The 2023–24 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the ninth season under the title of the National League, the twentieth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-fifth season overall.
National League
Twenty-four teams compete in the league – eighteen returning teams from the previous season, two teams relegated from League Two, two teams promoted from the National League North and two teams promoted from the National League South.
Team changes
To National League Promoted from 2022–23 National League North AFC Fylde Kidderminster Harriers
Promoted from 2022–23 National League South Ebbsfleet United Oxford City
Relegated from 2022–23 League Two Rochdale Hartlepool United
From National League Promoted to 2023–24 League Two Wrexham Notts County
Relegated to 2023–24 National League North Scunthorpe United
Relegated to 2023–24 National League South Maidstone United Torquay United Yeovil Town
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAFC FyldeWeshamMill Farm 6,000Aldershot 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 ChesterfieldSMH Group Stadium 10,504Dagenham & Redbridge London Victoria Road 6,078Dorking Wanderers Dorking Meadowbank 4,200Eastleigh EastleighTen Acres 5,250Ebbsfleet UnitedNorthfleetStonebridge Road 4,800Gateshead GatesheadGateshead International Stadium 11,800FC Halifax Town HalifaxThe Shay 10,400 Hartlepool United Hartlepool Victoria Park 7,856Kidderminster HarriersKidderminsterAggborough 6,238Maidenhead United MaidenheadYork Road 4,000Oldham Athletic Oldham Boundary Park 13,513Oxford City Oxford RAW Charging Stadium 3,500Rochdale Rochdale Spotland Stadium 10,249Solihull Moors SolihullDamson Park 5,500Southend United Southend-on-Sea Roots Hall 12,392Wealdstone London Grosvenor Vale 4,085Woking WokingKingfield Stadium 6,036York City YorkYork Community Stadium 8,500
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAFC Fylde Chris Beech Alex Whitmore New BalanceFWP ArchitectureAldershot Town Tommy Widdrington Stuart O'Keefe ErreàBridges Estate AgentsAltrincham Phil Parkinson James Jones PumaJ Davidson LtdBarnet Dean Brennan Dale Gorman StannoTIC HealthBoreham Wood Luke Garrard Jack Payne PumaAlan Swan - Wood ArmyBromley Andy Woodman Byron Webster MacronLSP RenewablesChesterfield Paul Cook Jamie Grimes PumaLeengate ValvesDagenham & Redbridge Ben Strevens Elliot Justham AdmiralWest & CoeDorking Wanderers Marc White Barry Fuller MacronHex.comEastleigh Kelvin Davis Aaron Martin ErreàUtilitaEbbsfleet United Danny Searle Chris Solly New BalanceVirtue Clean EnergyFC Halifax Town Chris Millington Sam Johnson AdidasNuieGateshead Rob Elliot Greg Olley PatrickGateshead CentralHartlepool United Kevin Phillips David Ferguson ErreàThe Prestige GroupKidderminster Harriers Phil Brown Shane Byrne OxenAdam Hewitt LtdMaidenhead United Alan Devonshire Alan Massey KelmeCALMOldham Athletic Micky Mellon Liam Hogan PumaRRG GroupOxford City Ross Jenkins Reece Fleet MacronRAW ChargingRochdale Jimmy McNulty Ethan Ebanks-Landell O'NeillsCrown Oil LtdSolihull Moors Andy WhingVacant AdidasTaxbuddiSouthend United Kevin Maher Nathan Ralph MacronSolopressWealdstone Sam Cox Jack Cook KelmeGPF LewisWoking Michael Doyle Josh Casey AdidasBoz's Fruit & VegYork City Adam Hinshelwood Lenell John-Lewis PumaTitan Wealth
