National League icon agrees with Keir Starmer and Jeff Stelling over extra EFL promotion spot
Ian Henderson, the Rochdale icon, has delivered his verdict on the National League’s ‘3UP campaign, the season so far and the race to win promotion to League Two
15:53, 25 Mar 2026Updated 15:56, 25 Mar 2026
Rochdale’s Ian Henderson believes there should be an extra National League promotion spot (Image: Getty Images)
Rochdale legend Ian Henderson has said he would back the idea for the National League to have a THIRD promotion spot.
Since 2003, two teams have gone up from the National League to League Two each season – the champions and the play-off winners.
However, in February 2025, the 72 teams in National League and its North and South feeder divisions, as part of the ‘3UP’ campaign, called on EFL clubs to vote to increase that number so that three clubs would go up to League Two.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and 60 MPs supported the idea, while former Sky Sports presenter and Hartlepool honorary president Jeff Stelling joined the National League as an ambassador.
Although the National League have pushed for change and even staged a round of matches where all games kicked off three minutes late to highlight their campaign, the EFL are yet to agree and it remains just two up, two down.
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But Rochdale forward Henderson, 41, believes it would make the National League “more complete” and “competitive” if three teams got promoted to League Two.
This season, Henderson’s Rochdale and York City are going head-to-head in a fascinating National League title race where one team could miss out on promotion despite accumulating more than 100 points.
Henderson, who scored the winner in Saturday’s 3-2 win against Tamworth, told Mirror Football: “I think as things stand at this moment in time, they’re the rules and we must abide by them, but would I be open to three teams going up if I was in a position of power that would dictate that being an option? Potentially, yes, because you see some really big clubs that have stayed at this level for a long time and you mentioned it there, Wrexham, what was it, 15, 16, 17 years? I don’t know off the top of my head, but it is a relentless league.
Rochdale forward Ian Henderson(Image: Getty Images)
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“We play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, it feels like we’ve done all season, but now with that, these are the cards we’ve been dealt. This is the league and we all start with a clean slate at the beginning of each season and it’s down to accumulating that points total that’s required to win the league. If you don’t win the league, then second place is second place and you go into a play-off position to try and win through the play-offs.
“I’m not disillusioned with where things are or if it could be different. The set of cards have been dealt, we’re playing with them, but would I welcome an additional team going up, i.e. two automatic and one via play-offs? I think it may put together a more complete or competitive league if that were so.”
Across the last 10 seasons, all but four of the clubs to gain promotion from the National League are still in the EFL with Wrexham now as high as the Championship and three others, including leaders Lincoln City, in League One.
Rochdale have enjoyed a phenomenal National League season so far, having won 30 and drawing four of their 39 matches so far, collecting 94 points from a possible 117.
They lead at the top of the fifth tier but are embroiled in an intense title battle alongside York, who sit two points behind them in second, though The Dale do boast a game in hand.
Rochdale manager Jim McNulty is spearheading a National League title charge(Image: Getty Images)
Reflecting on the season to date and how Rochdale are coping with the pressure of such a high-octane title race, Henderson added: “Yeah, I can only speak on the team’s behalf and the management team of what they’ve implemented at the football club. It’s given us a really good platform to go out and express ourselves with absolute clarity on what we need to do as a team to win games.
“As you’ve mentioned, accumulating such a strong amount of points to this point in the season. So far, it’s been an amazing, amazing season to date. I think you can only undertake each game as it comes because in the grand scheme of things, each game from a quantifiable perspective is only three points.
“We have to stay late and focused on the next task, which is tonight away at Scunthorpe and deliver. But it is the business end of the season and it’s just a case of accumulating as many points as possible.
“There’s still a lot of swings to happen. I’ve been here before and there’s many others within the squad that have been in this position before and it’s just a case of staying calm, staying focused on ourselves and delivering.”
Rochdale have been out of the EFL since 2023(Image: Getty Images)
Rochdale are back in action when they travel to fifth-place and fellow promotion-chasing Scunthorpe United on Wednesday. A win against the Lincolnshire side would see The Dale move on to 97 points and a step closer to promotion back to League Two following a three-year hiatus.
But Henderson is aware that his side need to be at their best to collect maximum points. “Yes, they’re a good outfit,” the all-time League One top goalscorer continued. “They’ve got their own unique style of how they play.
“Again, we can only take each game on its own merit. I think irrespective of what team we’re playing, naturally this time of season there’s things to play for in some capacity. People are going to go out there and do their utmost to try and win a game of football like we will do.
“But if we go over the date or the history of the season so far, by sticking to a plan that’s well-structured, it gives you a really good opportunity to accumulate points. It’s just a case of taking the game tomorrow evening, doing the best that we can and trying to pick up the three points.”
Henderson, who is Rochdale’s record goalscorer with 166 goals in 514 matches, is aiming for a third promotion on his CV, having won the First Division with Norwich City in 2003/04 before helping The Dale to League Two promotion in 2013/14.
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