Going mad over soccer (futball)

I, for one, could never understand why ESPN insists on giving Americans the scores of various European soccer games, particularly amongst the English and Spanish "leagues". Nobody in the United States knows the first thing about it anyway, and probably couldn't care less. That would be like broadcasting Major League baseball scores throughout Europe. Do you really think the good folks of the "old countries" give a hoot what happened in professional baseball games across the pond, when they don't even participate in such a sport? I doubt it.

But as a sports enthusiast -- if a bit senile -- my never-ending quest for knowledge as to the ways of athletics in foreign lands drove me to do a bit of research. Enter English soccer (football). Yours truly was astounded at what he found with merely a quick Google search.

It appears the English have more than 140 leagues, consisting of roughly 480 divisions, which in total encompasses more than 7000 teams. Thing is, unlike American sports, the bottom few teams in each division are subject to being "relegated" (demoted) each year, while the top teams can move up into a higher class. In theory, even a small town amateur club could eventually become champions of the entire British empire if they played well enough, for long enough. If Americans have a hard time sorting out the differences in various levels of "minor league" baseball, consider what the Brits are faced with when it comes to soccer. Courtesy of Wikipedia, I offer the following: Please just quickly scroll down and scan through to get an idea of how mind-boggling their football hierarchy really is. I will continue below---

