The Promotion Race....Championship, League 1 & 2 + Demotion

[johntheclaret]

LEAGUE 1
Bournemouth won 3 - 1 over Walsall to cling to it's hopes of staying in League 1, Gillingham got a point. Still too close to call. The spot for the other promotion place heats up with Carlise dropping points & Doncaster picking up three. Last play off spot between Leeds & Brighton. Nottingham Forrest & Southend within touch of promotion.

you gotta feel for the Cherries. without that 10 point deduction they would be safe mid table.

both Leeds and Forest in the playoffs, shame only one can make it. Still the other one will be getting the pleasure of a trip to the seaside in L!'s biggest game of the season against Soton

[Dirko]

A game played in the CCC, League 1 & 2 last night...

CCC
RELEGATION
No relegation bound team played last night.

PROMOTION
Wolves 3 def Cardiff 0. Terrible result for the Bluebirds...This now ends their season, unable to reach a playoff spot. Wolves right in the mix just two points behind Crystal Palace. Wolves play Coventry & Plymouth...

LEAGUE 1
Bristol 0 lost to Swindon Town 0. The result has no effect on relegation or promotion.

LEAGUE 2
Hereford 2 def Wrexham 0. This result holds Hereford in third (a promotion spot). They are now 4 points clear with two games to go...
Wrexham are going into Conference football for the first time..they are 6 points adrift, but goal difference is huge...Goodbye the Red Dragons...Only two Welsh teams left in the League System and they will be in the same League next season...

[johntheclaret]

Hey SJABC, Wrexham has never been in the conference so they aren't really going back. Another club with a hundred years of leagur football history down the pan.

[Dirko]

Hey SJABC, Wrexham has never been in the conference so they aren't really going back. Another club with a hundred years of leagur football history down the pan.

Yeah just the way I worded it...have edited

Mighty sad for such a proud club...the Welsh will be not too happy ...

Farewell "Gwefan Swyddogol CPD Wrecsam"

[Dogwatcher]

Are there any more Welsh clubs in the conference system?

[Dirko]

Are there any more Welsh clubs in the conference system?

Colwyn Bay, Merthyr Tydfil, and Newport County were the ones I found. They are all in involved in the English Football league set up.

Colwyn Bay play in the Northern Premier League Division One South which is at level 8, which the promoted teams goes into Northern Premier League - level 7. The promoted teams from the Northern Premier League go into Conference North level 6, which goes into Conference National level 5, which goes into League 2 level 4, which goes into League 1 level 3, onto the CCC level 2, the the EPL which is level 1 !!

Colwyn Bay are sitting ninth, and no hope of going up.

Merthyr Tydfil are mid table in the Southern Premier League Premier Division, which is at level 7.

Newport County are 6th in Conference South, which is at level 6. They are pushing for a playoff spot for entrance to the Conference National. If they get there they will play Wrexham !!

Hope this makes sense.....

[Dogwatcher]

Looks all Welsh to me!

[johntheclaret]

Here is a list of Welsh sides that have played League football,

Aberdare (1921 -1927)
Merthyr Tydfil (1920 - 1930)
Newport County (1920 - 1988)
Cardiff City (1920 - Present)
Swansea City (1920 - Present)
Wrexham (1921 - 2008)

[johntheclaret]

UJust to clarify the league system, which is pretty straight forward,

The league system started with just one division. A second Division was added in 1893 and it pretty much astayed that way up until 1920 when two more divisions were added. These were both Division 3, being Division 3 North and Division 3 South. The third division was split into North and South and the top clubs from each division were promoted to the 2nd division.

The actual territories that formed North and South were pretty fluid as 2 clubs from the 2nd div had to be relegated. As you can imagine this would prove to be a bit difficult if two london clubs were relegated.

In 1958 division 3 North and South were scrapped and the top half of each division amalgamated to become Dvision 3 whilst the bottom half of each division amalgamated to become Division 4

From that point owards, there were 4 league divisions, 1 through 4 with promotion and relegation in all. There was no playoffs and only the top 2 teams went up or down in Divisions 1 & 2 and the top 3 sides went up in Divisions 3 & 4 (there were more teams in Divisions 3 & 4), and no relegation from Division 4 at all.

There was a non league structure but there was no automatic relegation. The bottom 4 or 5 clubs in division 4 had to apply for re-election. It goes without saying, that they were always re-elected. Top non league sides could also apply for election into the league, but for this to happen one of the bottom 5 of Division 4 would have to fail in their bid for re-election.

Yeovil famously applied about 5 years on the run (Yeovil was by far the biggest non league side for many years)

In the eighties (IIRC) it was decided that the bottom side in Div 4 would be relegated to the Conference, and of course the top conference side would be promoted. Famous benefactors of this new system were Wigan Athletic, Wimbledon and more recently Accrington Stanley.

