Premier League and Football League: Ups & downs and European qualification
- Published

Hartlepool's 96-year stay in the Football League was ended by a last-minute goal for rivals Newport
BBC Sport outlines the battles for promotion and relegation - and the race for European qualification - in England and Scotland.
RECENT PROMOTIONS, RELEGATIONS & TITLES
28 May -Blackpool promoted to League One |
14 May -Hull relegated to Championship |
PREMIER LEAGUE
Chelsea celebrate after lifting Premier League trophy
Chelsea clinched the Premier League title on 12 May witha 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion and have qualified for next season's Champions League group stage along with runners-upTottenham Hotspur, third-placedManchester Cityand Europa League winnersManchester United. Fourth-placedLiverpool will enter in the play-off round.
Fifth-placedArsenalwill enter the Europa League at the group stage, with seventh-placedEvertonentering at the third qualifying round.
All of the top seven qualify for Europe as they includeFA Cup winners Arsenal and EFL Cup winners Manchester United.
United - who finished sixth - were assured of at least a Europa League place bywinning the EFL Cup. However, their qualification for the Champions League means there will be only two Europa League entrants from England. There are no longer any Fair Play places allocated to the Europa League.
Sunderland were relegated to the Championship following theirdefeat at home to Bournemouth on 29 April, while north-east rivalsMiddlesbrough went down after their3-0 defeat by Chelsea on 8 May. Hull City filled the final relegation place after theylost 4-0 at Crystal Palace on 14 May.
CHAMPIONSHIP

Newcastle were promoted a week after Brighton, but pipped them to the title on the final day of the season
Brighton and Hove Albionwere promoted to the Premier League after theybeat Wigan 2-1 on 17 April.Newcastle Unitedclinched the second automatic place with a4-1 win over Preston on 24 April and were crowned champions on the final day of the season.Huddersfield Town claimed the final promotion spot bybeating Reading 4-3 on penalties in the play-off final at Wembley on 29 May.
Rotherham United were the first English team to be relegated when theylost 1-0 to Fulham on 1 April.Wigan Athletic joined them viaa 1-0 defeat by Reading on 29 April, andBlackburn Rovers were relegated on the final day of the season,despite beating Brentford 3-1.
LEAGUE ONE

The Blades have ended a six-year absence from the Championship
Sheffield United were promoted on 8 April as theywon 2-1 at Northampton and clinched the title a week later when second-placed Boltonlost 1-0 to Oldham. They will be joined in the Championship byBolton Wanderers, who sealed promotion bybeating Peterborough on the final day of the season, andMillwall whobeat Bradford 1-0 in the play-off final on 20 May.
Coventry City wererelegated to the fourth tier of English football for the first time in 58 years after drawing with Charlton on 14 April, whileChesterfield'srelegation was confirmed on 17 April after theylost 3-1 to Scunthorpe. Swindon Townwere relegated on 22 April with a2-1 home defeat by Scunthorpe. The final relegation place was filled byPort Vale after theyfailed to beat Fleetwood on the last day.
LEAGUE TWO

Portsmouth clinched the League Two title, having started the final day of the season in third place
Doncaster Rovers clinched promotion to League One on 8 April as theybeat Mansfield 1-0. Plymouth ArgyleandPortsmouth secured promotion on 17 April as Argylebeat Newport County 6-1 while Pompeywon 3-1 at Notts County. All three promoted teams had a chance of winning the title on the final day - but Portsmouth won it bybeating Cheltenham 6-1.Blackpool took the final promotion spot when theybeat Exeter City 2-1 in the play-off final at Wembley on 28 May.
Bottom clubLeyton Orient were relegated to the National League on 22 April afterlosing 3-1 to Crewe, andHartlepool United joined them on the final day afterthey beat Doncaster 2-1 but fellow strugglers Newport won 2-1 against Notts County.
NATIONAL LEAGUE

Lincoln built on their FA Cup success by winning promotion back to the Football League after six years away
Lincoln City were promoted to League Two as National League champions on 22 Aprilafter beating Macclesfield 2-1, whileForest Green Rovers were promoted afterbeating Tranmere 3-1 in the play-off final on 14 May.
The bottom four teams are relegated.Southport went down on 14 April afterlosing 3-0 at Dover, whileNorth Ferriby Unitedwere relegated on 17 Aprilafter a 3-1 defeat at Barrow. They were joined on the final day of the season byBraintree Town, wholost 2-0 at Aldershot, andYork City who could onlydraw 2-2 with Forest Green.
The relegated clubs will be replaced by National League North championsAFC Fylde and play-off winnersFC Halifax Town, and National League South championsMaidenhead United and play-off winnersEbbsfleet United.
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
Celtic share Scottish title joy with fans
Celtic clinched their sixth successive Scottish title on 2 April when theybeat Hearts 5-0. They will enter next season's Champions League at the second qualifying round.
Because Celtic and Aberdeen contested the Scottish Cup final, and both have qualified for Europe via their league position, the fourth-placed team will join the second and third-placed sides in the Europa League. Runners-upAberdeenare set to enter at the second qualifying round, withRangers andSt Johnstone in the first qualifying round.
Bottom sideInverness Caledonian Thistle were relegated to the Scottish Championship despitewinning their final game.
Hamilton Academical, who finished 11th in the Premiership,beat Championship play-off winner Dundee United 1-0 on aggregate (after a goalless first leg) to retain their top-flight status.
SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Hibs clinched promotion with three games to spare
Hibernianwere promoted to the Premiership as champions bybeating Queen of the South 3-0 on 15 April.
Dundee United (having beaten Morton and Falkirk in the play-offs) lost 1-0 on aggregate (after a goalless first leg) to Premiership side Hamilton. The result ensured Dundee United would remain in the second tier.
Bottom clubAyr United are relegated to League One afterlosing their final game 2-1 whileRaith Rovers went down on 13 May afterlosing a relegation play-off semi-final to League One side Brechin on penalties.
SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE

Scott Pittman and Jackson Longridge scored as Livingston wrapped up the League One title
Livingston were promoted to the Championship as League One champions on 8 April afterbeating Alloa 2-1. Brechin City joined them on 20 May afterbeating Alloa Athletic on penalties in the play-off final.
Bottom clubStenhousemuirare relegated to League Two after they could onlydraw 1-1 with Brechin on the final day. Ninth-placedPeterheadjoined them on 20 May afterlosing to Forfar in the play-off final.
SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO

Arbroath pipped Forfar to the League Two title
Arbroath were promoted as champions on the final day of the season aftera 1-1 draw at Stirling Albion. Forfar Athletic joined them on 20 May afterbeating League One side Peterhead 7-2 on aggregate in the play-off final.
Bottom side Cowdenbeathbeat Lowland League champions East Kilbride on penalties in their play-off final to retain their SPFL status for 2017-18.
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