Content deleted Content added
Rams Fan YT (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Missing football league added |
||
(42 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown) | |||
Line 41:
==History==
{{main|History of football in England}}
The world's first association football league, named simply [[English Football League|The Football League]], was created in 1888 by [[Aston Villa]]'s club director [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]]. It was dominated by those clubs who had supported professionalism. The twelve founding members were six from [[Lancashire]] ([[Accrington F.C.|Accrington]], [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]]) and six from the [[Midlands]] ([[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]], [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]], [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke]], [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] and [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]).
==About the system==
Line 50:
In theory, it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to achieve annual promotions and within a few years rise to the pinnacle of the English game and become champions of the [[Premier League]]. While this may be unlikely in practice (at the very least, in the short run), there certainly is significant movement within the pyramid.
The top five levels contain one division each and are nationwide in scope. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, with each covering progressively smaller geographic areas. Many leagues have more than one division. At the lower levels the existence of leagues becomes intermittent, although in some of the more densely populated areas there are leagues more than twenty layers below the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepyramid.info/|title=The Pyramid.info|work=thepyramid.info|access-date=30 October 2005|archive-date=31 October 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051031084502/http://www.thepyramid.info/|url-status=live}}</ref> There are also leagues in various parts of the country which are not officially part of the system as they do not have formal agreements with other leagues, but are recognised at various levels by
The six levels immediately below the Premier League and three-level [[English Football League]] are known as the [[National League System]] and come under the jurisdiction of [[The Football Association]]. In May 2014 The FA announced provisional plans for a new division between the English Football League and the National League which would include "B" teams of higher-level clubs. They later reneged on the plan to include Premier League "B" teams in the new division<ref>{{cite news|title=EFL: Premier League B teams and 'non-English' clubs ruled out of league reforms|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37440689|work=bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC|date=22 October 2016|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=25 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225002124/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37440689|url-status=live}}</ref> and shortly thereafter scrapped the idea altogether.<ref>{{cite news|title=English Football League cancels talks over 100-team plan for five divisions|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37996768|work=bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC|date=16 October 2016}}</ref>
Line 74:
#[[National League North]] and [[National League South]] (level 6, 24 teams each, running in parallel): The champions in each division are automatically promoted; next six teams in each division compete in play-offs, with the play-off winner in each division getting the second promotion spot, with four teams qualifying to the National League in total. The bottom four teams in each division relegated to either [[Northern Premier League]], [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] or [[Isthmian League]] as appropriate. If, after promotion and relegation, the number of teams in the North and South divisions is not equal, one or more teams are transferred between the two divisions to even them up again based on geographic factors.
#[[Northern Premier League#Current members|Northern Premier League Premier Division]], [[Southern Football League#Premier Central|Southern Football League Premier Central]], [[Southern Football League#Premier South|Southern Football League Premier South]], and [[Isthmian League]] Premier Division (level 7, 22 teams each, leagues running in parallel): The champions in each division are automatically promoted; next four teams in each division compete in play-offs, with the play-off winners also promoted. The bottom four teams in each division relegated to a level 8 division as appropriate. If, after promotion and relegation, the number of teams in the divisions is not equal, one or more teams are transferred among the four divisions to even them up again.
#Northern Premier League Division One East, Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, Northern Premier League Division One West, Southern Football League Division One East, Southern Football League Division One West, Isthmian League Division One North, Isthmian League Division One South Central and Isthmian League Division One South East (level 8, running in parallel,
==Cup eligibility==
Being members of a league at a particular level also affects eligibility for Cup, or single-elimination, competitions.
*[[FA Cup]]: Levels 1 to
*[[EFL Cup]]: Levels 1 to 4
*[[EFL Trophy]]: Levels 3 to 4 ''(16 U21 teams from clubs in Levels 1 and 2 compete since 2016–17)''
Line 98 ⟶ 96:
The leagues below level four are classed as "non-League football", meaning they are outside the EFL. The leagues at levels five to ten comprise the [[National League System]] (NLS), and come under the direct jurisdiction of the Football Association. The top level (level 5) of the NLS is known as "step 1", the next (level 6) as "step 2", and so on. Until 2020, level 11 divisions were designated as "step 7", but that year were re-designated as "Regional Feeder Leagues".
