The FA Premier League was founded in 1992. Its formation allowed the Football Association to take control of the national championship which had previously been run by the Football League, a separate organisation, and allowed the top clubs autonomy from the lower divisions and a greater share of TV revenues. Previously the top clubs played in Division One of The Football League. Between 1993 and 2001 it was sponsored by Carling and was known as the FA Carling Premiership. In 2001 Barclaycard became the new sponsors of the league and the competition was retitled the FA Barclaycard Premiership.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queen's Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Wimbledon
1 division of 20 clubs.
The Premiership comprised of 22 clubs until the 1994-95 after which it was
reduced to 20 clubs.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Southampton, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United
Promoted from Division One: Manchester City, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City (via play-offs)
Relegated to Division One: Ipswich Town, Derby County, Leicester City
UEFA Champions' League: Arsenal,
Liverpool (qualified directly to Group Phase 1), Manchester United, Newcastle United (Third
Qualifying Round)
UEFA Cup: Leeds United (5th), Chelsea (6th), Blackburn Rovers (Worthington Cup Winners), Ipswich Town (UEFA Fair Play League)
UEFA Inter-Toto Cup: Aston Villa, Fulham (qualified for UEFA Cup)
| 2002 | Arsenal |
| 2001 | Manchester United |
| 2000 | Manchester United |
| 1999 | Manchester United |
| 1998 | Arsenal |
| 1997 | Manchester United |
| 1996 | Manchester United |
| 1995 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1994 | Manchester United |
| 1993 | Manchester United |
The Football League is the oldest league competition in the world and was the national championship until the formation of the FA Premier League in 1992. Since then it has been the second tier league of professional football. It has been sponsored by the Nationwide Building Society since 1996. Previous sponsors were Canon (Feb 1984-86), Today newspaper (1986-7), Barclays (1987-93) and Endsleigh Insurance (1993-96).
Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers
3 divisions, 72 clubs
Division One (24 clubs)
Division Two (24 clubs)
Division Three (24 clubs)
12 clubs competed in the inaugaral season 1888-9, 11 of which are still
playing in the Premiership or Football League today. A
second division was added in 1893. Two regional third divisions of 22 associate
clubs were formed in 1920 and 1921 by which time the top two divisions had also
been expanded to 22 clubs. In the early 1950s membership was increased to 92 by
adding two clubs to each regional division. In 1958 the lower two division were
re-organised into Divisions 3 and 4.
Until 1986 the bottom four clubs in the league had to seek re-election
along with any other clubs which wished to join the League. The vote almost
always went in favour of the clubs seeking re-election and only 5 clubs failed
to be re-elected between 1946 and 1986. After years of lobbying the League
finally agreed to change its rules and from 1987 the champions of the
The Conference (the top semi-professional league) have
been promoted to the league in place of the club finishing last. The first club
to benefit from this arrangement were Scarborough. A goal in injury time on the
last day of the season saved Torquay United from being the first club relegated
from the league, instead the "honour" fell to Lincoln City who had
only been relegated from Division Three the previous year. Promotion to the
League is conditional on the Conference champions meeting the League's stadium
and financial criteria. Alarmed by the collapse of Maidstone United in 1992 on
the eve of the new season after only 3 seasons in the League, the League
tightened their requirements and insisted that prospective members must meet
membership criteria by the 31st December prior to joining the League. As a
result no clubs were promoted to the League between 1993 and 1997. Following
unsuccessful court action by the 1997 Conference champions, Stevenage Borough,
the League agreed to relax the deadline for meeting membership criteria to April
30th. There was no reprieve for the bottom club in 1998, Hereford United, and
they were replaced by Conference champions Macclesfield Town. In 1999
Scarborough, the first club promoted from the Conference, became the first club
to be relegated back again. Relegation rivals Carlisle United sealed Scarborough's
fate with a winning goal 5 minutes into injury by their on-loan goalkeeper in their final game against Plymouth. Three years later Halifax Town became the first club to suffer relegation to the Conference for
the second time. In March 2000 the Football League had agreed in principle to increase
promotion and relegation between the Football League and The Conference to two clubs. However negotiations over parachute payments for relegated clubs delayed implementation of
this until the 2002-03 season.
Pressure from the top clubs caused Division One to be reduced
to 20 clubs over two seasons from 1987 with a corresponding increase in Division
Two. This was partially achieved through the introduction of the play-offs.
Division One was re-instated to 22 clubs in 1991 but the play-offs remained.
