# National League (division)

The National League, officially known as Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in England. National League is the first division of the National Leagues and step 1 of the NLS and fifth-highest tier overall in the English football league system, after the Premier League and the EFL leagues and is contested by 24 clubs. Through the National League, clubs get promoted to the EFL League Two, one of the divisions of the English Football League. Formerly the Conference National, the league was renamed the National League from the 2015–16 season.
Notable former English Football League clubs that compete in the National League include: Oldham Athletic, Rochdale, York City, Yeovil Town, Hartlepool United and Southend United. The longest tenured team currently competing in the National League is Aldershot Town, who have been competing in the National League since 2013–14.

## History

The league was formed as the Alliance Premier League in 1979, coming into force for the 1979–80 season. The league drew its clubs from the Northern Premier League and the Southern League.
It greatly improved the quality of football at this lower level, as well as improving the financial status of the top clubs. This was reflected in 1986–87, when the Football League began accepting direct promotion and relegation between the Conference and the bottom division of the Football League, which at that time was known as the Football League Fourth Division and is now EFL League Two. The first team to be promoted by this method was Scarborough, and the first team relegated was Lincoln City, who regained their Football League status a year later as Conference champions.
Since 2002–03, the league has been granted a second promotion place, with a play-off deciding who joins the champions in League Two. Previously, no promotion from the Conference would occur if the winners did not have adequate stadium facilities. If a club wins the division, but does not qualify for promotion, the next highest eligible club will be promoted in its place. If a club finishes in the play-off places but does not have an adequate stadium they will not be able to take part in the play-off competition. In that event such club shall not be replaced and the play-off structure and draw shall be adjusted as necessary by the National League Board on the basis of the remaining clubs' final league positions.
In 2004–05, the Conference increased its size by adding two lower divisions, the Conference North and Conference South respectively, with the original division being renamed Conference National. For the 2006–07 season, the Conference National expanded from 22 to 24 teams by promoting four teams while relegating two teams and introduced a "four up and four down" system between itself and the Conference North and Conference South.

## Sponsorship

The league's first sponsor was Gola during the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons. When Gola's sponsorship ceased, carmaker Vauxhall Motors—then the British subsidiary of General Motors—took over and sponsored the league until the end of the 1997–98 season.
The 1998–99 Conference campaign began without sponsors for the Conference, but just before the end of the season a sponsorship was agreed with Nationwide Building Society. This lasted until the end of the 2006–07 season, after which Blue Square took over. This would also prompt the leagues being renamed, with the Conference National becoming the Blue Square Premier, the Conference North becoming Blue Square North and the Conference South becoming Blue Square South. In April 2010, Blue Square announced a further three-year sponsorship deal. From the start of the 2010–11 season the names were changed slightly, with "Blue Square" becoming "Blue Square Bet".
In July 2013 the Conference agreed another sponsorship deal with online payment firm Skrill. This lasted for only one year and the following July the Conference announced a brand-new three-year deal with Vanarama, later extended by two more years.
In 2015, the Football Conference was renamed the National League. The top division was also officially renamed the National League and the lower divisions renamed as National League North and National League South. In January 2019 the League signed a three-year deal with Motorama, Vanarama's sister company. It was extended to three more years in March 2021.
| Period | Sponsor | Name |
| 1984–1986 | Gola | Gola League |
| 1986–1998 | General Motors | GM Vauxhall Conference |
| 1998–2007 | Nationwide Building Society | Nationwide Conference |
| 2007–2010 | Blue Square | Blue Square Premier |
| 2010–2013 | Blue Square Bet | Blue Square Bet Premier |
| 2013–2014 | Skrill | Skrill Premier |
| 2014–2015 | Vanarama | Vanarama Conference |
| 2015–2025 | Vanarama | Vanarama National League |

