There is a lot to be said for promotion from the National League.
League Two leaders Bromley host another recent addition to the EFL in third-placed Notts County on Saturday (15:00 GMT), but further down the division is not such a happy story.
Barrow’s return to the league in 2020 had a bit of romanticism and justice about it for those of a certain age.
In the days before automatic promotion, the bottom four teams of what was then Division Four had to apply for re-election and in 1972, despite finishing above two other clubs, the Bluebirds were kicked out to be replaced by Hereford.
Forty-eight years later Barrow were back. Leading the National League table when Covid shut down the season, they were on the right end of a vote this time to curtail the campaign and were declared champions.
There have been a couple of close squeaks as twice they just avoided a return to the non-league ranks, but also a near miss with the play-offs when they fell out of the top seven on the final day of the 2023-24 season.
This year is looking bleak with boss Paul Gallagher sacked on Wednesday after losing all five games of his six-week tenure and being replaced by Dino Maamria – their sixth permanent boss in fewer than four years.
It leaves Barrow three points clear of trouble with play-off hopefuls Colchester United dropping by on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
After that comes a meeting with bottom side Harrogate and the final day has a home game against a Newport side that are second from bottom – Barrow will not want their struggles getting that far.
It has been 22 years since Cumbria was last without an EFL club, Maamria will need to get busy quickly if that is not to become a possibility again.
Sport will have live text coverage of Saturday’s EFL action.
