North West Counties Football League

The North West Counties Football League is a football league in the North West of England. Since 2019–20, the league has covered the Isle of Man, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria, northern Staffordshire, northern Shropshire, the far west of West Yorkshire, and the High Peak area of Derbyshire. In the past, the league has also hosted clubs from North Wales such as Caernarfon Town, Colwyn Bay, and Rhyl. From season 2018–19 the league increased to three divisions: the Premier Division, at level nine (Step 5 in the NLS) in the English football league system, and two geographically separate Division Ones, North and South, at level ten (Step 6 in the NLS). The league is a member of the Joint Liaison Council which administers the Northern arm of the National Football System in England.[1]

North West Counties Football League
Founded1982
CountryEngland
Other club(s) fromIsle of Man
DivisionsPremier Division
Division One North
Division One South
Number of teams60
24 (Premier Division)
18 (Division One North)
18 (Division One South)
Level on pyramid9–10 (Steps 5 & 6 in the National League System)
Feeder toNorthern Premier League Division One West
Domestic cup(s)League Challenge Cup
First Division Challenge Cup
First Division Champions Cup
FA Cup
FA Vase
Current championsWythenshawe (Premier Division)
FC St Helens (Division One North)
Brocton (Division One South)
(2023–24)
WebsiteOfficial website
Current: 2024–25 season

History

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The league was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination. Originally consisting of three divisions, this was reduced to two in 1987 due to the creation of an extra division in the Northern Premier League (NPL). At the same time, promotion and relegation between the two leagues was introduced, with either the first- or second-placed club in the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) being entitled to a place in the NPL, subject to their ground meeting that league's requirements.[2]

The NWCFL has six feeder leagues of its own with eligibility for promotion to the First Division being accorded to champions of the Cheshire Association Football League, Liverpool County Premier League, West Cheshire Amateur Football League, Staffordshire County Senior League, West Lancashire Football League, and Manchester Football League, subject to ground grading requirements.[3]

The league's first title sponsor was Bass Brewery, who remained sponsors until 1995. In 1998, the train operating company First North Western became the new sponsor in a two-year deal. Hallmark Security were title sponsors between 2015 and 2018.[4]

In 2008, Division One and Two were renamed the Premier and First divisions respectively. As part of the Football Association's ongoing restructure of the National League System,[5] the First Division was regionalised in 2018.[6] The vacant positions in the new North and South divisions were filled by 15 clubs from feeder leagues.[7]

Four clubs have won a Premier Division/Division One and League Challenge Cup double,[8] Ashton United in 1992, Kidsgrove Athletic in 1998, F.C. United of Manchester in 2007 and Glossop North End in 2015. Atherton Laburnum Rovers are the only club to have won the same division consecutively, winning Division One in 1993 and 1994. Clitheroe have won three different divisions consecutively, winning Division Three in 1984, Division Two in 1985 and Division One in 1986.

Two former Football League clubs, Northwich Victoria and Nelson, are currently members of the league, as well as Darwen F.C., a continuation of Darwen. Former members Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town and Salford City currently play in the English Football League, being promoted from the league in 1987, 2005 and 2008 respectively.[9]

For sixteen years the league's record attendance was 1,353 for a Division One championship decider between Radcliffe Borough and Caernarfon Town in 1983.[10] In 1999, a crowd of 2,281 saw Workington's championship-deciding match with Mossley at Borough Park. In 2006, a new record was set, with 6,023 at Gigg Lane for a Division Two match between FC United of Manchester and Great Harwood Town on 23 April.[11] The following season saw a record 4,058 for an evening match, at Salford City's Division One home game against FC United of Manchester.[12]

The league has two cup competitions – the League Challenge Cup, which is open to all clubs and is sponsored by Macron,[13] and the First Division Challenge Cup called the Edward Case Cup. A tertiary competition, the Floodlit Trophy, operated on weeknights from 1990 to 2000, as well a reserve league and cup which were disbanded in 2014.[14]

Member clubs (2024–25)

