All 72 National League clubs have requested the EFL to introduce three promotion and relegation spots between the leagues. Historically, the promotion system has evolved, but current discussions have stalled due to funding disagreements between the EFL and Premier League. National League general manager Mark Ives warns that it could take up to four years for any changes regarding additional promotions to be implemented, emphasizing that the current two-up, two-down model is unfair and needs reform to benefit the fans and maintain the integrity of the football pyramid.
The regulator will be set up in law this year, I am fairly certain of that. But by the time it is set up, started, staff trained and all the elements of the Bill are in place and then, potentially, the dispute between the Premier League and EFL has been aired with a backstop, that could be three years.
We have a pyramid that is the envy of countries worldwide because you can go from the very bottom to the top, purely on sporting merit. But there is a blockage in the jump between National League and EFL. Two-up, two-down is simply unfair.
I would think the vast majority of fans, looking at it objectively, would see the unfairness. We want a fairer system.
Although positive talks around extending that to three did take place between the National League and EFL, that has stalled.
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