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Premier League (Barclays Premier League) 20 clubs – 3 relegations
2	Football League Championship (Sky Bet Championship) 24 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations
3	Football League One (Sky Bet League 1) 24 clubs – 3 promotions, 4 relegations
4	Football League Two (Sky Bet League 2) 24 clubs – 4 promotions, 2 relegations
5	Conference Premier (Skrill Premier) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
6	Conference North (Skrill North) 22 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations			Conference South (Skrill South) 22 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations
7	Northern Premier League Premier Division (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Premier Division) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations		Southern Football League Premier Division (Calor Gas League Southern Premier Division) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations		Isthmian League Premier Division (Ryman Football League Premier Division) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
8	Northern Premier League Division One North (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division North) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Northern Premier League Division One South (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division South) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Southern Football League Division One Central (Calor Gas League Southern Division One Central) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Southern Football League Division One South & West (Calor Gas League Southern Division One South & West) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Isthmian League Division One North (Ryman Football League Division One North) 24 clubs – 2p, 3r	Isthmian League Division One South (Ryman Football League Division One South) 24 clubs – 2p, 3r
9	(All divisions run in parallel) Combined Counties League Premier Division – 22 clubs Eastern Counties League Premier Division – 20 clubs Essex Senior League – 20 clubs Hellenic League Premier Division – 20 clubs Midland Alliance – 22 clubs Northern Counties East League Premier Division – 23 clubs Northern League Division One – 23 clubs North West Counties League Premier Division – 22 clubs Southern Counties East League – 17 clubs Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division – 22 clubs Sussex County League Division One – 20 clubs United Counties League Premier Division – 19 clubs Wessex League Premier Division – 22 clubs Western League Premier Division – 21 clubs
10	(All divisions run in parallel) Combined Counties League Division One – 16 clubs Eastern Counties League Division One – 19 clubs East Midlands Counties League – 19 clubs Hellenic League Division One East – 14 clubs Hellenic League Division One West – 15 clubs Kent Invicta League – 15 clubs Midland Combination Premier Division – 19 clubs Northern Counties East League Division One – 22 clubs Northern League Division Two – 22 clubs North West Counties League Division One – 19 clubs South West Peninsula League Premier Division – 20 clubs Spartan South Midlands League Division One – 20 clubs Sussex County League Division Two – 17 clubs United Counties League Division One – 22 clubs Wessex League Division One – 17 clubs Western League Division One – 22 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division – 23 clubs
11	Anglian Combination Premier Division – 16 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division – 17 clubs Central Midlands League North Division – 17 clubs Central Midlands League South Division – 18 clubs Cheshire Football League Division One – 16 clubs Dorset Premier League – 17 clubs Essex and Suffolk Border League Premier Division – 16 clubs Essex Olympian League Premier Division – 14 clubs Gloucestershire County League – 18 clubs Hampshire Premier League Senior Division – 17 clubs Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Humber Premier League Premier Division – 15 clubs Kent County League Premier Division – 15 clubs Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division – 17 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division – 15 clubs Manchester League Premier Division – 15 clubs Middlesex County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Midland Combination Division One – 15 clubs Northamptonshire Combination League Premier Division – 15 clubs Northern Alliance Premier Division – 15 clubs			Nottinghamshire Senior League Senior Division – 17 clubs Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division – 13 clubs Peterborough and District League Premier Division – 18 clubs Reading League Senior Division – 12 clubs Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division – 14 clubs Somerset County League Premier Division – 18 clubs South West Peninsula League Division One East – 16 clubs South West Peninsula League Division One West – 16 clubs Spartan South Midlands Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division – 17 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich League Senior Division – 16 clubs Surrey Elite Intermediate League – 16 clubs Wearside League – 20 clubs West Cheshire League Division One – 16 clubs West Lancashire League Premier Division – 16 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Division One – 16 clubs West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division – 14 clubs West Yorkshire League Premier Division – 16 clubs Wiltshire League Premier Division – 14 clubs York League Premier Division – 14 clubs
12	Anglian Combination Division One – 15 clubs Aylesbury and District League Premier Division One – 11 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division One – 13 clubs Brighton, Hove & District Football League Premier Division – 8 clubs Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division – 15 clubs Bristol and Suburban League Premier Division One – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire County League Senior A Division – 15 clubs Cheshire League Division Two – 16 clubs Cornwall Combination – 19 clubs Devon and Exeter League Premier Division – 15 clubs Doncaster and District Senior League Premier Division – 9 clubs Dorset Senior League Senior Division – 14 clubs Durham Alliance League - 12 clubs East Cornwall League Premier Division – 16 clubs East Sussex Football League Premier Division – 9 clubs Essex and Suffolk Border League Division One – 14 clubs Essex Olympian League Division One – 12 clubs Gloucester Northern Senior League Division One – 16 clubs Hampshire Premier League Division One – 11 clubs Hertfordshire Senior County League Division One – 15 clubs Humber Premier League Division One – 15 clubs Kent County League Division One East – 11 clubs Kent County League Division One West – 12 clubs Leicestershire Senior League Division One – 17 clubs Lincolnshire League – 14 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Division One – 14 clubs Manchester League Division One – 13 clubs Mid Sussex League Premier Division – 12 clubs Middlesex County League Division One Central & East – 13 clubs Middlesex County League Division One West – 13 clubs			Midland Combination Division Two – 16 clubs Midlands Regional Alliance Premier Division – 13 clubs North Bucks and District League Premier Division – 13 clubs North Devon League Premier Division – 16 clubs Northamptonshire Combination League Division One – 15 clubs Northern Alliance Division One – 15 clubs Nottinghamshire Senior League Division One – 15 clubs Oxfordshire Senior League Division One – 10 clubs Peterborough and District League Division One – 16 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Division One – 12 clubs Reading League Premier Division – 10 clubs Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Division One – 14 clubs Somerset County League Division One – 18 clubs South Devon League Premier Division – 13 clubs Staffordshire County Senior League Division One – 17 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich League Division One – 14 clubs Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Premier Division – 14 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division One – 12 clubs Sussex County League Division Three – 11 clubs Teesside Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs West Cheshire League Division Two – 16 clubs West Lancashire League Division One – 16 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two – 14 clubs West Riding County Amateur League Division One – 14 clubs West Sussex League Premier Division – 11 clubs West Yorkshire League Division One – 16 clubs Wiltshire League Division One – 8 clubs Worthing and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs Wycombe and District League Premier Division – 9 clubs York League Division One – 10 clubs
