The 2019–20 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the fifth season under English football's new title of National League, the sixteenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-first season overall.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National League season was initially suspended on 16 March 2020 until at least 3 April. On 31 March, this suspension was extended indefinitely until further notice. On 22 April, clubs voted to end the season, with promotions and relegations still "under careful consideration". Due to the knock-on effects of Bury F.C.'s expulsion from EFL League One at the start of the season, it had already been assumed prior to the pandemic that no more than one club instead of the usual two was to be relegated from the English Football League, and that no more than three clubs instead of the usual four were to be relegated from the National division. The cumulative effect that the early termination of the season and Bury's expulsion from the EFL had on the composition of the National League's three divisions would have been determined.
On 17 June 2020, Barrow along with Wealdstone and King's Lynn Town were elected champions of their respective divisions after National League clubs voted to decide the final tables on a points-per-game basis. Barrow were therefore promoted to League Two, with Wealdstone and King's Lynn Town promoted to the National League. AFC Fylde considered mounting a legal challenge with support from Ebbsfleet United against their relegations, but ultimately decided against it.
Promotion play-offs were held in all three divisions to decide the additional promotion places. The semi-finals took place over the final two weekends of July, and the finals took place on 1 and 2 August. Clubs were expected to conduct and fund a COVID-19 prevention and testing process, and were allowed to decline their place in the competition without penalty if they were unable to fulfil this requirement. On 1 July, the Premier League committed £200,000 to the National League to help fund the conclusion of their season.
National League
The National League consists of 24 clubs.
Promotion and relegation Team changes
To National League Promoted from 2018–19 National League North Stockport County Chorley
Promoted from 2018–19 National League South Torquay United Woking
Relegated from 2018–19 League Two Yeovil Town Notts County
From National League Promoted to 2019–20 League Two Leyton Orient Salford City
Relegated to 2019–20 National League North Gateshead
Relegated to 2019–20 National League South Maidstone United Braintree Town Havant & Waterlooville
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAFC FyldeWeshamMill Farm Sports Village 6,000Aldershot Town AldershotRecreation Ground 7,200BarnetLondon The Hive Stadium 6,418Barrow Barrow-in-FurnessHolker Street 5,045Boreham Wood BorehamwoodMeadow Park 4,502Bromley London Hayes Lane 5,300ChesterfieldChesterfieldProact Stadium 10,504Chorley ChorleyVictory Park 4,100Dagenham & Redbridge London Victoria Road 6,078Dover Athletic DoverCrabble Athletic Ground 5,745Eastleigh EastleighTen Acres 5,250Ebbsfleet UnitedNorthfleetStonebridge Road 4,800FC Halifax TownHalifaxThe Shay 10,400Harrogate Town HarrogateWetherby Road 4,100Hartlepool United HartlepoolVictoria Park 7,856Maidenhead United MaidenheadYork Road 4,000Notts CountyNottinghamMeadow Lane 19,588Solihull Moors SolihullDamson Park 5,500Stockport County StockportEdgeley Park 10,852Sutton United London Gander Green Lane 5,013Torquay United TorquayPlainmoor 6,500Woking WokingKingfield Stadium 6,036Wrexham WrexhamRacecourse Ground 10,771Yeovil TownYeovilHuish Park 9,566
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager1 Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAFC FyldeJim BentleyLewis MontroseUnder ArmourVetPlusAldershot TownDanny SearleDean RanceAdidasBridges Estate AgentsBarnetDarren CurrieCallum ReynoldsJakoCanonBarrowDavid DunnJosh GraniteJomaJF Hornby & Co.Boreham WoodLuke GarrardMark RickettsPumaBarnet and Southgate CollegeBromleyNeil SmithJack HollandMacronSouthwark MetalsChesterfieldJonathan SmithPumaTechnique Learning Solutions Chorley Jamie VermiglioAndrew TeagueMacronCruise 118Dagenham & RedbridgeDaryl McMahonKenny ClarkNikeWest & CoeDover AthleticAndy HessenthalerKevin LokkoJakoExclusive GlazingEastleigh Ben Strevens Danny HollandsLAB SportsUtilitaEbbsfleet UnitedKevin WatsonDave WinfieldHummelKuflinkFC Halifax TownPete WildMatty BrownAdidasCORE Facility Services (Home) Halifax Bathrooms (Away) Stride Supplies (Third)Harrogate TownSimon WeaverJosh FalkinghamKappaStrataHartlepool United Dave ChallinorRyan DonaldsonO'NeillsUtility Alliance LimitedMaidenhead UnitedAlan DevonshireAlan MasseyUhlsportUtility Alliance LimitedNotts County Neal Ardley Michael Doyle Puma VacantSolihull MoorsKyle StorerSurridgeJohn Shepherd Estate AgentsStockport County Jim GannonPaul TurnbullJomaPioneer GroupSutton UnitedMatt GrayJamie CollinsMacronAngel PlasticsTorquay UnitedGary JohnsonAsa HallNikeNo SponsorWokingAlan DowsonJosh CaseyMacronAbstract PlansWrexhamDean KeatesShaun PearsonMacronIfor Williams TrailersYeovil Town Darren Sarll Lee Collins TAG Jones Building Group
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentYeovil TownNeale MarmonEnd of Interim Contract4 May 2019Pre-seasonDarren Sarll19 June 2019FC Halifax TownJamie FullartonResigned15 July 2019Pete Wild25 July 2019WrexhamBryan HughesDismissed25 September 201921stDean Keates6 October 2019Hartlepool UnitedCraig Hignett10 October 201916thDave Challinor11 November 2019Ebbsfleet UnitedGarry Hill24thKevin Watson4 November 2019AFC FyldeDave Challinor12 October 201921stJim Bentley28 October 2019Dagenham & RedbridgePeter Taylor29 December 201918thDaryl McMahon3 January 2020ChesterfieldJohn Sheridan2 January 202022ndJohn Pemberton2 January 2020Solihull MoorsTim FlowersMutual Consent28 January 20209thJames Shan12 February 2020BarrowIan EvattSigned by Bolton Wanderers1 July 20201stDavid Dunn9 July 2020
National League table
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Results table
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Scott QuigleyBarrow202 Jamie ReidTorquay United18 Kabongo TshimangaBoreham Wood4 Rhys MurphyYeovil Town17 John RooneyBarrow6 Inih EffiongDover Athletic16 Jake HydeWoking8 Simeon AkinolaBarnet15 Harry BeautymanSutton United10 Tyrone MarshBoreham Wood14
Monthly awards
Each month the Motorama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.
