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The Football League Championship (often referred to as '''The Championship''' for short or the '''Coca-Cola Football League Championship''' for sponsorship reasons) is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English Football League System after the FA Premier League . The Football League Championship was introduced for the 2004-2005 season. It replaced the Football League First Division . STRUCTURE There are 24 teams in the Football League Championship. Each team plays the other 23 twice (once at home, once away) and is awarded three points for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. From these points a league table is constructed. At the end of each season the top two teams, together with the winner of the Play-offs between the teams which finished in 3rd-6th position, are promoted to the FA Premier League and are replaced by the three teams that finished at the bottom of that league. (One exception to this was in 1995, when the FA Premier League reduced its numbers to 20. In that year, only two teams were promoted, the top team, plus the winner of the play offs between places 2nd-5th.) Similarly the three teams which finished at the bottom of the Football League Championship are relegated to Football League One and are replaced by the teams which finished 1st, 2nd, and won the 3rd-6th place play-off in that division. Final League position is determined firstly by points obtained, then by Goal Difference , then goals scored, and if necessary, a mini-league of the results between two or more teams ranked using the previous three criteria and finally a series of one or more play off matches. HISTORY The Football League Championship was introduced for the 2004-2005 season. It replaced the Football League First Division . In 2004-05 , the Football League Championship announced a total attendance of 9.8 million, which it said was the fourth highest total attendance for a European football division, behind the FA Premier League (12.88 M ), Spain 's Primera División (11.57m) and Germany 's Bundesliga (10.92m), but beating Italy 's Serie A (9.77m) and France 's Ligue 1 (8.17m). It appears that this included the attendances at the playoffs, as the leagues own official averages give a total of just over 9.6 million, placing it behind Serie A. [http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/DivisionalAttendance/0,,10794~20047,00.html Also, the Championship has 24 clubs compared to 20 clubs in both Serie A and Ligue 1. FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS, 2005-06 ''Play off fixtures 1st legs: Leeds United v Preston North End (May 5),Crystal Palace v Watford (May 6) 2nd legs: Preston North End v Leeds United (May 8), Watford v Crystal Palace (May 9) '' 2005/06 SEASON-FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP For quick reference, teams in bold are champions that also owned the league's top scorer in the season they won the title. For past winners at this level before 2004, see List Of Winners Of English Football League Championship And Predecessors . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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