Rochdale and York MPs back campaign for extra National League promotion place

The MPs for Rochdale and York have joined forces to support a national campaign calling for two automatic promotion places from the National League, as they joked about which of their clubs will finish top this season.

Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale and a long standing Rochdale AFC supporter, has teamed up with York Central MP Luke Charters to back the 3 UP campaign. The proposal would see two clubs promoted automatically from the National League to the English Football League, with a third going up through the play offs.

Under the current system, only one club is automatically promoted from the National League. Last season York City missed out despite finishing 20 points above eventual play off winners Oldham Athletic.

Rochdale and York are currently among the leading sides in the division, but as it stands only the team finishing first is guaranteed promotion.

In a light hearted video shared as part of the campaign, both MPs backed their own clubs to top the table. Mr Waugh joked that when Rochdale and York meet on the final day of the season on 25 April, it would “be too late by then” for York City to catch up.

The campaign gathered support in Westminster this week, with dozens of cross party MPs attending an event in Westminster Hall to call for change. Politicians urged English Football League executives to amend the rules and bring the National League in line with other divisions in the professional pyramid.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, attended the event to show support for the campaign, although the Government and the proposed Independent Football Regulator have maintained a neutral position on promotion and relegation matters.

The 3 UP campaign says 93 per cent of surveyed supporters back the change. A recent Day of Action saw 200 clubs kick off at 3.03pm to highlight the issue.

The English Football League has confirmed it will discuss the proposal at its all club meetings next month, although no formal vote has yet been scheduled.

National League chair Jack Pearce welcomed the talks and said the response to the campaign over the past year had been “nothing short of remarkable”. He said even the EFL had acknowledged that the current arrangements are “indefensible” in the long term.

He added that while the EFL has suggested reform should be linked to wider financial changes, the National League believes the introduction of two automatic promotion places could be implemented quickly. It has been 23 years since a second promotion spot was introduced.

The Westminster event was coordinated by Dr Beccy Cooper, MP for Worthing West, whose local club plays in the National League South. She said the proposal would help protect community clubs and strengthen the football pyramid.

The National League, currently branded as the Enterprise National League, includes 72 clubs across three divisions. Its top tier sits directly below the English Football League.

English Football League clubs are due to meet in the week beginning 2 March to debate the proposal. Campaigners say they want to see two automatic promotion places in place for next season.