Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick adds his support to the National League's '3UP' campaign

All 72 National League clubs have written to the Football League to demand the introduction of a third promotion place in the fifth division. Although there have been improvements - there was no automatic promotion from the National League until 1987, while a second promotion place wasn't introduced until 2003 - the competitive nature of the division means the calls for a third spot have become stronger and stronger.

A number of clubs that have won promotion from the National League have gone on to thrive in the Football League. Luton Town are perhaps the ultimate success story and managed to reach the Premier League within a decade, while Hollywood-backed Wrexham, who are currently third in League One, are pushing for a third successive promotion. Dave Challinor's Stockport are fourth in League One, while Notts County are third in League Two. Last season's two promoted teams have both acquitted themselves well at the level above. Chesterfield are 10th and still in with a chance of sneaking into the play-offs while Bromley, by no means a side with one of the biggest budgets or fanbases, are 16th and 13 points clear of the relegation zone. It is almost unheard of for a promoted side to go straight back down.

As Pools fans well know, there is little to no difference between the bottom end of League Two and the top end of the National League. Pools finished 17th in their first season following relegation from the Football League in 2017/18. After winning promotion in 2021 but suffering another relegation in 2023, Pools fared little better and finished an underwhelming 12th last term. While Forest Green Rovers, who invested heavily in their playing squad over the summer, are second, Sutton, the other side relegated last season, are 10th. There are 15 former Football League sides currently in the National League, while only eight of the last 19 teams relegated from League Two have won promotion back into the Football League.

There is, of course, a whole host of talent throughout non-league. The likes of Jamie Vardy, a Premier League winner, Max Kilman, who signed for West Ham for £40 million in the summer, England internationals Chris Smalling, Jordan Pickford, Jarrod Bowen, Kalvin Phillips and Callum Willson all cut their teeth in non-league.

For some, it is simply a matter of fairness - given the amount of competition in the National League, it seems about time the division is given a third promotion place - and for others it is about fostering the talent that exists in the National League and further developing English football.

Inevitably, not everyone is likely to be in favour of the proposals. Some sides in the Football League might have a hard time voting for something that increases their risk of relegation. As the argument goes, it's like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas. However, sides struggling in the League Two might also want to bear in mind that the change would work in their favour were they to lose their Football League status; rather than competing for two promotion spots, a task which can become almost impossible when the likes of Wrexham, Notts County, Stockport and Chesterfield, all big clubs with sizeable war chests, have battled it out towards the top end of the table in recent seasons. For some teams stagnating towards the bottom end of League Two survival seems to have become about being the third worst, doing the bare minimum to keep their heads above water. A change - be it a call to action or a kick up the backside - could benefit the long-term health of a number of those clubs, both on and off the pitch.

As the calls for another promotion place grow louder, fans of National League sides are becoming more and more optimistic although there are still concerns. Mark Ives, the National League's general manager, suggested that a funding dispute between the Football League and the Premier League could mean it takes years before a decision on the '3UP' campaign is reached.

While Limbrick, who is set to take charge of his first Pools game since replacing Lennie Lawrence earlier this week, prefers to focus on the football, he admits he would be in support of the proposal.

"I think as many promotions places as we can get would obviously be great for us," he said.

"Obviously, we want more. The standard of the league is so high.

"At the moment we're focused on controlling the controllables, I've got enough going on here without worrying about that.

"I've seen the conversation and I think the more promotion spots the better, I would adhere to that."