York City and the Push for Increased Promotion in the National League
Imagine this scenario: your team finishes the season with 96 points, 13 points ahead of the nearest rival, yet fails to secure promotion. Instead, a club that finished 23 points and three places below you earns a promotion spot.
This was the predicament faced by York City last season as they narrowly missed out on promotion from the National League to the English Football League (EFL), finishing as runners-up to champions Barnet.
In the current system, only the team that finishes first gains automatic promotion from the National League, while teams finishing between second and seventh must compete in a playoff, culminating in a final at Wembley to determine the remaining promotion spot.
While some may argue that the playoff system adds excitement—evidenced by Oldham Athletic's successful campaign—York's co-owner Julie-Anne Uggla has criticized the promotion process as "unjust" and "no longer fit for purpose." This situation has fueled a renewed push from non-league clubs for the EFL to increase the number of promotion spots to League Two from two to three.
This Saturday, over 100 matches, including all 12 in the National League, will kick off three minutes later than usual at 15:03 GMT to highlight this pressing issue. The 3UP campaign has garnered support from the 48 clubs in the National League North and South, as well as the 208 teams in the Isthmian, Northern, and Southern Premier Leagues.
Support for the 3UP Campaign Grows
Momentum for the initiative has surged in recent weeks, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praising the efforts, 60 MPs endorsing the proposal, and broadcaster Jeff Stelling stepping in as a National League ambassador.
Prominent figures in English football have also voiced their support, including legendary manager Neil Warnock, who asserted that "common sense" should prevail to allow for an additional promotion spot, attributing resistance to fear among EFL clubs. "They’re worried about these teams, and quite rightly so, because a lot of these teams will hold their own," Warnock stated.
Recent history supports his claim. Of the 19 clubs promoted to the EFL in the last decade—Grimsby Town being promoted twice—only four are no longer in the league: Forest Green Rovers, Sutton United, Hartlepool United, and Macclesfield Town, which folded in 2020. Furthermore, four of the 15 teams still in the EFL currently play above League Two, with Lincoln City, Leyton Orient, and Stockport County in League One, while Wrexham competes in the Championship.
Changing Landscape of Non-League Football
Forest Green manager Robbie Savage is a proponent of the 3UP campaign and remains optimistic about its future. "If you can get out of this league, look at what can be achieved," he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire. "Non-league has completely changed. The National League is like a League Three now, with most teams being professional. If you were to merge League Two and the National League, I have no doubt that seven to ten clubs would be able to compete at that level."
Despite the growing pressure, the EFL has so far resisted calls for changes, maintaining that it seeks to preserve the "competitive balance" of the football pyramid. However, the National League contests that there is no imbalance, with chairman Jack Pearce stating, "Since the introduction of two promotions in 2003, no title-winning club has been relegated from the EFL the following season. Almost half of the clubs currently in the EFL have previously competed in the National League."
Understanding the Push for Additional Promotion
York City is not alone in facing the harsh realities of the promotion system. Since the 2015-16 season, only three of the ten second-place finishers have triumphed in the playoffs, a situation Uggla referred to as a "lottery." Teams like Barnet, Wrexham, Torquay United, Solihull Moors, Tranmere Rovers, and Forest Green have all encountered similar disappointments.
On average, second-placed teams have secured 87.5 points per season over the last decade, while playoff winners have averaged just 81.3 points. Last season saw the largest point gap between runners-up and playoff winners at 23 points. Even Notts County, who amassed an impressive 107 points, had to endure a tense penalty shootout to secure promotion against Chesterfield.
Currently, the top six teams in the league are separated by just three points, all on track to finish with between 92 and 106 points—one of which is York City once again.
In an open letter this summer, Uggla expressed that waiting for change only exacerbates the injustice faced by clubs like York, who "have already paid the price for a system built on outdated assumptions." She emphasized the need to reward merit and restore credibility to the promotion process.
Chris Agutter, the recently appointed head coach of Sutton United, sympathizes with York after narrowly missing promotion from the National League South last season, stating, "When you’ve been that good and consistent over the season, it’s only right that the system reflects that throughout the pyramid."
Mark Hughes, manager of Carlisle United, who were relegated from League Two last season, also supports the call for an additional promotion spot, stating, "I’ve been really impressed with the quality in the National League. There are seven or eight strong teams that can hold their own at a higher level."
Is the EFL Open to the Idea of 3UP?
Reports indicate that positive discussions have taken place between the EFL and the National League regarding the potential for a third promotion spot in 2023. The outcome of these discussions could significantly impact the future of promotion in English football.