13	Aldershot & District League Division One – 10 clubs Altrincham and District Amateur Football League Division One – 12 clubs Andover and District Saturday Football League – 13 clubs Anglian Combination Division Two – 15 clubs Aylesbury and District League Division One – 11 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Premier Division – 11 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Bournemouth Saturday Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs Brighton, Hove & District League Division One – 8 clubs Bristol Premier Combination Division One – 13 clubs Bristol and Suburban League Premier Division Two – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire County League Senior B Division – 15 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Premier Division – 13 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division One – 14 clubs Doncaster and District Senior League Division One – 15 clubs Dorset Senior League Division One – 12 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division One – 12 clubs East Cornwall League Division One – 16 clubs East Sussex Football League Division One – 11 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Gloucester Northern Senior League Division Two – 14 clubs Hertford and District League Premier Division – 10 clubs Ilford and District League Premier Division – 10 clubs Kent County League Division Two East – 11 clubs Kent County League Division Two West – 12 clubs Leicester and District League Premier Division – 14 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Division Two – 12 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division – 15 clubs Mid-Essex League Premier Division – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Championship – 12 clubs Middlesex County Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Midlands Regional Alliance Division One – 16 clubs North Berks Football League Division Two – 10 clubs North Bucks and District League Intermediate Division – 14 clubs			North Devon Football League Senior Division – 16 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Two – 12 clubs North & Mid-Herts Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs North Leicestershire League Premier Division – 14 clubs Northern Football Alliance Division Two – 16 clubs Nottinghamshire Senior League Division Two – 16 clubs Oxfordshire Senior Football League Division Two Peterborough and District Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Division Two – 12 clubs Portsmouth Saturday Football League Division One – 9 clubs Reading Football League Division One – 12 clubs Salisbury & District (Saturday) League Premier Division - 9 clubs Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Division Two – 14 clubs Somerset County Football League Division Two East – 15 clubs Somerset County Football League Division Two West – 14 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs South Devon Football League Division One – 14 clubs Southend Borough Combination Premier Division – 10 clubs Staffordshire County Senior Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Division One – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division Two – 13 clubs Swindon & District Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Trowbridge & District Football League Division One – 11 clubs Trelawny League Premier Division – 14 clubs Wearside Combination Football League - 12 Clubs West Cheshire Association Football League Division Three – 16 clubs West Lancashire Football League Division Two – 14 clubs West Riding County Amateur Football League Division One – 14 clubs West Sussex Football League Division One – 11 clubs West Yorkshire Association Football League Division Two – 15 clubs Witney and District League Premier Division – 11 clubs Worthing and District Football League Division One – 12 clubs York Football League Division Two – 11 clubs
14	Aldershot & District League Division Two – 10 clubs Anglian Combination Division Three – 18 clubs Altrincham and District Amateur Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division One – 11 clubs Basingstoke and District Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Bath and District League Division One – 10 clubs Bedfordshire Football League Division Three – 15 clubs Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division One – 12 clubs Brighton Hove and District Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Bristol and District League Senior Division – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division One – 12 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two A – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two B – 15 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Division One – 13 clubs Cheltenham League Division One – 14 clubs Cirencester and District League Division One – 10 clubs Craven and District League Premier Division – 11 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Dorset Senior League Division Two – 12 clubs Driffield and District League Premier Division – 10 clubs Duchy League Premier Division – 12 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Two – 11 clubs East Riding Amateur League Premier Division – 12 clubs East Riding County League Premier Division – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Essex Business Houses Football League Premier Division – 10 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Furness Premier League Premier Division – 12 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Premier Division – 11 clubs Halifax and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs Harrogate and District League Premier Division – 13 clubs Hertford and District League Division One – 12 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division One – 12 clubs Ilford and District League Division One – 11 clubs Kingston and District Football League Premier Division – 9 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division – 14 clubs Leeds Red Triangle Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Leicester and District League Division One – 13 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Division One – 16 clubs Mid-Essex League Division One – 12 clubs Midlands Regional Alliance Division Two – 17 clubs			Mid-Somerset League Premier Division – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division One – 11 clubs Newcastle Corinthians League Division One – 10 clubs North Berks Football League Division Three – 12 clubs North Bucks and District League Division One – 16 clubs North Devon Football League Intermediate Division One – 16 clubs North Gloucestershire League Premier Division – 16 clubs North & Mid-Herts Football League Division One Mid – 11 clubs North & Mid-Herts Football League Division One North – 11 clubs North Leicestershire League Division One – 11 clubs North Northumberland League Division One – 10 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Oxfordshire Senior Football League Division Three Peterborough and District Football League Division Three Plymouth and West Devon Combination Division Three – 10 clubs Portsmouth Saturday Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Reading Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Redhill and District Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Salisbury & District (Saturday) League Division One - 10 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Senior Division One – 11 clubs South Devon Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division One – 12 clubs Spen Valley and District Football League Premier Division – 10 clubs Stroud and District League Division One – 14 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Three – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division One – 11 clubs Swindon & District Football League Division One – 10 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division One – 11 clubs Trelawny League Division One – 14 clubs Trowbridge & District Football League Division Two – 9 clubs Tyneside Amateur League Division One – 13 clubs Wakefield and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs West Riding County Amateur Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division One – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Two North – 12 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Two South – 11 clubs Witney and District League Division One – 12 clubs Worthing and District Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs York Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Senior Division A – 11 clubs
15	Aldershot & District League Division Three – 10 clubs Anglian Combination Division Four – 15 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Two – 11 clubs Basingstoke and District Football League Division One – 9 clubs Bath and District League Division Two – 11 clubs Bedfordshire Football League Division Four Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Bristol and District League Division One – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three A – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three B – 11 clubs Cheltenham League Division Two – 14 clubs Cirencester and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Craven and District League Division One – 11 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Three – 16 clubs Dorset Senior League Division Three – 12 clubs Driffield and District League Division One – 10 clubs Duchy League Division One – 13 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Three – 11 clubs East Riding Amateur League Division One – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division One – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Three – 10 clubs Essex Business Houses Football League Division One – 13 clubs Furness Premier League Division One – 10 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division One – 11 clubs Halifax and District League Division One – 10 clubs Harrogate and District League Division One – 12 clubs Hertford and District League Division Two – 11 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Ilford and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday Football League Division One – 14 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division One – 10 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division One – 14 clubs Leeds Red Triangle Football League Division One – 11 clubs Leicester and District League Division Two – 14 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Two – 13 clubs			Mid-Somerset Football League Division One – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Newcastle Corinthians League Division Two – 10 clubs North Berks Football League Division Four East 13 clubs North Berks Football League Division Four West North Bucks and District League Division Two – 16 clubs North Devon Football League Intermediate Division Two – 15 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division One – 13 clubs North Leicestershire League Division Two – 12 clubs North Northumberland League Division Two – 11 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Four Plymouth and West Devon Combination Division Four Portsmouth Saturday Football League Division Three – 10 clubs Reading Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division One – 10 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division One – 10 clubs South Devon Football League Division Three – 14 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Two – 12 clubs South Yorkshire Amateur League Premier Division – 10 clubs Spen Valley and District Football League Division One – 13 clubs Stroud and District League Division Two – 14 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Four – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Two – 12 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Two – 12 clubs Trelawny League Division Two – 14 clubs Trowbridge & District Football League Division Three – 10 clubs Tyneside Amateur League Division Two – 13 clubs Wakefield and District League Division One – 12 clubs West Riding County Amateur Football League Division Three West Sussex Football League Division Three North – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Three South – 10 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division Two – 13 clubs Worthing and District Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Division One – 12 clubs York Football League Division Four – 10 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Senior Division B – 10 clubs
