Despite the stunning campaigns both York and Rochdale have put together, they have not quite managed to become the most impressive top two in National League history.
The combined 212 points they have earned this season (with a potential total of three more to come if one side wins on Saturday) is slightly below the 218 accrued by champions Wrexham and runners-up Notts County in 2022-23.
That season, Wrexham won the title with 111 points and a game to spare, while Notts County were promoted by the skin of their teeth in the play-offs after winning on penalties at Wembley against Chesterfield, who had finished a whopping 23 points behind them in third.
“The psychological side of bringing yourself back up to compete in massive games after not quite reaching your goal is very challenging,” says Sam Slocombe, who spent six seasons as Notts County’s goalkeeper before becoming a coach at the club last summer.
“You have to verbalise it and say to each other ‘we wanted to get promoted and we’re still in an unbelievable position to do that’. That burning desire needs to stay there.
“National League play-offs are one-legged, pure tournament football – what you did week in, week out doesn’t matter any more.
“If you finish second, you also have a gap where the teams lower down play the first play-off match. I found that very challenging because they get to keep their intensity while you’re waiting around – maybe your level is dropping.
“The lower play-off teams will go to York or Rochdale with zero pressure – it’s a freebie for them.”
Notts County finished their first season in League Two in mid-table, before losing in the play-off semi-finals last season, and are in promotion contention again this year.
“Winning week in, week out, in the National League means the feeling in the group is really positive. You go on to the pitch thinking ‘we’ll turn up, we’ll play our stuff, and we’ll win’.
“Once you go up, you can take that morale, the feeling in the crowd, and confidence in your way of playing into the next season, which makes it a hard place for the established League Two teams to come and play.”