The Central League

Infobox football league
name = The Central League

pixels =
country = ENG
founded = 1911
divisions = 3
teams = 28
levels = 2
promotion = Premier Reserve League
relegation =
domest_cup =
champions = Manchester City
season = 2007–08
current =

The Central League (officially known as The Totesport.com League for sponsorship reasons), is a football league in England for reserve teams of Football League clubs in the Midlands and North of England.

The league was formed in 1911 and in its early years consisted of a mix of first teams and reserve teams. However, when the Football League Third Division North was created in 1921, all the first teams in the Central League became founder members.

Since then, the league has been for reserve teams only, and eventually expanded to include virtually every professional team in the Midlands and North of England (teams in the South play in the Football Combination). In recent years, the FA Premier Reserve League was created for reserve sides of FA Premier League teams, and so the Central League's membership was reduced.

From the 2006-07 season the FA Premier Reserve League was restricted to the reserve sides of FA Premier League clubs. This meant that the reserve sides of Championship clubs rejoined the Central League.

Teams are not promoted to the Premier Reserve League based on their final league position, but on the league position of their respective clubs' senior teams. If the senior team is promoted to the Premier League, then the reserve team is promoted to the Premier Reserve League and replaced by the reserve teams of the relegated teams.

Participating teams

*"See [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/ReserveLeagueDetail/ The Totesport.com League Newsletter 08-09] for 2008-09 season league tables."The League is split into three parallel divisions, the Central, West, and East Divisions. Winners of each division and the best runners-up will qualify for the play-off. The participating teams for 2008-09 are:

Division One Central

* Lincoln City
* Macclesfield Town
* Mansfield Town
* Nottingham Forest
* Port Vale
* Sheffield United
* Sheffield Wednesday
* Shrewsbury Town
* Walsall

Division One West

* Accrington Stanley
* Blackpool
* Burnley
* Bury
* Carlisle United
* Manchester City
* Morecambe
* Preston North End
* Rochdale
* Tranmere Rovers

Division One East

* Barnsley
* Bradford City
* Grimsby Town
* Hartlepool United
* Huddersfield Town
* Leeds United
* Rotherham United
* Scunthorpe United
* York City

Record of Winners

List of Winners

1911–2004

valign="top"

Central League Cup

The league also operates a cup competition - The Central Leagu Cup (officially known as The Totesportcasino.com League Cup for sponsorship reasons).

Participating teams

*"See [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/ReserveLeagueDetail/ The Totesport.com League Newsletter 08-09] for current information."The competition is split into 4 groups currently, winners and runners-up of each group will qualify for quarter-finals. The participating teams for 2008–09 are:Group 1
* Carlisle United
* Hartlepool United
* Newcastle United
* Sheffield United
* SunderlandGroup 2
* Bradford City
* Grimsby Town
* Middlesbrough
* Sheffield WednesdayGroup 3
* Derby County
* Mansfield Town
* Oldham Athletic
* WalsallGroup 4
* Accrington Stanley
* Macclesfield
* Morecambe
* Rochdale
* Tranmere Rovers

Winners

ee also

*Football Combination
*Premier Reserve League
*The Football League

References

External links

* [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/ReserveLeague/ Official page on the Football League website]