Everything about Conference National totally explained
Conference National (currently named the
Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons)
is the top division of the
Football Conference. It is the highest level of the
National League System and fifth highest of the overall
English football league system. While all of the clubs in the top four tiers of English football are full-time professional, the Conference National has a mixture of full-time and
semi-professional clubs.
History
The league was formed as the 'Alliance Premier League' in
1979. It was the first attempt to create a fully national league underneath the football league, drawing its clubs from the
Northern Premier League and the
Southern League. It greatly improved the quality of football at this lower level, as well as improving the financial status of the top clubs. This was reflected in
1986, when the
Football League began accepting direct promotion and relegation between the Conference (which the league had been renamed by then) and the bottom division of the Football League which at that time was known as the
Football League Fourth Division and is now
Football League Two. The first team to be promoted by this method was
Scarborough and the first team relegated was
Lincoln City.
Since
2002-03, the league has been granted a second promotion place, with a play-off deciding who joins the champions in the Football League. Previously, no promotion from the Conference would occur if the winners didn't have adequate stadium facilities. As of the start of the 2002-03 season, if a club achieves the automatic promotion or the play-off places but doesn't have an adequate stadium, their place will be re-allocated to the next highest placed club, that has the required facilities. In
2004-05, the Conference increased its size by adding two lower divisions, the
Conference North and
Conference South respectively. In
2006 the Conference expanded from 22 to 24 teams by relegating two teams and promoting four teams. In the
2006-07 season a "four up and four down" system between the Conference National and its two feeder divisions was introduced.
The champions in the 2006-07 season were
Dagenham & Redbridge who were promoted to Football League Two along with
Morecambe who won the
2007 Playoff Final at
Wembley Stadium.
In April
2007, it was announced all the
Football Conference had agreed a three year sponsorship deal with online betting firm
Blue Square. Under the deal, all three Conference leagues would be sponsored by Blue Square from the
2007-08 season. This would also lead to a renaming of the leagues with the
Conference National becoming the
Blue Square Premier, the
Conference North becoming
Blue Square North and the
Conference South becoming
Blue Square South. Setanta show two live matches a week, with one on Thursday evening and one at the weekend.
Conference National clubs, 2008-09
² Not relegated due to
Halifax Town being demoted
Past Conference National winners
1Not promoted due to stadium not being adequate for the Football League
2Boston United allowed to retain championship title and subsequent promotion to the Football League despite having been found guilty of serious financial misconduct during their title winning season. Following their later relegation back from the Football League, due to ongoing financial concerns and irregularities at the club, Boston United were passed straight back through the Conference National and placed into Conference North.
Conference National Play-Off Results
Conference National stadia 2008-09
| Home Club |
Stadium Name |
Capacity |
| Wrexham |
Racecourse Ground |
15,000 |
| Oxford United |
Kassam Stadium |
12,500 |
| Mansfield Town |
Field Mill |
9,990 |
| Cambridge United |
Trade Recruitment Stadium |
9,617 |
| York City |
KitKat Crescent |
9,034 |
| Stevenage Borough |
Broadhall Way |
7,100 |
| Weymouth |
The Wessex Stadium |
6,600 |
| Burton Albion |
Pirelli Stadium |
6,500 |
| Rushden & Diamonds |
Nene Park |
6,441 |
| Kettering Town |
A-Line Arena |
6,264 |
| Kidderminster Harriers |
Aggborough |
6,238 |
| Altrincham |
Moss Lane |
6,150 |
| Woking |
Kingfield |
6,036 |
| Torquay United |
Plainmoor |
6,000 |
| Eastbourne Borough |
Priory Lane Stadium |
5,664 |
| Forest Green Rovers |
The New Lawn |
5,147 |
| Ebbsfleet United |
Stonebridge Road |
5,011 |
| Salisbury City |
The Raymond McEnhill Stadium |
5,000 |
| Crawley Town |
Broadfield Stadium |
4,996 |
| Northwich Victoria |
Victoria Stadium |
4,500 |
| Grays Athletic |
New Recreation Ground |
4,500 |
| Barrow |
Holker Street |
4,007 |
| Histon |
Bridge Road |
3,250 |
| Lewes |
The Dripping Pan |
3,000 |
Records
Further Information
Get more info on 'Conference National'.
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