Football League Fourth Division - Definition and Overview

The Fourth Division or Division Four of The Football League was the fourth highest league division in the English football league system from 1958 until the creation of the FA Premier league prior to the 1992/93 season.

Overview

Prior to the formation of the Premiership in 1992, the four best teams would be promoted to the Third Division and one team may have been relegated to the Football Conference. Automatic relegation to the Conference was not introduced until 1987. In 1992, teams which normally would have remained in the Fourth Division were moved en bloc to the Third Division. Further changes in 2004 meant that this level of the football league system was renamed Football League Two.

The Fourth Division was created in 1958 so that Third Division North and Third Division South could be merged, with the 12 best teams of each league going into the Third Division and the rest being put into the Fourth.

The Fourth Division was also known as Division Four. Other names were sometimes applied such as League Fourth Division. It was also known as the basement division of English football.

Winners of the Fourth Division