After the 2023–24 season, four runners-up
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Line 156 ⟶ 154:
7 (Step 3)
|88
|colspan="
'''[[Northern Premier League]] Premier Division'''<br/>
''22 clubs'' – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
|colspan="
'''[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Premier Division Central'''<br/>
''22 clubs'' – 2 promotions,{{efn|name="geography"|Promotion to either the [[National League North]] or [[National League South]] is based on geographic factors.}} 4 relegations
|colspan="
'''[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Premier Division South'''<br/>
''22 clubs'' – 2 promotions,{{efn|name="geography"}} 4 relegations
|colspan="
'''[[Isthmian League]] Premier Division'''<br/>
''22 clubs'' – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
Line 171 ⟶ 169:
|
8 (Step 4)
|176
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Northern Premier League]] Division One East'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Northern Premier League]] Division One West'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Northern Premier League]] Division One Midlands'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Division One Central'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Division One South'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Isthmian League]] Division One South Central'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Isthmian League]] Division One North'''<br/>
''
|colspan="4" width=12%|
'''[[Isthmian League]] Division One South East'''<br/>
''
|-
|
9 (Step 5)
|
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Northern Football League|Northern League]] Division One'''<br/>''
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Northern Counties East Football League|Northern Counties East League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[North West Counties Football League|North West Counties League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''24 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Midland Football League|Midland League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''18 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[United Counties League]] Premier Division North'''<br/>''18 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[United Counties League]] Premier Division South'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Spartan South Midlands League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Wessex League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Western Football League|Western League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''18 clubs'' — 2p, 1r
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Combined Counties League]] Premier Division North'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Combined Counties League]] Premier Division South'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Essex Senior League]]'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Southern Combination Football League|Southern Combination League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''20 clubs'' — 2p,
|colspan="2" width=6%|
'''[[Southern Counties East League]] Premier Division'''<br/>''
|-
|
10 (Step 6)
|
|colspan="16"|
[[Northern Football League|Northern League]] Division Two – ''22 clubs'' — 2p, 0–3r<br/>
[[Northern Counties East Football League|Northern Counties East League]] League Division One – ''
[[North West Counties Football League|North West Counties League]] Division One North – ''18 clubs'' — 2p, 0–3r<br/>
[[North West Counties Football League|North West Counties League]] Division One South – ''18 clubs'' — 2p, 0–3r<br/>
[[Midland Football League|Midland League]] Division One – ''
[[United Counties League]] Division One – ''
[[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]] Division One – ''
[[Spartan South Midlands League]] Division One – ''20 clubs'' — 2p, 0–3r<br/>
|colspan="16"|
[[Wessex League]] Division One – ''
[[Western Football League|Western League]] Division One – ''22 clubs'' — 2p, 0–3r<br/>
[[South West Peninsula League]] Premier Division East – ''
[[South West Peninsula League]] Premier Division West – ''17 clubs'' — 1p, 0–3r<br/>
[[Combined Counties League]] Division One – ''
[[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League]] Division One North – ''
[[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League]] Division One South – ''
[[Southern Combination Football League]] Division One – ''
[[Southern Counties East League]] Division One – ''
|-
|
Line 347 ⟶ 345:
[[Essex and Suffolk Border Football League|Essex & Suffolk Border League]] Division One – ''16 clubs''<br/>
[[Essex Olympian League]] Senior Division One – ''13 clubs''<br/>
[[
[[Hampshire Premier League]] Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
[[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]] Division Two Central – ''12 clubs'' <br/>
Line 407 ⟶ 405:
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Premier Division – ''11 clubs''<br/>
[[Basingstoke and District Football League|Basingstoke and District League]] Division One – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Bedfordshire County League Division Two North – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Bedfordshire County League Division Two South – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Line 423 ⟶ 422:
Essex & Suffolk Border League Division Two – ''15 clubs''<br/>
Essex Olympian League Senior Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Premier Division – ''9 clubs''<br/>
[[Herefordshire Football League]] Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Line 471 ⟶ 470:
|valign=″top″|
Aldershot & District League Division Two – ''6 clubs''<br/>
Altrincham and District Amateur League Division One – 11 clubs''<br/>▼
Anglian Combination Division Three – ''18 clubs''<br/>
Aylesbury and District League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Beckett Football League Division
Bedfordshire County League Division Three – ''16 clubs''<br/>
[[Bristol and District League]] Senior Division – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Line 481 ⟶ 479:
Cambridgeshire County League Division One A – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Cambridgeshire County League Division One B – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Cheltenham League]]
Coventry Alliance Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Craven and District League Division One – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Crewe and District League Premier Division – ''7 clubs''<br/>
▲Crook and District League Division One – ''6 clubs''<br/>
Devon and Exeter League Division Two – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Doncaster Saturday Football League|Doncaster Saturday League]] Premier Division – ''8 clubs''<br/>
Line 500 ⟶ 498:
[[Hertfordshire Senior County League]] Division Three – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Hope Valley Amateur League Premier Division – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Huddersfield and District Association Football League|Huddersfield and District Association League]]
Kent County League Division Three Central & East – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Kent County League Division Three West – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Line 507 ⟶ 505:
[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Premier Division – ''12 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Premier Division – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Leicestershire County League Premier Division – ''13 clubs'' <
Liverpool Old Boys' League Division One – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Middlesex County League Combination – ''11 clubs''<br/>▼
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two North – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two South – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 544 ⟶ 541:
Ashford & District League Premier Division – ''7 clubs''<br/>
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
▲Beckett Football League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Bedfordshire County League Division Four – ''17 clubs''<br/>
Bristol and District League Division One – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Line 552 ⟶ 548:
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two B – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Canterbury & District League Premier Division – ''7 clubs''<br/>
Cheltenham League Division
Coventry Alliance Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Craven and District League Division Two – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Cumberland County League Premier Division – ''8 clubs''<br/>
