Before the timeline starts in earnest, here is the background..
15th April 2002: Scottish Clubs reach a deal agreeing to form their own television channel, the SPL Sports Network to cover SPL games, following the collapse of negotiations with Sky. Alongside SPL games, the channel quickly acquires the television rights to Magners League Rugby Union, Scotland home international football matches and the Scottish Open Golf. They announce they will bid for individual European games involving British clubs.
27th November 2007 : Saw an historic agreement as the Football Association of Wales made a deal with the Welsh clubs based in England so that from the 2008-09 season onwards Welsh clubs would once more play in the Welsh Cup, thus enabling the likes of Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham the opportunity once more to gain entry into the UEFA Cup and European football. In addition to all of this, Uefa have agreed to give special dispensation for the Welsh clubs, should they opt to play in the Welsh Cup. Opposition to the move emerged as the chairman of Leeds United, Ken Bates has made a stinging attack, asking the Welsh clubs to decide once and for all “whether they were Welsh or English”. He asked how it could possibly be fair that the Welsh teams could almost certainly be guaranteed Europe ever other year and asked why this advantage should be allowed. He also promised to raise the matter at the next meeting of the Football League.
31st August 2008 : Following the entry of Cardiff City into the UEFA Cup, the Leeds Chairman Ken Bates put forward a motion calling for Welsh clubs to be thrown out of the Football League at the end of the 08/09 season . The motion passes by one vote. Cardiff and Swansea announce they will appeal the decision, offering to withdraw from the Welsh Cup, to no avail.
1st February 2009 : The appeal reaches the Court of Appeal, with an agreement being made that no decision would be made until the case reaches its conclusion. As such, the final decision on the Welsh teams leaving the league is postponed for a season.
20th June 2009 : The Scottish Premier League announces expansion to 14 clubs from the 2010/11 season.
1st September 2009: The Court of Appeal reaches the conclusion that the Welsh teams should leave the league, but that if they are to leave they should be compensated. The Court orders £60 million in compensation be paid. The Football League, following discussions with the Welsh clubs see a deal done whereby they agree not to appeal the decision, but rather pay Cardiff, Swansea, and the other Welsh clubs in the English set up £35 million, and build the stadiums and facilities of the other Welsh Premier League Clubs. It is agreed that the Welsh Clubs based in England will join the Welsh Premier League from season 2010/11 onwards.
1st November 2009 : Welsh Premier League reaches agreement with English-based clubs. WPL will retain its 12 club format, although they will follow the system that was previously used in Scotland of playing each other 3 times before the split for the final round of fixtures.
1st February 2010 : SPL Sports Network, the Scottish Premier League television station makes an agreement to televise the Welsh Premier League from the 2010-11 season onwards. The Welsh Premier League will for this receive £3 million per season, in a four year deal rising if the number of Welsh subscribers rises.
2nd May 2010 : Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle are spared relegation from the Championship as Cardiff and Swansea leave the Football League to join the Welsh Premier League.