National League System allocation from step one to six confirmed by the Football Association

The Football Association have today confirmed the league allocations for the 2023/24 season.

National League System allocations for step one to six, from the National League down to the Southern Counties East, are now in place and ready to be rubber-stamped by the FA Council.

Ebbsfleet United will be KentOnline’s top-ranked non-league side from next season as they join the 24-team National League, which will include Hartlepool United and Rochdale following their relegation from the Football League.

Among those joining Dennis Kutrieb’s side following promotion to the top-flight of the non-league game are Oxford City after their National South play-off win over St Albans. Among the scorers in a 4-0 victory was former Gillingham striker Josh Parker.

With Maidstone United, Torquay United and Yeovil Town dropping into National South, it’s meant a switch to National North for newly-promoted Hertfordshire side Bishop’s Stortford, who can count on some long treks this term to the likes of Blyth Spartans, South Shields and Darlington.

Maidstone’s relegation to National South means some big local games to come. Dartford missed out on the play-offs, while Dover Athletic narrowly avoided a second successive drop. Welling United and near-neighbours Tonbridge Angels will mean the Stones have plenty of local competition, although there are more south-west based teams in that division than ever before with Weston and Truro both coming up.

Chatham Town are among the newcomers in the Isthmian League Premier Division (delete the brackets).

Dulwich Hamlet will provide big competition for those teams at step three, along with Hornchurch - who parted company with former Gills boss Mark Stimson - after losing the play-off final to Aveley.