History of the English non-League football system facts for kids
The history of non-League football in England is about the football clubs that play below the top professional leagues. Today, this system is called the National League System (NLS). It’s like a ladder with different levels, and clubs can move up or down based on how well they play. The NLS has six main levels and about 48 different divisions!
Even though many of the leagues in the NLS have been around for a long time, the NLS itself is quite new. It was created by The Football Association (FA) in the 1990s. The goal was to connect all the different leagues across the country and give clubs a clear path to move up from local games all the way to the professional leagues.
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Early Days (Before 1951)
In the late 1800s, many football leagues started. The most important ones were the Football League and the Football Alliance. In 1892, the Football Alliance joined the Football League, creating a two-level competition. These leagues were mostly in the North and Midlands of England.
Meanwhile, in 1894, the Southern League was formed. It had both professional and amateur teams. This league was strong! In 1901, Tottenham Hotspur, a Southern League team, even won the FA Cup, which was a huge achievement for a non-League club.
As the Football League grew, it invited clubs from other leagues to join. Leagues like the Midland League and the Southern League provided many new teams. Other leagues that sent teams to the Football League included:
- The Lancashire League
- The Combination
- The Central League
- The Birmingham & District League
- The Northern Alliance
Some leagues, like the Northern League (formed in 1889) and the Isthmian League (formed in 1905), chose to stay strictly amateur for a long time. They didn't often send teams to the Football League. However, these amateur leagues were very successful in the FA Amateur Cup, winning the trophy many times.
These regional leagues formed a "patchwork" across England. They were called "non-League football" because they were outside the main professional Football League. Clubs didn't move between these leagues very often, but ambitious teams could apply to join a stronger competition.
The Third Division is Born
In 1920, the top division of the Southern League joined the Football League. This created the Third Division. This meant the Southern League became a "feeder" league, sending its best teams up to the Football League. The next year, a new division called the Third Division North was created for teams from northern leagues. The original Third Division was then renamed the Third Division South.
Many non-League competitions at this time also included reserve teams from Football League clubs. For example, after the Third Division North was created, the Central League became entirely made up of reserve teams.
Moving Up (1951–1979)
Joining the Football League
Clubs in the strongest non-League competitions could try to join the Football League. Each year, the four teams at the bottom of the Football League's lowest division had to re-apply for their spot. Non-League teams could also apply. All the existing Football League clubs would then vote on which teams should be in the league.
Many non-League teams applied each year, but it was very hard to get in. Between 1951 and 1979, only seven non-League clubs managed to replace an existing Football League team. Four other clubs joined in 1950 when the Football League expanded.
Here are the teams that successfully joined the Football League during this time:
- 1950: Shrewsbury Town, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, Colchester United, Gillingham (as the Football League grew)
- 1951: Workington
- 1960: Peterborough United
- 1962: Oxford United
- 1970: Cambridge United
- 1972: Hereford United
- 1977: Wimbledon
- 1978: Wigan Athletic
The Northern Premier League (NPL) Forms
For a long time, the Southern League was the main non-League competition in the south. But there wasn't a clear equivalent in the north. This changed in 1968 when the Northern Premier League (NPL) was formed. It brought together the strongest clubs from the north of England who were not in the Football League. After 1968, almost all clubs that joined the Football League came from either the Southern League or the NPL.
By 1974, the FA stopped making a big difference between professional and amateur players. This meant that leagues like the Isthmian League, which used to be strictly amateur, slowly started to have more professional players.
The Alliance Premier League (1979–1982)
In 1979, a new league called the Alliance Premier League (APL) was created. This was a big step! It brought together the best clubs from the Southern League and the Northern Premier League. These two leagues then became "feeder" leagues to the APL, meaning teams could automatically move up or down between them.
The APL was created to make it easier for one club each year to get into the Football League. Before, many clubs would apply, and their votes would be split, making it harder for any one team to get enough support. However, even with the APL, it was still tough to get into the Football League at first.
The Feeder System Grows (1982–2004)
The idea of "feeder" leagues really took off in the 1980s. This meant that smaller, regional leagues would send their best teams up to the bigger leagues like the Southern League, Isthmian League, and Northern Premier League.
For example, in 1982, some northern leagues merged to form the Northern Counties (East) League and the North West Counties League. These new leagues became feeders for the Northern Premier League.
Automatic Promotion to the Football League
A huge change happened in 1987: the champions of the Alliance Premier League (which was renamed the Football Conference) were finally given automatic promotion to the Football League! This meant they didn't have to rely on votes anymore. Scarborough was the first team to benefit from this, moving up to the Football League in 1987.
This also meant that teams relegated from the Football League often bounced straight back up. Clubs like Lincoln City and Colchester United were able to return to the Football League quickly.
Play-offs are Introduced
In 2003, another exciting change happened: play-offs were introduced for the Football Conference. This meant that the teams finishing 2nd to 5th in the league would play against each other, and the winner would also get promoted to the Football League. This allowed two clubs to move up each year, making it even more dynamic.
The "Steps" System (2004–Present)
New Divisions and Renames
In 2004, the Football League's lowest division was renamed Football League Two. At the same time, the non-League system saw a big expansion. Two new divisions were added below the top Conference division: Conference North and Conference South. The top division was renamed Conference National.
This created a clear "Steps" system, making it easier to understand the different levels of non-League football.
- Step 1: Conference National
- Step 2: Conference North and Conference South
- Step 3: Northern Premier League Premier Division, Southern League Premier Division, Isthmian League Premier Division
- Step 4: Divisions below Step 3 (like Northern Premier League First Division, Southern League Division One, Isthmian League First Division)
- Step 5: Regional feeder leagues
The boundaries between leagues were also redrawn to make travel easier for clubs.
More Changes and Consistency
Over the years, the system continued to evolve. In 2015, the Football Conference and its divisions were renamed the National League.
The FA has continued to adjust the number of divisions at each "Step" to create a more balanced and consistent pyramid. For example, in 2018, new divisions were added at Step 3 and Step 4, and existing divisions were reorganized. The goal is to have a "perfect" structure where each step has a certain number of divisions (like 1-2-4-8-16).
The COVID-19 pandemic caused some seasons to be cancelled or cut short, which delayed some of these planned changes. However, the FA continued to work towards its goals.
By the 2024–25 season, all divisions at Step 4 expanded to 22 clubs, aiming for more consistency across the entire National League System. This ongoing effort helps ensure that clubs have a clear and fair path to move up or down the football ladder in England.
See also
- List of association football competitions