In 1992 the EPL was formed (made up of the old Division 1 sides), and is actually a completely separate league to the rest. The EPL is governed by the EPL whilst all the other leagues are governed by the FA. The top 2 sides and the playoff winners still actually have to apply to the EPL to join. Of course their applications are always accepted, and the relegated sides from the EPL have to apply to join the FA league.

At the same time, the FA redesignated their leagues Division 1 - 3 scrapping the original titles of Div 2 - 4. Again in 2004, the leagues were redesignated to League Championship, League 1 and League 2.

Now the current structure is
EPL
League Champoinship (CCC)
League 1
League 2

These are the only four league divisions, everything else below are know as non league. there is a pyramid system that feeds the Conference (effectively the 5th division) where the champions win automatic promotion to the league structure (League 2) whilst the playoff system ensures the winners are also promoted. 2 sides are relegated to the non league system (conference)

Non league traditionally was made up of amatuer teams, although over the last 10 years more and more sides in the conference have become fully professional teams. Accrington Stanley for example went professional 2 years before winning promotion to League 2 (A gamble that seems to have paid off).

The play off system was introduced in an attempt to revive flagging attendances by keeping the league more open. Under the old system of only the top two, often matters of promotion and relegation were done and dusted weeks before the last games, and with already reducing attendances mainly as a result of hooliganism, the fianl weeks saw attendances drop off dramtically. It seems to have worked as now the the 4 play off spots are usually up for grabs in one form or another until the last week. The playoff's have also proven a great success for attendances, both in the home and away legs and the finals themselves.

The downside to the playoff's is the strength of the winning side that gains promotion. When the Clarets won the playoff final in 1994, they finished a massive 12 points below Stockport. Finishing 6th on 73 points the Clarets firstly drew and then won 2-0 against Plymouth who finished 3rd. The cClarets then played Stockport Coounty, the winners of the other match, with the Clarets winning 2 -1, coming from 1 - 0 down, whilst Stockport finished with only 9 men. Stockport ammassed 85 points. Burnley lasted only 1 season in Division 1 (formerly Division 2 and now the CCC) before getting relegated that year.

Hope this helps

[drebin]

Here is a list of Welsh sides that have played League football,

Aberdare (1921 -1927)
Merthyr Tydfil (1920 - 1930)
Newport County (1920 - 1988)
Cardiff City (1920 - Present)
Swansea City (1920 - Present)
Wrexham (1291 - 2008)

I knew Wrexham have been around for awhile but never realised that they were the oldest club in the world!

[johntheclaret]

Here is a list of Welsh sides that have played League football,

Aberdare (1921 -1927)
Merthyr Tydfil (1920 - 1930)
Newport County (1920 - 1988)
Cardiff City (1920 - Present)
Swansea City (1920 - Present)
Wrexham (1291 - 2008)

I knew Wrexham have been around for awhile but never realised that they were the oldest club in the world!

Formerly known as Druids Utd

[johntheclaret]

Here is a list of Welsh sides that have played League football,

Aberdare (1921 -1927)
Merthyr Tydfil (1920 - 1930)
Newport County (1920 - 1988)
Cardiff City (1920 - Present)
Swansea City (1920 - Present)
Wrexham (1291 - 2008)

I knew Wrexham have been around for awhile but never realised that they were the oldest club in the world!

Formerly known as Druids Utd

<edited to 1921>

[Dirko]

Hope this helps

Great post JTC, makes a lot of sense....

Hard to imagine you could play in the lowest conference side, and still harbour a dream of climbing up to the EPL

[johntheclaret]

Hope this helps

Great post JTC, makes a lot of sense....

Hard to imagine you could play in the lowest conference side, and still harbour a dream of climbing up to the EPL

Both Wigan Athletic and Wimbledon achieved their dreams Jabs.

[johntheclaret]

Clarets 3 - 3 Bluebirds

Clarets lead 2 - 0 then decided to take a nap. Cardiff got back into it with a penalty and then equalised. Burnley made it 3 - 2 but cardiff equalised within a cople of minutes.

The onlt excitement in this end of season no nothing affair was when Purse got a straight red for try to break Andy Coles leg. Purse walks of and into the dressing room and within a minute Andy Cole, who still seething, told the bench he was coming off. He then walked off the pitch, ran around the touchline and headed for the dressinig rooms after Purse, quickly followed by most of the Burnley bench and a handful of local bobbies, who like the rest of us, knew what was about to happen.

Notably, when the players returned for a lap of appreciation, Cole wasn't amoung them.

[johntheclaret]

Incidentally, Purses' moment of idiocy means he will get a minimum 3 match ban and will miss the FA Cup Final.

So much lost, in a moment of madness. To be fair, he absolutely deserved the red card. Crazy challenge.

