The 2020–21 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the sixth season under

English football Football is the most popular sport in England. Widely regarded as the birthplace of modern football, the first official rules of the game were established in England in 1863. The country is home to the world's first football league, the oldest ...

's new title of the

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 ...

, the seventeenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-second season overall. The season followed the curtailed 2019–20 season, in which the league phase was uncompleted due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and the play-offs only completed by 2 August 2020. Reflecting the late end to the previous season and aiming at maximising the likelihood of fans being present in stadiums when the season starts, the 2020–21 National League began on 3 October 2020. The planned increase of the North and South divisions to 24 teams was scheduled to take place for 2021–22, meaning only two from the North and one from the South were to be 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 ...

, Southern League Central or South, or

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 ...

. However, owing to the cessation and voidance of the 2020–21 seasons for the North and South divisions, promotion and relegation was suspended. For that reason, the expansion plans were deferred to 2022–23, when they would be implemented before that season.

National League

On 16 September 2020, Macclesfield Town folded as a result of debts, and were expelled from the National League on 29 September. As the club folded before the season started, no records were expunged. Due to Macclesfield's closure, only 23 clubs took part in the 2020–21 season and a maximum of three clubs were to be relegated instead of the usual four. However, on 26 March 2021, having not fulfilled a fixture since 30 January, Dover Athletic's results were expunged and the club deducted 12 points for the 2021–22 season. Therefore the season is set to complete with 22 clubs playing fixtures. Additionally, following the National League North and South divisions being declared null and void on 18 February, no teams were relegated this season.

Promotion and relegation

Team changes

To National League

Promoted from 2019–20 National League North * King's Lynn Town *

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 ...

Promoted from 2019–20 National League South *

Wealdstone Wealdstone () is a district located in the centre of the London Borough of Harrow, England. It is located just north of Harrow, London, Harrow town centre and is south of Harrow Weald, west of Belmont, Harrow, Belmont and Kenton, London, Kenton, ...

* Weymouth Relegated from 2019–20 League Two * Macclesfield Town

From National League

Promoted to 2020–21 League Two * Barrow * Harrogate Town Relegated to 2020–21 National League North *

AFC Fylde AFC Fylde is a professional football club based in Wesham in the Borough of Fylde, Lancashire, England. They are currently members of the and play at Mill Farm. Originally known as Kirkham & Wesham following a merger of Kirkham Town and Wes ...

Chorley Chorley is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England, north of Wigan, south west of Blackburn, north west of Bolton, south of Preston and north west of Manchester. The town's wealth ca ...

Relegated to 2020–21 National League South *

Ebbsfleet United Ebbsfleet United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Northfleet, Kent, England. The club compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. Founded in 1946 from the merger ...

Stadia and locations

Personnel and sponsoring

# Yeovil Town club captain Lee Collins died on 31 March 2021 at the age of 32.

Managerial changes

National League table

Results table

Play-offs

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

Monthly awards

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

National League North

The National League North in 2020-21 consisted of 22 teams. Due to the initially anticipated expansion to 24 teams for 2021–22, only two teams instead of the usual four were expected to be relegated. However, the knock-on effect of Macclesfield Town's closure might have caused the number of relegated teams to be reduced even further. The league was declared null and void on 18 February 2021. As a result, all records were expunged and no teams were promoted or relegated.

Team changes

Following the COVID-19 pandemic-related cancellation of the four step 3 leagues' 2019–20 seasons, no teams were promoted to or relegated from the National League North.

To National League North

Relegated from

2019–20 National League The 2019–20 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the fifth season under English football's new title of National League, the sixteenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-fir ...

From National League North

Promoted to 2020–21 National League * King's Lynn Town *

Stadia and locations

Managerial changes

National League North table

Results

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

Monthly awards

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

National League South

The National League South consisted of 21 teams. Following Bury's expulsion from the

English Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...

in 2019, and the completion of the 2019–20 National League with two northern and one southern teams in the relegation zone, the division was left one team short. With the initially anticipated expansion to 24 teams for 2021–22, only one team was expected to be relegated. The league was declared null and void on 18 February 2021. As a result, all records were expunged and no teams were promoted or relegated.

Team changes

Following the COVID-19 pandemic-related cancellation of the four step 3 leagues' 2019–20 seasons, no teams were promoted to or relegated from the National League South.

To National League South

Relegated from

From National League South

Promoted to 2020–21 National League *

* Weymouth

Stadia and locations

Managerial changes

National League South table

Results table

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

Monthly awards

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2020-21 National League 2020–21 National League 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 ...