National League to League Two Promotions.
National League / Fifth Tier Promotions To The League Two By Year
| Season | Champion | Play-off winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Wycombe Wanderers | — |
| 1993–94 | Kidderminster Harriers | — (not promoted – ground) |
| 1994–95 | Macclesfield Town | — (not promoted – ground) |
| 1995–96 | Stevenage Borough | — (not promoted – ground) |
| 1996–97 | Macclesfield Town# | — |
| 1997–98 | Halifax Town | — |
| 1998–99 | Cheltenham Town | — |
| 1999–2000 | Kidderminster Harriers | — |
| 2000–01 | Rushden & Diamonds | — |
| 2001–02 | Boston United | — |
| 2002–03 | Yeovil Town | — |
| 2003–04 | Chester City | Shrewsbury Town# |
| 2004–05 | Barnet | Carlisle United# |
| 2005–06 | Accrington Stanley | Hereford United |
| 2006–07 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Morecambe |
| 2007–08 | Aldershot Town | Exeter City# |
| 2008–09 | Burton Albion | Torquay United |
| 2009–10 | Stevenage Borough | Oxford United |
| 2010–11 | Crawley Town | AFC Wimbledon |
| 2011–12 | Fleetwood Town | York City |
| 2012–13 | Mansfield Town | Newport County |
| 2013–14 | Luton Town | Cambridge United# |
| 2014–15 | Bristol Rovers# | Grimsby Town |
| 2015–16 | Cheltenham Town# | Grimsby Town# |
| 2016–17 | Lincoln City# | Forest Green Rovers |
| 2017–18 | Macclesfield Town | Tranmere Rovers# |
| 2018–19 | Leyton Orient | Salford City |
| 2019–20 | Barrow | Harrogate Town |
| 2020–21 | Sutton United | Hartlepool United# |
| 2021–22 | Stockport County | Grimsby Town# |
| 2022–23 | Wrexham | Notts County |
| 2023–24 | Chesterfield | Bromley |
| 2024–25 | Southend United# | Gateshead |
Every club that dropped out of League Two and bounced back the very next season is denoted with #
Notes on promotion system (1992–93 to 2002–03):
- 1992–93 to 2001–02: Only the champion of the Conference (5th tier) was promoted to the Football League (then Division Three, now League Two).
There were no play-offs during this period. - Exceptions due to ground criteria:
– 1993–94: Kidderminster Harriers won the league but were denied promotion (stadium issues).
– 1994–95: Macclesfield Town champions but not promoted (stadium issues).
– 1995–96: Stevenage Borough champions but not promoted (stadium issues).
In these cases, no club was promoted that season. - 2002–03: Yeovil Town were promoted as champions. Still no play-offs this season.
- 2003–04 onwards: The EFL expanded promotion spots to two — the champion plus a play-off winner decided by a knockout system.
Clubs Promoted from National League More Than Once (1992–93 to 2024–25)
| Club | Number of Promotions | Seasons Promoted |
|---|---|---|
| Macclesfield Town | 2 | 1996–97#, 2017–18 |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2 | 1993–94 (blocked), 1999–2000 |
| Grimsby Town | 2 | 2015–16#, 2021–22# |
| Cheltenham Town | 2 | 1998–99, 2015–16# |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 2003–04 (League One return later), 2023–24 |
| Lincoln City | 1 | 2016–17# |
| Southend United | 1 | 2024–25# |
| Bristol Rovers | 1 | 2014–15# |
| Hartlepool United | 1 | 2020–21# |
| Exeter City | 1 | 2007–08# |
| Tranmere Rovers | 1 | 2017–18# |
Promotion Records & Trivia (National League → League Two, 1992–93 to 2024–25)
- Most Successful Returnees: Grimsby Town, Cheltenham Town, Macclesfield Town, and Bristol Rovers all bounced back quickly after relegation.
- Immediate Returns: Clubs such as Macclesfield (1996–97), Shrewsbury Town (2003–04), Carlisle United (2004–05), Bristol Rovers (2014–15), Cheltenham Town (2015–16), Lincoln City (2016–17), Tranmere Rovers (2017–18), Hartlepool United (2020–21), Grimsby Town (2021–22), and Southend United (2024–25) achieved promotion straight back to the EFL.
- Fastest Rise: AFC Wimbledon (promoted 2010–11, just nine years after formation in 2002).
- Notable Debuts in the EFL: Crawley Town (2010–11), Fleetwood Town (2011–12), Forest Green Rovers (2016–17), Salford City (2018–19), Sutton United (2020–21), Harrogate Town (2019–20), Bromley (2023–24), and Gateshead (2024–25).
- Longest Wait for Return: Stockport County were relegated from the EFL in 2011 and only returned in 2021–22.