South) and Third Division (North) amalgamated to form Third Division and Fourth Division in 1958.
• FA Premier league formed after break from Football League in 1992. Second Division renamed First Division, Third Division renamed Second Division, and Fourth Division renamed Third Division. These leagues are now officially known as Divisions One, Two and Three, respectively.

Domestic Cup Competitions

The FA Cup is the principal domestic cup competition, and is open to clubs of all levels. The winners qualify for the following season's UEFA Cup. The League Cup is open only to Premiership and Football League teams, and also provides a route into European play. The Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is an annual match between the Premiership champions and the FA Cup winners. There are also competitions restricted to lower-division clubs: the Football League Trophy (Associate Members' Cup) for members of the Second and Third Divisions, the FA Trophy for semi-professional non-league clubs, and the FA Vase for lower-ranking non-league clubs.

Premiership Teams

• Arsenal F.C. (1919;1904)
• Aston Villa F.C. (1988;1888)
• Birmingham City F.C. (2002;1894)
• Blackburn Rovers F.C. (2001;1888)
• Bolton Wanderers F.C. (2001;1888)
• Charlton Athletic F.C. (2000;1936)
• Chelsea F.C. (1989;1907)
• Everton F.C. (1954;1888)
• Fulham F.C. (2001;1949)
• Leeds United F.C. (1990;1924)
• Leicester City F.C. (2003;1908)
• Liverpool F.C. (1962;1894)
• Manchester City F.C. (2002;1899)
• Manchester United F.C. (1975;1892)
• Middlesbrough F.C. (1988;1902)
• Newcastle United F.C. (1993;1898)
• Portsmouth F.C. (2003;1927)
• Southampton F.C. (1978;1966)
• Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (1978;1909)
• Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. (2003;1888)

First Division Teams

• Bradford City F.C.
• Burnley F.C.
• Cardiff City F.C.
• Coventry City F.C.
• Crewe Alexandra F.C.
• Crystal Palace F.C.
• Derby County F.C.
• Gillingham F.C.
• Ipswich Town F.C.
• Millwall F.C.
• Norwich City F.C.
• Nottingham Forest F.C.
• Preston North End F.C.
• Reading F.C.
• Rotherham United F.C.
• Sheffield United F.C.
• Stoke City F.C.
• Sunderland A.F.C.
• Walsall F.C.
• Watford F.C.
• West Bromwich Albion F.C.
• West Ham United F.C.
• Wigan Athletic F.C.
• Wimbledon F.C.

Second Division Teams

• Barnsley F.C.
• Blackpool F.C.
• AFC Bournemouth
• Brentford F.C.
• Brighton and Hove Albion F.C.
• Bristol City F.C.
• Chesterfield F.C.
• Colchester United F.C.
• Grimsby Town F.C.
• Hartlepool United F.C.
• Luton Town F.C.
• Notts County F.C.
• Oldham Athletic F.C.
• Peterborough United F.C.
• Plymouth Argyle F.C.
• Port Vale F.C.
• Queens Park Rangers F.C.
• Rushden and Diamonds F.C.
• Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
• Stockport County F.C.
• Swindon Town F.C.
• Tranmere Rovers F.C.
• Wrexham F.C.
• Wycombe Wanderers F.C.

Third Division Teams

• Boston United F.C.
• Bristol Rovers F.C.
• Bury F.C.
• Cambridge United F.C.
• Carlisle United F.C.
• Cheltenham Town F.C.
• Darlington F.C.
• Doncaster Rovers F.C.
• Huddersfield Town A.F.C.
• Hull City A.F.C.
• Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
• Leyton Orient F.C.
• Lincoln City F.C.
• Macclesfield Town F.C.
• Mansfield Town F.C.
• Northampton Town F.C.
• Oxford United F.C.
• Rochdale F.C.
• Scunthorpe United F.C.
• Southend United F.C.
• Swansea City F.C.
• Torquay United F.C.
• Yeovil Town F.C.
• York City F.C.

Teams relegated from the Third Division to the Conference and not returned

• Barnet F.C.
• Chester City F.C.
• Exeter City F.C.
• Halifax Town F.C.
• Hereford United F.C.
• Scarborough F.C.
• Shrewsbury Town F.C.

Halifax Town are the only team to have been relegated twice from the Football League.

Other teams no longer with full league status

• Aberdare Athletic F.C.
• Accrington Stanley F.C.
• Accrington F.C.
• Aldershot F.C.
• Ashington F.C.
• Barrow F.C.
• Bootle F.C.
• Bradford Park Avenue F.C.
• Burton Swifts F.C.
• Burton United F.C.
• Burton Wanderers F.C.
• Darwen F.C.
• Durham City A.F.C.
• Gainsborough Trinity F.C.
• Gateshead F.C. (South Shields F.C.)
• Glossop North End F.C.
• Leeds City F.C.
• Loughborough F.C.
• Maidstone United F.C.
• Merthyr Town F.C.
• Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C.
• Nelson F.C.
• New Brighton F.C.
• New Brighton Tower F.C.
• Newport County F.C.
• Northwich Victoria F.C.
• Southport F.C.
• Stalybridge Celtic F.C.
• Thames Association F.C.
• Wigan Borough F.C.
• Workington F.C.

Other non-league teams of note

• AFC Wimbledon
• Corinthian Casuals
• Sheffield F.C.

External link

• Official Football League website

Referenced By