## Media coverage

Coverage of this league began in the mid-1990s when cable channels Wire TV, and later L!VE TV, broadcast weekly highlights and live matches. However, the closure of L!VE TV in 1999 saw coverage switch to Sky Sports. In August 2006, Setanta Sports signed a five-year deal with the Conference and Setanta Sports began showing live matches in the 2007–08 season, with 79 live games each season. Included in the deal were the annual play-off matches as well as the Conference League Cup, a cup competition for the three Football Conference divisions. Setanta showed two live matches a week, with one on Thursday evening and one at the weekend. In Australia the Conference National was broadcast by Setanta Sports Australia. Setanta Sports suffered financial problems and ceased broadcasting in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2009. Sky Sports broadcast the Conference play-off final 2010 at Wembley Stadium.
On 19 August 2010, Premier Sports announced that it bought the live and exclusive UK television rights to 30 matches per season from the Conference Premier for a total of three seasons. The 30 matches selected for broadcast included all five Conference Premier play-offs. The deal with the Football Conference was a revenue sharing arrangement whereby clubs received 50% of revenue from subscriptions, on top of the normal rights fee paid by the broadcaster, once the costs of production were met. The Conference also earned 50% from all internet revenue associated with the deal, which allowed them to retain advertising rights allied to those adverts shown with their matches. During the 2010–11 season, Premier Sports failed to attract enough viewers to its Conference football broadcasts to share any revenue with the clubs beyond the £5,000 broadcast fee paid to home clubs and £1,000 to away clubs.
In July 2013, BT Sport announced a two-year deal to broadcast 30 live games per season including all five play-off matches. In 2015 the National League announced that it renewed a three-year deal with BT Sport.

## Current membership

The following 24 clubs compete in the National League during the 2024–25 season.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| AFC Fylde | Wesham | Mill Farm Sports Village | 6,000 |
| Aldershot Town | Aldershot | EBB Stadium at The Recreation Ground | 7,200 |
| Altrincham | Altrincham | Moss Lane | 7,700 |
| Barnet | London (Canons Park) | The Hive Stadium | 6,418 |
| Boston United | Boston | Boston Community Stadium | 5,000 |
| Braintree Town | Braintree | Cressing Road | 4,085 |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | London (Dagenham) | Chigwell Construction Stadium | 6,078 |
| Eastleigh | Eastleigh | Silverlake Stadium | 5,250 |
| Ebbsfleet United | Northfleet | Stonebridge Road | 4,800 |
| FC Halifax Town | Halifax | The Shay | 10,400 |
| Forest Green Rovers | Nailsworth | The Bolt New Lawn | 5,147 |
| Gateshead | Gateshead | Gateshead International Stadium | 11,800 |
| Hartlepool United | Hartlepool | Victoria Park | 7,856 |
| Maidenhead United | Maidenhead | York Road | 4,000 |
| Oldham Athletic | Oldham | Boundary Park | 13,513 |
| Rochdale | Rochdale | Crown Oil Arena | 10,249 |
| Solihull Moors | Solihull | Damson Park | 5,500 |
| Southend United | Southend-on-Sea | Roots Hall | 12,392 |
| Sutton United | London (Sutton) | VBS Community Stadium | 5,013 |
| Tamworth | Tamworth | The Lamb Ground | 4,565 |
| Wealdstone | London (Ruislip) | Grosvenor Vale | 4,085 |
| Woking | Woking | The Laithwaite Community Stadium | 6,036 |
| Yeovil Town | Yeovil | Huish Park | 9,566 |
| York City | York | York Community Stadium | 8,500 |

