National League North And South Both To Increase To 24 Teams

A Frosty Tuesday Night At Guiseley - More Away Midweek Games From 2020/21

Bill Thomas comments on the news that both the National North and National South will increase to 24 teams from the 2020/21 season.

'I have just read on the Non League Paper website, that from season 2020/21, National League North and South will both increase to 24 teams. Next season, step 3 will have eight promotion places instead of six, and only two teams will be relegated from both NL North and NL South. Then from season 2020/21 onwards NL North and NL South will both have four relegation places.


The change is part of the FA's plan to set up what is considered to be the ideal 1-2-4-8-16 pyramid shape. By my understanding, the four step 3 leagues will all continue to have 22 teams, and all of the step 4 and 5 leagues, will have 20 teams.


Whilst I fully applaud the increase in promotion from step 3, I simply cannot understand why NL North and South need to increase to 24 teams to do it? What is wrong with four relegation places from a 22 team league? It could actually make avoiding relegation feel like more of an achievement. NL North and South will still both have two promotion places, of course, but it will be two promotion places out of 24 teams instead of 22 teams.


Moving on to the actual number of games, I feel that a potential problem with 24 teams could be fixture congestion. There will be more midweek games for part time players, with more relatively local games probably being played in midweek instead of at weekends. This could possibly reduce average attendances, which could cancel out any increased revenue from the extra matches. Another concern is that additional games will probably increase the cost of season tickets.



Interestingly the change will mean that all three Football League divisions and all three National League divisions will have the same number of teams. So as all three National League divisions will have four relegation places, I think that all three Football League divisions should also have four relegation places. As well as increasing promotion from League One and from National League National, this would also create a system where the chance of being relegated from any Football League or National League division would be exactly the same. In my opinion this would be so much fairer than the system we have now.


Finally I must point out that the season before the Conference National went up to 24 teams, was the season that Hereford United won promotion back to the Football League. So as next season will be the season before National League North goes up to 24 teams, let's hope this means that next season will be a promotion season for Hereford FC!'


Bill Thomas ... Bradford on Avon

More information at: https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/26667/non-league-restructuring-change-2020/

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/features/26633/fa-second-phase-non-league-restructuring/