The curtain has come down on the 2024/25 National League season, and the campaign was a stellar one for Barnet. Despite stuttering their way over the line in the end, the London-based outfit proved that they were a class above the rest of the field this season, racking up a whopping 102 points en route to claiming the title. Propelled by the 18 goals of striker Callum Stead, the Bees ultimately finished six points clear of York City and secured a return to the Football League after seven years away.
Now, attention turns to the playoffs, and as we have seen in recent years, it’s not always the team that online sports betting sites have listed as the favourite that goes on to secure promotion. This year, the latest online sports betting at Bovada odds currently makes the aforementioned Minstermen as the 6/4 favourites to build upon their impressive league campaign by ultimately securing promotion. However, as these contests will prove to you, always expect the unexpected in the playoffs.
Here are our wildest National League Playoff Finals in recent memory.
Notts County Hold Their Nerve
Back in the 2022/23 season, Wrexham and Notts County had a title fight for the ages. The Red Dragons were flush with cash following their Hollywood takeover led by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Welsh outfit were considered a huge favourite to secure automatic promotion, but ultimately, the Magpies would push them all the way.
County ended up finishing the regular season with a mighty 107 points, the largest total ever amassed by a team that ultimately didn’t win the league. That honour went to Wrexham, who finished four points further ahead and consigned the East Midlands club to the lottery of the playoffs. What followed would jangle the nerves of even the most ardent Notts supporter.
In the semifinals, the Meadow Lane outfit managed to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Boreham Wood. A 96th-minute equaliser from Aden Baldwin forced extra time before a 120th-minute winner from Malta international Jodi Jones punched their tickets to the final. There, they would meet rivals Chesterfield at Wembley, and they would have to come back once again.
The Spireites took the lead in the fifth minute when Andrew Dallas calmly slotted home from the penalty spot, and it looked as though that would be the only goal of the game. Then, with time ticking away, midfielder John Bostock equalised with just three minutes to go to force extra time. Once again, though, County were immediately under pressure and they conceded just three minutes into the additional period through Armando Dobra.
Again, County fought back. They equalised with barely ten minutes remaining through Rúben Rodrigues, forcing a penalty shootout. Despite Bostock missing from the spot with the chance to secure the victory, Notts held their nerve. Two penalty saves from substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair were enough to seal the deal, securing a deserved promotion for the league runners-up and consigning Chesterfield to another year in the fifth tier.
Newport Down Wrexham in All-Welsh Showpiece
A decade before Wrexham’s Hollywood resurrection, a very different version of the Red Dragons made the trip down Wembley Way for the second time in their history, and just the second time in a few months. After never playing at the famous stadium throughout the entirety of their 149-year history, Wrexham had travelled to London for the FA Trophy just a few months prior, and they emerged victorious with a penalty shootout win against Grimsby Town. Months later, they were back, with promotion on the line.
Throughout the regular season, the title fight was between Mansfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers, with the former eventually triumphing over the latter on the final day of the season. As such, many thought that the league runners-up were the favourites to win the playoffs, but fate had other ideas. Kidderminster were stunned by Wrexham in the semifinals, with the Welsh side winning 5-2 on aggregate despite finishing some 13 points behind during the regular season.
Fellow Welsh outfit Newport County would be their opponents, a team that didn’t concede a single goal throughout their two-legged semi-final victory against Grimsby. It marked the first time in history that two Welsh teams had contested the playoff final, and it was Wrexham that would have the lion’s share of the supporters in attendance, with over 25,000 making the trip from North Wales. But unfortunately for them, the tale would have a bitter end.
Wrexham were arguably the better team on the day, with veteran striker Brett Ormerod squandering three gilt-edged chances to give his side the lead. In the end, his side would be punished for the missed opportunities. With just four minutes remaining, Newport striker Christian Jolley took advantage of a weak back pass from defender David Artell to lob past goalkeeper Chris Maxwell. Then, deep into injury time, Newport managed to break away from a Wrexham corner and seal the deal through Aaron O’Connor.
The 2-0 victory propelled Newport to the Football League for the first time in a quarter of a century. Wrexham, meanwhile, wouldn’t come close to promotion again until Reynolds and McElhenney swooped in to take them on the ride of a lifetime.