## Past winners

Numbers in parentheses indicate wins up to that date.
| Season | Winner | Playoff Winner |
| 1979–80 | Altrincham | |
| 1980–81 | Altrincham (2) | |
| 1981–82 | Runcorn | |
| 1982–83 | Enfield | |
| 1983–84 | Maidstone United | |
| 1984–85 | Wealdstone | |
| 1985–86 | Enfield (2) | |
| 1986–87 | Scarborough | |
| 1987–88 | Lincoln City | |
| 1988–89 | Maidstone United (2) | |
| 1989–90 | Darlington | |
| 1990–91 | Barnet | |
| 1991–92 | Colchester United | |
| 1992–93 | Wycombe Wanderers | |
| 1993–94 | Kidderminster Harriers | |
| 1994–95 | Macclesfield Town | |
| 1995–96 | Stevenage Borough | |
| 1996–97 | Macclesfield Town (2) | |
| 1997–98 | Halifax Town | |
| 1998–99 | Cheltenham Town | |
| 1999–2000 | Kidderminster Harriers (2) | |
| 2000–01 | Rushden & Diamonds | |
| 2001–02 | Boston United | |
| 2002–03 | Yeovil Town | Doncaster Rovers |
| 2003–04 | Chester City | Shrewsbury Town |
| 2004–05 | Barnet (2) | Carlisle United |
| 2005–06 | Accrington Stanley | Hereford United |
| 2006–07 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Morecambe |
| 2007–08 | Aldershot Town | Exeter City |
| 2008–09 | Burton Albion | Torquay United |
| 2009–10 | Stevenage Borough (2) | Oxford United |
| 2010–11 | Crawley Town | AFC Wimbledon |
| 2011–12 | Fleetwood Town | York City |
| 2012–13 | Mansfield Town | Newport County |
| 2013–14 | Luton Town | Cambridge United |
| 2014–15 | Barnet (3) | Bristol Rovers |
| 2015–16 | Cheltenham Town (2) | Grimsby Town |
| 2016–17 | Lincoln City (2) | Forest Green Rovers |
| 2017–18 | Macclesfield Town (3) | Tranmere Rovers |
| 2018–19 | Leyton Orient | Salford City |
| 2019–20 | Barrow | Harrogate Town |
| 2020–21 | Sutton United | Hartlepool United |
| 2021–22 | Stockport County | Grimsby Town |
| 2022–23 | Wrexham | Notts County |
| 2023–24 | Chesterfield | Bromley |
* ^1 No promotion to the Football League until 1987.
* ^2 No promotion due to the club's stadium not being adequate for the Football League.
* ^3 Boston United were allowed to retain their championship title and subsequent promotion to the Football League despite having been found guilty of serious financial misconduct during their title winning season. Following their later relegation at the end of the 2006–07 season, due to entering into a Company Voluntary Arrangement and having restrictions placed on paying football creditors by HMRC, Boston were relegated a further division and placed in the Conference North.
* ^4 Clubs voted to end the 2019–20 National League season using points per game after the season was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Play-off results

