League 2 - 2013/2014

[Dannie Boy]

Are there any current League 2 teams who have been in the Premiere League at sometime in the past? I see some in League 1, but I'm not sure about League 2. Pete

Portsmouth and Wimbledon

[Big Boy]

Not Wimbledon - the Wimbledon that were in the Premier League re-badged as MK Dons. AFC entered league football much later.

[Bamboo Grove]

Not in the PL but if my memory serves me right, Oxford United played in the old First Division, when that was the hightest level of English football. Also the Conference team, Luton have played in the old div. 1. I actually saw them play against Arsenal at Highbury in February 1989, the year when I moved to Thailand as well.

[Dannie Boy]

Not Wimbledon - the Wimbledon that were in the Premier League re-badged as MK Dons. AFC entered league football much later.

I stand corrected, so it's just Portsmouth...............maybe one day their South coast neighbours will also have that illustrious accolade?

[PeteC]

I was looking at all the tables this morning to see who's in danger and who's going up. I was wondering what is below the Football Conference level. Is there life....or nothing?

[Big Boy]

Yes, there's loads. If I go back a few years (using my local area as an example), it went something like Southern League, Western League, South Western League etc.

[PeteC]

Do they have amatures playing at those levels, or is it still paid pros?

[Big Boy]

I think they are mainly semi-pros, with cash incentives reducing as you move down the leagues.

[Zidane]

Theres quite a pyramid of leagues below the Conference starting with Conference North and Conference South then there are a host of regional leagues linked to them going down quite a few levels.
Stockport County who were in the Championship about 12 years ago are now in the Conference North.
Darlington who were a League 2 side for many seasons are now in the Northern League which is the 9th tier of English football.
In theory,Plymouth could end up playing in the West Devon Combination.....but maybe a year or two off that !

[PeteC]

Well, with Fulham where they are it appears I'll be able to start a Championship thread next season. Maybe a miracle is still at hand. It seems to me that once a team goes down, it's far from easy to get back up again quickly. I would think normal stay is 2-3 seasons and if not back up by then, it could be decades Pete

[Zidane]

You probably have a maximum of 4 years to get back up.If you fail to do that you are most likely stuffed for a long time.
Each team relegated from the Premiership and Football Leagues receive a "parachute" payment for 4 years.
Premiership,48m (23m first season)
Championship,2.3m
League one,360k
League two,240k

So Fulham had best try for a big push for a quick return to the Premiership next season........plus two out of Cardiff,Sunderland,West Brom and Norwich.

[PeteC]

That's very useful info I've never seen before.

[Dannie Boy]

If you look at QPR, they have retained a lot of last years Premier players and are paying them above average wages at Championship levels. Because of the parachute payments they can afford to do so for one year only and their current league position suggests that the best they can hope for is a play-off place to get back to the Premiership - if they don't make it, they will be forced to disassemble their team and wages structure and it is this that often leads to a free fall down the leagues (Portsmouth as an example).

[PeteC]

I don't have the tables open but I think the Wolves are an example of a free fall?

EDIT: Tables now open and I see they'll go back up to the Championship next season. They dropped quick though, in 2 seasons from Premier to League 1.