Rising and Falling, or should that be falling and rising?

"Whatever goes up must come down", is a famous quote in the English language, and it's right in many senses. Physically, according to gravity if you throw something up in the air, within a few seconds it will hit the ground.

But it's not it's physical aspects that have given the statement it's noticeable reputation. For the last few decades, possibly longer, the saying has been associated with the magical sport - football.

Football is an extraoridinary game. That's obvious. You don't get the crowds that football manages to attract on a weekly basis if your rubbish. That's why football's a lot more popular for spectators than another sport such as tennis, which is also high up on the list of most watched sports in the country.

Why do I hold football in such high regard, is a question I get asked by non-football fans all the time. To the non-football enthusiast, its just two teams trying to use their feet to kick a sphere-shaped object between two posts. I also got told by a friend, who has no interest in the game whatsoever, that people only play football for the money. At this suggestion I remember being outraged.

Football, is the best sport in the world. That is my opinion and it is shared by millions of people worldwide. Why is this the case? Because anything can happen. The new season is just around the corner, and I know in twelve months time when it starts again I could be watching football in any of three divisions, the heights of the Premier League or the dark ditch of League One. I got shot down in flames by my friend. He said, and I remember this quote "But if I'm not mistaken, the top five have been unchanged - the same teams; Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton - for a number of years". I can't defend this argument because many people, unfortunately seem to think their is one division in English football, similarly to the uneducated thinking their are only four people in tennis, because the top appears unbreakable.

My way out, was to tell him to look down the football pyramid as it is today, then look through the top five divisions, from the Premier League to the Blue Square Premier/Conference, then compare it to the tables of 6 or 7 years ago. He did this and he was amazed. He couldn't believe how teams could get from the top to the bottom in such a short space of time, and vice-versa. The demise of certain teams is unrealistic. How can someone fall so quick.

The examples of who have been well publicised before. Leeds United are the most obvious example. In 2001, under David O'Leary, they were in the semi-finals of the European Cup (Champions League). However, after stealing the tag of 'too good to go down' from West Ham United, the Yorkshiremen lost 3-0 in the play-off final to Watford, and failed to return at the first attempt. The next season, with Dennis Wise replacing Kevin Blackwell at Elland Road they were relegated to the third tier, where they are now spending their third consecutive year in.

Leicester City are another example. Under Martin O'Neill they were in the Premier League and also reached the League Cup final two years running. In 2003-04 they were relegated, by 2008 they were playing in League One.

If you think that's one hell of a drop, then your jaw will drop in awe at the downfall of Charlton, Southampton and Norwich.

The latter two were relegated on the same day from the Premier League, and within just a few years both went down in consecutive weeks from the Championship in 2008-09. Just four years later.

Charlton were challenging for UEFA Cup football under Alan Curbishley, but two relegations since they went down as recently as 2007, means that they too will be in League One next term. Bradford are now in the bottom division, whereas they were in the Premiership ten years ago.

I said unpredictable earlier, because that's what football is. It's not always negative, as I will go to explain but when you reach the top the only way is down. Perhaps you could use this is as a reason not to be a 'glory hunter'. It's happened to Leeds, Leicester, Southampton, Norwich and Charlton in terms of top clubs dropping like stones. But Premier League relegation now seems inevitable. This season Newcastle United, North-East giants with the fifth biggest stadium in the country found themselves swept from the top flight, along with Middlesbrough, who reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006, in the Championship. The 'Big Four' will have to stay on their toes, it could possibly just happen to them.

Now the positives. The term 'punching above their weight' is another overused phrase in football. Used by fans of the big clubs, probably those that I have recently mentioned, are used for overachievers in football, and there are just as many of these as there are underachievers.

The overachievers chart was published last year. This explained who a Sunday paper believed to be doing better than they should the most. Doncaster Rovers topped this table. Rovers, were in the Conference in 2003 and have achieved since, 3 promotions, won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and reached the quarter finals of the Carling Cup, losing only to Arsenal on penalties. It's one hell of a rise up the league's ladder.

While they were under-taking these three promotions, they won Division Three (Now League Two), ahead of Hull City. City can now be seen playing in the Premier League after promotions under Peter Taylor and Phil Brown.

Burnley were, according to the bookies, going down prior to 08-09. After a day out at Wembley, however, the Clarets will be seen at Old Trafford and Anfield next season, of course this won't be too unique for them as they did well in various cup competitions last season and even won on 'Big Four' turf.

Portsmouth, Wigan and Reading can all be seen in the top five, after they all have had at least two seasons in the top flight which just a few years previous looked a remarkable feat.

What is my purpose of writing this? It's to give the lower teams hope. The Leagues are turning into long drawn-out cups where anyone can beat anyone else. It's used to be a 'one-off' but now teams are doing it regularly. Get behind your team because you can easily achieve successive promotions and dreams, look increasingly likely to become reality.

For the big clubs. You need to keep supporting your clubs but you could well be doomed. All you can do is cross your fingers and hope, just hope, that it won't happen to you.