Not everything goes to plan within a football season. Clubs get relegated through a series of events that just can’t be planned for. But on the flip side of that, there are plenty of unexpected stories to be found with a positive outcome on the whole.
All three National League divisions provided their own thrills and spills across the year and here are five unexpected moments picked by The Real EFL writer Trevor Knell. What would you have picked?
No one could have had Boreham Wood to be one of the four sides relegated in the August predictions. Under Luke Garrard the Meadow Park outfit have spent more time competing in the play-off’s than focusing on staying away from the relegation zone.
Only a year previous they were 45 minutes from a Wembley return until Notts County took control of the tie and the Magpies themselves sealing a promotion back to the EFL.
A disastrous year for the Wood seemed to spark into life after Easter as Garrard announced his departure after nine years at the helm. A three match unbeaten run took them into a final day showdown with Ebbsfleet United. The age old problem of not scoring enough goals produced a blank scoreline and Boreham Wood went down by a single point to begin the post Garrard era back in the National League South.
Wealdstone were nose-diving head first into the same division as the Wood. Having lost manager Stuart Maynard and his staff to League Two Notts County in January the Stones appointed David Noble from St Albans City as their first full time manager.
The move couldn’t have gone more wrong as the Grosvenor Vale outfit plunged down the table on a run of two league wins in 16 matches, forcing the club to sack Noble with five games remaining in order to preserve their National League status.
Enter Sam Cox. The former Stone and Barnet midfielder arrived at the club as part of the new management teams and assumed interim charge. The remit was simple, secure enough points to keep the club at non-league’s top level.
What happened was quite remarkable. Under the pressure of five games in eleven days Cox guided the Stones to three wins in five games but only assured of safety on the final day with a 3-2 win over Rochdale and other results going their way.
There is very little doubt Wealdstone could well have been joining Boreham Wood or replacing them in the bottom four had the bold change not been made in time for Cox to work his magic.
One of the sides the Stones beat in that mini run was Dorking Wanderers. The story of the Surrey club’s rise has been well documented, 12 promotions in 22 years is unlikely to be matched.
Manager and owner Marc White has presided over each achievement, something that would have been surpassed by remaining in the National League for a third consecutive season.
Hosting champions-elect Chesterfield one Saturday lunchtime in March, they belied their relegation fears and tore the Spireites apart plundering four goals and seeing those around them in the bottom half fearing White’s men would start a run of form.
Ultimately both sides did exit the National League, but at opposite ends and a first time relegation for the side from Meadowbank sees White needing to mastermind another promotion charge from the competitive National League South.
Like the prediction for Boreham Wood to get relegated, almost none went for Tamworth to be champions of the National League North.
Having only been promoted the season before from the Southern League Premier Central the Lambs supporters would have been expecting a season of consolidation. With Scunthorpe United expected to sweep all before them and sides with bigger budgets in the frame Tamworth made light work of them all and romped to the title with two games to spare.
A double promotion for manager Andy Peaks gives the ex- AFC Rushden & Diamonds boss the chance to pit his wits against more full time sides in the National League next season.
Having conceded just 29 goals last year The Lambs will need to draw on that miserly record to keep themselves competitive again.
As 2024 began both Welling United and Eastbourne Borough were entrenched in the National League South bottom four. With Havant & Waterlooville and Dover Athletic adrift underneath them all four sides were seemingly doomed despite four months of the season to go.
Both clubs made a managerial change, Rod Stringer arrived at Park View Road and Adam Murray checked in at Priory Lane on the South Coast early in 2024. Stringer’s impact was immediate culminating with the Wings going on a run of just two defeats in their last 18 games.
Borough’s revival took a little longer, a side ravaged by injury and inexperience slowly turned the corner. They were safe with a game to play by virtue of Taunton Town losing their last game in hand.
While both sides will expect to be at the opposite end of the table next season, this year will serve as a timely reminder that not all works out as it should.
