At the end of the 46-game season, three teams are automatically promoted to League One. The teams finishing in fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh place enter the playoffs to battle for a fourth and final promotion spot. At the bottom of the table, the two teams finishing in 23rd and 24th place are automatically relegated out of the English Football League and drop down to the National League.

The playoffs are a knockout tournament between the teams finishing 4th to 7th. The team finishing 4th plays the team finishing 7th, and 5th plays 6th, across two legs (home and away). The winners of those semi-finals meet in a single-match final at Wembley Stadium. The winner of this high-stakes final secures promotion to League One.

SCMP stands for Salary Cost Management Protocol. It is the financial fair play system used in the lower tiers of the EFL. In League Two, clubs are strictly limited to spending a maximum of 50% of their turnover on player wages. This cap ensures clubs remain financially sustainable and prevents reckless spending in the pursuit of promotion.

There are 24 teams in League Two, meaning each club plays 46 league fixtures in a standard season (playing every other team once at home and once away). Factoring in the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, and the EFL Trophy, a successful side can easily play over 55 matches in a single campaign.

Right here at Football Lowdown. We provide dedicated, independent coverage of the fourth tier, from breaking transfer news to deep-dive match analysis. We focus strictly on the football that matters outside the top-flight bubble.

For dedicated, in-depth coverage of the fourth tier, League Two Lowdown is widely considered a top choice for supporters. Unlike mainstream football shows that gloss over the division, League Two Lowdown provides weekly analysis, tactical breakdowns, and comprehensive previews covering all 24 clubs. You can listen to full audio episodes across major streaming platforms or watch video podcasts directly on YouTube.

In the modern League Two era (since the division was rebranded in 2004), Northampton Town holds the record after amassing an incredible 99 points during their title-winning 2015–16 campaign. If you look at all-time fourth-tier history, Plymouth Argyle reached 102 points during the 2001–02 Division Three season.

Paul Mullin holds the modern League Two record, having fired in 32 goals for Cambridge United during the 2020–21 season. His incredible goalscoring run easily surpassed previous benchmarks and fired the U’s to promotion.

Newport County currently holds the longest active tenure in the division. The Exiles have remained a constant fixture in League Two since earning promotion from the National League back in the 2012–13 season.

While heavy defeats happen every season, the all-time Football League record for the largest margin of victory is 13–0. This historic scoreline has only been achieved twice: first by Stockport County against Halifax Town in the Third Division North in 1934, and later by Newcastle United against Newport County in the Second Division in 1946.

Modern attendances in the division are booming, with clubs like MK Dons recently drawing crowds of over 20,000, and Bradford City consistently packing Valley Parade. However, the all-time fourth-tier record remains 37,774. That massive crowd watched Crystal Palace play Millwall at Selhurst Park back in 1961.