NLP PICKS: It’s not just the big two cleaning up awards!

ADAM VIRGO BT Sport Pundit

Best Moment

Jodi Jones’ goal against Boreham Wood in the play-off semi-final. As an ex-footballer who retired at an early age, I kind of know what he has gone through. So when you see a player have that moment after some big injuries, out of the game for a long period of time, you remember. The timing of the goal, everything about it was brilliant.

Team of the Year

This is a really difficult one because you’ve got so many who have gone above and beyond expectations. The National League’s top two – Wrexham and Notts County – you look at the records they’ve broken. Then Woking have had a season from nowhere, Barnet under Dean Brennan has been a remarkable turnaround, Southend have had off-field issues and still had a chance of the play-offs. Then look at Gateshead and the style of football, favourites to go down but reached the FA Trophy final and stayed up. I’m saying Southend because of their troubles and the job they’ve done.

Manager of the Year

Again this is a different one – all the managers above tick the box and I picked Darren Sarll at Woking to manage my alternative team of the season.

So I will go Phil Parkinson. Everyone can say he had the money but it doesn’t guarantee success. The pressure on him to get them out of the National League was huge.

Player of the Year

Macaulay Langstaff. A brilliant season, a brilliant piece of business. Where at Gateshead he was running channels, Luke Williams has changed his game so he stays centrally and ready for chances in the box. To score 42 goals without any penalties is ridiculous at any level, I don’t care who you are. I met him after the promotion final and seems like a really down to earth kid.

Best game watched live

Dubbed the biggest game in Non-League history, it was Wrexham 3-2 Notts County on Easter Monday. When I think back of my time covering the National League, I think about goalkeeper Lucas Covolan scoring for Torquay in a promotion final, some of the playoff games last season. But this second half was remarkable. A late penalty in the final minute, Ben Foster saving, it was an unbelievable game.

I am really passionate about this league, I really want the clubs and players to stand out and the league get three-up, three-down. This game delivered.

What to watch for in 2022-23

We’ve seen two massive clubs go up into the EFL. Chesterfield probably start as favourites. Paul Cook assembled a good squad this season and will no doubt look to improve. The team is a lot more stable.

It’s great to see Fylde, Kidderminster and Ebbsfleet back in the top flight and I will be interested to see Oxford City too.

Then you look to see if Barnet and Woking can replicate their seasons. It will be fascinating.

ANDY MITCHELL NLP Reporter

Best Moment

Harry Grant winning the FA Vase. He played every round for Thatcham Town in 2018 but didn’t feature at Wembley, it was great to see him play the full 90 in Ascot’s win in the same team as brother Alfie.

Off the pitch, Chippenham Town chairman Neil Blackmore belting out Hotel California on the karaoke after scalping Lincoln City in the FA Cup will stay with me for a while.

Team of the Year

Barnet. The best teams are greater than the sum of their parts and the Bees were certainly buzzing under Dean Brennan.

Performed as a band of brothers on the occasions I got to see them, a Wembley trip in the FA Trophy or play-offs would have been a fitting reward.

Manager of the Year

Phil Parkinson (Wrexham). Similar to the debate over Pep Guardiola being voted best boss in the Premier League. Yes, Parkinson had the clout but also the expectation.

Keeping a lid on it all to see through the job when everyone raises their game against you is an artform. Calm when it mattered most.

Player of the Year

I’ll admit this one stretches beyond this season but Oxford City’s Zac McEachran was on another level again in 22-23.

His effortless style is a joy to watch – unless you’re playing against him, of course – and it will be perfectly suited to the National League.

Best Game watched live

Hendon 2 Weston-super-Mare 3: Five goals and another five against the woodwork – three for Hendon, plus another off the line for Weston.

The Seagulls came close to getting their wings clipped but it was a good day with their title rivals dropping points. It came as no surprise to see both teams achieve their objectives, Weston winning the league and Hendon staying up.

What to Watch in 2023-24

Can Chesterfield shrug off the hangover that has blighted recent Promotion Final losers?

Boreham Wood (20th), AFC Fylde (23rd, relegated), Torquay United (11th, followed by relegation) and Solihull Moors (15th) didn’t fare so well.

Rushall Olympic v Scunthorpe United in National North will be intriguing – United’s average crowd when England won the World Cup in 1966 was bigger than Rushall’s current

ANDY SIMPSON NLP Reporter

Best moment

Interviewing 92-year-old George Jones for The NLP, a lifelong Witton Albion supporter unwittingly nominated for the manager’s job by his grandson.

