| Countries | England Wales |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 |
| Folded | 1992 |
| Number of teams | 24 |
| Levels on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | Third Division |
| Relegation to | Football Conference (1987-1992) |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy |
| International cup(s) | European Cup Winners' Cup (1960-1985, 1990-1992) |
| Last champions | Burnley (1991-92) |
The Fourth Division (or Division Four) of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name in 1992, it effectively continued as the 4th tier of English football, but as the Football League Third Division.
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The Fourth Division was created in 1958 alongside a new Third Division by merging the regionalised Third Division North and Third Division South. The original economic reasons for having the two regional leagues had become less apparent[1] and thus it was decided to create two national leagues at levels three and four. The 12 best teams of each regional league in 1957–58 went into the Third Division, and the rest became founder members of the Fourth Division.
Original members of Fourth Division were:
The Fourth Division was also known as Division Four, or informally as the "basement division" of English football, a moniker retained by its successors. Before 1987, the top four teams would be promoted to the Third Division and the bottom four teams were subject to a re-election vote by other league clubs to determine whether they would remain in the league. Automatic relegation to the Conference was not introduced until 1987, the same year the fourth promotion place began to be decided through a play-off.
The highest average league attendance in the fourth division was 19,092 achieved by Crystal Palace in the 1960/61 season. The highest attendance at an individual match was recorded the same season; 37,774 for the Good Friday game at Selhurst Park between Crystal Palace and Millwall.[2]
Automatic relegation between the Fourth Division and the Conference was introduced for the 1986–87 season.
| Season | Out from Fourth Division | In from Regional Leagues | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-60 | Gateshead | Peterborough United | Peterborough elected from Midland Football League. |
| 1961-62 | Accrington Stanley | Oxford United | Accrington Stanley went out of business and their record was expunged. Oxford elected from Southern Football League. |
| 1969-70 | Bradford Park Avenue | Cambridge United | Cambridge elected from Southern Football League. |
| 1971-72 | Barrow | Hereford United | Hereford elected from Southern Football League. |
| 1976-77 | Workington | Wimbledon | Wimbledon elected from Southern Football League. |
| 1977-78 | Southport | Wigan Athletic | Wigan elected from Northern Premier League. |
| Season | Out from Fourth Division | In from Football Conference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | Lincoln City | Scarborough | Lincoln relegated to Football Conference. |
| 1987-88 | Newport County | Lincoln City | Newport relegated to Football Conference. |
| 1988-89 | Darlington | Maidstone United | Darlington relegated to Football Conference. |
| 1989-90 | Colchester United | Darlington | Colchester relegated to Football Conference. |
| 1990-91 | None | Barnet | Wrexham finished in bottom place but was not relegated due to expansion of the First Division to 22 clubs (Fourth Division was thus expanded to 23 clubs). |
| 1991-92 | Aldershot Maidstone United |
Colchester United | Aldershot went out of business during the season and their record was expunged. Maidstone resigned before the 1992-93 season started, restoring the number of clubs to 22, which would start the renamed Third Division. |
During the 24 seasons that the Fourth Division was in existence, there were a total of 24 teams that played in the Fourth Division, and which also at some point in the period played in the First Division, the highest level of English football at the time. These teams are sub-divided below depending on the division they were in as of 1958/59.[3]
Clubs that played in the First Division (top level) in 1958/59
Clubs that played in the Second or Third Division in 1958/59
Clubs that played in the Fourth Division in 1958/59
Not in the Football League in 1958/59
See List of winners of English Football League Two and predecessors.
See Football League Two Play-offs.
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