| Season | Play-offs eliminator | First semi-final | Second semi-final | Final | Final venue |
| 2002–03 | N/A | Dagenham & Redbridge 2–1 Morecambe Morecambe 2–1 Dagenham & Redbridge 2–2 draw on aggregate Dagenham won 3–2 on penalties | Doncaster Rovers 1–1 Chester City Chester City 1–1 Doncaster Rovers 2–2 draw on aggregate Doncaster won 4–3 on penalties | Doncaster Rovers 3–2 Dagenham & Redbridge Doncaster won with a golden goal (Match report) | Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent |
| 2003–04 | N/A | Aldershot Town 1–1 Hereford United Hereford United 0–0 Aldershot Town 1–1 draw on aggregate Aldershot won 4–2 on penalties | Barnet 2–1 Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town 1–0 Barnet 2–2 draw on aggregate Shrewsbury won 5–3 on penalties | Aldershot Town 1–1 Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury won 3–0 on penalties (Match report) | Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent |
| 2004–05 | N/A | Aldershot Town 1–0 Carlisle United Carlisle United 2–1 Aldershot Town 2–2 draw on aggregate Carlisle won 5–4 on penalties | Stevenage Borough 1–1 Hereford United Hereford United 0–1 Stevenage Borough Stevenage Borough won 2–1 on aggregate | Carlisle United 1–0 Stevenage Borough (Match report) | Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent |
| 2005–06 | N/A | Halifax Town 3–2 Grays Athletic Grays Athletic 2–2 Halifax Town Halifax Town won 5–4 on aggregate | Morecambe 1–1 Hereford United Hereford United 3–2 Morecambe Hereford United won 4–3 on aggregate | Hereford United 3–2 Halifax Town after extra time (Match report) | Walkers Stadium, Leicester |
| 2006–07 | N/A | Exeter City 0–1 Oxford United Oxford United 1–2 Exeter City 2–2 draw on aggregate Exeter won 4–3 on penalties | York City 0–0 Morecambe Morecambe 2–1 York City Morecambe won 2–1 on aggregate | Morecambe 2–1 Exeter City (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2007–08 | N/A | Burton Albion 2–2 Cambridge United Cambridge United 2–1 Burton Albion Cambridge United won 4–3 on aggregate | Exeter City 1–2 Torquay United Torquay United 1–4 Exeter City Exeter City won 5–3 on aggregate | Cambridge United 0–1 Exeter City (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2008–09 | N/A | Stevenage Borough 3–1 Cambridge United Cambridge United 3–0 Stevenage Borough Cambridge United won 4–3 on aggregate | Torquay United 2–0 Histon Histon 1–0 Torquay United Torquay United won 2–1 on aggregate | Cambridge United 0–2 Torquay United (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2009–10 | N/A | Luton Town 0–1 York City York City 1–0 Luton Town York City won 2–0 on aggregate | Oxford United 2–0 Rushden & Diamonds Rushden & Diamonds 1–1 Oxford United Oxford United won 3–1 on aggregate | Oxford United 3–1 York City (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2010–11 | N/A | Fleetwood Town 0–2 AFC Wimbledon AFC Wimbledon 6–1 Fleetwood Town AFC Wimbledon won 8–1 on aggregate | Wrexham 0–3 Luton Town Luton Town 2–1 Wrexham Luton Town won 5–1 on aggregate | AFC Wimbledon 0–0 Luton Town AFC Wimbledon won 4–3 on penalties (Match report) | City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester |
| 2011–12 | N/A | Luton Town 2–0 Wrexham Wrexham 2–1 Luton Town Luton Town won 3–2 on aggregate | York City 1–1 Mansfield Town Mansfield Town 0–1 York City York City won 2–1 on aggregate | Luton Town 1–2 York City (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2012–13 | N/A | Wrexham 2–1 Kidderminster Harriers Kidderminster Harriers 1–3 Wrexham Wrexham won 5–2 on aggregate | Grimsby Town 0–1 Newport County Newport County 1–0 Grimsby Town Newport County won 2–0 on aggregate | Wrexham 0–2 Newport County (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2013–14 | N/A | FC Halifax Town 1–0 Cambridge United Cambridge United 2–0 FC Halifax Town Cambridge United won 2–1 on aggregate | Grimsby Town 1–1 Gateshead Gateshead 3–1 Grimsby Town Gateshead won 4–2 on aggregate | Cambridge United 2–1 Gateshead (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2014–15 | N/A | Forest Green Rovers 0–1 Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers 2–0 Forest Green Rovers Bristol Rovers won 3–0 on aggregate | Eastleigh 1–2 Grimsby Town Grimsby Town 3–0 Eastleigh Grimsby Town won 5–1 on aggregate | Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby Town Bristol Rovers won 5–3 on penalties (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2015–16 | N/A | Dover Athletic 0–1 Forest Green Rovers Forest Green Rovers 1–1 Dover Athletic Forest Green Rovers won 2–1 on aggregate | Grimsby Town 0–1 Braintree Town Braintree Town 0–2 Grimsby Town Grimsby Town won 2–1 on aggregate | Forest Green Rovers 1–3 Grimsby Town (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2016–17 | N/A | Aldershot Town 0–3 Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers 2–2 Aldershot Town Tranmere Rovers won 5–2 on aggregate | Dagenham & Redbridge 1–1 Forest Green Rovers Forest Green Rovers 2–0 Dagenham & Redbridge Forest Green Rovers won 3–1 on aggregate | Tranmere Rovers 1–3 Forest Green Rovers (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2017–18 | Aldershot Town 1–1 Ebbsfleet United (Ebbsfleet United won 5–4 on penalties) Boreham Wood 2–1 AFC Fylde | Tranmere Rovers 4–2 (a.e.t) Ebbsfleet United | Sutton United 2–3 Boreham Wood | Tranmere Rovers 2–1 Boreham Wood (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2018–19 | AFC Fylde 3–1 Harrogate Town Wrexham 0–1 (a.e.t) Eastleigh | Solihull Moors 0–1 AFC Fylde | Eastleigh 1–1 Salford City Salford City won 4–3 on penalties | AFC Fylde 0–3 Salford City (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2019–20 | Boreham Wood 2–1 FC Halifax Town Yeovil Town 0–2 Barnet | Harrogate Town 1–0 Boreham Wood | Notts County 2–0 Barnet | Harrogate Town 3–1 Notts County (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2020–21 | Notts County 3–2 Chesterfield Hartlepool United 3–2 Bromley | Torquay United 4–2 (a.e.t) Notts County | Stockport County 0–1 Hartlepool United | Torquay United 1–1 Hartlepool United Hartlepool United won 5–4 on penalties (Match report) | Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol |
| 2021–22 | Notts County 1–2 (a.e.t) Grimsby Town FC Halifax Town 1–2 Chesterfield | Wrexham 4–5 (a.e.t) Grimsby Town | Solihull Moors 3–1 Chesterfield | Grimsby Town 2–1 (a.e.t) Solihull Moors (Match report) | London Stadium, London |
| 2022–23 | Barnet 1-2 Boreham Wood Woking 1–2 Bromley | Notts County 3–2 (a.e.t) Boreham Wood | Chesterfield 3–2 (a.e.t) Bromley | Notts County 2–2 Chesterfield Notts County won 4–3 on penalties (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2023–24 | Solihull Moors 4–2 FC Halifax Town Altrincham w/o Gateshead | Barnet 0–4 Solihull Moors | Bromley 3-1 v Altrincham | Solihull Moors 2–2 Bromley Bromley won 4–3 on penalties (Match report) | Wembley Stadium, London |
* ↑ Play-offs eliminator round was first introduced for 2017–18 season
* ↑ Altrincham were given a bye through the play-off eliminator following Gateshead's failure to meet the Football League's ground ownership requirements

