TFF First League

TFF First League
Countries  Turkey
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Founded 2001
Number of teams 19 (2011-12)
Levels on pyramid 2
Promotion to Süper Lig
Relegation to 2. Lig
Domestic cup(s) Turkish Cup
Current champions Mersin İdman Yurdu
(2010–11)
TV partners TRT
Website 1. Lig (Turkish)
2011–12 TFF First League

The TFF First League (currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Bank Asya 1. Lig[1]) is the second level of the Turkish football league system. The league was founded in 2000 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B during reorganizing Second League, who was second level of Turkish league between 1963–2001. It was founded as the Turkish Second League Category A and started with 20 teams. The number of teams were reduced to 18 the season after, in 2002. The league was renamed TFF First League prior to the 2007–08 season. It was called Türk Telekom Lig A in 2006–2007 season.

Before the 2005–06 season, the top three teams were promoted to Süper Lig and the bottom three teams were relegated to the Turkish Second League Category B. Since the 2005–06 season through 2008–09, the top two teams are directly promoted to the Süper Lig, the teams finishing third through sixth competed in a play-off. The third-placed team played a match with the sixth-placed team, while the fourth-placed team played against the fifth-placed team. The winners of both matches then played against each other to decide the third team that was promoted. In 2009–10 the third team was determined by play-off group games, in which the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6 th teams of normal season played in a one-game league system in a neutral venue. In 2010–11 play-off status changed again and elimination match system came back but this time on a two match (home and away) basis. The league used not to allow for the clubs to sign foreign players.

Contents

TFF First League clubs, 2011–12

The clubs to play in the 2011–2012 season are listed below, alongside their home towns.

Club Home town Founded in In league since Finishing position last season
Adanaspor Adana 1954 2008–09 12th
Akhisar Belediyespor Akhisar 1970 2010–11 14th
Boluspor Bolu 1965 2007–08 7th
Bucaspor İzmir 1928 2011–12 16th of Süper Lig
Çaykur Rizespor Rize 1953 2008–09 4th
Denizlispor Denizli 1966 2010–11 9th
Elazığspor Elazığ 1967 2011–12 TFF Second League, Red Group Champions
Gaziantep B.B.spor Gaziantep 1998 2005–06 3rd
Giresunspor Giresun 1967 2007–08 11th
Göztepe İzmir 1925 2011–12 TFF Second League, White Group Champions
Güngörenspor Istanbul 1983 2010–11 15th
Karşıyaka İzmir 1912 2004–05 10th
Kartalspor Istanbul 1949 2007–08 13th
Kasımpaşa Istanbul 1921 2011–12 18th of Süper Lig
Kayseri Erciyesspor Kayseri 1966 2007–08 8th
Konyaspor Konya 1981 2011–12 17th of Süper Lig
Sakaryaspor Sakarya 1965 2011–12 TFF Second League, Promotion Playoff Winners
TKİ Tavşanlı Linyitspor Kütahya 1943 2010–11 6th

Past winners

Season Champion Runner Up Third
2001–02 Altay S.K. Elazığspor Adanaspor
2002–03 Konyaspor Çaykur Rizespor A. Sebatspor
2003–04 Sakaryaspor Kayserispor (*) Ankaraspor
2004–05 Sivasspor Manisaspor Kayseri Erciyesspor (*)
2005–06 Bursaspor Antalyaspor Sakaryaspor (1)
2006–07 Gençlerbirliği OFTAŞ İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor Kasımpaşa SK (1)
2007–08 Kocaelispor Antalyaspor Eskişehirspor (1)
2008–09 Manisaspor Diyarbakırspor Kasımpaşa SK (1)
2009–10 Karabükspor Bucaspor Konyaspor (1)
2010–11 Mersin İdmanyurdu Samsunspor Orduspor (1)

(*) Kayseri Erciyesspor renamed themselves as Kayserispor. Kayserispor also became Kayseri Erciyesspor before the start of 2004–2005 season.

(1) These teams were play-off winners.

Season Clubs
2001–02 Vestel Manisaspor, Mersin İdman Yurdu, Adana Demirspor (2)
2002–03 Karşıyaka, Türk Telekomspor, Kayseri Erciyesspor
2003–04 Karagümrük Kyoto, Sarıyer, Mardinspor
2004–05 Uşakspor, Orduspor, Gaziantep BŞB.
2005–06 Kasımpaşa, Gençlerbirliği Asaşspor, Eskişehirspor (2)
2006–07 Boluspor, Kartalspor, Giresunspor (2)
2007–08 Adanaspor, Karabükspor, Güngören Belediyespor (2)
2008–09 Bucaspor, Mersin İdman Yurdu, Çanakkale Dardanelspor (2)
2009–10 Güngören Belediyespor, Akhisar Belediyespor, Tavşanlı Linyitspor (2)
2010–11 Göztepe (White Group), Elazığspor (Red Group), Sakaryaspor (2)

(2) Third teams were play-off winner.

Relegated teams

Season Clubs
2001–02 Hatayspor, Siirt Jetpaspor, Erciyesspor, Batman Petrolspor, Aydınspor
2002–03 Erzurumspor, Gümüşhane Doğanspor, Etimesgut Şekerspor
2003–04 Adana Demirspor, Göztepe, İzmirspor
2004–05 Sarıyer, Adanaspor, Fatih Karagümrük S.K.
2005–06 Mersin İdman Yurdu, Yimpaş Yozgatspor, Çanakkale Dardanelspor
2006–07 Türk Telekomspor, Akçaabat Sebatspor, Uşakspor
2007–08 Elazığspor, İstanbulspor, Mardinspor
2008–09 Sakaryaspor, Güngören Belediyespor, Malatyaspor
2009–10 Hacettepespor, Çanakkale Dardanelspor, Kocaelispor
2010–11 Altay, Diyarbakırspor, Ankaraspor (Expelled)

References

External links

See also