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.[1]
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 English Football 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.
This is the first season to include six teams in the play-offs for each division, with the 4th-7th placed teams participating in the qualifying round and the 2nd and 3rd placed teams qualifying for the semi-finals.[2]
| Competition: | National League |
| Season: | 2017–18 |
| Winners: | Macclesfield Town |
| Promoted: | Macclesfield Town Tranmere Rovers |
| Relegated: | Chester Guiseley Torquay United Woking |
| Prevseason: | 2016–17 |
| Nextseason: | 2018–19 |
The National League consisted of 24 clubs.
The following teams changed divisions after the 2016–17 season:
AFC Fylde were the first team to be promoted after a 3–0 win against Boston United on 22 April 2017 clinched them the National League North title. Maidenhead United were promoted on 29 April 2017 after a 3–0 win over Margate, competing in the top tier of non-league for the first time. Ebbsfleet United were promoted on 13 May 2017 after beating Chelmsford City 2–1 in the National League South Playoff Final, returning to the league after a four-year absence. On the same day, FC Halifax Town were also promoted after beating Chorley 2–1 in the National League North playoff final, securing them an immediate return to the league.
Leyton Orient were relegated from League Two on 22 April 2017 after their 3–0 loss to Crewe Alexandra ending their 112-year stay in the English Football League. On 6 May 2017, despite a 2–1 victory over Doncaster Rovers on the same day, Hartlepool United became the second team to be relegated from League Two following Newport County's 2–1 victory over Notts County, ending their 96-year stay in the EFL.
The six teams replace Lincoln City, Forest Green Rovers, York City, Braintree Town, Southport and North Ferriby United. Lincoln City were promoted to League Two after beating Macclesfield Town 2–1 on 22 April 2017.[3] Forest Green Rovers were promoted after beating Tranmere Rovers 3–1 in the 2016–17 National League Playoff Final on 14 May 2017. They were the league's longest serving club, completing nineteen seasons in the top-flight. This is a mantle that has now been passed to Wrexham, who enter their tenth season in the league.
After seven years in the National League and surviving relegation battles over several seasons, Southport were unable to escape the drop and they were the first team to be relegated on 21 April 2017 after a 3–0 loss to Dover Athletic. After just one season in the National League, North Ferriby United were relegated three days later after a 3–1 defeat at Barrow. On the final day of the season, Braintree Town were relegated after losing 2–0 to Aldershot, ending their six-year stay in the league, which also confirmed the club's first relegation in their history. York City's 2–2 draw against Forest Green Rovers was also not enough to save them after Guiseley's last minute equalizer against Solihull Moors confirmed back to back relegations for the Yorkshire club.
Promoted from 2016–17 National League North
Promoted from 2016–17 National League South
Relegated from 2016–17 League Two
Relegated to 2017–18 National League North
Relegated to 2017–18 National League South
Promoted to 2017–18 League Two
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Fylde | 6,000 | |||
| Aldershot Town | 7,200 | |||
| Barrow-in-Furness | 5,045 | |||
| Borehamwood | 4,502 | |||
| 5,300 | ||||
| Chester | 6,500 | |||
| London (Dagenham) | 6,078 | |||
| Dover | 5,745 | |||
| Eastleigh | 5,250 | |||
| Northfleet | 4,500 | |||
| FC Halifax Town | 14,061 | |||
| Gateshead | 11,800 | |||
| Guiseley | 4,200 | |||
| Hartlepool | 7,856 | |||
| London | 9,271 | |||
| Macclesfield | 6,355 | |||
| Maidenhead | 3,377 | |||
| Maidstone | 4,200 | |||
| Solihull | 4,313 | |||
| London (Sutton) | 5,013 | |||
| Torquay | 6,200 | |||
| Birkenhead | 16,789 | |||
| Woking | 6,036 | |||
| Wrexham | 10,771 |
See main article: 2018 National League play-off Final.
Each month the Vanarama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.
