National League South

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

National League South
Conference South Trophy.JPG
Conference South trophy pictured in 2009
Founded2004
CountryEngland
Number of teams22 (24 in 2022)
Level on pyramid6
Step 2 (National League System)
Promotion toNational League
Relegation toIsthmian League Premier Division
Southern League Premier Division South
Domestic cup(s)FA Cup
FA Trophy
Conference League Cup (defunct)
International cup(s)Europa League
(via FA Cup)
Current championsWealdstone
(2019–20)
WebsiteNational League
Current: 2021–22 season

The National League South, formerly Conference South (billed as The Motorama National League South for sponsorship reasons[1]), is one of the second divisions of the National League in England, immediately below the top division National League. Along with National League North, it is at the second level of the National League System, and at the sixth tier overall of the English football league system.

It was introduced in 2004 as part of a major restructuring of the National League System. The champion team each year is automatically promoted to the National League. A second promotion place goes to the winners of play-offs involving the teams finishing in second to seventh place (expanded from four to six teams in the 2017–18 season).[2] The three bottom clubs are relegated to Step 3 leagues.

For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Blue Square South (2007–2010), Blue Square Bet South (2010–2013), Skrill South (2013–2014),[3] the Vanarama Conference South (2014–2015), the Vanarama National League South (2015–2019) and the Motorama National League South following a three-year sponsorship deal announced in January 2019. Since the start of the 2015–16 season, the league is known as the National League South.[4] The 2018–19 champions were Torquay United.

The National League South was reduced to 21 clubs for 2020–21[5] and was expected to expand to 24 teams in 2021–22.[6][7] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2020–21 National League South season was curtailed and voided after written resolutions were put to a vote. No teams were relegated.[8] Expansion is to be implemented before the 2022–23 season, when the bottom club is relegated and four promoted from Step 3.[9] There will be four relegations from the South starting in 2023.

Current member clubs, 2021–22[]

The current member clubs for the 2021–22 season are as follows:

Club Finishing position 2019–20
Bath City 4th
Billericay Town 17th
Braintree Town 21st
Chelmsford City 10th
Chippenham Town 14th
Concord Rangers 16th
Dartford 6th
Dorking Wanderers 7th
Dulwich Hamlet 19th
Eastbourne Borough 18th
Ebbsfleet United 22nd in National League (relegated)
Hampton & Richmond Borough 8th
Havant & Waterlooville 2nd
Hemel Hempstead Town 11th
Hungerford Town 22nd
Maidstone United 9th
Oxford City 13th
Slough Town 5th
St Albans City 20th
Tonbridge Angels 15th
Welling United 12th

Current league stadia 2021–22[]

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the National League South 2021–22 teams (Greater London and Essex shown in more detail below)
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the National League South 2021–22 teams (Greater London clubs)
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the National League South 2021–22 teams (Essex clubs)

The stadiums of all teams in the league for the 2021–22 season are listed below in capacity order:

Home club Stadium name Capacity
Weymouth Bob Lucas Stadium 6,600
Havant & Waterlooville West Leigh Park 5,300
St Albans City Clarence Park 5,007
Billericay Town New Lodge 5,000
Ebbsfleet United Stonebridge Road 4,800
Maidstone United Gallagher Stadium 4,200
Eastbourne Borough Priory Lane 4,151
Dartford Princes Park 4,100
Braintree Town Cressing Road 4,085
Welling United Park View Road 4,000
Wealdstone Grosvenor Vale 3,607
Bath City Twerton Park 3,528
Dulwich Hamlet Champion Hill 3,000
Tonbridge Angels Longmead Stadium 3,000
Hampton & Richmond Borough Beveree Stadium 3,500
Concord Rangers Thames Road 3,300
Oxford City Court Place Farm 3,218
Hemel Hempstead Town Vauxhall Road 3,152
Dorking Wanderers Meadowbank Stadium 3,000
Chelmsford City Melbourne Stadium 3,000
Chippenham Town Hardenhuish Park 3,000
Hungerford Town Bulpit Lane 2,500
Slough Town Arbour Park 2,000

League winners[]