Divisions Two and Three remained at 24 clubs and Division Three was increased to
23 clubs bringing total membership to a record 93 clubs. This only lasted until
March 1992 when first Aldershot collapsed and were expelled from the league, followed in the summer
by the demise of Maidstone United who had only been promoted from the Conference three seasons before.
At the end of the 1991-92 season the Division One clubs resigned to form
the FA Premier League leaving only 70 clubs in membership. The remaining
divisions were renamed so that the old Division Two became Division One etc.
Membership was increased to 72 in 1995 when the Premiership was reduced to 20
clubs.
The champions and runners-up are promoted automatically. The next four clubs
play-off for an additional promotion place as follows:
Semi-Finals: 5th v. 4th and 6th v. 2nd played over two legs. Extra-time,
away goals and penalty kicks decide tie if necessary.
Final: Single game at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, decided by extra-time and penalty kicks if
necessary.
Bradford City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Millwall, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End, Portsmouth, Reading, Rotherham United, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Walsall, Watford, Wimbledon, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Relegated from FA Carling Premiership: Ipswich Town, Derby County, Leicester City
Promoted from Division Two: Brighton & Hove Albion, Reading, Stoke City (via play-offs)
Promoted to FA Carling Premiership: Manchester City, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City (via play-offs)
Relegated to Division Two: Crewe Alexandra, Barnsley, Stockport County
| 1999 | Manchester City |
| 1998 | Fulham |
| 2000 | Charlton Athletic |
| 1999 | Sunderland |
| 1998 | Nottingham Forest |
| 1997 | Bolton Wanderers |
| 1996 | Sunderland |
| 1995 | Middlesbrough |
| 1994 | Crystal Palace |
| 1993 | Newcastle United |
The champions and runners-up are promoted automatically. The next four clubs
play-off for an additional promotion place as follows:
Semi-Finals: 5th v. 4th and 6th v. 2nd played over two legs. Extra-time,
away goals and penalty kicks decide tie if necessary.
Final: Single game at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, decided by extra-time and penalty kicks if
necessary.
Barnsley, Blackpool, Brentford, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Cheltenham Town, Chesterfield, Colchester United, Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Northampton Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Peterborough United, Plymouth Argyle, Port Vale, Queen's Park Rangers, Stockport County, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Wycombe Wanderers
Relegated from Division One: Crewe Alexandra, Barnsley, Stockport County
Promoted from Division Three: Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Cheltenham Town (via play-offs)
Promoted to Division One: Brighton & Hove Albion, Reading, Stoke City (via play-offs)
Relegated
to Division Two: AFC Bournemouth, Bury, Wrexham, Cambridge United
| 2002 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 2001 | Millwall |
| 2000 | Preston North End |
| 1999 | Fulham |
| 1998 | Watford |
| 1997 | Bury |
| 1996 | Swindon Town |
| 1995 | Birmingham City |
| 1994 | Reading |
| 1993 | Stoke City |
The top three clubs are promoted automatically. The next four clubs play-off
for an additional promotion place as follows:
Semi-Finals: 6th v. 5th and 7th v. 3nd played over two legs. Extra-time,
away goals and penalty kicks decide tie if necessary.
Final: Single game at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, decided by extra-time and penalty kicks if
necessary.
AFC Bournemouth, Boston United, Bristol Rovers, Bury, Cambridge United, Carlisle United, Darlington, Exeter City, Hartlepool United, Hull City, Kidderminster Harriers, Leyton Orient, Lincoln City, Macclesfield Town, Oxford United, Rochdale, Rushden & Diamonds, Scunthorpe United, Shrewsbury Town, Southend United, Swansea City, Torquay United, Wrexham, York City
Relegated from Division Two: AFC Bournemouth, Bury, Wrexham, Cambridge United
Promoted from Nationwide Conference: Boston United
Promoted to Division Two: Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Cheltenham Town (via play-offs)
Relegated to The Football Conference: Halifax Town
| 2002 | Plymouth Argyle |
| 2001 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 2000 | Swansea City |
| 1999 | Brentford |
| 1998 | Notts County |
| 1997 | Wigan Athletic |
| 1996 | Preston North End |
| 1995 | Carlisle United |
| 1994 | Shrewsbury Town |
| 1993 | Cardiff City |
Prepared and maintained by James M. Ross
Author: James M. Ross Last updated: 20 Nov 2002Copyright © 1997, 2002 James M. Ross
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