The 2021–22 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the seventh season as English football's National League, the eighteenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-third season overall.
Due to the curtailment of the preceding season for North and South and lower levels of competition in the English football pyramid, promotion and relegation between levels 5 and 6, and between level 6 and lower levels were suspended. These, combined with the folding of Macclesfield Town in 2020–21 and the knock-on effects of Bury's collapse in 2019–20, meant that for the 2021–22 season the three divisions had the irregular complement of 23, 22 and 21 teams, respectively.
In 2019, prior to these COVID-19 related impacts, the league had intended the 2021–22 season to be the first using a new structure in which the number of teams in its North and South divisions would increase, resulting in three 24-team divisions. On 1 July 2021, the National League confirmed its intent to achieve this structure for the 2022–23 season; accordingly the following adjustments to promotion and relegation were in effect for this season: As before, two teams were promoted from the National League to League Two and replaced by two teams relegated from it; Three teams were relegated from the National League to the two level 6 divisions, and replaced by four teams (two from each of the National League North and South); and Two teams were relegated from the two level 6 divisions (one from the National League North and another from the National League South) to the premier divisions of the Northern Premier League, Southern League Central or South, or Isthmian League, and replaced by eight teams (two from each division). The Football Association already clarified these relegations by November.
National League
Promotion and relegation Team changes
To National League Promoted from 2020–21 National League North None
Promoted from 2020–21 National League South None
Relegated from 2020–21 League Two Southend United Grimsby Town
From National League Promoted to 2021–22 League Two Sutton United Hartlepool United
Relegated to 2021–22 National League North None
Relegated to 2021–22 National League South None
Grimsby Town became the first former top-flight First Division club to be relegated to the National League twice, and their matches against Notts County make them the second pairing of clubs to face each other across all top five tiers of English football (after the Luton Town vs Oxford United fixture).
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAldershot Town AldershotRecreation Ground 7,200Altrincham AltrinchamMoss Lane 7,700Barnet London The Hive Stadium 6,418Boreham Wood BorehamwoodMeadow Park 4,502Bromley London Hayes Lane 5,300Chesterfield ChesterfieldProact Stadium 10,504 Dagenham & Redbridge London Victoria Road 6,078Dover Athletic DoverCrabble Athletic Ground 5,745Eastleigh EastleighTen Acres 5,250FC Halifax Town HalifaxThe Shay 10,400Grimsby Town Cleethorpes Blundell Park 9,052King's Lynn Town King's LynnThe Walks 8,200Maidenhead United MaidenheadYork Road 4,000Notts County NottinghamMeadow Lane 19,588 Solihull Moors SolihullDamson Park 5,500Southend United Southend-on-Sea Roots Hall 12,392Stockport County StockportEdgeley Park 10,852Torquay United TorquayPlainmoor 6,500Wealdstone London Grosvenor Vale 4,085Weymouth WeymouthBob Lucas Stadium 6,600Woking WokingKingfield Stadium 6,036Wrexham WrexhamRacecourse Ground 10,771Yeovil TownYeovilHuish Park 9,566
