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National League (English football)

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The Football Conference, currently known as the Nationwide Conference, is the highest level of the National League System of non-league football in England.

History and structure

The Conference represents the highest level of the National League System. Above the Conference are the 92 clubs which together make up the highest levels of English football, the FA Premier League and The Football League. The Conference was formed in 1979 from teams in the Northern Premier League and Southern League and was originally known as the Alliance Premier League. It has since been publicly known by the names of a succession of official title sponsors. During the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons the league was sponsored by the sportswear manufacturer Gola and was known as the Gola League. From the 1986-87 season through to the 1997-98 season the Conference was sponsored by the motor manufacturer General Motors and was known as the GM Vauxhall Conference. Since the 1998-99 season it has been sponsored by the Nationwide Building Society and is known as the Nationwide Conference. The term Football Conference is used to encompass all of these former names.

The Conference has 22 clubs. At the end of the season two clubs are promoted from the Conference to the Third Division of The Football League and two teams from the Third Division are relegated to the Conference. The two promotion places are awarded to the Conference champions and the winners of a playoff between those clubs finishing second to fifth in the Conference standings, although certain conditions concerning finances and facilities must also be met. Automatic promotion and relegation between the Conference and The Football League was first introduced for one club in 1987, and increased to two in 2003. At the other end of the table, one team each from the Ryman Isthmian League, the Dr Martens Southern League, and the UniBond Northern Premier League are promoted to the Conference and three teams are relegated from the Conference, one to each of the aforementioned lower leagues.

Beginning with the 2004-05 season, two new divisions of 22 clubs, Conference North and Conference South, will be established at a level between the Conference and the three feeder leagues, forming a new second layer in the National League System pyramid and moving the three feeder leagues down one level.


Conference clubs, 2003-04

Nationwide Conference, 2003-04
 Accrington Stanley  Dagenham & Redbridge Hereford United Shrewsbury Town
Aldershot TownExeter CityLeigh RMI Stevenage Borough 
BarnetFarnborough TownMargateTamworth
Burton AlbionForest Green RoversMorecambeTelford United
Chester CityGravesend & Northfleet Northwich Victoria Woking
 Halifax TownScarborough 


Past Conference winners

SeasonWinnerPlayoff Winner
1979-80Altrincham 
1980-81Altrincham
1981-82Runcorn
1982-83Enfield
1983-84Maidstone United
1984-85Wealdstone
1985-86Enfield
1986-87Scarborough*
1987-88Lincoln City*
1988-89Maidstone United*
1989-90Darlington*
1990-91Barnet*
1991-92Colchester United*
1992-93Wycombe Wanderers*
1993-94Kidderminster Harriers
1994-95Macclesfield Town
1995-96Stevenage Borough
1996-97Macclesfield Town*
1997-98Halifax Town*
1998-99Cheltenham Town*
1999-2000Kidderminster Harriers*
2000-01Rushden & Diamonds*
2001-02Boston United*
2002-03Yeovil Town*Doncaster Rovers*
* Promoted to The Football League (Division Four up to 1991, Division Three since)


Former Conference clubs

Now in
The Football League
Others*
Boston UnitedAltrinchamFrickley AthleticRuncorn
Cheltenham TownLeamingtonGatesheadSlough Town
Colchester UnitedAylesbury UnitedHayesSouthport
DarlingtonBangor CityHednesford TownStafford Rangers
Doncaster RoversBarrowKettering TownStalybridge Celtic
 Kidderminster Harriers Bath CityKingstonianSutton United
Lincoln CityBromsgrove RoversLeek TownTrowbridge Town
Macclesfield TownChorleyMaidstone UnitedWealdstone
Rushden & DiamondsDartfordMerthyr TydfilWelling United
Wycombe WanderersDover AthleticNuneaton BoroughWeymouth
Yeovil TownEnfieldRedbridge ForestWitton Albion
 Fisher AthleticRedditch UnitedWorcester City
 * Most of these clubs now play in lower leagues, however some no longer exist.
Bangor City has transferred to the League of Wales.