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Page last updated at 16:59 GMT, Sunday, 24 May 2009 17:59 UK

Ups and downs

BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues in England and Scotland - plus the race for European places.

PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester United celebrate the Premier League title
Manchester United made sure of the Premier League title on 16 May

Manchester United were crowned champions of England for the 18th time on 16 May following their 0-0 draw with Arsenal.

United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all qualified for the Champions League. The top three will go straight to the group stage, while Arsenal will face a play-off.

English clubs are offered three places in the Europa League (formerly the Uefa Cup) - for the FA Cup winners, the Carling Cup winners and the fifth-placed team in the Premier League.

Defender Steven Taylor reacts after Newcastle's relegation
Newcastle's relegation was confirmed on the final day of the season

As FA Cup winners Chelsea and Carling Cup winners Manchester United have already qualified for the Champions League, the fifth, sixth and seventh-placed teams - Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham - have qualified for the Europa League.

The Intertoto Cup - previously an alternative route into the Uefa Cup for clubs - has been abolished.

West Bromwich Albion were relegated to the Championship on 17 May, and they were joined by Middlesbrough and Newcastle United who both lost on the final day of the season.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Wolves celebrate promotion after beating QPR
Wolves made sure of their return to the Premier League on 18 April

Wolverhampton Wanderers are champions after their 1-1 draw with Barnsley on 25 April. Birmingham took the second automatic place after winning 2-1 at promotion rivals Reading on the final day of the season, and Burnley beat Sheffield United 1-0 in the play-off final.

Charlton Athletic, Southampton and Norwich City are relegated to League One.

LEAGUE ONE
Leicester City celebrate promotion
Leicester's 2-0 win at Southend on 18 April made sure of the title

Leicester City confirmed their rise to the Championship and the League One title with a 2-0 win at Southend on 18 April. Peterborough United secured the second promotion place by beating Colchester 1-0 a week later, and Scunthorpe United beat Millwall in the play-off final.

Hereford United, Cheltenham Town, Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town are relegated to League Two.

LEAGUE TWO
Brentford celebrate with the League Two trophy
Brentford made sure of the title with one game to spare

Brentford are promoted as champions after beating Darlington on 25 April. Wycombe and Exeter joined them on a dramatic final day of the season, while Gillingham beat Shrewsbury in the play-off final to claim the final place.

Luton Town and Chester City are relegated to the Blue Square Premier.

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER

Burton Albion have been promoted to the Football League as champions. Torquay United join them after beating Cambridge United in the play-off final on 17 May.

Lewes, Northwich, Woking and Weymouth are relegated.

Four teams are promoted to the Blue Square Premier - the champions and play-off winners of the Blue Square North and South divisions.

AFC Wimbledon fans celebrate
Formed in 2002, AFC Wimbledon have reached the Conference top flight

AFC Wimbledon were promoted after clinching the Blue Square South title with a 3-0 victory over St Albans City on 25 April, with Hayes & Yeading joining them after a 3-2 victory over Hampton & Richmond in the play-off final.

Tamworth secured the Blue Square North title after beat Hinckley United 1-0 on 21 April and Gateshead will join them after a 1-0 win over AFC Telford United in the play-off final.

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Rangers celebrate the SPL title
Rangers edged out rivals Celtic in the last week of the season

Rangers were crowned SPL champions after winning 3-0 at Dundee United on the final day of the season and will go straight into the Champions League group stages. Runners-up Celtic also make the Champions League but will face two qualifying rounds.

Hearts and Aberdeen, who finished third and fourth, will qualify for the Europa League, as will Scottish Cup beaten finalists Falkirk, as winners Rangers had already qualified for the Champions League.

There are also three additional places awarded to the three national associations that finish highest in its Respect Fair Play league standings. Norway, Denmark and Scotland were the highest-ranked associations - earning each an extra place.

Motherwell were put forward by the Scottish FA as the highest-placed club in its own fair play standings which had not already qualified for Europe.

INTERNET LINK: Scotland granted Fair Play place in Europa League (11 May)

Bottom club Inverness Caledonian Thistle were relegated to Division One after losing to fellow strugglers Falkirk in their final game.

SCOTTISH DIVISION ONE

St Johnstone made sure of the title and promotion to the Scottish Premier League by beating Morton on 2 May.

