On Monday, the 2024/25 National League regular season concluded. Everything is now final, including who will take part in the play-offs and who has suffered relegation to the sixth tier.
Who will be playing in the promotion play-offs?
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Although Barnet’s return to the English Football League has been sealed for a while, there was still the final play-off spot to be played for on gameweek 46. With York City, Forest Green, Rochdale, Oldham Athletic, and FC Halifax Town already confirmed in the play-offs, there was just one place remaining.
Ironically, the two teams vying for that one remaining met on the final day, as eighth-place Gateshead hosted seventh-place Southend United. The game at the Gateshead International Stadium ended in a bit of a damp squib of a goalless draw, meaning that the visitors qualified for the play-offs, just a point ahead of the north east outfit.
Gateshead had been in the play-off spots for most of the season. However, they ran out of steam towards the end of the campaign, as the draw meant they had failed to win in four National League games, having previously suffered three straight defeats.
The team’s defensive frailties in those three straight defeats cost them, as they conceded a combined total of eight goals in the three highly costly defeats. Gateshead had even conceded twice in what looked like a vital win at Forest Green Rovers before the three straight defeats.
In contrast, Southend had kept four straight clean sheets in their last four National League games of the season, having ended the campaign with a four-game unbeaten run in the fifth tier. Keith Maher’s team will be looking to continue that undefeated run in the play-offs.
Barnet ended the season as champions with an impressive tally of 102 points. The Bees ended their campaign with a five-game unbeaten run, including three straight victories against Sutton United, Aldershot Town and Fylde.
Their strong campaign this season should help them enjoy a strong start to life back in the EFL in season 2025/26.
Tough at the bottom
The fight for survival also went down to the final day. In the end, Dagenham and Redbridge and Maidenhead joined the already relegated Fylde and Ebbsfleet in the sixth tier of English football.
Dagenham and Redbridge finished just a point adrift of 20th-place Wealdstone after a last-day 1-1 draw at Solihull Moors. The Daggers were actually out of the drop zone before the final game, but Wealdstone preserved their fifth-tier status by recording a 3-1 home win over FC Halifax Town.
Wealdstone’s win was also bad news for 22nd-place Maidenhead, who finished level on points with Dagenham and Redbridge. Maidenhead suffered relegation, despite winning their final game of the season 3-0 against Boston United. The odds were always going to be against them, as they needed both of their rivals to slip up in order to preserve their fifth-tier status.
In truth, Fylde and Ebbsfleet had long been relegated. Fylde finished 13 points adrift of safety, while Ebbsfleet picked up just 22 points over the campaign, so they had all but suffered relegation a long time ago.
The play-off decided
The season is far from over yet, though, in the National League. Rochdale, who finished fourth place, will face seventh-place Southend United in a play-off semi-final eliminator. The winner of the eliminator will then travel to Forest Green Rovers for the semi-final.
In the other semi-final eliminator, Oldham Athletic and FC Halifax Town will clash for the right to visit league runners-up York City in the semi-final.
This season has been another extraordinary campaign in the National League. Once again, it has illustrated why the fifth tier of English football is regarded as such an exciting league to watch.