[Dirko]

CCC
RELEGATION
Tighter then a fishes clacker....The spot for the third team to be relegated is still way open. Southhampton will play Monday against WBA, so the order of the table could change a lot depending result in that game...but this is it ATM.
Norwich defeated QPR 3 - nil, are on 55 points....SAFE
Barnsley defeated Charlton 3 - nil, are on 55 points....SAFE
Blackpool 53...lost to Plymouth 3 nil, still to play Watford
Coventry 53...drew 1 all with Wolves, still to play Charlton
Sheffield Wed 52...won 3 - 1 over Leicester, still to play Norwich
Leicester 51...lost 1 -3 to Sheffield Wed, still to play Stoke City
Southampton 50...still to play WBA & Sheffield United...have a game in hand

Some bloody terrible reults for the scraggers, mean this season will go down to the wire for 5 teams...If Souths get up on Monday, there will be 3 teams on 53, and 2 more within 2 points. None of the relegation teams play each other in the final round so will be great viewing...
If Southampton do not pick up a point against WBA, then Blackpool & Coventry will be safe as goal difference is 9 goals different minimum to Souths. Will then be between 3 teams in the final week. My tip bye bye Southampton. S.c.u.n.thorpe & Colchester already relegated.

PROMOTION
WBA 77...still to play Southhampton & QPR...sitting second one point behind Stoke. If they beat Southampton they will be the first team promoted.
Stoke City 78...won 1 nil over Colchester, still to play Leicester...3 points clear from third...have a easy draw..looking good.
Hull City 75...won 2-1 over Crystal Palace, still to play Ipswich, 3 points from promotion, will be hoping that WBA lose, and then next week beat Ipswich and Stoke lose Leicester as they have the better goal difference...

PLAY OFF SPOT
Bristol City 71...lost 1 - 2 to Sheffield Utd, thus ending the promotion push. Are safe for a play off spot. Play Preston next week.
Watford 69...lost 0 -1 to S.c.u.n.thorpe still to play Blackpool. Bad loss. Will go down to next week and if they lose and could see themselves out of a play off spot.
Crystal Palace 68 lost 1 -2 to Hull, still to play Burnley. Hanging on to a play off spot by a point. Will go down to next week.

Wolves on 67, Ipswich on 66, Sheffield United on 66 can make the play off spot, depending results next week. Ipswich & Hull game will be a beauty.

LEAGUE 1

RELEGATION
Bournemouth won 1 nil over Crewe to cling to it's hopes of staying in League 1, Gillingham got a point. Cheltenham lost to Oldham 1 -2, and are only 1 point clear from the drop. Crewe are 3 clear but have a worse goal difference to Bournemouth, so if they lose to Oldham and Bournemouth get up they could be adios. Bottom of the table. Port Vale & Luton Town already relegated.

[b]19 Crewe 50
20 Cheltenham 48[/b]
----------------------
21 Bournemouth 47
22 Gillingham 46

PROMOTION
Still too close to call. The spot for the other promotion place heats up...Swansea are already promoted.
2 Doncaster 80...won 2 nil over Luton, play Cheltenham
3 Nottm Forest 79...won 1 nil over Hartlepool, play Yeovil Town
4 Carlisle 79...lost 3 nil to Millwall...OUCH...play Bournemouth
5 Southend 75...lost 1 nil to Tranmere...safe for a play off spot
6 Leeds United 73...won 1 nil over Yeovil...safe for a play off spot

LEAGUE 2
MK Dons, Peterborough & Hereford are all into League One next season.
Rochdale, Stockport, Darlington & Wycombe all in the play offs.
Chester City & Mansfield Town only two teams that can drop along with Wrexham who are already relegated.

[drebin]

I fear the foxes are gone sadly but we have only got ourselves to blame. A failure to win 2 games in a row all season is a damning stat. Last night we Led 1-0 after 9 minutes, gave away a penalty which Henderson saved, then conceded what appeared to be two soft goals (poor defending). We could have got back in it to level it at 2-2 when we a penalty only to have goal scorer Hume blast it 3 feet wide and that was the end almost before Wednesday put us to bed with a 3rd. Only a miracle will save Leicester now - Southhampton will have to lose both games (which is on the cards) for us to stay up as I can't see us beating second placed Stoke away.

League 1 here we come sadly for the first time in our history.

[RoosterMarty]

Southampton play West Brom in their 45th match at the Hawthorns, I can see the Baggies winning that as they only need one win to seal promotion. It will come down to the last game.

JTC so many games last night saw a team lead 2-0 before the opposition leveling at 2-2, strange night of football. I read on the Bluebird forum that most supporters are glad Purse isn't playing as he has been ordinary at best this season, I did hear it was a stupid challenge and Cole followed him down the tunnel.

[Dirko]

Well the intrigue goes to the end of the season

Southampton 1 drew with WBA 1.

Southampton still in relegation on 51, but their fate is in their own hands...
WBA the first team into the EPL..on 78 points, but goal difference is huge...they are in !!