National League chiefs want EFL to bring in three promotion places

Chief executive Phil Alexander has renewed the National League's call for the English Football League (EFL) to adopt a three-up, three-down promotion and relegation system between the two leagues.

Rochdale came back from two goals down 12 minutes from the end of normal time to beat Boreham Wood on penalties in the promotion final at Wembley on Sunday.

The win came two weeks after one of the most memorable games of the season across the top five leagues, when first Rochdale and then York scored in stoppage time in a league title decider.

For long spells at Wembley, it appeared Rochdale would miss out on promotion despite amassing an incredible 106 points in their league campaign.

Alexander feels that should focus minds within the EFL.

"We think three up could be done, we think three up should be done," he said. "The EFL could take the higher ground and make that happen."

EFL chief executive Trevor Birch and chief operating officer Nick Craig were both at Wembley.

Before the game outgoing National League chairman Jack Pearce praised the pair but added they were not in charge of adopting three-up, three-down - the clubs were.

The National League feel there is broad agreement for its implementation and had hoped it would be voted on at a meeting of all 72 EFL clubs in March.

That did not happen. Instead, it was listed as a discussion topic, meaning it could not be adopted for another year.

In performance terms, three promotion places make sense. The top tier of the National League is virtually fully professional and the gap in standard to League Two is negligible.

While two recently promoted teams – Barrow and Harrogate – have been relegated from the EFL this season, Bromley, promoted out of the National League two years ago, have just won the League Two title.

Notts County and Chesterfield, who contested the 2023 National League promotion final, are facing each other in the League Two play-off semi-finals, while Wrexham, also a National League club as recently as 2023, only missed out on a Championship play-off spot on the final day of this season.

However, the fear at the National League is that EFL clubs will stick rigidly to their stance that change in their league should not be made until the Premier League – who provide significant financial backing to the fifth tier - reach a funding agreement with them, which, as yet, there are no signs of.

Alexander feels the newly installed Football Regulator, chaired by David Kogan, has a role to play but hopes a solution can be found for the good of the game.

"Really the National League should be part of a larger pyramid with regards to connection with the EFL," said Alexander.

"It is league five in every sense and needs to be recognised in that way. At the moment it is on a bit of an island.

"The regulator has the power to make changes for the betterment of the game and that's where I'm coming from.

"We do think there is good feeling within the EFL for three-up and pretty much everyone thinks it's the thing to do but I am very concerned it might just drag on."

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