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Premier Division

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Division One North

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Division One South

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AFC Liverpool
 
Barnoldswick Town
 
Burscough
 
Bury AFC
 
Chadderton
 
Charnock Richard
 
Cheadle Town
 
Colne
 
FC Isle of Man
 
Glossop North End
 
Irlam
 
Kendal Town
 
Litherland REMYCA
 
Longridge Town
 
Lower Breck
 
Padiham
 
Pilkington
 
Prestwich Heys
 
Ramsbottom United
 
Skelmersdale United
 
Squires Gate
 
West Didsbury & Chorlton
 
Wythenshawe Amateurs
 
Wythenshawe Town
 
AFC Blackpool
 
Ashton Athletic
 
Ashton Town
 
Atherton Labernum Rovers
 
Bacup Borough
 
Daisy Hill
 
Darwen
 
Euxton Villa
 
FC St Helens
 
Garstang
 
Holker Old Boys
 
Ilkley Town
 
Nelson
 
Route One Rovers
 
Runcorn Town
 
Shelley
 
South Liverpool
 
Steeton
 
Abbey Hey
 
Abbey Hulton United
 
Alsager Town
 
Ashville
 
Barnton
 
Brocton
 
Cammell Laird 1907
 
Cheadle Heath Nomads
 
Droylsden
 
Eccleshall
 
Maine Road
 
Market Drayton Town
 
New Mills
 
Sandbach United
 
Stafford Town
 
Stockport Georgians
 
Stockport Town
 
Winsford United
Locations of the NWCFL member clubs by division (2023–24).
  – Premier Division   – First Division North   – First Division South

Previous divisional champions

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1982–87

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The league was formed with three divisions.

Season Division One Division Two Division Three
1982–83 Burscough Radcliffe Borough Colne Dynamoes
1983–84 Stalybridge Celtic Fleetwood Town Clitheroe
1984–85 Radcliffe Borough Clitheroe Kirkby Town
1985–86 Clitheroe Kirkby Town Blackpool Mechanics
1986–87 Stalybridge Celtic Droylsden Atherton Collieries

1987–2008

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Due to the expansion of the Northern Premier League, and the withdrawal of clubs who could no longer meet the ground requirements, the third division was disbanded and a two division format was instigated, a format that stayed in place until 2018.

 
F.C. United were crowned champions of the North West Counties Football League Division Two in 2005–06
Season Division One Division Two
1987–88 Colne Dynamoes Ashton United
1988–89 Rossendale United Vauxhall G M
1989–90 Warrington Town Maine Road
1990–91 Knowsley United Great Harwood Town
1991–92 Ashton United Bamber Bridge
1992–93 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Maghull
1993–94 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Haslingden
1994–95 Bradford Park Avenue Flixton
1995–96 Flixton Vauxhall G M
1996–97 Trafford Ramsbottom United
1997–98 Kidsgrove Athletic Oldham Town
1998–99 Workington Fleetwood Freeport
1999–2000 Vauxhall GM Woodley Sports
2000–01 Rossendale United Warrington Town
2001–02 Kidsgrove Athletic Stand Athletic
2002–03 Prescot Cables Bacup Borough
2003–04 Clitheroe Colne
2004–05 Fleetwood Town[a] Cammell Laird
2005–06 Cammell Laird FC United of Manchester
2006–07 FC United of Manchester Winsford United
2007–08 Trafford New Mills

2008–18

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Glossop North End NWCFL Champions 2015

In the 2008–09 season, the league renamed their divisions to the Premier Division and First Division.

Season Premier Division First Division
2008–09 AFC Fylde Bootle
2009–10 Newcastle Town Stone Dominoes
2010–11 New Mills AFC Blackpool
2011–12 Ramsbottom United[15] Wigan Robin Park[16]
2012–13 Padiham Formby
2013–14 Norton United Nelson
2014–15 Glossop North End Atherton Collieries
2015–16 Colne Hanley Town
2016–17 Atherton Collieries Widnes
2017–18 Runcorn Linnets Silsden

2018–present

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As from the 2018–19 the league has operated three divisions, the Premier Division at Step 5 and Division one - the Step 6 division being split geographically into North and South components both with promotional slots to Step 5. This was retained for the 2019-20 season.

