Football Yoyos

As per the BBC, the ups and downs to come:

PREMIER LEAGUE

 

Birmingham City were the first team to qualify for Europe

The top four Premier League teams will qualify for the Champions League - the top three go straight into the group stages, with the fourth-placed team in the qualifying rounds.

The first team to book their place in Europe were Carling Cup winners Birmingham City, who will play in the Europa League, insisting they will have "no problem" complying with Uefa's financial criteria, which clubs must meet to allow them to play in Europe.

English clubs have three places in the Europa League - for the FA Cup winners, the Carling Cup winners and the fifth-placed team in the Premier League.

If Manchester City win the FA Cup while finishing in the top four of the Premier League, losing finalists Stoke will take the FA Cup's Europa League place.

However, if City win the Cup but finish fifth, they will enter the Europa League along with the sixth-placed team.

The top three countries in Uefa's Respect Fair Play league get an extra Europa League place, which is given to the highest-place team in the top flight's Fair Play table that has not yet qualified for Europe.

As of 12 April, England were second in the Uefa table, with Fulham (second in the Premier League fair play standings behind Chelsea, who are set to qualify for the Champions League) in line to take the extra Europa place.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to the Championship - with the battle likely to go right to the wire.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

 

The champions and runners-up will be promoted to the Premier League, and the next four teams will contest the play-offs.

Queens Park Rangers will make sure of one of the automatic places if they beat Hull at home on Monday. Meanwhile, Norwich are assured of at least a play-off place.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to League One, and Scunthorpe, Preston and Sheffield United look increasingly likely to fill those three spots. The Blades' 3-2 win at home to Bristol City on Saturday means their relegation cannot be confirmed until Monday at the earliest.

 

LEAGUE ONE

 

Brighton were the first Football League team to clinch promotion

Brighton & Hove Albion secured automatic promotion to the Championship by beating Dagenham & Redbridge 4-3 on 12 April, and made sure of the League One title four days later by winning 3-1 at Walsall.

The second-placed side will also be promoted, with the next four teams contesting the play-offs. Huddersfield and Southampton, battling for second spot, are assured of at least a play-off spot.

At the bottom, four teams will be relegated to League Two. After losing at home to Notts County, bottom club Swindon can be relegated as early as Monday if they lose at Sheffield Wednesday and other results go against them. Plymouth, who were deducted 10 points after issuing notice of intention to appoint an administrator, preserved their faint hopes of survival by winning at Dagenham & Redbridge on Friday but still face an uphill struggle.

 

LEAGUE TWO

 

Chesterfield have dominated League Two for much of the season

The top three teams will be promoted to League One - and leaders Chesterfield were promoted without kicking a ball on Good Friday after Wycombe were held to a goalless draw at Torquay - and can clinch the title if they beat Bury, their nearest rivals, on Monday.

Bury, who are assured of at least a play-off place, can join the Spireites in League One if they beat Chesterfield on Monday and either Wycombe or Shrewsbury fail to take maximum points from their Easter fixtures.

Teams finishing from fourth to seventh will contest the play-offs.

The bottom two teams will be relegated to the Blue Square Bet Premier. Bottom club Stockport are running out of games to avoid a second successive demotion, and will be left on the brink if they lose at Port Vale on Saturday - but their relegation cannot be confirmed until Monday.