Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
The English Football League has already produced plenty of entertainment throughout its opening weekend of the 2024/25 season, with action and goals across the divisions.
League Two, which is notoriously difficult for teams to get out of, saw a bright start from several sides, including Bromley, who were promoted from the National League for the first time last season.
This highlights the quality of non-League football in England, with the League 2 promotion odds tipping Notts Country as another side challenging for the title in the fourth tier.
Indeed, The Magpies have only been back in the professional game for two seasons, and in 2022/23, they found themselves in one of the best title races in recent years.
Notts County and Wrexham, two of the oldest football clubs in the world, went head-to-head in a battle that captivated fans across the globe.
In this article, we look back on the intense battle that saw the sides finish on 111 and 107 league points respectively, as well as their match at the Racecourse Ground, which will go down as a classic.
Upon reflection, both sides were capable of competing as high as League One that season, as they continued to blow the National League out of the water.
Wrexham, under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, had been on a mission to return to the EFL after a 15-year absence. Paul Mullin was one of several players signed on high wages, with Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster returning to the club after a stint on loan from Manchester United earlier in his career.
County, meanwhile, were determined to bounce back from the heartbreak of missing out on promotion in previous seasons. Under the management of Luke Williams, the Magpies played an attractive, possession-based style of football. They boasted the league's top scorer in Macaulay Langstaff, whose 41 goals and six assists were pivotal to their success.
As the season progressed, it became clear that the National League title would be decided by the finest of margins. Both teams were relentless, exchanging top spot multiple times as they continued to rack up points.
In April, the two sides met in one of the most anticipated matches of the season. Everything from Premier League to League 2 betting was put on hold as the football pyramid cast its eyes on Wrexham's 3-2 victory.
John Bostock's sublime free-kick gave Notts County a first-half lead at the Racecourse Ground, but Wrexham quickly responded through Mullin, who then set up Jacob Mendy to put the Dragons ahead.
Notts County's Kyle Cameron headed in an equaliser, only for Elliot Lee to restore Wrexham's advantage from another Mullin assist.
The match reached peak drama when Foster, in the dying moments, saved a last-gasp penalty from Cedwyn Scott, securing a crucial win in the title race.
Wrexham's victory over County proved to be the decisive moment in the title race. The Dragons went on to clinch the National League title with a record-breaking 111 points, securing their long-awaited return to the EFL. Notts County, despite their valiant efforts, finished the season on 107 points—a total that would have won the title in any other season.
With only one automatic promotion spot available, the Magpies had to endure the playoffs. They demonstrated their resilience by navigating the playoffs successfully, culminating in a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Chesterfield at Wembley to secure their return to League Two.
The 2022-2023 National League season showcased the intensity and challenges of the fifth tier of the English game, where only one team earns automatic promotion.
The title race between Wrexham and Notts County will be remembered as one of the greatest in football history, a testament to the quality and determination of both clubs, with County expected to challenge for promotion this term, and Reynolds' side looking to dominate League One.
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All good things have to come to an end, and the same unfortunately has to be said for football stadiums too. This article looks at the grounds which are soon to host their last match, the stadiums whose days are numbered and where fans will be watching their football from next.
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My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
