The 2018–19 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the fourth season under English football's new title of

National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...

, fifteenth season consisting of three divisions and the fortieth season overall.

National League

The National League consists of 24 clubs.

Promotion and relegation

Despite a 2–1 defeat to Boston United on 21 April 2018, Salford City became 2017–18 National League North champions after Harrogate Town lost 3–1 to Bradford Park Avenue. Havant & Waterlooville were crowned 2017–18 National League South champions on 28 April after a 3–2 victory over Concord Rangers. On 13 May, Harrogate Town were promoted after a 3–0 win against Brackley Town in the 2017–18 National League North playoff final. All three teams played in the National League for the first time in their histories. On the same day as Harrogate's promotion, Braintree Town were also promoted after beating Hampton & Richmond 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the 2017–18 National League South playoff final, securing an instant return to the National League. On 24 April, after 97 years as an EFL club, Chesterfield were relegated to the National League following

Morecambe Morecambe ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England, on Morecambe Bay, part of the Irish Sea. In 2011 the parish had a population of 34,768. Name The first use of the name was by John Whit ...

's 0–0 draw against

Cambridge United Cambridge United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Cambridge, England. They currently compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed the U’s, the club h ...

. On 5 May 2018, despite a 3–0 victory against Chesterfield, Barnet became the second club to be relegated from League Two following

's 0–0 draw against Coventry City, ending their three-year stay in the EFL. These teams replaced Macclesfield Town,

Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers Football Club are a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ...

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 ...

Guiseley Guiseley ( ) is an area in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated south of Otley and Menston and is now a north-west ...

Torquay United Torquay United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. They have played their ho ...

and

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 ...

. Macclesfield Town were crowned

2017–18 National League The 2017–18 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the third season under English football's new title of National League, 14th season consisting of three divisions and the 39th season overall ...

champions and promoted to League Two on 21 April after a 2–0 victory over

Eastleigh Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the United Kingdom 2011 census, 2011 census. The town ...

, ending their six-year absence from the EFL.

were promoted to League Two on 12 May after a 2–1 victory over Boreham Wood in the playoff final and returned to the EFL after a three-year absence. Boreham Wood and Sutton United were invited to compete in the

2018–19 Scottish Challenge Cup The 2018–19 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the IRN-BRU Cup due to sponsorship reasons, was the 28th season of the competition. The tournament took on a similar format from the previous season with the addition of two teams from England's Na ...

in a new expansion of that competition as the highest-finishing remaining teams in the division.

were the first team to be relegated from National League on 8 April after a 2–0 loss to

. Despite staying up on the final day for the past two seasons, it was not to be third time lucky for

who joined them on 17 April after a 1–0 loss to relegation rivals Barrow.

became the third team to be relegated from the National league on 21 April after a 1–1 draw with

Hartlepool United Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system. They were founded in 190 ...

, confirming the club's first ever relegation to the sixth tier. The fourth and final team to suffer relegation was

, who were relegated on 28 April following a 2–1 defeat to Dover Athletic, ending their five-year stay in the National League.

Team changes

The following clubs changed divisions after the 2017–18 season:

To National League

Promoted from 2017–18 National League North * Salford City * Harrogate Town Promoted from 2017–18 National League South * Havant & Waterlooville * Braintree Town Relegated from 2017–18 League Two * Chesterfield * Barnet

From National League

Promoted to 2018–19 League Two * Macclesfield Town *

Relegated to 2018–19 National League North *

Relegated to 2018–19 National League South *

Stadiums and locations

Personnel and sponsoring

Managerial changes

League table

Play-offs

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Results table

Top scorers

Monthly awards

Each month the Vanarama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.

Team of the Season

At the end of the season, the National League announced its official team of the season.

National League North

Team changes

To National League North

Promoted from 2017–18 Northern Premier League Premier Division *

Altrincham Altrincham ( , locally ) is a market town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, south of the River Mersey. It is southwest of Manchester, southwest of Sale, Greater Manchester, Sale and east of Warrington. At the 2021 United Kingdom ce ...

* Ashton United Promoted from 2017–18 Southern League Premier Division *

Hereford Hereford ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Wye and lies east of the border with Wales, north-west of Gloucester and south-west of Worcester. With ...

Relegated from

From National League North

Promoted to 2018–19 National League * Salford City * Harrogate Town Relegated to 2018–19 Northern Premier League Premier Division *

Gainsborough Trinity Gainsborough Trinity Football Club is a Association football, football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England. Established in 1873, the club became members of the English Football League, Football League i ...

* North Ferriby United Relegated to 2018–19 Southern League Premier Division Central * Tamworth

Stadia and locations

Personnel and sponsoring

League table

Play-offs

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Results table

Managerial changes

Top scorers

Monthly awards

Each month the Vanarama National League North announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.

National League South

The National League South consisted of 22 clubs.

Team changes

To National League South

Promoted from 2017–18 Isthmian League Premier Division * Billericay Town *

Dulwich Hamlet Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in East Dulwich in south-east London, England. They are currently members of and play at Champion Hill. History The club was formed in 1893, by Lorraine 'Pa' Wilson. The ...

Promoted from 2017–18 Southern League Premier Division * Slough Town Relegated from

From National League South

Promoted to 2018–19 National League * Havant & Waterlooville * Braintree Town Relegated to 2018–19 Isthmian League Premier Division *

Bognor Regis Town Bognor Regis Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Nicknamed 'The Rocks’, the club is an FA Chartered Standard Community club affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association. They currently co ...

Whitehawk Whitehawk is a suburb in the east of Brighton, England, south of Bevendean and north of Brighton Marina. The area is a large, modern housing estate built in a downland dry valley historically known as Whitehawk Bottom. The estate was originall ...

Relegated to 2018–19 Southern League Premier Division South * Poole Town

Stadia and locations

League table

Play-offs

Quarter-final

Semi-finals

Final

Results table

Top scorers

Monthly awards

Each month the Vanarama National League South announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.

Step 3 Super Playoffs

With the introduction of a new division at Step 3 of the

National League System The National League System comprises the six levels of the English football league system immediately below the level of the English Football League. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Football Association. The National League System has a ...

, an altered promotion playoff process was implemented for the 2018–19 season for clubs to reach the National Leagues

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

for the 2019–20 season. As per prior seasons, 3 teams were relegated each from the North and South leaving 6 vacancies to fill. Each of the winners of the four Step 3 leagues were automatically promoted to the National Leagues North & South for 2019–20. The Champions of the Step 3 leagues are: * Isthmian League Premier Division: Dorking Wanderers *

Northern Premier League Premier Division The Northern Premier League is an English football league that was founded in 1968. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English football league system. Geographically, the league c ...

: Farsley Celtic * Southern Premier League Premier Division Central: Kettering Town * Southern Premier League Premier Division South: Weymouth Each of the four leagues ran a playoff involving the teams finishing from second to fifth. The winners of these playoffs proceeded to the Super Playoffs. The playoff winners are: * Isthmian League Premier Division: Tonbridge Angels *

: Warrington Town * Southern Premier League Premier Division Central: King's Lynn Town * Southern Premier League Premier Division South: Metropolitan Police The winners of the following two fixtures were promoted:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2018-19 National League National League (English football) seasons 5

Eng Eng or ENG may refer to: Language and linguistics * Eng (letter), Ŋ ŋ * En with descender, Ң ң * eng, ISO 639-3 and ISO 639-2 code for English language * Velar nasal, a phoneme People * Eng (name), a given name and surname in various cu ...