Seeing 1874 Northwich supporters celebrate their club’s 10th anniversary was uplifting, and so too was charting the rise of Avro to the highest level in their history through these pages.

Team of the season

Warrington Town. After four play-offs appearances in as many completed seasons – including the ridiculous onetime ‘super’ edition in 2019 – Yellows finally secured promotion to National League North.

Their consistency on the field during that period has been truly remarkable, and I’m elated that chairman Toby Macormac’s persistence and patience has been rewarded.

Manager of the year

Jamie Milligan of Bamber Bridge. The way in which he improved an unfancied team that was sixth last season, and pushed Warrington the dying seconds of the promotion play-offs final was so impressive.

His team is so much fun to watch; stylish in possession, and a guarantee of goals at both ends of the field.

Player of the year

Mason Fawns at Mossley was brilliant every time I watched him; such a clever attacker.

I’m intrigued to see who signs Elliot Morris now he’s left Skelmersdale. His goals return for a wide player is incredible, and he has margin for improvement. An honourable mention too for Clayton Donaldson at Gainsborough.

Best game watched live

Witton Albion’s 4-2 win at home to Runcorn Linnets was wild. It had a bit of everything; stunning goals, a stirring comeback inspired by an ex-player against his old team, a red card – all in front of a bumper New Year crowd for good measure.

What to watch in 2023-24

I hope a consequence of the debate about new Non-League Player Contracts is a genuine attempt to explore how semipro footballers can be better represented. On a related note, the apparent proliferation of crowdfunders to pay for injured players’ treatment is worrying, and a joined-up solution to that is needed.

JON COUCH NLP Executive Editor

Best Moment

For me, it has to be Jodi Jones’ last-gasp equaliser for Notts County in their Play-Off Semi-final against Boreham Wood, just as the Magpies looked set for another season in the National League despite racking up 107 points and scoring 116 goals. Two-one down and on their last legs, it needed one moment of magic and Jones’ was as timely as they could have got.

Team of the season

So many to choose from but it would be extremely harsh not to give it to a team who smashed every record going on their way to 111 points to win the National League. Yes, Wrexham had resources like none other but they also had 46 cup finals to play with pressure and expectation through the roof. They also flew the Non-League flag with pride in the FA Cup too.

Manager of the Year

While Notts County’s Luke Williams deservedly clutches his NGA, I’m going to plump for a more left-field choice in Darren Sarll. Under his direc- tion, Woking occupied the topthree places in the table for long spells of the season and made the playoff with ease until just missing out to Bromley. A tremendous season, his decision to leave Yeovil for Kingfield was fully justified.

Player of the year

A popular choice I know, but I don’t know how you can not give it to Macaulay Langstaff. Not only smashing Notts County’s goal record of 39, the former Gateshead striker then went on to break Ricky Miller’s record of 40 National League goals with games left staff. in the tank. And all this without scoring one penalty in the process. What an achievement.

Best Game watched live

Quiet an easy one for me here, not just because I don’t get out to watch as much football as I’d like due to the pressures of a Saturday deadline, but also due to the fact it was an absolute stonker of a game! The sheer magnitude of Wrexham v Notts County on Monday April 10 was one we will probably never see in Non-League football again and it was a privilege to witness it.

What to watch in 2023-24

While the headline writers will no doubt be gripped with the goings-on at Southend United, and the potential of new owners at the club, my eyes will be on whether the new powers at be can help the Shrimpers can follow Wrexham’s route back into the Football League. With very little to choose between the early summer contenders, I’m predicting another close and keenly-fought National League title race.

MATT BADCOCK NLP Editor-at-large

Best Moment

Chesterfield manager Paul Cook called it a sporting disgrace his side were playing Notts County in the promotion final, making the point the Magpies should have been promoted long ago with their points total – and when Cedwyn Scott’s penalty hit the back of the net, it just felt like the club had achieved what they deserved.

Team of the Year

Wrexham and Notts County have set Non-League records are are two of the best teams we’ve ever seen in the National League. Different styles, but fantastic sides, and of course Wrexham, in the FA Cup, beat a Coventry City team who have just gone within a penalty shoot-out of the Premier League.

Also, Ascot United – a league and FA Vase double is no mean feat.

Manager of the Year

It’s been a unique year with so many managers in contention across the whole of Non- League. Kevin Maher has done a fantastic job at Southend United in very tough off-field circumstances, Stuart Maynard deserves great credit at Wealdstone, as does Andy Woodman and his trust in youth at Bromley.

