Imagine the scene. Your team has just scored a goal in the 95th minute to go top of the league in the last game of the season. Playing your title rivals, you go on to concede seven minutes later and miss out on automatic promotion, despite recording 106 points.
This was the reality for Rochdale AFC fans this weekend, as York City’s equaliser took them to the top of the National League, cementing their automatic promotion to the English Football League.
Only one team from the National League gains a place directly through league position, while teams between second and seventh compete in a play-off, ending in a final at Wembley.
After their heartbreaking 1-1 draw at the Crown Oil Arena, Rochdale are now left fighting for a place in League Two through the National League playoffs.
“How does that motivate you when you know that you’re two points away or one point away, and you’re not going up automatically?” said York City co-owner Julia-Anne Uggla.
“Look at every other league above us and below us, [where] that’s not the message being sent out.”
No matter how the closing match of the 2025/26 National League season between Rochdale and York culminated, the conversation regarding the promotion places was bound to rear its ugly head.
Having finished just two points behind champions York (108 points), Rochdale could potentially miss out on promotion to a side in Forest Green Rovers or Southend United, who both recorded 25 points fewer over the 46-game season.
York City, however, are no stranger to the cutthroat nature of National League promotion, and were in the headlines for similar reasons last season.
The Minstermen finished six points behind champions Barnet, still achieving an impressive tally of 96 points, but were ultimately displaced from the playoffs by fifth-placed Oldham (73 points).
A Historic Ending
After what was a tense 90 minutes at the Crown Oil Arena, the referee indicated six minutes of additional time.
The hosts barged themselves to the top of the table through Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s header in the 95th minute in what seemed to be the decisive action of the game.
Dieseruvwe’s goal, however, was met by a small pitch invasion from the Dale fans who were convinced the league had been wrapped up for good.
By the time the game had restarted, it was the 103rd minute of play, when York City striker Josh Stones forced the ball just over the line with virtually the last kick of the game.
It begs the question, however, whether Rochdale could have gotten the result over the line if not for the action of the fans?
Speaking after the loss, Rochdale fan Elliot Howells, 27, said: “I was screaming at everyone to get off, to be honest.”
“If we stay off the pitch, the ref maybe gives 30 seconds to a minute to play. Instead, it allows them [York] to have a chat with the manager and reset.”
Howells concluded that “it definitely didn’t help, but ultimately we also have to see the game out.”
What is the 3UP Campaign?
The campaign is aptly named, advocating for an increase in teams promoted to League Two to three clubs, as opposed to the current model of two.
The exact model would be confirmed once implementation has been seriously discussed, but in all likelihood, the top two teams would advance, while four to six teams fight for a place via the play-offs.
The 3UP campaign believes that “levelling up the league with the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) will provide long-term economic benefits and stability to National League clubs.”
While the structured 3UP campaign launched officially in 2025, with the backing of all 72 National League clubs, the seeds had been sown far earlier.
It has been a topic of debate for over 23 years, since the second promotion spot was introduced in 2002.
The decision, however, also rests on the support of the clubs in leagues above them.
Earlier this season, on March 5th, 2026, the EFL approved the expansion of the Championship play-offs from four to six teams.
For Championship clubs, this allows for more opportunities to reach the Premier League and reap the financial rewards of the top flight.
However, for League Two clubs, they must vote in favour of an additional club being relegated from their league.
Thus, despite having greater chances of escaping the National League in the future, were 3UP to be implemented, the short-term risks may put these teams off voting in favour.
Legendary commentator Guy Mowbray believes that certain clubs may be in favour of the campaign, however.
“There are quite a few clubs now that have experienced non-league. I know they’re flying away towards the Premier League, but Wrexham probably would [support the vote] as well,” said Mowbray.
The campaign naturally has the backing of lower-level fans, but it also has the support of Parliamentary figures and iconic footballing names such as Jeff Stelling and Henry Winter.
Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash believes that “it has the ability to return football to what it always has been and should be: for the fans, by the fans – once more, the people’s game.”
An Outdated System?
Much of the debate rests on the sheer amount of growth seen in the National League over the years.
Rochdale fan Elliot Howells said: “Back in the day, [it] used to be all part-time teams.”
“Whereas now, it’s basically League Three where 21 of the teams in the league are professional, and the standard is as good if not better than most of League Two.”
Of the 19 clubs promoted to League Two in the past decade, just four are no longer in the EFL.
Teams that come up from the fifth tier of English football can clearly hold their own, with a great deal of current National League teams having considerable EFL pedigree.
York fans, despite their success this season, still carry the same sentiment.
“It’s the bottleneck of the English Football pyramid, York fans will continue to back it”, said fan Jeremy Gibson, 57, after today’s late drama secured York’s automatic promotion.
The timescale in which this two-team model will continue to feel ‘outdated’ remains to be seen.
Lifelong York City fan Raymond Quinn, 79, has been a member since 1959, when their previous stadium, Bootham Crescent, first had its floodlights installed.
Quinn has enjoyed the majority of his time watching the Minstermen in the EFL, but does not believe he’ll “ever see it [the 3UP Campaign] passed, not in my lifetime.”
Credit for featured image – https://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/news/2025/february/5/national-league-launches-3up-campaign-83209