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager1 Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAldershot TownMark MolesleyGeorge FowlerErreàBridges Estate Agents AltrinchamPhil ParkinsonJake MoultPumaJ Davidson LtdBarnetDean BrennanJamie TurleyEstablished 1888TIC HealthBoreham WoodLuke GarrardMark RickettsPumaBarnet and Southgate CollegeBromleyAndy WoodmanByron WebsterPumaSouthwark MetalsChesterfieldPaul CookGavin GunningPumaTechnique Learning SolutionsDagenham & RedbridgeDaryl McMahonKenny ClarkNikeWest & CoeDover AthleticAndy HessenthalerRyan HansonKappaGSH GroupEastleigh Lee BradburyDanny HollandsKappaUtilitaFC Halifax TownPete WildNiall MaherAdidasCORE Facility Services (Home) Nuie (Away)Grimsby TownPaul HurstGiles CokeMacronYoung's SeafoodKing's Lynn TownTommy Widdrington Aaron JonesKappaCharmed Interiors (home), Barsby Produce (away)Maidenhead UnitedAlan DevonshireAlan MasseyUhlsportG&L ScientificNotts CountyIan BurchnallKyle CameronPumaSharpes of NottinghamSolihull MoorsNeal ArdleyKyle StorerSurridgeJohn Shepherd Estate Agents Southend United Kevin MaherJohn WhiteMacron WatchlottoStockport County Dave ChallinorLiam Hogan PumaVITA GroupTorquay UnitedGary JohnsonAsa HallNikeNo SponsorWealdstone Stuart MaynardJerome OkimoKelmeGPF Lewis Weymouth David OldfieldJosh McQuoidUmbroDormeo UKWokingDarren SarllJosh CaseyAdidasBoz's Fruit & VegWrexham Phil ParkinsonLuke YoungMacronTikTokYeovil TownCharlie Lee (caretaker manager)VacantHummelJurassic Fibre
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentSolihull Moors Mark YatesEnd of interim spell29 May 2021Pre-season Neal Ardley14 June 2021Wrexham Dean KeatesEnd of contract30 May 2021 Phil Parkinson1 July 2021Barnet Simon BasseyResigned3 June 2021 Harry Kewell10 June 2021Aldershot Town Danny SearleSacked20 September 202121st Mark Molesley20 September 2021Barnet Harry Kewell22nd Dean Brennan20 September 2021 Southend United Phil Brown9 October 202120th Kevin Maher20 October 2021Stockport County Simon Rusk27 October 202110th Dave Challinor2 November 2021King's Lynn Town Ian Culverhouse29 November 202122nd Tommy Widdrington 10 December 2021Weymouth Brian Stock12 January 202221st David Oldfield18 January 2022Eastleigh Ben Strevens26 January 202214th Lee Bradbury28 February 2022Chesterfield James RoweMutual consent4 February 20222nd Paul Cook10 February 2022Woking Alan DowsonSacked28 February 202216th Darren Sarll 28 March 2022Yeovil Town Darren SarllSigned by Woking28 March 202212th Charlie Lee (caretaker)28 March 2022 Charlie Lee (caretaker)End of caretaker spell13 May 202213th Josh Staunton (caretaker)13 May 2022
National League table
Results table
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Paul MullinWrexham262 Kabongo TshimangaChesterfield243 Paddy MaddenStockport County234 Andrew DallasSolihull Moors19 Rúben RodriguesNotts County Kyle WoottonNotts County7 Paul McCallumDagenham & Redbridge18 Joe SbarraSolihull Moors Adam MarriottBarnet10 Michael CheekBromley17 Billy WatersFC Halifax Town
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Kabongo Tshimanga Chesterfield Barnet 4–2 14 September 2021 Danny Rowe Chesterfield Southend United 0–4 9 October 2021 Ángelo Balanta Dagenham & Redbridge Maidenhead United 1–4 13 November 2021 Kabongo Tshimanga Chesterfield Weymouth 4–0 13 November 2021 Oliver Crankshaw Stockport County Wealdstone 1–4 27 November 2021 Callum Roberts Notts County King's Lynn Town 2–4 11 January 2022 Andrew Dallas5 Solihull Moors Dover Athletic 5–0 22 January 2022 Joe Sbarra Solihull Moors Eastleigh 5–3 19 March 2022 Michael Gyasi Dover Athletic Wrexham 6–5 26 March 2022 Rúben Rodrigues Notts County Southend United 0–3 2 April 2022 Connor Lemonheigh-Evans Torquay United Notts County 5–1 9 April 2022 Junior Morias Dagenham & Redbridge Barnet 7–3 15 April 2022 Emmanuel Dieseruvwe Grimsby Town Eastleigh 4–4 15 April 2022
Notes 5 Player scored 5 goals
Monthly awards
Each month the Vanarama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.
