Segunda División B

Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the "Primera División" and the "Segunda División". Immediately below "Segunda División B" is the "Tercera Division". Among the teams playing in the division during the 2007/08 season are Real Unión, who were founding members of La Liga. The division also includes the reserve teams of several La Liga teams including Real Madrid Castilla, Atlético Madrid B, Bilbao Athletic, Deportivo B, Racing de Santander B, Sporting de Gijón B, Barcelona B, Osasuna B, Villarreal CF B, Valencia CF Mestalla, Real Valladolid B and Real Betis B.

Current Format

Segunda División B currently features 80 teams divided into 4 groups of 20. The top four teams from each group, 16 teams in total, qualify for play-offs to determine which four teams will replace the four teams relegated from the Liga Adelante. However reserve teams are only eligible for promotion to the Liga Adelante if their senior team is in the Liga BBVA. The top five teams from each group and best two teams regardless of group outside the previous twenty, excluding reserve teams, also qualify for the following seasons Copa del Rey. The bottom four teams in each league are relegated to the Tercera División. Also, the four 16th-placed teams enter into a relegation playoff to determine the two teams to be relegated. One team is paired with one of the others in home and away series. the two winners remain in the division while the losers are relegated. A reserve team can also be relegated if their senior team is relegated from the Liga Adelante. Along with teams from the Tercera División, teams from the division also compete in the Copa Federación.

Beginning with the 2008-09 season, the four group winners will have the opportunity to be promoted directly and be name the overall Segunda División B champion. The four group winners will be drawn into a two-legged series where the two winners will be promoted to the Liga Adelante and enter into the final for the Segunda División B champion. The two losing "semifinalists" enter the playoff round for the last two promotion spots.

The four group runners-up will be drawn against one of the three fourth-placed teams outside their group while the four third-placed teams are drawn against one another in a two-legged series. The six winners advance with the two losing semifinalists to determine the four teams that will enter the last two-legged series for the last two promotion spots. In all the playoff series, the lower-ranked club plays at home first. Whenever the is a tie in position ("e.g." like the group winners in the "Semifinal Round" and "Final" or the third-placed teams in the first round), a draw will determine the club to play at home first.

*main|Segunda División Play-Off 2007-08
*main|Segunda División Play-Off 2006-07
*main|Segunda División Play-Off 2005-06
*main|Segunda División Play-Off 2004-05

History

The term "Segunda División B" was first used during the inaugural La Liga season of 1928/29. It was used to designate a third level of teams after the "Primera División" and a "Segunda División A". This division featured 10 teams and at the end of the season Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa were crowned champions. However the 1929/30 season saw the first of many reorganisations of the Spanish football league system and the original "Segunda División B" was replaced by the Tercera Division. At the start of the 1977/78 season the "Segunda División B" was revived, replacing the Tercera División as the third level. Initially the division consisted of only two groups. The second two groups were added for the 1987-88 season.

Champions

Year By Year

Groups

*main|Segunda División B Groups 1-4

External links

* [http://www.rfef.es Real Federacion Española de Futbol]