But, overall, I am plumping for Danny Scopes at Aveley. He’s just taken the Millers to the National League South for the first time in their history after back-to-back promotions.

Player of the Year

Macaulay Langstaff’s story is boy’s own stuff – people forget he was at Step 2 last season and has done the hard yards in Non-League to get to this point.

What’s most impressive is how he dealt with the spotlight and scrutiny as the season went on – and still scored goals.

Nick Haughton continues to show his class for Fylde.

Best game watched live

I’ve seen a couple of really good games at AFC Sudbury this season – their 3-2 playoff semi-final win over Grays Athletic swung back and forth and had all that end of season tension. But the Yellow’s comeback win in November against eventual champions Hashtag United was a good one too. The Tags were 2-0 up at the break before Rick Andrews’ side came back in the second half with three goals in nine minutes before hot-shot Nnamdi Nwachuku made it 4-2 late on.

What to watch for in 2023-24

Play-offs at Step 5 – it will really open up the divisions and keep lots more clubs interested for the run-in. That should be a really good thing.

MARK CARRUTHERS NLP North East Correspondent

Best Moment 

This is very random and perhaps a personal moment! But having witnessed Heaton Stannington’s journey from Northern Alliance to step five Northern League Division One club, it was a real honour to witness them post a club record crowd (1,339) and to see the dedication of volunteers across the board pay off in the fine style.

Team of the Year

It’s all well and good having a sizable budget but finding the right players to make that work and moulding them into a cohesive unit is another.  Worksop Town’s stats back up their claims with one defeat in 38 games, 112 goals scored, 99 points and a staggering positive goal difference of 87.  They will be a threat at step three.

Manager of the Year

There is always a thought process suggesting you go for a league winner but Luke Williams has brought so much out of Notts County and has made them one of the most watchable sides in the Non-League game.  Their style of football and work ethic deserved their promotion, no matter how it came about.

Player of the Year 

It’s hard to look elsewhere really because even after witnessing Macaulay Langstaff’s stunning season at Gateshead last year, I can safely say I did not see this season’s outrageous performance coming.  But it is testament to dedication, the right attitude and a determination to striving to become even better.

Best Game Seen Live 

For best part of the first-half, this one looked like a precession for Gateshead as their weakened side strolled into a three-goal lead in their FA Trophy semi-final against Barnet that could and perhaps should have been greater.  Around an hour later, after a fine comeback and a last-ditch equaliser, the Bees took it to a shoot-out that they lost as the Heed secured a first major cup final appearance at Wembley.

What to Watch in 2023/24

This feels very negative and perhaps it is!  But there are several big-name clubs that suffered relegation across the board and I’m intrigued by how the likes of Hartlepool United, Rochdale, Scunthorpe United are able to cope with life at a new level and if they can bounce back in highly competitive leagues.

ROB WORRALL NL Full-Time Podcast

Best Moment

It has to be the amazing atmosphere at Wembley just a few weeks ago for the National League Play-Off Final. 38,100 witnessed it and for so long, it looked like it would be Chesterfield’s day, only for Notts County to somehow find a way to stay in it and eventually prevail.

Team of the Year

Across the season, Notts County were probably the best footballing team I have seen in the top tier of Non-League in the 12 years I’ve been reporting or commentating on it. Front foot football, with great tempo, full of creativity and so many goals from open play!

Manager of the Year

Luke Williams was a strong contender, but I’m going for Mike Williamson. For Gateshead to lose both Langstaff and Scott, yet still go on to establish themselves at a higher level, speaks volumes for the job he has done. Stuck to his principles, did it playing a good brand of football and took ‘Heed to Wembley too!

Player of the Year

Aldershot Town’s Tyler Cordner was the player I saw boss the most games, for Shots and for England C. Cool, calm and collected at the back and a constant menace when foraging forward. He scored eight goals and assisted a few too, with his eye for a defence splitting pass!

Best Game watched live

Aldershot Town 3 Wrexham 4 – Paul Mullin was imperious in the first half, scoring twice, three times if you count his outrageous back heel that was given as an own goal. But Shots’ battled back bravely after the break and were level on 90 mins, only for Sam Dalby to head home from a corner in added time.

What to Watch in 2023/24

The National League South should be a highly competitive league next season, especially in the south west where Bath, Taunton, Torquay, Truro, Weymouth, Weston-super- Mare and Yeovil will all be in the same division! In the North, Scunthorpe United’s early signings are a real statement of their intent!

unce back in highly competitive leagues.