Call grows for third National League spot

As Oldham Athletic celebrate their return to the Football League after defeating Southend United in a thrilling Wembley playoff there have been strong calls for the National League to be given three promotion slots to League Two as opposed to the current two.

- By Nobby Piles

As it stands there is one automatic promotion spot for the top team which this year was Barnet, while the next six battle it out in playoffs for the second promotion place. In most divisions of the Football League it is three up and three down with the exception being four down from League One while League Two has four promotions and just two relegations.

What has prompted the renewed call for a change in the National League this year is that York City who finished second in the league were not promoted despite being 23 points ahead of promoted Oldham who were fifth and 28 clear of seventh-placed Southend.

Oldham beat York 3-0 in the playoffs fairly and squarely, but it does seem unjust that a team which performed so well over the whole season and earning a huge 96 points ends up with nothing.