Football · History

How the National League has changed

National League, 2004/05–2008/09 against 2021/22–2025/26: goals per game rose from 2.67 to 2.82; home advantage (home minus away points per game) fell from 0.44 to 0.35; the share of draws held at about 25%.

Measure2004/05–2008/092021/22–2025/26
Goals per game2.672.82
Home advantage (points per game)0.440.35
Draws25%25%
Home wins45%43%
Competitive balance (Noll-Scully)1.641.81

Averages of the first and last 5 complete seasons on file; curtailed and Covid-affected seasons left out.

Goals per game

2.42.62.833.220052010201520202025Season (start year)Goals per gameGoals per game

2026/27 is the season so far.

Home wins, draws and away wins

01020304020052010201520202025Season (start year)% of matchesHome winsDrawsAway wins
  • Home wins
  • Draws
  • Away wins

Home advantage

0.20.40.60.820052010201520202025Season (start year)Points per gameHome advantage

Home minus away points per game. 2019/20 and 2020/21 were played wholly or partly behind closed doors.

What it took to win the league, and to go down

00.511.5220052010201520202025Season (start year)Points per gameChampionsBest relegated club
  • Champions
  • Best relegated club

Points per game, so seasons of different lengths compare. The lower line is the most any relegated club collected.

Competitive balance

1.5220052010201520202025Season (start year)Noll-ScullyNoll-Scully

Noll-Scully ratio: the spread of clubs' win rates against what pure chance would give. 1 is perfectly even; higher means a more unequal league.

Season by season

SeasonGoals/gameHomeDrawAway
2026/27 (so far)3.0147%19%33%
2025/262.9243%23%34%
2024/252.7042%28%29%
2023/242.9442%26%32%
2022/232.7944%26%30%
2021/222.7444%23%33%
2020/21 (curtailed)2.7143%22%35%
2019/20 (curtailed)2.6941%27%32%
2018/192.4942%26%32%
2017/182.5940%30%31%
2016/172.7244%23%33%
2015/162.6443%26%32%
2014/152.6943%25%32%
2013/142.7048%24%28%
2012/132.8841%25%33%
2011/122.8542%26%32%
2010/112.8144%29%28%
2009/102.5644%26%30%
2008/092.5546%26%28%
2007/082.8344%26%31%
2006/072.5643%24%32%
2005/062.6044%26%30%
2004/052.8245%26%29%