'National League promotion is not fit for purpose'

York City co-owner Julie-Anne Uggla has written an unfastened missive to nan EFL and National League astir nan "glaring imbalance" of nan promotion system.

In February nan 72 clubs successful nan National League, including those successful nan North and South divisions, started nan 3UP campaign that called for 3 teams to spell up from nan 5th tier into nan Football League.

Automatic promotion into nan convention did not beryllium anterior until 1987, pinch nan bottommost 4 EFL clubs alternatively having to past a ballot of personnel clubs to support their place. A 2nd promotion spot was introduced successful 2003 via nan play-off system.

York missed retired connected promotion this play aft finishing 2nd down convention winners Barnet past losing to Oldham - who they vanished 23 points and 3 places up of successful nan last array - successful nan play-offs.

The Latics hit Southend successful Sunday's promotion final to unafraid a return to League Two.

Uggla and her boy Matthew took complete astatine York City, who were relegated from nan Football League successful 2016, successful May 2023.

"I americium penning to definitive my heavy interest and disappointment astatine nan existent promotion strategy betwixt nan National League and League Two, pursuing a play wherever York City FC, contempt finishing 28 points clear of seventh spot and winning 12 much matches, were denied promotion," she said successful a missive published connected nan nine website., external

"Such a glaring imbalance not only undermines sporting merit but erodes nan very foundations of adjacent competition.

"While I americium alert of nan humanities ground for nan two-up structure, it is nary longer fresh for purpose. The spread betwixt nan apical National League clubs and nan little EFL clubs has narrowed, and successful galore cases reversed, making nan lawsuit for three-up promotion beyond compelling.

"The '3UP' run rightly reflects nan sentiment of each National League nine and countless supporters."

Under nan existing format, nan teams who decorativeness 4th and 5th big those who vanished seventh and sixth respectively earlier nan winners of those ties play nan teams who came 2nd and 3rd successful one-off ties.

Last month, York were beaten 3-0 by Oldham successful their tie, while Forest Green, who vanished third, mislaid connected penalties to Southend, who had vanished seventh.