16	Anglian Combination Division Five – 13 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Three – 12 clubs Basingstoke and District Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Bath and District League Division Three – 10 clubs Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division Three – 13 clubs Bristol and District League Division Two – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Three – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four A – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four B – 16 clubs Cheltenham League Division Three – 14 clubs Craven and District League Division Two – 12 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Four – 13 clubs Dorset Senior League Division Four – 11 clubs Driffield and District League Division Two – 11 clubs Duchy League Division Two – 13 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Four – 10 clubs East Riding Amateur League Division Two – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Two – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Four – 10 clubs Furness Premier League Division Two – 9 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Two – 13 clubs Halifax and District League Division Two – 9 clubs Harrogate and District League Division Two – 13 clubs Hertford and District League Division Three – 13 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Ilford and District League Division Three – 10 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday Football League Division Two – 17 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division Two – 9 clubs			Lancashire Amateur League Division Two – 14 clubs Leeds Red Triangle Football League Division Two Mid-Essex League Division Three – 13 clubs Mid-Somerset League Division Two – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Northampton Town Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Two – 13 clubs North Leicestershire League Division Three – 12 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Five Reading Football League Division Four Redhill and District Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Two – 11 clubs South Devon Football League Division Four – 14 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Three – 12 clubs South Yorkshire Amateur League Division One – 9 clubs Stroud and District League Division Three – 14 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Five – 12 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Three – 11 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Three – 11 clubs Trelawny League Division Three – 14 clubs Wakefield and District League Division Two – 12 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Four North – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Four South – 10 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division Three – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division One – 12 clubs
17	Anglian Combination Division Six – 14 clubs Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Bristol and District League Division Three – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five A – 28 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five B – 26 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five C Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five D Cheltenham League Division Four – 14 clubs Craven and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Five – 14 clubs Dorset Senior League Division Five – 10 clubs Driffield and District League Division Three – 11 clubs Duchy League Division Three – 13 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Five – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Three – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Five – 10 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Three – 11 clubs Halifax and District League Division Three – 11 clubs Harrogate and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday Football League Division Three – 16 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division Three – 9 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Three – 14 clubs			Mid-Essex League Division Four – 14 clubs Mid-Somerset League Division Three – 12 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Northampton Town Football League Division One – 12 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Three – 14 clubs North Leicestershire League Division Four – 12 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Three – 11 clubs South Devon Football League Division Five – 14 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Four – 12 clubs Stroud and District League Division Four – 12 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Six – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Four – 12 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Four – 11 clubs Trelawny League Division Four – 14 clubs Wakefield and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division Four – 10 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Five North – 10 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Five South – 10 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Five Central – 9 clubs Witney and District League Division Four – 14 clubs Yeovil and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Two – 13 clubs
18	Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division Five – 13 clubs Bristol and District League Division Four – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Five – 10 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division One – 12 clubs Cheltenham League Division Five – 14 clubs Craven and District League Division Four – 11 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Six – 15 clubs Duchy League Division Four – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Four – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Six – 11 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Four North – 11 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Four South Kingston and District Football League Division Four – 9 clubs			Lancashire Amateur League Division Four – 13 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Five – 14 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five – 12 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Four – 14 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Four – 11 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Four – 10 clubs South Devon Football League Division Six – 12 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Five – 11 clubs St. Edmundsbury Football League Division One – 11 clubs Stroud and District League Division Five – 13 clubs Trelawny League Division Five – 14 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division Five – 11 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three – 13 clubs
19	Bournemouth Saturday Football League Division Six – 13 clubs Bristol and District League Division Five – 14 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division Two – 14 clubs Cheltenham League Division Six – 13 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Seven – 14 clubs Duchy League Division Five – 13 clubs East Riding County League Division Five – 11 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Seven – 12 clubs Huddersfield and District Works and Combination League Division One – 8 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division Five – 9 clubs			Lancashire Amateur League Division Five – 12 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Six – 12 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Six – 11 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Five – 11 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Five – 10 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Six – 11 clubs St. Edmundsbury Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Stroud and District League Division Six – 13 clubs Weston super Mare and District League Division Six – 9 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Four – 12 clubs
20	Bristol and District League Division Six – 15 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division Three – 14 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Eight – 15 clubs Huddersfield and District Works and Combination League Division Two – 10 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Six – 12 clubs			Mid-Sussex Football League Division Seven – 12 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Six – 11 clubs Stroud and District League Division Seven – 11 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Five – 13 clubs (NOTE: No league has its top division at level 20)
21	Bristol and Avon League Premier Division – 12 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division Four – 14 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Seven – 12 clubs			Mid-Sussex Football League Division Eight – 11 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Seven – 11 clubs Stroud and District League Division Eight – 13 clubs (NOTE: This is the lowest level at which any league has its top division)
22	Bristol and Avon League Division One – 8 clubs			Mid-Sussex Football League Division Nine – 11 clubs
23	Mid-Sussex Football League Division Ten – 11 clubs
24	Mid-Sussex Football League Division Eleven – 8 clubs

