Soccer

National League - Football: All you need to know

bet365 News Team Updated: 28 Nov 22 14:52

The England National League 2022/23 season gets under way this weekend, with all 24 teams dreaming of securing promotion and with it a place in the EFL.

(This article was originally published on 03.08.2022)

Stockport County were crowned champions last season, ending an 11-year spell in non-league football, while Grimsby Town bounced back to the EFL at the first time of asking after beating Solihull Moors in the playoff final.

Big-spending Wrexham will be looking for a Hollywood finish after narrowly missing out on promotion last term. The Dragons are 6/4 to win the title, while Solihull are 12/1 to recover quickly from their playoff heartache.

Oldham and Scunthorpe were the two sides relegated to the National League last term and they are 16/1 and 25/1 respectively to bounce back at the first time of asking by winning the title.

What	National League
Where	Various grounds across England and Wales
When	Saturday 6th August 2022 - Saturday 29th April 2023
How to watch	BT Sport
Odds	Wrexham 6/4, Notts County 6/1, Chesterfield 8/1, Solihull Moors 12/1, Oldham 16/1

When is the England National League 2022/23?

The England National League 2022/23 season will get underway on Saturday 6th August and the regular campaign will reach a conclusion on Saturday 29th April.

The playoffs will then take place in May, with the two eliminator matches scheduled for Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd, while the semi-finals will both be held on Saturday 7th May.

Following that, the playoff final itself will take place on Saturday 13th May. The London Stadium hosted last year's final, while Ashton Gate and Wembley are among the other venues to have staged the showpiece in recent years.

Can I watch the England National League 2022/23?

BT Sport will once again show selected matches from the National League live over the course of the season, as well as highlights of all the fixtures.

What teams are competing in the England National League 2022/23?

A total of 24 teams will compete in this season's National League, including Oldham and Scunthorpe, who were relegated from League Two last season, replacing the now-promoted Stockport and Grimsby.

Coming in the other direction are Gateshead and York City, who were promoted from last season's National League North, while Maidstone United and Dorking Wanderers came up from National League South.

King's Lynn Town, Weymouth and Dover Athletic were relegated from the National League last season and have therefore dropped out of the division.

Wrexham, Solihull, Halifax Town, Notts County and Chesterfield were all beaten in the playoffs last term and are set for another season in the fifth tier.

The remaining teams that make up the National League are Dagenham & Redbridge, Boreham Wood, Bromley, Torquay United, Yeovil Town, Southend United, Altrincham, Woking, Wealdstone, Maidenhead United, Barnet, Eastleigh and Aldershot Town.

How many seasons have there been of the National League?

The 2022/23 season will be the 44th National League campaign, with the first having taken place during 1979/80 when Altrincham were crowned champions

It will be the eighth season since the division was rebranded to the National League from the Football Conference.

Which team(s) has won the National League on the most occasions?

Barnet and Macclesfield Town are the most successful clubs in the National League's history, as they have both won the title on three occasions.

A further seven sides have lifted the championship twice - Lincoln City, Cheltenham Town, Stevenage (then Stevenage Borough), Kidderminster Harriers, Maidstone United, Enfield and Altrincham.

Who are the favourites to win the England National League 2022/23?

Wrexham have not played in the EFL since 2008, but with the backing of their celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, they are being tipped by many to earn promotion.

The Dragons were pipped to the title by Stockport last season before losing a thrilling match against Grimsby in the playoffs, but they are 6/4 to top the standings this term and 8/15 to be promoted.

Notts County also missed out in the playoffs last year and they are under new management following the departure of Ian Burchnall to Forest Green Rovers. The Magpies are 6/1 to land the title.

Chesterfield at 8/1 and 12/1 Solihull are also being tipped to challenge for the title after playoff heartache last season, but relegated Oldham and Scunthorpe look less likely to push for top spot.

Oldham, who are the first founder members of the Premier League to drop into the National League, are 7/1 to go up, while Scunthorpe are 11/1 to bounce back at the first attempt.