Season Winner Playoff winner
2004–05 Grays Athletic Eastbourne Borough **
2005–06 Weymouth St Albans City
2006–07 Histon Salisbury City
2007–08 Lewes Eastbourne Borough
2008–09 AFC Wimbledon Hayes & Yeading United
2009–10 Newport County Bath City
2010–11 Braintree Town Ebbsfleet United
2011–12 Woking Dartford
2012–13 Welling United Salisbury City
2013–14 Eastleigh Dover Athletic
2014–15 Bromley Boreham Wood
2015–16 Sutton United Maidstone United
2016–17 Maidenhead United Ebbsfleet United
2017–18 Havant & Waterlooville Braintree Town
2018–19 Torquay United Woking
2019–20 Wealdstone Weymouth
2020–21 None, season curtailed and voided

** Not promoted. In 2004–05 only three promotion places were available to the Conference National. The third place was decided in a Playoff at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, which Eastbourne lost 2–1 to the Conference North playoff winners, Altrincham.

League records[]

Biggest home win 8 – Maidenhead United 8–0 Truro City, 8 September 2012
Ebbsfleet United 8–0 Bishop's Stortford, 21 March 2017, Dorking Wanderers 8-0 Havant and Waterlooville, 26 December 2021
Biggest away win 7 – Dorchester Town 0–7 Grays Athletic, 23 October 2004
Highest scoring match 11 – Bognor Regis Town 6–5 Welling United, 11 September 2004
Bath City 7–4 Farnborough, 17 February 2015
Consecutive wins 12 – Welling United, 2012–13
Consecutive games unbeaten 25 – Sutton United, 2015–16
Most wins in a season 32 – Newport County 2009–10
Fewest wins in a season 5 – Sutton United 2007–08
Fisher Athletic 2008–09
Weston-super-Mare & Weymouth 2009–10
Thurrock 2011–12
Most defeats in a season 34 – Fisher Athletic 2008–09
Fewest defeats in a season 3 – Newport County 2009–10
Most draws in a season 18 – Hampton & Richmond Borough 2017-18
Fewest draws in a season 3 – Redbridge 2004–05
Eastleigh 2005–06
Fisher Athletic 2008–09
Most goals scored in a season 118 – Grays Athletic, 2004–05
Fewest goals scored in a season 22 – Fisher Athletic 2008–09
Most goals conceded in a season 103 – Weymouth 2009–10
Fewest goals conceded in a season 26 – Newport County, 2009–10
Most clean sheets in a season 23 – Newport County 2009–10
Most points in a season 103 – Newport County 2009–10
Most individual goals in a season 44 – Dave Tarpey, Maidenhead United, 2016–17 [10]
Most individual goals in a game 6 – Mitchell Bryant, Weymouth 0–6 Basingstoke Town, 13 February 2010
Highest attendance 5,351 – Torquay United vs. Hungerford Town, 22 April 2019
Highest average attendance 3,219 – AFC Wimbledon, 2008–09
Lowest home attendance 52 out of 2,812 - Truro City vs. Torquay United, 1 January 2019
Highest away attendance 2,760 out of 2,812 - Truro City vs. Torquay United, 1 January 2019

References[]

  1. ^ "The National League is to be rebranded from next season". Chester Live. 29 January 2019.
  2. ^ "National League South 2017-18 Season Preview". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Skrill announced as new Football Conference sponsor". Non-League Bets. 26 July 2013.
  4. ^ "BBC Sport – Football Conference to be renamed as National League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  5. ^ "National League South to have 21 Clubs". North Kent Non League. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  6. ^ Edkins, Matt (17 April 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: FA outline second phase of Non-League restructuring". The Non-League Football Paper (Interview).
  7. ^ "Update on non-League, women's & grassroots football seasons". The Football Association. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  8. ^ Osborn, Oliver (18 February 2021). "National League Statement | Outcome Of Written Resolutions". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  9. ^ Osborn, Oliver (1 July 2021). "National League Statement | OAGM Round-Up". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  10. ^ "HIGHLIGHTS: Dave Tarpey hits fourth hat-trick of season as Maidenhead United thrash Bath City 5-1". Windsor Express. Retrieved 24 March 2018.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""