 

Don't get me wrong. Jolly old England is a great place, but yours truly bloody well can't seem to figure it out. The Brits have (had) kings and queens, princes and princesses, lords, ladies, viscounts, dukes, dames, counts, countesses, earls, earlesses, and I think even a viceroy had a cigarette named after him a few decades back. Plus I must admit that Duke of Earl had a great classic theme song back in the day. I can hear it now. Duke, duke, duke. Sorry.

In America, things are much simpler. We only have presidents, vice-presidents, speakers, senators, congressmen, congresswomen, governors, governettes, mayors, mayorettes, chiefs, assistant chiefs, secretaries, under-secretaries, assistant secretaries, and associate secretaries to every position of power imaginable. Throw in councils, your garden variety ombudsman, a pro-tem here and an emergency manager there and, as you can see, things are much more streamlined indeed. Or perhaps that's a bad example. Hmm. Maybe that's why America created a position called the "whip" amongst those that wield power. Some of them occasionally need to be publicly flogged -- and wouldn't that be fun to see -- but I digress.

Regardless, when it comes to "football", the Americans think they're hot stuff with their NFL, the Super Bowl, and all that. Countless millions can't wait to get in on the action every year.

But they can't hold a candle to the Brits when it comes to participation in a different way. Given the above list ---

Talk about soccer moms running amok.....

Whoa.