## Attendances

The highest average league attendance was in the 2022–23 season, when 1.7 million fans attended National League matches, at an average of 3,378 per game. The lowest average league attendance came in the 2014–15 season, when 1 million spectators watched at an average of 1,853 per game. The highest seasonal average for a club was 9,973 for Wrexham in the 2022–23 season.
| Season | League average attendance | Highest average | Highest average |
| Season | League average attendance | Club | Attendance |
| 2010–11 | 2,146 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2011–12 | 2,034 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2012–13 | 1,885 | Luton Town | 5,882 |
| 2013–14 | 1,864 | Luton Town | 7,387 |
| 2014–15 | 1,853 | Bristol Rovers | 8,402 |
| 2015–16 | 1,901 | Tranmere Rovers | 5,229 |
| 2016–17 | 1,872 | Tranmere Rovers | 5,741 |
| 2017–18 | 2,045 | Tranmere Rovers | 5,293 |
| 2018–19 | 1,971 | Leyton Orient | 5,444 |
| 2019–20 | 1,971 | Notts County | 5,210 |
| 2020–21 | No attendances due to pandemic | No attendances due to pandemic | No attendances due to pandemic |
| 2021–22 | 3,084 | Wrexham | 8,692 |
| 2022–23 | 3,378 | Wrexham | 9,973 |
| 2023–24 | 2,774 | Chesterfield | 7,893 |

## Records

| Most wins in a season | 34 | Wrexham (2022–23) |
| Fewest defeats in a season | 3 | Yeovil Town (2002–03)Crawley Town (2010–11)Notts County & Wrexham (2022–23) |
| Most consecutive wins | 12 | Burton Albion (2008–09)Mansfield Town (2012–13) |
| Longest unbeaten run in a season | 30 | Crawley Town (2010–11) |
| Most goals in a season | 117 | Notts County (2022-23) |
| Fewest goals conceded in a season | 24 | Kettering Town (1993–94)Stevenage Borough (2009–10) |
| Highest goal difference | 75 | Notts County (2022–23) |
| Most points in a season | 111 | Wrexham (2022–23) |
| Fewest points in a season | 1 | Dover Athletic (2021–22) |
| Smallest points gap between champions and 2nd place | 0 | Colchester United (1991-92) (94 points) over Wycombe Wanderers by +9 goal difference |
| Largest points gap between champions and 2nd place | 19 | Luton Town (2013–14) (101 points) over Cambridge United (82 points) |
| Biggest win | 9–0 | Runcorn beat Enfield (3 March 1990)Sutton United beat Gateshead (22 September 1990)Hereford United beat Dagenham & Redbridge (27 February 2004)Rushden & Diamonds beat Weymouth (21 February 2009)Tranmere Rovers beat Solihull Moors (8 April 2017) |
| Record attendance (play-offs) | 47,029 | Bristol Rovers vs Grimsby Town at Wembley Stadium (play-off final, 17 May 2015) |
| Record attendance (league game) | 16,511 | Notts County vs Yeovil Town at Meadow Lane (19 November 2022) |
* ↑ Dover Athletic accumulated thirteen points across the 2021–22 season however they started the season with a 12-point deduction due to failure to complete fixtures the previous season. The previous record lowest points tally accumulated was 10 points by Hyde United in the 2013–14 season.