Clyde were relegated on the same day as they finished bottom despite defeating Dundee, while ninth-placed Airdrie United were relegated after losing in the play-off final to Second Division side Ayr United.

SCOTTISH DIVISION TWO

Raith Rovers were crowned champions on 2 May and will be promoted to Division One, while Ayr United beat Brechin City and First Division side Airdrie United in the play-offs to earn promotion.

Bottom club Stranraer were consigned to an immediate return to the Third Division on 4 April when they lost 3-0 to Raith Rovers.

Queen's Park were also relegated to Division Three after losing on aggregate to Stenhousemuir in their play-off semi-final.

SCOTTISH DIVISION THREE

Champions Dumbarton will be promoted to Division Two having finished four points clear at the top top of the table.

Stenhousemuir overcame Queen's Park and Cowdenbeath in the play-offs to earn the second promotion place.

There is no relegation from this division, with Elgin City finishing as Scottish senior football's bottom club this season.



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see also
Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal
18 May 09�|� Premier League
Chelsea 2-1 Everton
30 May 09�|� FA Cup
Man Utd 0-0 Tottenham (aet)
01 Mar 09�|� League Cup
West Brom 0-2 Liverpool
17 May 09�|� Premier League
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle
24 May 09�|� Premier League
West Ham 2-1 Middlesbrough
24 May 09�|� Premier League
Barnsley 1-1 Wolves
25 Apr 09�|� Championship
Wolves 1-0 QPR
18 Apr 09�|� Championship
Birmingham clinch top-flight spot
03 May 09�|� Championship
Burnley 1-0 Sheff Utd
25 May 09�|� Championship
Charlton 2-2 Blackpool
10 Apr 09�|� Championship
Penalised Saints face relegation
23 Apr 09�|� Southampton
Southampton 2-2 Burnley
25 Apr 09�|� Championship
Norwich drop down to League One
03 May 09�|� Championship
Southend 0-2 Leicester
18 Apr 09�|� League One
Peterborough win seals promotion
25 Apr 09�|� League One
Millwall 2-3 Scunthorpe
24 May 09�|� League One
Hereford 0-2 Colchester
18 Apr 09�|� League One
Cheltenham 1-1 Carlisle
25 Apr 09�|� League One
Leeds 3-0 Northampton
02 May 09�|� League One
Crewe 0-3 Leicester
02 May 09�|� League One
Brentford secure League Two title
25 Apr 09�|� League Two
Rotherham 0-1 Exeter
02 May 09�|� League Two
Wycombe 1-2 Notts County
02 May 09�|� League Two
Gillingham 1-0 Shrewsbury
24 May 09�|� League Two
Luton 0-0 Chesterfield
13 Apr 09�|� League Two
Chester 1-2 Darlington
02 May 09�|� League Two
Torquay 2-1 Burton
26 Apr 09�|� Non League
Cambridge Utd 0-2 Torquay
17 May 09�|� Non League
Lewes relegated after rivals draw
24 Mar 09�|� Lewes
Northwich 2-0 Mansfield
13 Apr 09�|� Non League
Woking's relegation is confirmed
21 Apr 09�|� Woking
Weymouth 1-2 York
24 Apr 09�|� Non League
AFC Wimbledon wrap up promotion
25 Apr 09�|� Non League
Wright secures Tamworth promotion
21 Apr 09�|� Non League
Blue Square North/South play-offs
03 May 09�|� Non League
Dundee United 0-3 Rangers
24 May 09�|� Scottish Premier
Euro debate follows Bairns' win
26 Apr 09�|� Scottish Cups
Scots win Fair Play European spot
08 May 09�|� Scottish Premier
Motherwell win Europa League spot
26 May 09�|� Motherwell
Inverness CT 0-1 Falkirk
23 May 09�|� Scottish Premier
St Johnstone 3-1 Morton
02 May 09�|� Scottish League
Queen's Park 0-1 Raith Rovers
02 May 09�|� Scottish League
Stranraer 0-3 Raith Rovers
04 Apr 09�|� Scottish League
Annan 1-3 Dumbarton
09 May 09�|� Scottish League
Airdrie Utd 0-1 Ayr Utd (2-3)
24 May 09�|� Scottish League
St'muir 0-0 C'denbeath (5-4 pens)
23 May 09�|� Scottish League


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