MonthPlayer of the MonthClubManager of the MonthClubAugust 2019 Ben GerringWoking Alan DowsonWokingSeptember 2019 John RooneyBarrow Darren SarllYeovil TownOctober 2019 Matt BuseTorquay United Simon WeaverHarrogate TownNovember 2019 Jamey OsborneSolihull Moors Ian EvattBarrowDecember 2019 Courtney DuffusYeovil Town Neal ArdleyNotts CountyJanuary 2020 Warren Burrell Harrogate Town Pete WildFC Halifax TownFebruary 2020 Asa Hall Torquay United Simon Weaver Harrogate Town
National League North
The National League North consists of 22 teams.
Team changes
To National League North Promoted from 2018–19 Northern Premier League Premier Division Farsley Celtic
Promoted from 2018–19 Southern League Premier Division Central Kettering Town King's Lynn Town
Relegated from 2018–19 National League Gateshead
Transferred from 2018–19 National League South Gloucester City
From National League North Promoted to 2019–20 National League Stockport County Chorley
Relegated to 2019–20 Northern Premier League Premier Division Ashton United F.C. United of Manchester
Relegated to 2019–20 Southern League Premier Division Central Nuneaton Borough
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAFC Telford UnitedTelfordNew Bucks Head 6,300Alfreton TownAlfretonNorth Street 3,600AltrinchamAltrinchamMoss Lane 6,085Blyth SpartansBlythCroft Park 4,435Boston United BostonYork Street 6,643Brackley Town Brackley St. James Park 3,500Bradford (Park Avenue) BradfordHorsfall Stadium 3,500Chester ChesterDeva Stadium 6,500Curzon Ashton Ashton-under-Lyne Tameside Stadium 4,000DarlingtonDarlington Blackwell Meadows 3,300Farsley CelticFarsleyThe Citadel3,900Gateshead GatesheadGateshead International Stadium 11,800Gloucester City Evesham Jubilee Stadium (groundshare with Evesham United) 3,000Guiseley GuiseleyNethermoor Park 4,200Hereford HerefordEdgar Street 5,213Kettering TownKettering Latimer Park (groundshare with Burton Park Wanderers) 2,400Kidderminster Harriers KidderminsterAggborough Stadium 6,238King's Lynn Town King's Lynn The Walks 5,733Leamington Leamington New Windmill Ground 2,300Southport SouthportHaig Avenue 3,150Spennymoor TownSpennymoor The Brewery Field 6,000York City YorkBootham Crescent 8,256
National League North table
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Results
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentGatesheadBen Clark Dismissed30 April 2019Pre-seasonDave Dickson19 May 2019Blyth SpartansAlun Armstrong Signed by Darlington21 May 2019Lee Clark1 June 2019GatesheadDave DicksonDismissed31 May 2019Mike Williamson11 June 2019Bradford (Park Avenue)Garry ThompsonDismissed7 August 201924thMarcus Law8 August 2019HerefordMarc RichardsDismissed12 August 201913thRussell Slade29 August 2019Kidderminster HarriersJohn PembertonResigned27 November 201917thRussell Penn 6 December 2019
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Adam MarriottKing's Lynn Town282 Lee NdlovuBrackley Town203 Akwasi AsanteChester184 Aaron MartinGuiseley17 Glen TaylorSpennymoor Town6 Josh MarchLeamington167 Jordan BurrowYork City15 Adam CampbellDarlington Amari Morgan-SmithAlfreton Town10 Josh HancockAltrincham14 Jordan HulmeAltrincham
Monthly Awards
Each month the Motorama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.
MonthPlayer of the MonthClubManager of the MonthClubAugust 2019 Aaron MartinGuiseley Steve WatsonYork CitySeptember 2019 James ArmsonBrackley Town Adam LakelandFarsley CelticOctober 2019 David MorganSouthport Alun ArmstrongDarlingtonNovember 2019 Adam Marriott King's Lynn Town Ian CulverhouseKing's Lynn TownDecember 2019 Lee Ndlovu Brackley Town Paul HolleranLeamingtonJanuary 2020 Josh Hancock Altrincham Phil ParkinsonAltrincham
National League South
The National League South consists of 22 teams.
Team changes
To National League South Promoted from 2018–19 Isthmian League Premier Division Dorking Wanderers Tonbridge Angels
Promoted from 2018–19 Southern League Premier Division South Weymouth
Relegated from 2018–19 National League Braintree Town Havant & Waterlooville Maidstone United
From National League South Promoted to 2019–20 National League Torquay United Woking
Relegated to 2019–20 Isthmian League Premier Division East Thurrock United
Relegated to 2019–20 Southern League Premier Division South Truro City Weston-super-Mare
Transferred to 2019–20 National League North Gloucester City
Stadia and locations