The 2012–13 Football Conference season was the ninth season in which the

Conference A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main ...

consisted of three divisions and the thirty-third season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of

Non-League football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is s ...

in England. The

Conference Premier The National League, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest level of the National League System and fifth-highest of the overall English football league system. It is the highest league that is semi-profess ...

is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, whilst the

Conference North The National League North, formerly Conference North, is a division of the National League in England, immediately below the National League division. Along with the National League South, it is at the second level of the National League Sys ...

and

Conference South The National League South, formerly Conference South, 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 in the second level of the ...

exist at the sixth level. The Conference was won by

Mansfield Town Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Stags', they play in a blue and y ...

who together with Newport County, the winner of the play-off of the National division, were promoted to

Football League Two The English Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Sky Bet League Two for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League Two from 2004 until 2016) is the third and lowest division of the English Football Le ...

, while the bottom four were relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions were promoted to the National division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions were relegated to the premier divisions of the

Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League is an English Association football, football league that was founded in 1968. It has four divisions: the Premier Division (which stands at level 7 of the English football league system), Division One East, Division ...

Isthmian League The Isthmian League () is a regional men's football league covering Greater London, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs. Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, the league now consists of 82 tea ...

or Southern League. For sponsorship reasons, the Conference Premier was referred to as the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Conference Premier

A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides from last season, two relegated from the

, two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South. The League started on 10 August 2012 with previously relegated

Hereford United Hereford United Football Club was an association football club based in Hereford, England. They played at Edgar Street for their entire history. They were nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites', after their predominantly white kit, or 'Th ...

and

Macclesfield Town Macclesfield Town Football Club was an English professional football club based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, that was wound-up after a High Court ruling on 16 September 2020. Initially known as Macclesfield F.C., the club was formed in 1874 and ...

facing each other at

Edgar Street Edgar Street is a football stadium in Hereford and was the home of Hereford United Football Club from the club's formation in 1924 until December 2014, when the club was wound up. It is now the home of Hereford FC, a phoenix club formed to repl ...

and finished on 20 April 2013 with all matches that day kicking off simultaneously. The 2013 Conference Premier play-off Final on 5 May 2013 was the first Wembley Stadium final to feature two Welsh clubs, Newport County and Wrexham.

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 2011–12 Conference North * Hyde * Nuneaton Town Teams promoted from 2011–12 Conference South *

Woking Woking ( ) is a town and borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in northwest Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'' and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement o ...

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock ...

Teams relegated from 2011–12 Football League Two *

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Stadia and locations

* Restricted due to stadium expansion or FA ruling.
** Capacity reduced for football matches from maximum capacity of 11,676.
*** Groundshare from 15 February 2013. Capacity was temporarily raised to 7,012 for the play-off tie against Grimsby Town

Results

Top scorers

Conference North

A total of 22 teams competed in the division, including 18 sides which competed in the Conference North the previous season, two promoted from the Southern Football League and two from the Northern Premier League.

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 2011–12 Northern Premier League Premier Division *

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

* Bradford Park Avenue Teams promoted from 2011–12 Southern League Premier Division * Brackley Town * Oxford City

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Stadia and locations

Results

Top scorers

Conference South

A total of 22 teams competed in the division, including 18 sides which competed in the Conference South the previous season, two relegated from the Conference Premier and two promoted from the Isthmian Premier League.

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 2011–12 Isthmian League Premier Division * Billericay Town * AFC Hornchurch Teams relegated from 2011–12 Conference Premier *

Bath City Bath City Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset, England. The club is affiliated to the Somerset FA and currently competes in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. The club have ...

Hayes & Yeading United Hayes & Yeading United Football Club is an association football club based in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England. The club was formed in 2007 from a merger of Hayes Football Club (founded in 1909) and Yeading Football Club (f ...

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Stadia and locations

Results

Top scorers

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2012-13 Football Conference National League (English football) seasons 5 Eng