Sunday, May 3, 2009

Ups and downs

BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues in England and Scotland - plus the race for European places.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all qualified for the Champions League. The top three will go straight to the group stage, while the fourth-placed team will face a play-off.

English clubs are offered three places in the Europa League (formerly the Uefa Cup) - for the FA Cup winners, the Carling Cup winners and the fifth-placed team in the Premier League.

Rio Ferdinand lifts the Carling Cup for Manchester United
Manchester United were the first team to book their place in Europe

With Manchester United having won the Carling Cup and being guaranteed to finish in the top four, the Europa League place allocated to the Carling Cup winners will go to the sixth-placed team.

If both FA Cup finalists - Chelsea and Everton - have already earned European qualification through the league, the seventh-placed team will earn a Europa League sport.

There are also three additional Europa League places awarded to the three national associations which finish highest in its Respect Fair Play league standings. Norway, Denmark and Scotland were the highest-ranked associations in late January.

Each qualifying association is then entitled to put forward the highest-placed club from its own fair play standings which has not already qualified for Europe.

INTERNET LINK: Norway lead Respect Fair Play rankings (26 January)

The Intertoto Cup - previously an alternative route into the Uefa Cup for clubs - has been abolished.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to the Championship - with West Brom running out of games to avoid the drop.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Wolves celebrate promotion after beating QPR
Wolves made sure of their return to the Premier League on 18 April

Wolverhampton Wanderers are champions after their 1-1 draw with Barnsley on 25 April. Birmingham took the second automatic place after winning 2-1 at promotion rivals Reading on the final day of the season.

Sheffield United, Reading, Burnley and Preston will contest the play-offs.

Bottom club Charlton Athletic had their relegation to League One confirmed on 18 April as they drew 2-2 with Blackpool. Southampton were effectively relegated on 24 April after being docked 10 points by the Football League for a breach of insolvency regulations - their relegation was confirmed by a 2-2 draw with Burnley two days later, and they will start next season on minus 10 points.Norwich occupied the third and final relegation place after losing 4-2 at Charlton.

LEAGUE ONE
Leicester City celebrate promotion
Leicester's 2-0 win at Southend on 18 April made sure of the title

Leicester City confirmed their rise to the Championship and the League One title with a 2-0 win at Southend on 18 April. Peterborough United secured the second promotion place by beating Colchester 1-0 a week later.

Millwall, MK Dons and Leeds United will contest the play-offs with Scunthorpe who sealed the final place on the last day of the season.

Hereford United were relegated to League Two after their loss to Colchester on 18 April. Cheltenham Town joined them on 25 April, and on the final day of the season, Crewe and Northampton were also both relegated.

LEAGUE TWO
Brentford celebrate with the League Two trophy
Brentford made sure of the title with one game to spare

Brentford are promoted as champions after beating Darlington on 25 April. Wycombe and Exeter joined them on a dramatic final day of the season.

The play-offs will be between Bury - who missed out on automatic promotion by a whisker - Gillingham, Rochdale and Shrewsbury , whose last-day win saw them grab seventh place.

Luton Town were relegated to the Blue Square Premier on Easter Monday, while Chester's relegation was confirmed on the final day.

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER

Burton Albion have been promoted to the Football League, despite a final-day defeat by Torquay United, who will contest the play-off final with Cambridge United for the remaining promotion spot on 17 May.

Lewes, Northwich, Woking and Weymouth are relegated.

Four teams will be promoted to the Blue Square Premier - the champions and play-off winners of the Blue Square North and South divisions.

AFC Wimbledon fans celebrate
Formed in 2002, AFC Wimbledon have reached the Conference top flight

AFC Wimbledon were promoted after clinching the Blue Square South title with a 3-0 victory over St Albans City on 25 April.

Hampton & Richmond and Hayes & Yeading will contest the play-off final on 7 May.

Tamworth secured the Blue Square North title after beat Hinckley United 1-0 on 21 April. Gateshead and AFC Telford United will contest the play-off final on 8 May.

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

The Scottish Premier League has split in two after the first 33 games, with all clubs playing five further matches against teams in their 'half'.

The SPL champions will go straight into the Champions League group stages next season, with the runners-up facing two qualifying rounds. Title rivals Celtic and Rangers are guaranteed to fill those two places.

Teams finishing third and fourth will qualify for the Europa League, as will Scottish Cup finalists Falkirk , whose opponents Rangers have already qualified for the Champions League.

There are also three additional places awarded to the three national associations which finish highest in its Respect Fair Play league standings. Norway, Denmark and Scotland were the highest-ranked associations in late January.

Each qualifying association is then entitled to put forward the highest-placed club from its own fair play standings which has not already qualified for Europe.

INTERNET LINK: Norway lead Respect Fair Play rankings (26 January)

The SPL's bottom club will be relegated to Division One.

SCOTTISH DIVISION ONE

St Johnstone made sure of the title and promotion to the Scottish Premier League by beating Morton on 2 May.

Clyde were relegated on the same day as they finished bottom despite defeating Dundee, while the ninth-placed club must enter a play-off with three Division Two clubs. Airdrie United go into the final game two points adrift of Ross County.

SCOTTISH DIVISION TWO

Raith Rovers were crowned champions on 2 May and will be promoted to Division One, while Ayr United , Brechin City and Peterhead will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed Division One club.

Bottom club Stranraer were consigned to an immediate return to the Third Division on 4 April when they lost 3-0 to Raith Rovers.

Queen's Park , as the ninth-placed club, will enter a play-off with three Division Three clubs.

SCOTTISH DIVISION THREE

The champion club will be promoted to Division Two and Dumbarton go into the final day as champions in all but name, having a vastly superior goal difference than East Stirlingshire .

The next three clubs will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed Division Two club, with Cowdenbeath and Stenhousemuir filling the two remaining places.

There is no relegation from this division, but struggling Elgin City are guaranteed to finish as Scottish senior football's bottom club this season.

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