The National League South, formerly Conference South, is one of the two second divisions of the National League in England, immediately below the top division National League. Along with National League North, it is in the second level of the National League System, and is the sixth tier overall of the English football league system, and includes teams from the South East, London, and the South West, as well as teams from Essex.
| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Number of teams | 24 |
| Level on pyramid | 6 Step 2 (National League System) |
| Promotion to | National League |
| Relegation to | Isthmian League Premier Division Southern League Premier Division South |
| Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup FA Trophy Conference League Cup (defunct) |
| International cup(s) | Europa League (via FA Cup) |
| Current champions | Yeovil Town (1st title) (2023–24) |
| Top goalscorer | Shaun Jeffers (129) |
| Website | National League |
| Current: 2024–25 National League South | |
The National League South was introduced in 2004 as part of a major restructuring of the National League System. Each year the champion of the league is automatically promoted to the National League. A second promotion place goes to the winner of a play-off involving the teams finishing in second to seventh place (expanded from four to six teams in the 2017–18 season).[1] The three bottom clubs were relegated to Step 3 leagues.
For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Blue Square South (2007–2010), Blue Square Bet South (2010–2013), Skrill South (2013–2014),[2] the Vanarama Conference South (2014–2015), the Vanarama National League South (2015–2019) and the Motorama National League South following a three-year sponsorship deal announced in January 2019. Since the start of the 2015–16 season, the league is known as the National League South.[3]
The National League South was reduced to 21 clubs for 2020–21[4] and was expected to expand to 24 teams in 2021–22.[5][6] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2020–21 National League South season was curtailed and voided after written resolutions were put to a vote. No teams were relegated.[7] Expansion would be implemented before the 2022–23 season, when the bottom club was relegated and four were promoted from Step 3.[8] There are four relegations from the South since 2023.
Current member clubs, 2023–24
The current member clubs for the 2023–24 season are as follows:
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| Club | Finishing position 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Aveley | 4th in Isthmian League (promoted) |
| Bath City | 11th |
| Braintree Town | 7th |
| Chelmsford City | 5th |
| Chippenham Town | 13th |
| Dartford | 2nd |
| Dover Athletic | 20th |
| Eastbourne Borough | 8th |
| Farnborough | 12th |
| Hampton & Richmond Borough | 17th |
| Havant & Waterlooville | 10th |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | 15th |
| Maidstone United | 24th in National League (relegated) |
| Slough Town | 18th |
| St Albans City | 6th |
| Taunton Town | 14th |
| Tonbridge Angels | 9th |
| Torquay United | 21st in National League (relegated) |
| Truro City | 3rd in Southern League (promoted) |
| Welling United | 16th |
| Weston-super-Mare | 1st in Southern League (promoted) |
| Weymouth | 19th |
| Worthing | 4th |
| Yeovil Town | 22nd in National League (relegated) |
Current league stadia 2023–24
The stadiums of all teams in the league for the 2023–24 season are listed below in capacity order:
| Home club | Stadium name | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Yeovil Town | Huish Park | 9,565 |
| Bath City | Twerton Park | 8,840 |
| Farnborough | Cherrywood Road | 7,000 |
| Weymouth | Bob Lucas Stadium | 6,600 |
| Torquay United | Plainmoor | 6,500 |
| Dover Athletic | Crabble Athletic Ground | 5,745 |
| Havant & Waterlooville | West Leigh Park | 5,300 |
| St Albans City | Clarence Park | 5,007 |
| Maidstone United | Gallagher Stadium | 4,200 |
| Eastbourne Borough | Priory Lane | 4,151 |
| Dartford | Princes Park | 4,100 |
| Braintree Town | Cressing Road | 4,085 |
| Welling United | Park View Road | 4,000 |
| Worthing | Woodside Road | 4,000 |
| Tonbridge Angels | Longmead Stadium | 3,000 |
| Aveley | Parkside | 3,500 |
| Hampton & Richmond Borough | Beveree Stadium | 3,500 |
| Truro City | Bolitho Park, Plymouth | 3,500 |
| Weston-super-Mare | Woodspring Stadium | 3,500 |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | Vauxhall Road | 3,152 |
| Chelmsford City | Melbourne Stadium | 3,000 |
| Chippenham Town | Hardenhuish Park | 3,000 |
| Taunton Town | Wordsworth Drive | 3,000 |
| Slough Town | Arbour Park | 2,000 |
Past winners
** Not promoted. In 2004–05 only three promotion places were available to the Conference National. The third place was decided in a Playoff at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, which Eastbourne lost 2–1 to the Conference North playoff winners, Altrincham.
