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MEN'S
SOCCER PYRAMID - UK |
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Barclay's Premier
League (aka The Premiership) |
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Professional
The Premier
League was created in 1992 when the top 20 clubs elected
to break separate from The Football League First
Division (est. 1888), in order to take advantage of a
television rights deal making it the most watched
football/soccer league in the world. It also became the
most lucrative in terms of revenue. It operates on a
system of promotion and relegation with The Football
League. The Premier League is a corporation in which the
20 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from
August to May, with teams playing 38 matches each in the
season. |
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npower's The
Football League (First Division) |
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The Football
League's has three divisions: the Football League
Championship (First Division), Football League One
(Second Division), and Football League Two (Third
Division) with 24 clubs in each. At the end of the
season, clubs at the top of their division may win
promotion to the next higher division, while those at
the bottom may be relegated to the next lower one. At
the top end of the competition, three Championship clubs
win promotion from The Football League to the Barclay's
Premier League, with the bottom three Premier League
clubs taking their places in the Football League
Championship Division. At the lower end, two League Two
clubs lose their Football League status with relegation
to the National division of the Football Conference,
while two teams from Conference National join League Two
of The Football League in their stead. |
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Football League npower Championship
(First Division) |
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Three
Championship clubs win promotion from The Football
League to the Barclay's Premier League, with the bottom
three Premier League clubs taking their places in the
Football League Championship Division. |
Professional
24 clubs |
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Football League League One
(Second Division) |
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second division league although it is called League 1.
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Professional
24 clubs |
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| The
Football League League Two
(Third Division) |
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| This is a
third division league although it is called League 2.
Two League 2 clubs lose their Football League status
with relegation to the Conference National division of
the Football Conference, while two teams from Conference
National join League 2 of The Football League in their
stead. |
Professional
24 clubs |
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Conference National
(Fourth Division) |
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fourth division league and fifth highest overall in the
UK. |
Professional
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SEMI-PROFESSIONAL |
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Conference
North & South |
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The Conference North
& South are known as Blue Square Bet North & South as their
sponsor and are a division of the Football Conference in
England, taking its place immediately below the Conference
National. It is at Step 2 of the National League System and the
sixth overall tier of the English football league system. It
consists of teams located in northern England and the English
Midlands. |
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clubs (in 8 divisions in 4 conferences) |
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Northern
Premier League
Southern League
Isthmian League |
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Each league has a Premier Division,
its top division. It is at Step 3 (or level 7) of the National
League System, placing it six divisions below the FA Premier
League. For sponsorship reasons. |
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