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      VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE
2017/18
      P W D L F A Pts
 

Leading League goalscorer:
 Andy Cook
(Tranmere Rovers)
 26 goals


 
 Macclesfield Town took the National League honours finishing 10 points clear of runners-up Tranmere Rovers. The title saw the Silkmen win back their Football League place they had lost in 2012.

Tranmere themselves won back the Football League place they had lost in 2015 when beating Boreham Wood in front of a 16,306 Wembley Play Off Final crowd. It was an amazing match. Tranmere went down to 10 men inside the first minute after the sending off of Liam  Ridehalgh but recorded a memorable 2-1 victory.

A significant change in the play-off format in 2017/18 saw two extra clubs involved. The two-legged semis were dropped in favour of single matches with the four matches played prior to the final all being hosted by the side who had finished higher-placed in the League. Fairer or not?

After the amazing season National League sides had in the FA Cup in 2016/17 (Lincoln and Sutton in the 5th Round, Lincoln in the quarter-finals) the 2017/18 season proved a disappointment. No National League sides - in fact no non-league sides - managed to get past the 2nd round of the competition.

 

   1 Macclesfield Town 46 27 11 8 67 46 92 Promoted
    2 Tranmere Rovers 46 24 10 12 78 46 82 Promoted
    3 Sutton United 46 23 10 13 67 53 79 Play Off
    4 Boreham Wood 46 20 15 11 64 47 75 Play Off
    5 Aldershot Town 46 20 15 11 64 52 75 Play Off
    6 Ebbsfleet United 46 19 17 10 64 50 74

Play Off
    7 AFC Fylde 46 20 13 13 82 56 73 Play Off
    8 Dover Athletic 46 20 13 13 62 44 73
    9 Bromley 46 19 13 14 75 58 70
    10 Wrexham 46 17 19 10 49 39 70
    11 Dagenham & Redbridge 46 19 11 16 69 62 68

    12 Maidenhead United 46 17 13 16 65 66 64
    13 Leyton Orient 46 16 12 18 58 56 60
    14 Eastleigh 46 13 17 16 65 72 56

    15 Hartlepool United 46 14 14 18 53 63 56
    16 FC Halifax Town 46 13 16 17 48 58 55
    17 Gateshead 46 12 18 16 62 58 54
    18 Solihull Moors 46 14 12 20 49 60 54
    19 Maidstone United 46 13 15 18 52 64 54
    20 Barrow 46 11 16 19 51 63 49
    21 Woking 46 13 9 24 55 76 48 Relegated
    22 Torquay United 46 10 12 24 45 73 42 Relegated
    23 Chester FC 46 8 13 25 42 79 37

Relegated
    24 Guiseley 46 7 12 27 44 89 33 Relegated
   
   

Promoted Promoted
Champions Macclesfield Town were automatically promoted to the Football League.  Tranmere Rovers were promoted to the Football League through the play-offs. Barnet and Chesterfield were relegated from the Football League to the National League.

Relegated
Chester and Guiseley were relegated to the National League North with Torquay and Woking dropping to the Southern division. Taking their places in the 2018/19 National League were Northern champions Salford City and play-off winners Harrogate Town and from the National League South the champions were Havant & Waterlooville and play-off winners Braintree Town.
   
   
Play Off Qualifiers Play Off
Wed May 2 Aldershot Town 1 - 1 Ebbsfleet United
     Ebbsfleet won 5-4 on penalties
Thu May 3 Boreham Wood 2 - 1 AFC Fylde
Play Off Semi Finals
Sat May 5 Tranmere Rovers 4 - 2 Ebbsfleet United
Sun May 6 Sutton United 2 - 3 Boreham Wood
Play Off Final
(at Wembley Stadium)
Sat May 12 Tranmere Rovers 2 - 1 Boreham Wood
Tranmere were promoted back to the Football League.