English Soccer

17 leagues feeding into 8 leagues above: NW Counties 2nd, North Counties East 1st, Northern 2nd, East Counties 1st, Kent County Premium, Sussex Cunty 2nd, United counties 1st, Western 1st, Hampshire Premium, Dorset Com, Hellenic 1st W, Leicestershire Snr Premium, West Mid Premium, Isthmain 3rd, E Mid Alliance 1st, Idland Com Premium

Additional Information on the English National League System:
	The national league system was set up to promote an organized system of promotion/relegation between participating leagues so that a club could progress from the lowest level to the highest, provided it fulfilled criteria of both ground quality and sporting success on the field.
	At level 1 is the football conference (1 division with 22 teams) feeding to division 3 of the football league.
	At level 2 in the north of England (which is the Northern Counties East Football League) is the Northern Premier (Unibond League) (one premium division with 23 teams and one division 1 with 22 teams).  There is promotion/relegation between their two divisions and from the unibond premium division to the football conference.
	At level 3 in the north of England are three “feeders to the Unibond League – the NCE, North West Counties League and Northern Leagues, all of which may supply a club to division 1 of the Unibond League.  The NCE has three divisions – Premium division with 20 clubs, division 1 with 16 clubs and a reserve division with 16 teams.  In all cases of promotion from these three ‘feeders’ to the Unibond League, the club must be the champion, must have a suitably graded ground and must wish to be promoted.  Under certain circumstances the opportunity for promotion can pass down to the 2nd placed club.  To take the place of promoted clubs, the bottom clubs in division 1 of the Unibond League are relegated to the appropriate ‘feeder.’
	Players in English soccer (other than ‘trainees’ or ‘schoolboys’) are either “contract” or “noncontract.”  Contract is any player (other than a trainee or player on a scholarship) who is eligible to play under a written contract of employment with a club.  Noncontract is any player (other than a trainee or player on a scholarship) who is eligible to play for a club but has not entered into a written contract of employment.
	The majority of players in the NCE fall into the noncontract category receiving either no remuneration at all or limited expenses for playing.  A few are placed on contract if they receive additional expenses/fees as they perhaps undertake additional duties (e.g., coaching) at a club.  Further up the national league system, the ratio of noncontract to contract changes.
	A noncontract player is not tied to a particular club and may play for more than one club at any one time in a different league; however, there are safeguards to prevent indiscriminate changing of clubs.
	A contract player may not play for other clubs (except as a trialist under special circumstances) and can move clubs only by having his contract cancelled or being formally transferred to another club under FA rules.
Contact Information: Barry Wood Secretary/Treasurer Northern Counties East Football League 6 Restimore Avenue Guissley Leeda LS20 9DG Tel & Fax:  01943 874558

 

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