Football Conference 2008–09

The 2008-09 Football Conference season is the fifth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirtieth season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, whilst the Conference North and Conference South exist at the sixth level. The top team and the winner of the playoff of the National division will be promoted to Football League Two, while the bottom four will be relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions will be promoted to the National division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions will be relegated to the premier divisions of the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League or Southern League. For sponsorship reasons, the league is frequently referred to as the Blue Square Premier.

Conference National

For the start of the 2008-09 season, six new teams were playing in the Football Conference:
*Barrow, promoted from the Conference North
*Eastbourne Borough, promoted from the Conference South
*Kettering Town, promoted from the Conference North
*Mansfield Town, relegated from League Two
*Lewes, promoted from the Conference South
*Wrexham, relegated from League Two

Eastbourne, Mansfield, Lewes and Wrexham appear in the Conference National for the first time, whilst Barrow return to the league after ten years. Kettering have three times been runners-up at this level and return to the league after an absence of five years. Altrincham remain in the Conference after a third consecutive reprieve from relegation, following Halifax Town's demotion for financial reasons.

Conference North

Droylsden, Stafford Rangers and Farsley Celtic, were all relegated to this league from the previous season's Conference National, Droylsden and Farsley having spent just one season in the higher league. Gateshead and Fleetwood Town have been promoted from the Northern Premier League Premier Division, Fleetwood reaching a new high eleven seasons after being re-formed following the bankruptcy of the original Fleetwood Town. King's Lynn were promoted to the league from the Southern League Premier Division. Both Boston United and Nuneaton Borough were expelled from the league for financial reasons, resulting in Vauxhall Motors relegation and Redditch United's transfer to the Conference South being cancelled.

Conference South

No teams were relegated to the Conference South from the Conference National, so Worcester City were transferred in from the Conference North. The expulsion of two teams from the Conference North for financial reasons cancelled Redditch United's transfer between the two, and allowed Dorchester Town to remain in the Conference South. Chelmsford City and AFC Wimbledon have been promoted to the league from the Isthmian League Premier Division, whilst Team Bath have been promoted from the Southern League Premier Division. All four clubs are thus new to the Conference South.

References