2020-21_National_League

2020–21 National League

2020–21 National League

Football league season


The 2020–21 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the sixth season under English football's new title of the National League, the eighteenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-second season overall.

Quick Facts Season, Dates ...

The season followed the curtailed 2019–20 season, in which the league phase was uncompleted due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1] and the play-offs only completed by 2 August 2020.[2] 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.[3] 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, Southern League Central or South, or Isthmian League.[4] However, owing to the cessation and voidance of the 2020–21 seasons for the North and South divisions, promotion and relegation was suspended.[5] For that reason, the expansion plans were deferred to 2022–23,[6] when they would be implemented before that season.

National League

Quick Facts Season ...

On 16 September 2020, Macclesfield Town folded as a result of debts, and were expelled from the National League on 29 September.[7] As the club folded before the season started, no records were expunged.[8]

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.[5]

Promotion and relegation

Team changes

Stadia and locations

Locations of the 2020–21 National League clubs (Greater London)

Personnel and sponsoring

More information Team, Manager1 ...
  1. ^ Yeovil Town club captain Lee Collins died on 31 March 2021 at the age of 32.[10]

Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...

National League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: National League official site
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[11]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
Notes:
  1. Due to the cancellation of both the National North and South seasons, there was no relegation from the National League in the 2020-21 season.
  2. Dover Athletic refused to play matches due to a lack of promised funding starting with their fixture on 30 January 2021. On 26 March 2021, it was announced the club would play no part in the rest of the season and all results would be expunged.
  3. Macclesfield were deducted 17 points for entering into an insolvency event the previous season, before being expelled from the league on 29 September 2020. At the time of their expulsion before the 2020–21 National League Season, they had played no matches.

Results table

More information Home \ Away, ALD ...
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: National League Results Grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Play-offs

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
2 Torquay United 4
5 Notts County 3 5 Notts County 2
6 Chesterfield 2 2 Torquay United 1 (4)
4 Hartlepool United 1 (5)
3 Stockport County 0
4 Hartlepool United 3 4 Hartlepool United 1
7 Bromley 2

Quarter-finals

5 June 2021 (2021-06-05) Notts County 3–2ChesterfieldNottingham
16:00
  • Wootton 30', 71'
  • Ellis 90'
Report
Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 4,569
6 June 2021 (2021-06-06) Hartlepool United 3–2BromleyHartlepool
14:30
Report
Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 1,700[12]

Semi-finals

12 June 2021 (2021-06-12) Torquay United 4–2 (a.e.t.)Notts CountyTorquay
12:00
Report Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 1,709
13 June 2021 (2021-06-13) Stockport County0–1 Hartlepool United Edgeley
12:00 Report
Stadium: Edgeley Park
Attendance: 2,758

Final

Attendance: 6,606
Referee: Simon Mather

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

Quick Facts Season ...

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.[5]

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.[21]

Stadia and locations

Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...

National League North table

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: National League official site
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[23]

Results

More information Home \ Away, FYL ...
Source: National League North results grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

[24]

Hat-tricks

More information Player, For ...

Monthly awards

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

More information Month, Player of the Month ...

National League South

Quick Facts Season ...

The National League South consisted of 21 teams. Following Bury's expulsion from the English Football League 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.[5]

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.[21]

Stadia and locations

Locations of the 2020–21 National League South clubs (Greater London area)

Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...

National League South table

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: National League official site
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[29]

Results table

More information Home \ Away, BAT ...
Source: National League official site
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

[30]

Hat-tricks

More information Player, For ...

Monthly awards

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

More information Month, Player of the Month ...

References

  1. "Update on non-League, women's & grassroots football seasons". The Football Association. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  2. Jones, Laurence; Edkins, Matt; Frost, Mark (17 April 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: FA outline second phase of Non-League restructuring". The Non-League Paper (Interview). Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  3. Osborn, Oliver (18 February 2021). "National League Statement | Outcome Of Written Resolutions". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  4. Osborn, Oliver (1 July 2021). "National League Statement | OAGM Round-Up". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  5. "Macclesfield Town expelled from National League four days before start of season". BBC Sport. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. "Macclesfield Town FC wound up in High Court over debts exceeding £500,000". BBC Sport. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The Football Association. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  8. "October's National League Monthly Award Winners Confirmed!". Vanarama National League. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  9. "National League's November Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". Vanarama National League. 7 December 2020.
  10. "National League's December Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". Vanarama National League. 11 January 2021.
  11. "National League's January Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". Vanarama National League. 8 February 2021.
  12. "National League's March Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". Vanarama National League. 12 April 2021.
  13. "National League's April Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". www.thenationalleague.org.uk. 10 May 2021.
  14. "National League's May Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". www.thenationalleague.org.uk. 4 June 2021.
  15. Field of Dreams: Capacity passes 4000 mark, Spennymoor Town FC, 17 August 2020, retrieved 23 May 2023
  16. "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The Football Association. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  17. "National League Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  18. "National League North's October Monthly Award Winners Revealed!". Vanarama National League. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  19. "Trio celebrate November's National League North Accolades". Vanarama National League. 7 December 2020.
  20. "Trio Celebrate December's National League North Accolades". Vanarama National League. 11 January 2021.
  21. "The National League North's Awesome Foursome Grab Gongs". Vanarama National League. 8 February 2021.
  22. "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The Football Association. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  23. "National League South Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  24. "Trio Celebrate October's National League South Accolades". Vanarama National League. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  25. "Trio Celebrate January's National League South Accolades". Vanarama National League. 8 February 2021.

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