National League North
File:Blue Square Bet North logo.png | |
Founded | 2004 |
---|---|
Country | ![]() ![]() |
Number of teams | 22 |
Level on pyramid | 6 Step 2 (National League System) |
Promotion to | Conference National |
Relegation to | Northern Premier League Premier Division Southern League Premier Division |
Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Trophy Conference League Cup |
Current champions | Chester (2012–13) |
Website | Football Conference |
Current: 2012–13 Football Conference |
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with the Conference South. It is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of the English football league system. It consists of teams located in northern England, the English Midlands and North Wales.
It has been known as the Blue Square Bet North since the start of the 2007–08 season.
History
The Conference North was introduced in 2004 as part of a major restructuring of English non-League football.[1] The champions are automatically promoted to Conference National. A second promotion place goes to the winners of play-offs involving the teams finishing in second to fifth place. The winners of the play-offs are also promoted to Conference National. The three bottom clubs are relegated to Step 3 leagues.[1] Teams from this division, as well as from the Conference South, enter the FA Cup at the Second Qualifying Round. On the last day of the 2010–11 season, Eastwood Town set a new record of 19 games unbeaten in the league, passing Southport and Solihull Moors previous joint record of 18 games.[2]
Current member clubs 2012–13
The current member clubs for the 2012–13 season are as follows:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/English_Football_Conference_county_coverage.png/300px-English_Football_Conference_county_coverage.png)
Club |
Finishing position 2011–12 |
---|---|
Altrincham | 8th |
Bishop's Stortford | 10th |
Boston United | 3rd |
Brackley Town | 1st in Southern Premier League |
Bradford Park Avenue | 4th in Northern Premier League |
Chester | 1st in Northern Premier League |
Colwyn Bay | 12th |
Corby Town | 17th |
Droylsden | 9th |
F.C. Halifax Town | 3rd |
Gainsborough Trinity | 4th |
Gloucester City | 14th |
Guiseley | 2nd |
Harrogate Town | 15th |
Hinckley United | 20th (reprieved) |
Histon | 16th |
Oxford City | 2nd in Southern Premier League |
Solihull Moors | 19th |
Stalybridge Celtic | 6th |
Vauxhall Motors | 18th |
Worcester City | 7th |
Workington | 13th |
League champions
All the winners of the league title and winners of the play-off final since the league's formation in 2004 are as follows:
Season | Winner | Playoff Winner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004–05 | Southport | Altrincham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005–06 | Northwich Victoria | Stafford Rangers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006–07 | Droylsden | Farsley Celtic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007–08 | Kettering Town | Barrow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–09 | Tamworth | Gateshead | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009–10 | Southport | Fleetwood Town | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–11 | Alfreton Town | AFC Telford United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011–12 | Hyde | Nuneaton Town |
Current league stadiaThe stadiums of all teams in the league for the 2012–13 season are listed below in capacity order:
League records
See alsoReferences
External links |