Former Bristol City manager Gary Johnson wants the National League to become part of the Football League, creating a "League Three" as the current promotion and relegation system is unfair on non-league clubs.
In an interview with Non-League Daily, Johnson, who has been in charge of Torquay United since 2018, claims the two up, two down promotion/relegation with League Two is too restrictive and prevents teams in the fifth tier and below from progressing.
The National League has just one automatic promotion spot with the second filled by the play-off winners. As a result a number of the "bigger teams" who fall down from League Two, struggle to return due to the huge financial drop-off and the overall logistical struggles of managing a team at that level.
Wrexham have been in the National League for 13 years, while previously well-established Football League clubs such as Notts County, Stockport County and Chesterfield remain stuck there, and the likes of Darlington and York City have fallen even further.
On Johnson's watch, Torquay - who were last in the Football League in 2013/14 - have finished 14th and second in the National League, losing last season's play-off final at Ashton Gate to Hartlepool United on penalties.
“I feel that the National League should now be part of the Football League, 100%. In my opinion it is a third division. Everyone wants to play the ex-League teams, including us, even though they don’t like travelling down here," Johnson told Non-League Daily.
“Players would rather play in the Football League at a lower end team, than at a better National League team. If we became League Three, I’d also get my opportunity to get to 1,000 games managed in the Football League - I hope to do that before I die!
“I think three up, three down is a great idea. If you’re going to be part of a FL system, it has to be as it is elsewhere in terms of promotion. They have to embrace that because there’s some big teams in this league.
"It’s such a difficult league to get out because of the strength of it. It’s not just a handful of the teams who can compete - it’s a majority. If our league wasn’t full time, then I wouldn’t support it."
Any moves to change the system will have to be voted on by League Two members, who include Bristol Rovers, with any motion unlikely to be passed given the increased risk for relegation.
Johnson managed Bristol City from 2005-2010, taking the Robins to the 2008 Championship play-off final.
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