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

Conference A conference is a meeting, often lasting a few days, which is organized on a particular subject, or to bring together people who have a common interest. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always d ...

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 ...

in England. The Conference Premier is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, whilst the

Conference North The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National Leagues and step 2 o ...

and

Conference South The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National Leagues and step 2 of the NLS and sixth-highest ti ...

exist at the sixth level. The Conference was won by

Mansfield Town Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third level of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1897 as Mans ...

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, simply known as League Two and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Bet League Two, is a professional association football league in England. EFL League Two is the fourth division of the English Football League (EFL ...

, 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. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern Football League, Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English footba ...

Isthmian League The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs. Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...

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 and Macclesfield Town facing each other at Edgar Street and finished on 20 April 2013 with all matches that day kicking off simultaneously. The

2013 Conference Premier play-off final The 2013 Conference Premier play-off final, known as the 2013 Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final for sponsorship purposes, was a football match between Wrexham and Newport County on 5 May 2013 at Wembley Stadium in London. It was the eleven ...

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 north-west Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'', and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settleme ...

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 in ...

Teams relegated from 2011–12 Football League Two * Macclesfield Town * Hereford United

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 in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

* 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 * Hayes & Yeading United

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