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Football League Two is the fourth tier of English professional football. The league was introduced for the 2004/2005 season, having been previously known as the Third Division, and prior to the introduction of the Premier League, as the Fourth Division.

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History

The League was originally introduced, as Football League Fourth Division (or Division Four), in the 1958-59 season.

This followed the merger of the Third Division (North) and Third Division (South), to form a national Third Division, comprising the 12 best teams from each league.

The remaining clubs were then placed in the new Fourth Division.

In 1992, following the introduction of the Premier League, the division became known as Football League Third Division, and in 2004, it was rebranded Football League Two.

Original Members

The original members of the Fourth Division were;

Aldershot, Barrow, Bradford Park Avenue, Carlisle United, Chester City, Coventry City, Crewe Alexandra, Crystal Palace, Darlington, Exeter City, Gateshead, Gillingham, Hartlepool United, Millwall, Northampton Town, Oldham Athletic, Port Vale, Shrewsbury Town, Southport, Torquay United, Walsall, Watford, Workington, and York City.

Of these founding clubs, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Millwall, Oldham Athletic and Watford have gone on to play in the top flight.

Former league champions who have dropped into the basement division at some time during their history are Burnley, Huddersfield Town, Portsmouth, Preston North End, Sheffield United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Promotion and Relegation

Up until 1987, the top four teams were promoted and the bottom club was subject to a vote by the other League clubs as to whether they would lose their league status.

Automatic relegation to the Conference was introduced in 1987, and that same year, the fourth promotion place began to be decided by a play-off, involving the teams placed fourth to seventh.

For an outline of how the divisional structure in English Football evolved, click here - Football Pyramid.

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