Season Premier Division Division One North Division One South
2018–19 City of Liverpool Longridge Town Rylands
2019–20 Season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic
2020–21 Season curtailed due to lockdown regulations
2021–22 Macclesfield Bury AFC West Didsbury & Chorlton
2022–23 Vauxhall Motors Pilkington Wythenshawe Amateurs
2023–24 Wythenshawe FC St Helens Brocton

[17]

NWCFL Challenge Cup winners

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The NWCFL Challenge Cup is for all members of the league. Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.

Results by team

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Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence, teams in bold are members of the NWCFL as of 2023–24.

Club Wins Last final won Runners-up Last final lost
Warrington Town 2 1988 2 1990
Burscough 1996 2018
Vauxhall Motors 1999 1 1998
Bacup Borough 2012 2023
1874 Northwich 2020
Newcastle Town 1 1997 2 2004
Skelmersdale United 2000 2005
Maine Road 2008 2014
Atherton Collieries 2016 2015
Darwen 1983 1 1991
Colwyn Bay 1989 1988
Nantwich Town 1995 1993
Formby 2001 2013
Prescot Cables 2002 1999
Cammell Laird 2005 2006
New Mills 2009 2011
Winsford United 2011 2010
Runcorn Linnets 2013 2009
City of Liverpool 2017 2019
Ellesmere Port & Neston 1984
Leek Town 1985
Colne Dynamoes 1987
Knowsley United 1990
Ashton United 1992
Rossendale United 1994
Kidsgrove Athletic 1998
Mossley 2003
Salford City 2006
F.C. United of Manchester 2007
Abbey Hey 2010
Ashton Athletic 2014
Glossop North End 2015
Widnes 2018
Charnock Richard 2022
Congleton Town 2023
Barnoldswick Town 2024

First Division Challenge Cup winners

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The First Division Challenge Cup is for all members of the First Division. It was known as the Second Division Trophy from 1989 to 2008.

First Division Champions Cup winners

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The First Division Champions Cup is for the winners of the two geographical divisions within Division One. Its inaugural season was 2018–19.

Floodlit Trophy winners

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The NWCFL Floodlit Trophy was for all members of the Premier and First divisions.

Notes

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  1. ^ Note that the Fleetwood Town club that won the Division Two title in 1983–84 is not the same club as the one of the same name who won the Division One Championship in 2004–05. The earlier club folded in 1993, and the new club was not formed until 1997 as Fleetwood Wanderers, then Fleetwood Freeport before taking the Fleetwood Town name in 2002.
  2. ^ The 2020 final was delayed to and played in July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.

References

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  1. ^ "LEAGUE HISTORY – A Brief History of the North West Counties Football League". North West Counties Football League. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  2. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  3. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  4. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  5. ^ "National League System: FA chiefs restructure non-league game". BBC Sport. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  6. ^ "FA Announcement: New Step 6 Divisions allocated". NWCFL. 8 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  7. ^ "FA National League System Restructure – season 2018/19". NWCFL. 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  8. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  9. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  10. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  11. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  12. ^ "League History 1982-2022". Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  13. ^ "League announces 4-year partnership deal with Macron". NWCFL. 7 June 2016. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  14. ^ "News from the League AGM". NWCFL. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  15. ^ "Ramsbottom Are Champions". Non League Daily. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^ "Double Celebration For Wigan Robin Park". NWCFL. Retrieved 29 April 2012.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "League Tables". Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Congleton Town - Macron Cup Winners 2022–23". NWCFL.com. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Barnoldswick cruise to Macron Cup victory against ten-man Chadderton". Yahoo!. Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Rylands win the First Division Champions Cup".
  21. ^ "NWCFL First Division South 2022/23 - Reviewed".
  22. ^ "NWCFL | Brocton v FC St Helens Lineup".
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