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentSolihull Moors Neal ArdleyMutual consent25 June 2023Pre-season Andy Whing 28 June 2023Eastleigh Lee BradburySacked26 August 202321st Richard Hill26 August 2023York City Michael Morton28 August 202323rd Neal Ardley6 September 2023Oldham Athletic David Unsworth 17 September 202322nd Steve Thompson (interim)17 September 2023AFC Fylde Adam Murray9 October 202324th Chris Beech8 October 2023Oldham Athletic Steve ThompsonEnd of interim spell12 October 202312th Micky Mellon13 October 2023Gateshead Mike WilliamsonSigned by Milton Keynes Dons17 October 20236th Rob Elliot20 June 2024Woking Darren SarllSacked13 November 202314th Michael Doyle 17 December 2023Hartlepool United John Askey30 December 202318th Lennie Lawrence (interim)3 January 2024Kidderminster Harriers Russell Penn7 January 202424th Phil Brown10 January 2024Wealdstone Stuart MaynardSigned by Notts County18 January 202413th David Noble26 January 2024Hartlepool United Lennie LawrenceEnd of interim spell20 January 202413th Kevin Phillips20 January 2024Ebbsfleet United Dennis KutriebSacked29 January 202421st Danny Searle13 February 2024Eastleigh Richard Hill17 February 202415th Kelvin Davis19 February 2024York City Neal Ardley26 February 202420th Adam Hinshelwood27 February 2024Wealdstone David Noble 7 April 202420th Sam Cox (interim)7 April 2024
National League table
Results table
Play-offs On 21 April 2024, it was announced that Gateshead would be forced to withdraw from the play-offs after failing to meet the entry criteria for membership of the English Football League, namely failing to attain a 10-year security of tenure for the Gateshead International Stadium.
It was initially announced that as a result of Gateshead's withdrawal, Solihull Moors would receive a bye to the semi-finals. A second statement was later put out by the National League, adjusting the structure of the play-offs to be based on final league positions. This revision meant that Altrincham would automatically advance to the semi-finals to face Bromley, whilst Solihull Moors would face FC Halifax Town in the quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Paul McCallum Eastleigh312 Will Grigg Chesterfield25 Nicke Kabamba Barnet4 Emmanuel Dieseruvwe Hartlepool United235 Chris Conn-Clarke Altrincham226 Michael Cheek Bromley217 Marcus Dinanga Gateshead19 Lorent Tolaj Aldershot Town9 Harry Cardwell Southend United18 Nick Haughton AFC Fylde
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Stephen Wearne Gateshead Ebbsfleet United 4–1 19 August 2023 Paul McCallum Eastleigh Ebbsfleet United 5–2 3 October 2023 Daniel Kanu4 Southend United Solihull Moors 5–0 21 October 2023 Billy ChadwickGatesheadDorking Wanderers6–011 November 2023 Nicke KabambaBarnetBoreham Wood6–023 December 2023 Sean AdarkwaWealdstoneHartlepool United4–4 Paul McCallumEastleighDagenham & Redbridge4–41 January 2024 Will GriggChesterfieldGateshead5–010 January 2024 Josh ReesDagenham & RedbridgeOxford City7–110 February 2024 Michael CheekBromleyChesterfield4–317 February 2024 Marcus DinangaGatesheadOxford City4–024 February 2024 Paul McCallumEastleighSolihull Moors3–32 March 2024
Monthly awards Each month the Vanarama National League announces their official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month.
MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthReferenceAugust Andy WhingSolihull Moors Emmanuel DieseruvweHartlepool UnitedSeptember Andy WoodmanBromley Marcus DinangaGatesheadOctober Kevin MaherSouthend United Ollie BanksChesterfieldNovember Tommy WiddringtonAldershot Town Stephen WearneGatesheadDecember Andy WoodmanBromley Paul McCallumEastleighJanuary Paul CookChesterfield Lorent TolajAldershot TownFebruary Danny SearleEbbsfleet United Callum WhelanGatesheadMarch Ben StrevensDagenham & Redbridge Dajaune BrownGatesheadApril Dean BrennanBarnet Sam BeckwithMaidenhead United
Annual awards AwardWinnerClubPlayer of the Season Chris Conn-Clarke AltrinchamManager of the Season Paul Cook Chesterfield
National League Team of the Season Pos.PlayerClubGK Grant SmithBromleyRB Gus Scott-MorrissSouthend UnitedCB Danny CollingeBarnetCB Jamie GrimesChesterfieldLB Ollie HarfieldAldershot TownCM Tom NaylorChesterfieldCM Anthony HartiganBarnetCM Liam MandevilleChesterfieldAM Chris Conn-ClarkeAltrinchamCF Paul McCallumEastleighCF Will GriggChesterfield
National League North
The National League North consists of 24 teams.
