The 2015–16 National League season (known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons) was the first season under the new title of National League, the twelfth season consisting of three divisions and the thirty-seventh season overall.
The National League covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The National League is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, while the National League North and National League South exist at the sixth level. The top team and the winner of the play-off of the Premier division will be promoted to League Two, while the bottom four are relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions will be promoted to the Premier division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions are relegated to the premier divisions of the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League or Southern League.
On 6 April 2015, it was announced that as of the 2015–16 season the League was to undergo a name change from the Football Conference to the National League. As well as the name change, the league's logo has been re-designed and the league's broadcaster BT Sport has signed a new three-year contract. The structure of the league and the title sponsor Vanarama however remain the same.[1]
| Competition: | National League |
| Season: | 2015–16 |
| Winners: | Cheltenham Town (2nd divisional title) |
| Promoted: | Cheltenham Town Grimsby Town |
| Relegated: | Altrincham FC Halifax Town Kidderminster Harriers Welling United |
| League Topscorer: | Pádraig Amond, Grimsby Town and Dan Holman, Cheltenham Town (30 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Grimsby Town 7–0 FC Halifax Town |
| Biggest Away Win: | FC Halifax Town 1–7 Cheltenham Town |
| Highest Scoring: | Torquay United 3–7 Bromley Chester 8–2 Aldershot Town |
| Longest Wins: | Forest Green Rovers and Cheltenham Town (9 matches) |
| Longest Unbeaten: | Cheltenham Town (21 matches) |
| Longest Winless: | Kidderminster Harriers (18 matches) |
| Highest Attendance: | 7,650 Grimsby Town v Lincoln City |
| Lowest Attendance: | 484 Braintree Town v Wrexham |
| Average Attendance: | 5,214 Tranmere Rovers |
| Prevseason: | 2014–15 |
| Nextseason: | 2016–17 |
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference North
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference South
Teams relegated from 2014–15 League Two
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 7,100 | ||
| 6,085 | ||
| 5,000 | ||
| 4,502 | ||
| 4,145 | ||
| 5,000 | ||
| 7,066 | ||
| 6,000 | ||
| 6,500 | ||
| 5,200 | ||
| 14,061 | ||
| 5,147 | ||
| 10,000 | ||
| 9,062 | ||
| 3,000 | ||
| 6,238 | ||
| 10,120 | ||
| 6,355 | ||
| 6,008 | ||
| 6,500 | ||
| 16,789 | ||
| 4,000 | ||
| 6,036 | ||
| 10,771 | ||
See main article: 2016 National League play-off Final.
| Competition: | National League North |
| Season: | 2015–16 |
| Winners: | Solihull Moors |
| Promoted: | Solihull Moors North Ferriby United |
| Relegated: | Corby Town Hednesford Town Lowestoft Town |
| Prevseason: | 2014–15 |
| Nextseason: | 2016–17 |
Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Northern Premier League Premier Division
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellamergh Park | 3,180 | ||
| 6,300 | |||
| 3,600 | |||
| 6,643 | |||
| St. James Park | 3,500 | ||
| 3,500 | |||
| 4,100 | |||
| Steel Park | 3,893 | ||
| Tameside Stadium | 4,000 | ||
| 4,400 | |||
| 4,304 | |||
| 7,066 | |||
| 3,800 | |||
| 6,500 | |||
| Crown Meadow | 3,000 | ||
| Grange Lane | 2,700 | ||
| 4,314 | |||
| 3,050 | |||
| 6,500 | |||
| 10,841 | |||
| 4,000 | |||
| 6,302 |
| Competition: | National League South |
| Season: | 2015–16 |
| Winners: | Sutton United |
| Promoted: | Sutton United Maidstone United |
| Relegated: | Basingstoke Town Havant & Waterlooville Hayes & Yeading United |
| Prevseason: | 2014–15 |
| Nextseason: | 2016–17 |
Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier
Teams transferred from 2014–15 Conference North
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Isthmian League Premier Division
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Camrose | 6,000 | ||
| 8,840 | |||
| Woodside Park | 4,525 | ||
| Melbourne Stadium | 3,019 | ||
| Thames Road | 3,300 | ||
| 4,100 | |||
| 4,134 | |||
| 5,011 | |||
| Privett Park | 4,500 | ||
| West Leigh Park | 5,250 | ||
| York Road (groundshare with Maidenhead United) | 3,000 | ||
| Vauxhall Road | 3,152 | ||
| 3,000 | |||
| 3,063 | |||
| 3,000 | |||
| Court Place Farm | 2,000 | ||
| 4,500 | |||
| 5,013 | |||
| Treyew Road | 3,857 | ||
| The Vale | 2,640 | ||
| Woodspring Stadium | 3,500 | ||
| The Enclosed Ground | 2,000 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elliott Buchanan | Bishop's Stortford | 28 |
| 2 | Matt Godden | Ebbsfleet United | 26 |
| 3 | Danny Mills | Whitehawk | 23 |
| Justin Bennett | Gosport Borough | ||
| 5 | Dan Fitchett | Sutton United | 20 |
| 6 | Scott Wilson | Weston-super-Mare | 19 |
| Steve Cawley | Concord Rangers | ||
| 8 | Bradley Bubb | Oxford City | 18 |
| Nathaniel Pinney | Eastbourne Borough | ||
| Elliot Bradbrook | Dartford | ||
| Louie Theophanous | St Albans City |