National League North

National League North
Founded 2004
Country  England
Number of teams 22
Level on pyramid 6
Step 2 (National League System)
Promotion to National League
Relegation to Northern Premier League Premier Division
Southern League Premier Division
Domestic cup(s) FA Cup
FA Trophy
Current champions AFC Fylde
(2016–17)
Website National League
2017–18 season

The National League North, formerly Conference North (currently named the Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons), is a division of the National League in England, taking its place immediately below the top division National League. Along with the National League South, it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of the English football league system. It consists of teams located in Northern England, Norfolk, the English Midlands and North Wales. From the start of the 2015–16 season, the league has been known as the National League North.[1] As part of a sponsorship deal with Vanarama, the National League North is now known as the Vanarama National League North.[1]

History

The Conference North was introduced in 2004 as part of a major restructuring of English non-League football.[2] The champions are automatically promoted to the National League. A second promotion place goes to the winners of play-offs involving the teams finishing in second to fifth place. The three bottom clubs are relegated to Step 3 leagues. Teams from this division, as well as from the National League South, enter the FA Cup at the Second Qualifying Round.

For sponsorship reasons, the division was known as the Nationwide North from its formation in 2004 until 2007, when it was renamed the Blue Square North. In 2010 it was renamed the Blue Square Bet North. When Blue Square sponsorship ended in 2013, it was renamed the Skrill North until the 2014–15 season, when it was renamed the Vanarama North. A further name change followed in 2015, when the division was renamed the Vanarama National League North.

Current member clubs 2017–18

The current member clubs for the 2017–18 season are as follows:

The area covered by National League North is coloured in red. National League North teams also come from counties bordering National League South (purple).
Club
 Finishing position 2016–17
Alfreton Town18th
Blyth Spartans1st (via Northern Premier League as Champions)
Boston United15th
Brackley Town7th
Bradford Park Avenue16th
Chorley6th
Curzon Ashton14th
Darlington5th
Leamington2nd (via Southern Football League as playoff winners)
F.C. United of Manchester13th
Gainsborough Trinity19th
Harrogate Town11th
Kidderminster Harriers2nd
North Ferriby United24th (relegated from National League)
Nuneaton Town12th
Salford City4th
Southport23rd (relegated from National League)
Spennymoor Town2nd (via Northern Premier League as playoff winners)
Stockport County8th
Tamworth9th
Telford United17th
York City21st (relegated from National League)

League champions

Conference North Trophy awarded to Southport, 2009–10 season.

All the winners of the league title and winners of the play-off final since the league's formation in 2004 are as follows:

SeasonWinnerPlayoff Winner
2004–05SouthportAltrincham
2005–06Northwich VictoriaStafford Rangers
2006–07DroylsdenFarsley Celtic
2007–08Kettering TownBarrow
2008–09TamworthGateshead
2009–10SouthportFleetwood Town
2010–11Alfreton TownTelford United
2011–12HydeNuneaton Town
2012–13ChesterHalifax Town
2013–14Telford UnitedAltrincham
2014–15BarrowGuiseley
2015–16Solihull MoorsNorth Ferriby United
2016–17FyldeHalifax Town

Current league stadia

The stadiums of all teams in the league for the 2017–18 season are listed below:

Locations of the Greater Manchester clubs in 2017–18 National League North
Team Stadium Capacity Seated Capacity
Alfreton Town North Street 3,600 1,500
A.F.C. Telford United New Bucks Head 6,300 2,200
Blyth Spartans Croft Park 4,435 560
Boston United York Street 6,643 1,826
Brackley Town St. James Park 3,500 600
Bradford Park Avenue Horsfall Stadium 3,500 1,247
Chorley Victory Park 4,100 900
Curzon Ashton Tameside Stadium 4,000 527
Darlington Blackwell Meadows 3,000 249
F.C. United of Manchester Broadhurst Park 4,400 510
Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme 4,304 504
Harrogate Town Wetherby Road 3,800 500
Kidderminster Harriers Aggborough 6,238 3,140
Leamington The Phillips 66 Community Stadium 3,000 250
North Ferriby United Grange Lane 2,200 501
Nuneaton Town Liberty Way 4,314 514
Salford City Moor Lane 2,000 (expansion 5,000) 200 (expansion 2,000)
Southport Haig Avenue 6,008 1,660
Spennymoor Town The Brewery Field 6,000 300
Stockport County Edgeley Park 10,852 10,852
Tamworth The Lamb Ground 4,000 518
York City Bootham Crescent 8,256[3] 3,409[3]

League records

Record home win Fleetwood Town 8–0 Redditch United, 14 November 2009,[4] and Altrincham 8–0 Hinckley United, 17 November 2012[5]
Record away win Redditch United 0–9 Boston United, 21 August 2010[6]
Highest-scoring game AFC Fylde 9–2 Boston United, 19 October 2016
Most points in a season Chester – 107 points, Season 2012–13
Most wins in a season Chester – 34, Season 2012–13
Fewest defeats in a season Chester – 3, Season 2012–13
Most goals scored in a season Chester – 103, Season 2012–13
Best goal difference Chester – +71, Season 2012–13
Most league titles 2 – Southport
Most consecutive wins 15 games (21 Feb 2006 to 22 April 2006) – Northwich Victoria
Most consecutive clean sheets 10 games (30 Aug 2010 to 9 November 2010) – Boston United
Longest unbeaten run 30 games (15 Sep 2012 to 6 April 2013) – Chester

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "BBC Sport – Football Conference to be renamed as National League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Football Conference – History". Football Conference. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 "York City: Bootham Crescent". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "Fleetwood Town 8–0 Redditch Utd". BBC Sport. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "ALTRINCHAM VS. HINCKLEY UNITED 8 – 0". Soccerway. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "Redditch United 0–9 Boston United". BBC Sport. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
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