The 2012–13 Football Conference season was the ninth season in which the Conference consisted of three divisions and the thirty-third season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference Premier is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, whilst the Conference North and Conference South exist at the sixth level. The Conference was won by Mansfield Town who together with Newport County, the winner of the play-off of the National division, were promoted to Football League Two, while the bottom four were relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions were promoted to the National division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions were relegated to the premier divisions of the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League or Southern League.
For sponsorship reasons, the Conference Premier was referred to as the Blue Square Bet Premier.
Conference Premier
A total of 24 teams contested the division, including 18 sides from last season, two relegated from the Football League Two, two promoted from the Conference North and two promoted from the Conference South. The League started on 10 August 2012 with previously relegated Hereford United and Macclesfield Town facing each other at Edgar Street and finished on 20 April 2013 with all matches that day kicking off simultaneously. The 2013 Conference Premier play-off final on 5 May 2013 was the first Wembley Stadium final to feature two Welsh clubs, Newport County and Wrexham.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2011–12 Conference North Hyde Nuneaton Town
Teams promoted from 2011–12 Conference South Woking Dartford
Teams relegated from 2011–12 Football League Two Macclesfield Town Hereford United
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Stockport County Edgeley Park 10,852 Wrexham Racecourse Ground 10,500* Luton Town Kenilworth Road 10,226 Lincoln City Sincil Bank 10,120 Gateshead Gateshead International Stadium 10,000*** Mansfield Town Field Mill 10,000 Cambridge United Abbey Stadium 9,617 Grimsby Town Blundell Park 9,546 Macclesfield Town Moss Rose 6,355 AFC Telford United New Bucks Head 6,300 Kidderminster Harriers Aggborough 6,238 Woking Kingfield Stadium 6,036 Southport Haig Avenue 6,008 Hereford United Edgar Street 5,075 Newport County Rodney ParadeRodney Parade reduced capacity 5,511** Forest Green Rovers The New Lawn 5,147 Ebbsfleet United Stonebridge Road 5,011 Nuneaton Town Liberty Way 4,314 Barrow Holker Street 4,256 Hyde Ewen Fields 4,250 Braintree Town Cressing Road 4,145 Dartford Princes Park 4,100 Tamworth The Lamb Ground 4,000 Alfreton Town North Street 3,600 * Restricted due to stadium expansion or FA ruling. ** Capacity reduced for football matches from maximum capacity of 11,676. *** Groundshare from 15 February 2013.
Capacity was temporarily raised to 7,012 for the play-off tie against Grimsby Town
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Matt GreenMansfield Town252 Adam CunningtonTamworth213 Michael GashKidderminster Harriers204 Andy BrownNuneaton Town19 Anthony MalbonKidderminster Harriers6 Matthew Barnes-HomerMacclesfield Town18 Bradley BubbWoking Aaron O'ConnorNewport County9 Paul ClaytonAlfreton Town17 Andre GrayLuton Town
Conference North
A total of 22 teams competed in the division, including 18 sides which competed in the Conference North the previous season, two promoted from the Southern Football League and two from the Northern Premier League.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2011–12 Northern Premier League Premier Division Chester Bradford Park Avenue
Teams promoted from 2011–12 Southern League Premier Division Brackley Town Oxford City
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Altrincham Moss Lane 6,085 Bishop's Stortford Woodside Park 4,000 Boston United York Street 6,643 Brackley Town St James Park 3,500 Bradford Park Avenue Horsfall Stadium 3,500 Chester Deva Stadium 6,000 Colwyn Bay Llanelian Road 2,500 Corby Town Steel Park 3,893 Droylsden Butcher's Arms Ground 3,000 FC Halifax Town The Shay 14,061 Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme 4,304 Gloucester City Whaddon Road (Groundshare with Cheltenham Town) 7,066 Guiseley Nethermoor Park 3,000 Harrogate Town Wetherby Road 3,800 Hinckley United Greene King Stadium 4,329 Histon Bridge Road 4,300 Oxford City Court Place Farm 2,000 Solihull Moors Damson Park 3,050 Stalybridge Celtic Bower Fold 6,500 Vauxhall Motors Rivacre Park 2,500 Worcester City St George's Lane 4,850 Workington Borough Park 3,101
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Damian ReevesAltrincham362 Marc NewshamBoston United213 Lee GregoryFC Halifax Town20 Josh WilsonGuiseley5 Gareth ArnisonWorkington196 Richard MarshallBradford Park Avenue167 Omar BogleSolihull Moors158 Nathan JarmanChester FC14 James WalshawGuiseley Duncan WatmoreAltrincham Spencer Weir-DaleyBoston United
Conference South
A total of 22 teams competed in the division, including 18 sides which competed in the Conference South the previous season, two relegated from the Conference Premier and two promoted from the Isthmian Premier League.
Promotion and relegation Teams promoted from 2011–12 Isthmian League Premier Division Billericay Town AFC Hornchurch
Teams relegated from 2011–12 Conference Premier Bath City Hayes & Yeading United
League table
Play-offs
First leg
Second leg
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Capacity AFC Hornchurch Hornchurch Stadium 3,500 Basingstoke Town The Camrose 6,000 Bath City Twerton Park 8,840 Billericay Town New Lodge 3,500 Boreham Wood Meadow Park 4,502 Bromley Courage Stadium 6,000 Chelmsford City Melbourne Stadium 3,019 Dorchester Town The Avenue Stadium 5,009 Dover Athletic Crabble Athletic Ground 6,500 Eastbourne Borough Priory Lane 4,134 Eastleigh Silverlake Stadium 3,000 Farnborough Cherrywood Road 4,000 Havant & Waterlooville West Leigh Park 5,250 Hayes & Yeading United Kingfield Stadium (Groundshare with Woking) 6,036 Maidenhead United York Road 3,000 Salisbury City The Raymond McEnhill Stadium 5,000 Staines Town Wheatsheaf Park 3,009 Sutton United Gander Green Lane 7,032 Tonbridge Angels Longmead Stadium 3,000 Truro City Treyew Road 3,500 Welling United Park View Road 4,000 Weston-super-Mare Woodspring Stadium 3,500
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Ollie PalmerHavant & Waterlooville252 Jamie SlabberChelmsford City233 Jamie WhiteSalisbury City214 Kieffer MooreDorchester Town205 Francis CollinTonbridge Angels19 Ross LafayetteWelling United Ben MayDover Athletic8 Dan FitchettSalisbury City18 Jai ReasonEastleigh10 Craig McAllisterEastleigh1711 Pierre Joseph-DuboisBromley16
References