MonthManager of the MonthClubPlayer of the MonthClubAugust/September 2021 Daryl McMahonDagenham & Redbridge Kabongo TshimangaChesterfieldOctober 2021 Neal ArdleySolihull Moors Ryan BootSolihull MoorsNovember 2021 Darren SarllYeovil Town Paul MullinWrexhamDecember 2021 Daryl McMahonDagenham & Redbridge Matty WarburtonFC Halifax TownJanuary 2022 Dave ChallinorStockport County Andrew DallasSolihull MoorsFebruary 2022 Luke GarrardBoreham Wood Elisha SamNotts CountyMarch 2022 Phil ParkinsonWrexham Paddy MaddenStockport CountyApril 2022 Paul Hurst Grimsby Town Junior MoriasDagenham & Redbridge
National League North
The National League North consisted of 22 teams for the final time.
Team changes Following the COVID-19 pandemic-related cancellation of the four Step 3 leagues' 2020–21 seasons, no teams were promoted to or relegated from the National League North.
To National League North Relegated from 2020–21 National League None
From National League North Promoted to 2021–22 National League None
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAFC FyldeWeshamMill Farm 6,000AFC Telford UnitedTelfordNew Bucks Head 6,300Alfreton TownAlfretonNorth Street 3,600Blyth SpartansBlythCroft Park 4,435Boston United Boston Boston Community Stadium 5,061Brackley Town Brackley St. James Park 3,500Bradford (Park Avenue) BradfordHorsfall Stadium 3,500Chester ChesterDeva Stadium 6,500Chorley ChorleyVictory Park 4,100Curzon Ashton Ashton-under-Lyne Tameside Stadium 4,000DarlingtonDarlington Blackwell Meadows 3,300Farsley CelticFarsleyThe Citadel3,900Gateshead GatesheadGateshead International Stadium 11,800Gloucester City Gloucester Meadow Park 3,600Guiseley GuiseleyNethermoor Park 4,200Hereford HerefordEdgar Street 5,213Kettering TownKettering Latimer Park (groundshare with Burton Park Wanderers) 2,400Kidderminster Harriers KidderminsterAggborough 6,238Leamington Leamington New Windmill Ground 2,300Southport SouthportHaig Avenue 6,008Spennymoor TownSpennymoor The Brewery Field 4,300York City YorkYork Community Stadium 8,500
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentGloucester City Paul GrovesSacked 25 September 202120th Lee Mansell 25 September 2021AFC Telford United Gavin Cowan5 October 202120th Dennis Greene (caretaker)28 October 2021Curzon Ashton Steve Cunningham18 October 20216th Adam Lakeland28 October 2021York City Steve Watson13 November 202111th John Askey13 November 2021Blyth Spartans Michael Nelson17 November 202122nd Terry Mitchell29 November 2021AFC Telford United Dennis GreeneEnd of interim spell21 November 202122nd Paul Carden21 November 2021Chester Anthony Johnson and Bernard MorleySacked24 November 202116th Steve Watson23 December 2021Spennymoor Town Tommy Miller5 December 202113th Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley13 December 2021Boston United Craig Elliott4 January 20227th Paul Cox21 January 2022Kettering Town Paul CoxSigned by Boston United21 January 20228th Ian Culverhouse 23 January 2022Farsley Celtic Neil RossSacked27 January 202221st Russ Wilcox9 February 2022AFC Fylde Jim Bentley4 March 20224th James Rowe7 March 2022
National League North table
Results table
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Macaulay LangstaffGateshead282 Nick HaughtonAFC Fylde263 Glen TaylorSpennymoor Town254 Cedwyn ScottGateshead245 Danny ElliottBoston United196 Ashley HemmingsKidderminster Harriers157 Jordan McFarlane-ArcherSouthport14 Lee NdlovuBrackley Town JJ O'DonnellBlyth Spartans10 Jason OswellAFC Telford United13 Tom Owen-EvansHereford
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Glen Taylor Spennymoor Town Farsley Celtic 6–0 11 September 2021 Marcus Carver Southport Boston United 4–1 13 November 2021 Jack Lambert Darlington Farsley Celtic 0–6 8 January 2022 Matt Lowe Brackley Town Guiseley 0–5 8 March 2022 Alex Curran Curzon Ashton Bradford (Park Avenue) 2–3 12 March 2022 Cedwyn Scott Gateshead Curzon Ashton 4–0 22 March 2022
Monthly awards
Each month the Vanarama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.