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 was re-designed and the league's broadcaster BT Sport signed a new three-year contract; the structure of the league and the title sponsor Vanarama remained the same.
National League
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference North Barrow (League champions) Guiseley (Play-off winners)
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference South Bromley (League champions) Boreham Wood (Play-off winners)
Teams relegated from 2014–15 League Two Cheltenham Town Tranmere Rovers
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Aldershot Town Recreation Ground 7,100 Altrincham Moss Lane 6,085 Barrow Holker Street 5,000 Boreham Wood Meadow Park 4,502 Braintree Town Cressing Road 4,145 Bromley Hayes Lane 5,000 Cheltenham Town Whaddon Road 7,066 Chester Deva Stadium 6,000 Dover Athletic Crabble Athletic Ground 6,500 Eastleigh Ten Acres 5,200 FC Halifax Town The Shay 14,061 Forest Green Rovers The New Lawn 5,147 Gateshead Gateshead International Stadium 10,000 Grimsby Town Blundell Park 9,062 Guiseley Nethermoor Park 3,000 Kidderminster Harriers Aggborough Stadium 6,238 Lincoln City Sincil Bank 10,120 Macclesfield Town Moss Rose 6,355 Southport Haig Avenue 6,008 Torquay United Plainmoor 6,500 Tranmere Rovers Prenton Park 16,789 Welling United Park View Road 4,000 Woking Kingfield Stadium 6,036 Wrexham Racecourse Ground 10,771
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Pádraig AmondGrimsby Town30 Dan HolmanCheltenham Town3 Andy CookBarrow244 Ross HannahChester235 Kristian DennisMacclesfield Town22 Daniel WrightCheltenham Town7 Moses EmmanuelBromley20 Matt RheadLincoln City Ricky MillerDover Athletic10 James NorwoodTranmere Rovers19
National League North
Promotion and relegation
Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier AFC Telford United Alfreton Town Nuneaton Town
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Northern Premier League Premier Division F.C. United of Manchester (League Champions) Curzon Ashton (Play-off Winners)
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division Corby Town (League Champions)
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Results
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity AFC Fylde Kellamergh Park 3,180 AFC Telford United New Bucks Head 6,300 Alfreton Town North Street 3,600 Boston United York Street 6,643 Brackley Town St. James Park 3,500 Bradford Park Avenue Horsfall Stadium 3,500 Chorley The Chorley Group Victory Park Stadium 4,100 Corby Town Steel Park 3,893 Curzon Ashton Tameside Stadium 4,000 F.C. United of Manchester Broadhurst Park 4,400 Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme 4,304 Gloucester City Whaddon Road 7,066 Harrogate Town Wetherby Road 3,800 Hednesford Town Keys Park 6,500 Lowestoft Town Crown Meadow 3,000 North Ferriby United Grange Lane 2,700 Nuneaton Town Liberty Way 4,314 Solihull Moors Damson Park 3,050 Stalybridge Celtic Bower Fold 6,500 Stockport County Edgeley Park 10,841 Tamworth The Lamb Ground 4,000 Worcester City Aggborough Stadium 6,302
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Dayle SouthwellBoston United241 Danny RoweAFC Fylde242 Brendon DanielsHarrogate Town224 Tom DentonNorth Ferriby United205 Darren StephensonChorley186 Akwasi AsanteSolihull Moors17 Liam KingNorth Ferriby United8 Chibuzor ChilakaBradford Park Avenue16 Greg MillsCorby Town10 Lee HughesWorcester City15 Jake ReedLowestoft Town
National League South
Promotion and relegation Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier Dartford
Teams transferred from 2014–15 Conference North Oxford City
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Isthmian League Premier Division Maidstone United (League Champions) Margate (Play-off Winners)
Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division Truro City (Play-off Winners)
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Results
Stadium and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Basingstoke Town The Camrose 6,000 Bath City Twerton Park 8,840 Bishop's Stortford Woodside Park 4,525 Chelmsford City Melbourne Stadium 3,019 Concord Rangers Thames Road 3,300 Dartford Princes Park 4,100 Eastbourne Borough Priory Lane 4,134 Ebbsfleet United Stonebridge Road 5,011 Gosport Borough Privett Park 4,500 Havant & Waterlooville West Leigh Park 5,250 Hayes & Yeading United York Road (groundshare with Maidenhead United) 3,000 Hemel Hempstead Town Vauxhall Road 3,152 Maidenhead United York Road 3,000 Maidstone United Gallagher Stadium 3,063 Margate Hartsdown Park 3,000 Oxford City Court Place Farm 2,000 St Albans City Clarence Park 4,500 Sutton United Gander Green Lane 5,013 Truro City Treyew Road 3,857 Wealdstone The Vale 2,640 Weston-super-Mare Woodspring Stadium 3,500 Whitehawk The Enclosed Ground 2,000
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Elliott BuchananBishop's Stortford282 Matt GoddenEbbsfleet United263 Danny MillsWhitehawk23 Justin BennettGosport Borough5 Dan FitchettSutton United206 Scott WilsonWeston-super-Mare19 Steve CawleyConcord Rangers8 Bradley BubbOxford City18 Nathaniel PinneyEastbourne Borough Elliot BradbrookDartford Louie TheophanousSt Albans City
References