2023/24 National League season round-up: Chesterfield crowned champions

Football is still the most popular sport in the UK and has plenty of action outside of the Premier League to entertain fans with. Non-league football is a great example of this and has masses of goals, drama, controversy and magic moments every year for loyal supporters to enjoy. Many people also prefer following non-league teams as this provides a more accessible, grassroots way to get involved with the sport.

The National League season had its fair share of talking points in 2023/24 and was a real showcase for everything this level of UK sport brings to the table. It was also a league that was popular with sports bettors at platforms including Kwiff. This was largely down to the number of easily accessible games there were to wager on in the league and the diverse choice of markets to bet on.

But just what was the story of the 2023/24 campaign now that the dust has finally settled?

Chesterfield promoted as champions

The best place for any review of the recently finished National League campaign to start is with the crowning of Chesterfield as champions. They really turned on the style and ended up well clear of Barnet in second place on 98 points. This included 31 wins and some impressive performances – such as a 2-0 away win at Barnet in February and a 5-0 demolition of Gateshead in January.

Although a mini end of season slump was surprising, the Spireites had already done enough to earn automatic promotion to League Two for 2024/25 and make a much-anticipated return to top-flight football. Paul Cook’s side were superb all season and blew many teams away with their attacking firepower. This included scoring over 100 goals and saw veteran striker Will Grigg net 24 times in 38 appearances. Joe Quigley, Tony Naylor and Armando Dobra also chipped in with their fair share of goals.

Bromley promoted to the EFL via playoffs

Although Chesterfield might have gained promotion automatically by finishing the season as champions, Bromley did not have that luxury. They instead had to get past a tough Solihull Moors side in the National League Promotion Final at Wembley Stadium. This was a dramatic match and one that ultimately came down to penalties.

Skipper Byron Webster was the hero and slotted home the decisive spot-kick after Bromley keeper Grant Smith made two amazing saves. Victory in this game saw the team promoted to the English Football League for the first time in its history and sparked wild celebrations among Andy Woodman’s players.

Prior to this, Woodman’s side had enjoyed a fine season and finished in third place in the table. Michael Cheek was a standout player up front and proved pivotal to Bromley’s eventual promotion push. Players such as Callum Reynolds were also key for the team in 23/24 and helped them concede just 49 goals in 46 games!

Heartbreak for four relegated teams

Although Chesterfield and Bromley had lots to celebrate in 2023/24, the four relegated clubs come season end did not. This included Oxford City, Dorking Wanderers, Boreham Wood and Kidderminster Harriers. Due to their poor results in 2023/24, all of these clubs will now drop down into the sixth tier of English football for the 2024/25 campaign.

For bottom-placed side Oxford City, it really was a leaky defence that proved their undoing over the course of the season. This saw them concede 94 goals in total and only win eight games. They will certainly have to up their game next year in terms of becoming a much tougher unit defensively.

Both Dorking and Kidderminster will not have too many complaints about relegation, after a largely dismal time in 23/24. Both clubs suffered terrible run-ins as the campaign came to an end. This saw Dorking winless in their last 11 and Kidderminster tasting victory only once in their last 10 matches.

Boreham Wood might well be the most disappointed team of those that went down, as they ended the campaign on an impressive four game unbeaten run. This left them just one single point from safety, which must have been very frustrating for manager Luke Garrard.

2023/24 National League season: an overview

As the above shows, the recent National League season had its fair share of stories at both ends of the table. For the sides that gained promotion to League Two, 2023/24 will be a year to remember and one that their fans will have loved. The teams that fell out of the National League, though, will have a much more downbeat view on how things panned out and what the future might hold.