Attendances
Since the 2015–16 season,[3] the highest average National League South attendance was in the 2021–22 season with 1,002 per game, this was also the season for the highest average for a club with 2,712 for Dulwich Hamlet.[9] The lowest average league attendance was in the 2017–18 season with an average of 551 per game.[10] As of January 2024, the league average is at 1,154, with the highest average for Yeovil Town at 3,660.[11]
- Average attendances
| Season | League average attendance | Highest average | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Attendance | |||
| 2012–13 | 487 | Salisbury City | 886[12] | |
| 2013–14 | 461 | Ebbsfleet United | 1,090[13] | |
| 2014–15 | 521 | Bromley | 1,081[14] | |
| 2015–16[a] | 653 | Maidstone United | 2,222[16] | |
| 2016–17 | 586 | Ebbsfleet United | 1,350[17] | |
| 2017–18 | 551 | Dartford | 1,053[10] | |
| 2018–19 | 877 | Torquay United | 2,551[18] | |
| 2019–20 | 855 | Dulwich Hamlet | 2,200[19] | |
| 2020–21 | No attendances due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021–22 | 1,002 | Dulwich Hamlet | 2,712[9] | |
| 2022–23 | 899 | Dulwich Hamlet | 2,464[20] | |
| 2023–24 | 1,185 | Yeovil Town | 3,916[21] | |
Records
| Biggest home win | 8 – Maidenhead United 8–0 Truro City, 8 September 2012 Ebbsfleet United 8–0 Bishop's Stortford, 21 March 2017, Dorking Wanderers 8-0 Havant and Waterlooville, 26 December 2021 |
| Biggest away win | 7 – Dorchester Town 0–7 Grays Athletic, 23 October 2004 |
| Highest scoring match | 11 – Bognor Regis Town 6–5 Welling United, 11 September 2004 Bath City 7–4 Farnborough, 17 February 2015 |
| Consecutive wins | 12 – Welling United, 2012–13 |
| Consecutive games unbeaten | 25 – Sutton United, 2015–16 |
| Most wins in a season | 32 – Newport County 2009–10 |
| Fewest wins in a season | 4 – Dover Athletic 2023-24 |
| Most defeats in a season | 34 – Fisher Athletic 2008–09 |
| Fewest defeats in a season | 3 – Newport County 2009–10 |
| Most draws in a season | 18 – Hampton & Richmond Borough 2017–18 |
| Fewest draws in a season | 3 – Redbridge 2004–05 Eastleigh 2005–06 Fisher Athletic 2008–09 |
| Most goals scored in a season | 118 – Grays Athletic, 2004–05 |
| Fewest goals scored in a season | 22 – Fisher Athletic 2008–09 |
| Most goals conceded in a season | 103 – Weymouth 2009–10 |
| Fewest goals conceded in a season | 26 – Newport County, 2009–10 |
| Most clean sheets in a season | 23 – Newport County 2009–10 |
| Most points in a season | 103 – Newport County 2009–10 & Ebbsfleet United 2022-23 |
| Most individual goals in a season | 44 – Dave Tarpey (Maidenhead United), 2016–17 |
| Top goalscorer | 129 – Shaun Jeffers (St Albans City, Chelmsford City, Hampton & Richmond Borough)[22] |
| Most individual goals in a game | 6 – Mitchell Bryant, Weymouth 0–6 Basingstoke Town, 13 February 2010 |
| Highest attendance | 6,462 – Yeovil Town vs. Torquay United, 29 March 2024[23] |
| Highest average attendance | 3,916 – Yeovil Town, 2023–24[24] |
| Lowest home attendance | 52 out of 2,812 - Truro City vs. Torquay United, 1 January 2019 |
| Highest away attendance | 2,760 out of 2,812 - Truro City vs. Torquay United, 1 January 2019 |