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Three – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Doncaster Saturday League Division One – ''7 clubs''<br/>
Line 569 ⟶ 567:
[[Hertfordshire Senior County League]] Division Four – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Hope Valley Amateur League A Division – ''17 clubs''<br/>
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division
Kingston and District Football League Division One – ''10 clubs''<br/>
|valign="top"|
[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Division One – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Division One – ''8 clubs''<br/>
Leicestershire County League Championship Division – ''12 clubs'' <
Liverpool Old Boys' League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three North – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three South – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 587 ⟶ 586:
Sevenoaks and District Football League Premier Division – ''11 clubs''<br/>
[[South Devon Football League]] Division Three – ''9 clubs''<br/>
[[St Piran Football League|St Piran League]] Division Four East – ''11 clubs''<br/>▼
[[St Piran Football League|St Piran League]] Division Four West – ''13 clubs''<br/>▼
Stroud and District League Division Two – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Four – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Line 592 ⟶ 593:
Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Four – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Wakefield and District League Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
West Sussex League Division Three Central – ''10 clubs''<br/>
West Sussex League Division Three North – ''10 clubs''<br/>
West Sussex League Division Three South – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Wimbledon & District Football League Division One – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 607 ⟶ 610:
Anglian Combination Division Five South – ''16 clubs''<br/>
Ashford & District League Division One – ''8 clubs''<br/>
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Three – ''12 clubs''<br/>▼
[[Brighton, Worthing & District Football League|Brighton, Worthing & District League]] Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Bristol and District League Division Two – ''15 clubs''<br/>
Line 615 ⟶ 617:
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three B – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Canterbury & District League Division One – ''7 clubs''<br/>
Cheltenham League Division
Coventry Alliance Division Three – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Craven and District League Division Three – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Four – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Dorset Football League Division Four – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Line 626 ⟶ 629:
Furness Premier League Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Three – ''9 clubs''<br/>
▲Halifax and District League Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
[[Hertfordshire Senior County League]] Division Five – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division
▲Kingston and District Football League Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
|valign="top"|
[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Division Two – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Leicestershire County League Division One – ''12 clubs'' <
Liverpool Old Boys' League Division Three – ''12 clubs''<br/>
[[Mid-Essex League]] Premier Division – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four North – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four South – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Line 646 ⟶ 648:
[[South Devon Football League]] Division Four – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Southend Borough & District Combination Premier Division – ''7 clubs''<br/>
▲[[St Piran Football League|St Piran League]] Division Four East – ''11 clubs''<br/>
▲[[St Piran Football League|St Piran League]] Division Four West – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Stroud and District League Division Three – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Five – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Taunton & District Saturday League Division One – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Wakefield and District League Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Westmorland Association Football League Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Two – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Wimbledon & District Football League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 667 ⟶ 668:
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four B – ''14 clubs''<br/>
Central and South Norfolk League Division One – ''12 clubs''<br/>
▲Cheltenham League Division Four – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Dorset Football League Division Five – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Five – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Line 673:
East Riding County League Division Four – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Youth to Adult Transition Division – ''8 clubs''<br/>
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division
[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Division Three – ''14 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Division Three – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Leicestershire County League Division Two – ''12 clubs'' <
Liverpool Old Boys' League Division Four – ''9 clubs''<br/>
|valign="top"|
Mid-Essex League Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Lancashire Football League Division Two – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five North – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five South – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 691 ⟶ 692:
Sevenoaks and District Football League Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Southend Borough Combination Division One – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Stroud and District League Division Four North – ''
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Six – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Taunton & District Saturday League Division Two – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Westmorland Association Football League Division Three – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Three – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Wimbledon & District Football League Division Three – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 706 ⟶ 709:
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Six – ''14 clubs''<br/>
East Berkshire Football League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Four – ''10 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Division Four – ''12 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Division A – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Leicestershire County League Division Three – ''13 clubs'' <
Lowestoft & District League Division One – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Essex League Division Two – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Line 714 ⟶ 718:
Mid-Sussex League Division Six – ''9 clubs''<br/>
North East Norfolk League Division Two – ''7 clubs''<br/>
▲North Gloucestershire League Division Four – ''12 clubs''<br/>
North West Norfolk League Division Two – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Sevenoaks and District Football League Division Three – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Stroud and District League Division Five North – ''
Stroud and District League Division Five South – ''10 clubs''<br/>
Westmorland Association Football League Division Four – ''11 clubs''<br/>
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Four – ''12 clubs''<br/>
Yorkshire Amateur League Division Five – ''12 clubs''
Line 728 ⟶ 733:
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Seven – ''13 clubs''<br/>
East Berkshire Football League Division Three – ''10 clubs''<br/>
▲
|valign="top"|
▲[[Lancashire Amateur League]] Division Five – ''9 clubs''<br/>
[[Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League|Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League]] Division B – ''13 clubs''<br/>
Lowestoft & District League Division Two – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Mid-Essex League Division Three – ''10 clubs''<br/>
North West Norfolk League Division Three – ''9 clubs''<br/>
Stroud and District League Division Six – ''
|-
|20
Line 768 ⟶ 773:
{{DEFAULTSORT:England Football League System}}
[[Category:Football league systems in Europe]]
[[Category:Football leagues in England| ]]
[[Category:Football league systems in England]]
|