Promotion and Relegation Guidelines – 2023/24 Season
Below are the full guidelines for promotion and relegation from the two SCEFL Divisions for Season 2023/24.
Quick guide – Premier Division – Step 5
The Champions will be promoted plus the winners of the play-off between the teams that finish in positions 2,3,4,5 – where the team finishing highest has home advantage.
The team finishing at the bottom of the table only will be relegated to Step 6.
Fixture Dates
Semi-final (2v5, 3v4): Usual midweek matchday of home club w/c Monday April 29.
Final: Monday May 6 at the home ground of club placed highest in league table
Quick guide – First Division – Step 6
The Champions will be promoted plus the winners of the play-off between the teams that finish in positions 2,3,4,5 – where the team finishing highest has home advantage.
The teams finishing in the bottom 3 places are liable to relegation.
Fixture Dates
Semi-final (2v5, 3v4): Usual midweek matchday of home club w/c Monday April 29.
Final: Saturday May 4 at the home ground of club placed highest in league table
National League System Promotion and Relegation Guidelines – 2023/24 Season
Step 4 and Step 5
The Clubs finishing in the bottom two places in each of the eight divisions at Step 4 at the end of the Regular Season will be relegated and placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 5 for the following Playing Season.
Clubs relegated for finishing in the bottom two places in each of the eight divisions at Step 4 will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5 together with a further 16 Clubs (one Club from each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5) determined by a series of Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the minimum criteria for promotion to the next Step (which shall include being awarded a Grade 5 following an independent ground grading inspection), the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in 3rd position (and so on) shall be the Club in the next eligible position to take part in the Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the Criteria for participation in Play Off Matches, the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. In each division at Step 5, the Play Off Matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed of the eligible Clubs and the other two eligible Clubs play each other. The ties will be played on a single match basis with the home Club being the Club with the best points per match ratio in the Regular Season. If there are only three eligible Clubs, then the highest placed eligible Club shall receive a bye and play the winner of the other Play Off Match, and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below 7th position will not be eligible to take part in Play Off Matches.
The promoted Clubs will be placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 4 for the following Playing Season. In addition, a Club promoted to Step 4 shall comply with the Licencing System provision as set out in Appendix 1 to the Standardised Rules.
2024/25 Season onwards
The Clubs finishing in the bottom four places in each of the eight divisions at Step 4 at the end of the Regular Season will be relegated and placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 5 for the following Playing Season.
Clubs relegated for finishing in the bottom four places in each of the eight divisions at Step 4 will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5 together with a further 16 Clubs (one Club from each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5) determined by a series of Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the minimum criteria for promotion to the next Step (which shall include being awarded a Grade 5 following an independent ground grading inspection), the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in 3rd position (and so on) shall be the Club in the next eligible position to take part in the Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the Criteria for participation in Play Off Matches, the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. In each division at Step 5, the Play Off Matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed of the eligible Clubs and the other two eligible Clubs play each other. The ties will be played on a single match basis with the home Club being the Club with the best points per match ratio in the Regular Season. If there are only three eligible Clubs, then the highest placed eligible Club shall receive a bye and play the winner of the other Play Off Match, and the winner of that match
will be promoted. Clubs finishing below 7th position will not be eligible to take part in Play Off Matches.
Step 5 and Step 6
The Clubs in bottom place in each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5 at the end of the Regular Season will be relegated and placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 6 for the following Playing Season.
These Clubs will be replaced by (i) the Clubs finishing in 1st position at the end of the Regular Season in each of the two divisions operated by the South West Peninsula League; (ii) the Clubs finishing in 1st position at the end of the Regular Season in each of the remaining fifteen divisions at Step 6; and (iii) a further fifteen Clubs determined by a series of Play Off Matches within those remaining fifteen divisions (i.e. not including the two divisions operated by the South West Peninsula League). Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the criteria for promotion to the next Step, the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in 3rd position (and so on) shall be the Club in the next eligible position to take part in the Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the Criteria for participation in Play Off Matches, the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. In each division at Step 6, the Play Off Matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. The ties will be played on a single match basis with the home Club being the Club with the best points per game ratio in the Regular Season. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to the second match where it will play the winner of the other Play Off Match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below 7th position will not be eligible to take part in Play Off Matches.
The promoted Clubs will be placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 5 for the following Playing Season.
2024/25 Season onwards
The Clubs in the bottom two places in each of the sixteen divisions at Step 5 at the end of the Regular Season will be relegated and placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 6 for the following Playing Season.
Step 6 and relegation
At the end of the Regular Season the Clubs in the bottom three positions of each of the seventeen Step 6 divisions will be liable to relegation. The final number of Clubs to be relegated will be confirmed once promotion candidates from Feeder Leagues and any vacancies are known. If reprieves are required the Clubs third from
bottom will be ranked on a points per match basis (then goal difference, then goals scored if required) – the Club(s) with the best points per match will be reprieved. If all third from bottom Clubs are reprieved, and a further reprieve(s) is required, the same process will apply for Clubs in second from bottom (and so on).
Full National League System Promotion and Relegation Guidelines