| Month | Player of the Month | Club | Manager of the Month | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2017 | Nathan Vaughan[5] | Solihull Moors | John Still | Dagenham & Redbridge | |
| September 2017 | Scott Wilson[6] | Macclesfield Town | Jay Saunders | Maidstone United | |
| October 2017 | Josh Rees[7] | Bromley | Craig Harrison | Hartlepool United | |
| November 2017 | Danny Rowe[8] | AFC Fylde | Luke Garrard | Boreham Wood | |
| December 2017 | Connor Jennings[9] | Tranmere Rovers | John Askey | Macclesfield Town | |
| January 2018 | Sam Wood[10] | Eastleigh | Mark Yates | Solihull Moors | |
| February 2018 | Elliott Durrell[11] | Macclesfield Town | Daryl McMahon | Ebbsfleet United | |
| March 2018 | Mitch Walker | Dover Athletic | Matthew Bates[12] | Hartlepool United | |
| April 2018 | Andy Cook[13] | Tranmere Rovers | Alan Devonshire[14] | Maidenhead United |
At the end of the season, the National League announced its official team of the season.[15]
| Competition: | National League North |
| Season: | 2017–18 |
| Winners: | Salford City |
| Promoted: | Salford City Harrogate Town |
| Relegated: | North Ferriby United Gainsborough Trinity Tamworth |
| Prevseason: | 2016–17 |
| Nextseason: | 2018–19 |
Promoted from 2016–17 Northern Premier League Premier Division
Promoted from 2016–17 Southern League Premier Division
Relegated from 2016–17 National League
Relegated to 2017–18 Northern Premier League Premier Division
Relegated and voluntarily demoted to 2017–18 Midland League Premier Division
Transferred to 2017–18 National League South
Promoted to 2017–18 National League
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Telford United | 6,300 | ||
| Alfreton Town | 3,600 | ||
| Blyth Spartans | 4,435 | ||
| 6,643 | |||
| St. James Park | 3,500 | ||
| 3,500 | |||
| 4,100 | |||
| Tameside Stadium | 4,000 | ||
| Darlington | Blackwell Meadows | 3,300 | |
| 4,400 | |||
| 4,304 | |||
| 3,800 | |||
| 6,238 | |||
| Leamington | New Windmill Ground | 3,000 | |
| North Ferriby | Grange Lane | 2,200 | |
| 4,614 | |||
| Moor Lane | 5,106 | ||
| Southport | 6,008 | ||
| Spennymoor Town | Spennymoor | The Brewery Field | 2,900 |
| Stockport | 10,852 | ||
| 4,000 | |||
| York | 8,256[16] | ||
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason Gilchrist | Southport | 26 |
| 2 | Jason Oswell | Stockport County | 24 |
| 3 | Aaron Williams | Brackley Town | 22 |
| 4 | Reece Styche | Darlington | 21 |
| 5 | Adam Boyes | Bradford Park Avenue | 20 |
| Jon Parkin | York City | ||
| 7 | Ashley Chambers | Nuneaton Town | 19 |
| Joe Ironside | Kidderminster Harriers | ||
| Glen Taylor | Spennymoor Town | ||
| 10 | Marcus Dinanga | AFC Telford United | 17 |
| Jack Redshaw | Salford City | ||
| 12 | Dan Maguire | Blyth Spartans | 16 |
| Competition: | National League South |
| Season: | 2017–18 |
| Winners: | Havant & Waterlooville |
| Promoted: | Havant & Waterlooville Braintree Town |
| Relegated: | Bognor Regis Town Whitehawk Poole Town |
| Prevseason: | 2016–17 |
| Nextseason: | 2018–19 |
The National League South consisted of 22 clubs.
Promoted from 2016–17 Southern League Premier Division
Promoted from 2016–17 Isthmian League Premier Division
Relegated from 2016–17 National League
Transferred from 2016–17 National League North
Relegated to 2017–18 Isthmian League Premier Division
Relegated to 2017–18 Southern League Premier Division
Promoted to 2017–18 National League
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath City | 8,840 | |||
| Bognor Regis Town | Nyewood Lane | 4,500 | ||
| Braintree | 4,222 | |||
| Chelmsford City | Melbourne Stadium | 3,019 | ||
| Hardenhuish Park | 3,000 | |||
| Canvey Island | Thames Road | 3,300 | ||
| Dartford | 4,100 | |||
| Rookery Hill | 4,000 | |||
| Eastbourne Borough | 4,151 | |||
| Jubilee Stadium (groundshare with Evesham United) | 3,000 | |||
| Beveree Stadium | 3,500 | |||
| Havant & Waterlooville | Westleigh Park | 5,300 | ||
| Vauxhall Road | 3,152 | |||
| Hungerford Town | Bulpit Lane | 2,500 | ||
| Court Place Farm | 2,000 | |||
| The BlackGold Stadium | 2,500 | |||
| 4,500 | ||||
| Truro City | Truro | 3,857 | ||
| London | Grosvenor Vale | 3,607 | ||
| London | 4,000 | |||
| Woodspring Stadium | 3,500 | |||
| Whitehawk | The TerraPura Ground | 3,126 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Higgins | East Thurrock United | 25 |
| 2 | Alfie Pavey | Dartford | 22 |
| Jason Prior | Havant & Waterlooville | ||
| 4 | Sam Merson | St Albans City | 20 |
| Matt Paterson | Oxford City | ||
| 6 | Gethyn Hill | Weston-super-Mare | 19 |
| 7 | Philip Roberts | Braintree Town | 18 |
| 8 | Warren Bentley | Poole Town | 17 |
| 9 | Dayle Grubb | Weston-super-Mare | 16 |