Calls from Rochdale and across Parliament to reform promotion from the National League have gathered pace after the English Football League chair said the current system is indefensible.
The chair of the English Football League, Rick Parry, has accepted that allowing only one automatic promotion place from the National League cannot be justified, following a House of Commons debate driven by MPs representing towns with non league clubs.
The debate was secured by Jonathan Brash and focused on the long standing campaign to introduce three promotion places from the fifth tier, bringing it into line with the rest of the professional game. MPs set out the sporting, economic and civic case for reform, arguing that the current bottleneck penalises well run clubs and the towns they represent.
Rochdale’s MP Paul Waugh spoke during the debate to underline the issue from a local perspective, pointing to the position of Rochdale AFC at the top of the National League following a period of renewal, community investment and rebuilding after relegation.
He told MPs, “Rochdale is a good example of why this matters. We have a club that has stabilised, invested in its community and delivered on the pitch. But this isn’t just about Rochdale. Too many clubs have shown extraordinary consistency over a full season and still been denied promotion. That damages confidence in the game and in the pyramid.”
Following pressure from MPs, Mr Parry described the lack of three National League promotion places as indefensible and said the game must look down as well as up when considering reform.
The Sports Minister, Ian Murray, welcomed the cross party support for the campaign and paid tribute to the role football clubs play beyond the pitch. Responding to Mr Waugh, he praised Rochdale supporter organisations including The Dale Trust and Dale 1907, saying football clubs across the country were supported by strong community spirits, charities and trusts that do significant work in their local areas.
Supporters of reform argue that National League clubs are now full time, highly regulated and deeply embedded in their communities, and that continued stagnation risks discouraging investment, undermining sustainability and weakening trust in football governance.
The issue is expected to be discussed at forthcoming English Football League meetings, with MPs, clubs and supporter groups calling for a formal debate and vote to ensure promotion reflects sporting merit and the realities of the modern game.
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