An interesting article has been posted on the excellent Alty files site - http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/news.htm#180511league - this morning about the numbers of ex-EFL clubs remaining in the National League.
'This season all top seven clubs in the National League (Step Five) table were ex-EFL clubs or, in one case, were a club re-born from an ex-EFL club's embers (Barnet, York City, Forest Green Rovers, Oldham Athletic, Rochdale, FC Halifax Town and Southend United). The 24 clubs in the Vanarama National League in 2024-25 included 14 ex-EFL clubs if re-formed clubs are included.
In fact, the dominance of ex-EFL clubs in Step Five in recent years is illustrated by the fact that only one truly non-league club (i.e. a club that had not previously been in the EFL) has won the National League title since 2012. That was Sutton United in 2021 and they soon returned to Step 5.
From 2013 to date the other Step Five champions have all been former EFL clubs returning to that level; Mansfield Town, Luton Town, Barnet (twice), Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City, Macclesfield Town, Leyton Orient, Barrow, Stockport County, Wrexham and Chesterfield.
Indeed, of the 45 winners of the Step Five (nowadays National League) championship since the inception of a national division below the Football League in 1979-80 season, just seven clubs whose previous history was previously non-league before they won the championship, remain at that level for 2025-26 season.
They are Wycombe Wanderers (who have now been a League club for some 32 years), Barnet (who have since been up and down several times), Burton Albion, Cheltenham Town (also an up and down club like Barnet), Stevenage (Borough), Crawley Town and Fleetwood Town. The only truly northern club in that list is Fleetwood Town, though Midlands club Burton Albion did reach the EFL by switching to the North division.
Some clubs, which had reached the EFL after histories as non-League entities, have since sunk down the pyramid and, in several cases, have suffered financial meltdown in the process; they are Scarborough, Maidstone United, Macclesfield Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Rushden and Diamonds, Boston United, Yeovil Town and Dagenham and Redbridge.
As for the Play-Off Finals winners, just five of the truly non-League victors in the 22 promotion finals to date will still be in the EFL in 2025-26 season. They are AFC Wimbledon, Newport County (albeit a phoenix club of a former EFL club), Salford City, Harrogate Town and Bromley.
Promotion Play-Off Final outcomes are shown below, with the winners shown in capital letters...
- 2003 Dagenham & Redbridge 2-3 DONCASTER ROVERS
- 2004 Aldershot Town 1-1 SHREWSBURY TOWN, Shrewsbury Town won 3–0 on penalties
- 2005 Stevenage Borough 0-1 CARLISLE UNITED
- 2006 Halifax Town 2-3 HEREFORD UNITED
- 2007 Exeter City 1-2 MORECAMBE *First promotion to EFL
- 2008 Cambridge United 0-1 EXETER CITY
- 2009 Cambridge United 0-2 TORQUAY UNITED
- 2010 OXFORD UNITED 3-1 York City
- 2011 AFC WIMBLEDON 0-0 Luton Town, AFC Wimbledon won 4–3 on penalties *First promotion to EFL
- 2012 Luton Town 1-2 YORK CITY
- 2013 Wrexham 0-2 NEWPORT COUNTY *First promotion to EFL since club reformed
- 2014 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2-1 Gateshead
- 2015 BRISTOL ROVERS 1-1 Grimsby Town, Bristol Rovers won 5–3 on penalties
- 2016 Forest Green Rovers 1-3 GRIMSBY TOWN
- 2017 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 3-1 Tranmere Rovers *First promotion to EFL
- 2018 Boreham Wood 1-2 TRANMERE ROVERS
- 2019 AFC Fylde 0-3 SALFORD CITY *First promotion to EFL
- 2020 HARROGATE TOWN 3-1 Notts County *First promotion to EFL
- 2021 Torquay United 1-1 HARTLEPOOL UNITED aet, Hartlepool United won 5–4 on penalties
- 2022 Solihull Moors 1-2 GRIMSBY TOWN aet
- 2023 NOTTS COUNTY 2-2 Chesterfield, Notts County won 4–3 on penalties
- 2024 BROMLEY 2-2 Solihull Moors, aet, Bromley won 4–3 on penalties *First promotion to EFL
- 2025 To be determined
So, in the 22 play-off finals upto 2024 inclusive, just seven of the promoted clubs through the play-offs were entering the EFL for the first time; they were Morecambe, AFC Wimbledon, Newport County, Salford City, Forest Green Rovers, Harrogate Town and Bromley. Two of these clubs have since returned to non-League; Morecambe and Forest Green Rovers. So only five truly non-League clubs who won the play-offs remain in the EFL for 2025-26 unless FGR win through this year.
Overall, therefore, in the 46 seasons of potential promotion from Step Five to the EFL there have been 45 Step Five champions (1980-2024) and 22 play-off winners (2003-24), i.e. 67 clubs. In fact, just 13 clubs have earned a first promotion from non-League to the EFL in that period, and are currently still there; they comprise eight Step Five champions and five play-off winners.
However, three other non-League clubs who were Step Five champions were also denied promotion, either through the re-election process or for ground-grading issues and, subsequently, have never reached the EFL; they are Altrincham (twice), Enfield (twice), Runcorn and Wealdstone.'