Countries | England / Wales |
---|---|
Founded | 1979 (as Alliance Premier League) |
Number of teams | 24 |
Promotion to | League Two |
Relegation to | Blue Square North Blue Square South |
Levels on pyramid | 5 |
Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Trophy Conference League Cup |
Current champions | Burton Albion (2008–09) |
Website | Conference |
Football Conference 2009–10 |
Conference National (currently named the Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons)[1] 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. The Conference National is the lowest nationwide division in the English football pyramid.
Contents |
History
The league was formed as the Alliance Premier League in 1979, coming into force for the 1979-80 season. 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 1986-87, 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, who regained their Football League status a year later as Conference champions.
The league's first sponsors were Gola, who sponsored it during the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons. When Gola's sponsorship ceased carmaker Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of American combine General Motors, took over and sponsored the league until the end of the 1997-98 season. The 1998-99 Conference campaign began without sponsors for the Conference, but just before the end of the season a sponsorship was agreed with Nationwide Building Society. This lasted until the end of the 2006-07 season, after which current sponsors Blue Square took over.
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 did not 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 does not 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. For the 2006-07 season, the Conference expanded from 22 to 24 teams by relegating two teams and promoting four teams, and also introduced a "four up and four down" system between the Conference National and the Conference North and Conference South.
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.[1]
Media coverage
In August 2006 Setanta Sports signed a five year deal with the Conference. Under the deal, Setanta Sports started showing live matches in the 2007-08 season, with 79 live matches each season. Included in the deal were the annual Play Off matches as well as the Conference League Cup, a cup competition for the three Football Conference divisions. [2] Setanta showed two live matches a week, with one on Thursday evening and one at the weekend. [3] In Australia the Conference National was broadcast by Setanta Sports Australia. Setanta Sports suffered financial problems and ceased broadcasting in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2009.[4]
Conference National clubs 2009-10
Club | Finishing position last season |
---|---|
AFC Wimbledon | 1st in Conference South |
Altrincham | 15th |
Barrow | 20th |
Cambridge United | 2nd |
Chester City | 23rd in League Two |
Crawley Town | 9th |
Eastbourne Borough | 13th |
Ebbsfleet United | 14th |
Forest Green Rovers | 18th |
Gateshead | 2nd in Conference North |
Grays Athletic | 19th |
Hayes & Yeading United | 4th in Conference South |
Histon | 3rd |
Kettering Town | 8th |
Kidderminster Harriers | 6th |
Luton Town | 24th in League Two |
Mansfield Town | 12th |
Oxford United | 7th |
Rushden & Diamonds | 11th |
Salisbury City | 16th |
Stevenage Borough | 5th |
Tamworth | 1st in Conference North |
Wrexham | 10th |
York City | 17th |
Past Conference National winners
1No promotion to the Football League until 1988
2Not promoted due to stadium not being adequate for the Football League
3Boston 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 2009-10
Home Club | Stadium Name | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Wrexham | Racecourse Ground | 15,500 |
Oxford United | Kassam Stadium | 12,500 |
Gateshead | Gateshead International Stadium | 11,800 |
Luton Town | Kenilworth Road | 10,226 |
Mansfield Town | Field Mill | 10,000 |
Cambridge United | Abbey Stadium | 9,617 |
York City | KitKat Crescent | 9,196 |
Stevenage Borough | Broadhall Way | 7,100 |
Hayes & Yeading United | Church Road | 6,500 |
Rushden & Diamonds | Nene Park | 6,441 |
Kidderminster Harriers | Aggborough | 6,238 |
Kettering Town | Rockingham Road | 6,170 |
Altrincham | Moss Lane | 6,085 |
Chester City | Deva Stadium | 5,328 |
Forest Green Rovers | The New Lawn | 5,147 |
Ebbsfleet United | Stonebridge Road | 5,011 |
Crawley Town | Broadfield Stadium | 4,996 |
AFC Wimbledon | Kingsmeadow | 4,720 |
Barrow | Holker Street | 4,256 |
Eastbourne Borough | Priory Lane | 4,134 |
Grays Athletic | New Recreation Ground | 4,100 |
Tamworth | The Lamb Ground | 4,000 |
Histon | Bridge Road | 3,800 |
Salisbury City | Raymond McEnhill Stadium | 3,500 |
Records
- Most wins in a season: 31 - Aldershot Town (2007-08)
- Most consecutive wins: 12 - Burton Albion (2008-09)
- Fewest defeats in a season: 3 - Yeovil Town (2002-03)
- Most goals scored in a season: 103 - Barnet (1990-91), Hereford United (2003-04)
- Fewest goals conceded in a season: 24 - Kettering Town (1993-94)
- Most points in a season: 101 - Aldershot Town (2007-08)
- Highest goal difference: 63 - Yeovil Town (2002-03)
- Biggest win: 9-0 - Runcorn beat Enfield (3 March 1990), Sutton United beat Gateshead (22 September 1990), Hereford United beat Dagenham & Redbridge (27 February 2004), Rushden & Diamonds beat Weymouth (21 February 2009)
- Record attendance: 11,065 Oxford United vs Woking at The Kassam Stadium (26 December 2006)
References
- ^ a b "Conference announces new sponsors". BBC News. 11 April 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6544241.stm. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
- ^ Banham, Mark (29 August 2006). "Setanta signs five-year deal for Conference games". Benchmark Capital. http://www.benchmark.com/news/europe/2006/08_29_2006.php. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
- ^ "Conference Signs TV Deal". Benchmark Capital. 29 August 2006. http://www.footballeconomy.com/archive/archive_2006_aug_08.htm. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
- ^ Setanta goes off air in Great Britain Digital Spy, 23 June 2009
External links
- National Conference official site
- Conference National clubs locations
- A forum for the fans of Conference National teams