Team changes
To National League North Relegated from 2022–23 National League Scunthorpe United
Promoted from 2022–23 Isthmian League Bishop's Stortford
Promoted from 2022–23 Northern Premier League South Shields Warrington Town
Promoted from 2022–23 Southern League Tamworth Rushall Olympic
From National League North Promoted to 2023–24 National League AFC Fylde Kidderminster Harriers
Relegated to the 2023–24 Southern League AFC Telford United Kettering Town Leamington
Relegated to the 2023–24 Northern Premier League Bradford (Park Avenue)
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAlfreton TownAlfretonNorth Street 3,600Banbury UnitedBanbury Spencer Stadium 2,000Bishop's Stortford Bishop's Stortford Woodside Park 4,525Blyth SpartansBlythCroft Park 4,435Boston UnitedBoston Boston Community Stadium 5,061Brackley TownBrackley St. James Park 3,500Buxton BuxtonThe Silverlands 5,200ChesterChesterDeva Stadium 6,500ChorleyChorleyVictory Park 4,100Curzon AshtonAshton-under-Lyne Tameside Stadium 4,000DarlingtonDarlington Blackwell Meadows 3,300Farsley CelticFarsleyThe Citadel3,900Gloucester CityGloucester Meadow Park 3,600HerefordHerefordEdgar Street 5,250King's Lynn TownKing's LynnThe Walks 8,200Peterborough SportsPeterboroughLincoln Road 2,300Rushall OlympicWalsall Dales Lane 2,000Scarborough AthleticScarborough Flamingo Land Stadium 2,833Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpeGlanford Park 9,088South ShieldsSouth Shields1st Cloud Arena 3,500SouthportSouthportHaig Avenue 6,008Spennymoor TownSpennymoor The Brewery Field 4,300TamworthTamworthThe Lamb Ground 4,565Warrington TownWarringtonCantilever Park3,500
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentSouth Shields Kevin PhillipsMutual consent22 April 2023Pre-season Julio Arca27 April 2023Hereford Yan KlukowskiEnd of interim spell29 April 2023 Paul Caddis1 May 2023Spennymoor Town Jason Ainsley Jamie Chandler18 May 2023Gloucester City Steve KingResigned9 May 2023 Tim Flowers19 May 2023Brackley Town Gareth DeanEnd of interim spell14 May 2023 Gavin Cowan16 May 2023Farsley Celtic Russ WilcoxMutual consent17 May 2023 Clayton Donaldson7 June 2023Banbury United Andy WhingResigned22 May 2023 Mark Jones5 June 2023Southport Liam WatsonPromoted to Director of Football17 August 202324th Jim Bentley29 August 2023Darlington Alun ArmstrongSacked6 September 202324th Josh Gowling20 September 2023Gloucester City Tim Flowers17 September 202323rd Mike Cook19 September 2023Spennymoor Town Jamie ChandlerResigned22 September 20234th Graeme Lee2 January 2024King's Lynn Town Mark HughesSacked25 September 202322nd Adam Lakeland28 September 2023Curzon Ashton Adam LakelandSigned by King's Lynn Town28 September 20237th Craig Mahon28 September 2023Darlington Josh GowlingSacked26 December 202323rd Steve Watson31 December 2023South Shields Julio Arca27 December 20238th Elliott Dickman 27 December 2023Blyth Spartans Graham Fenton28 December 202314th Jon Shaw29 December 2023Banbury United Mark Jones25 January 202420th Kevin Wilson30 January 2024Blyth Spartans Jon Shawhttps://www.blythspartans.com/club-statement-jon-shaw-departs-croft-park/ 29 April 202421st Nolberto Solano3 May 2024
National League North table
Results table
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Paul Blackett South Shields302 Danny Whitehall Scunthorpe United213 Danny Newton Brackley Town194 Jimmy Knowles Boston United185 Diego De Girolamo Buxton16 Will Harris Spennymoor Town Kelsey Mooney Boston United Jordan Thewlis Alfreton Town Danny Waldron Rushall Olympic
Hat-tricks