North West Counties Football League

North West Counties Football League

Country	England
Confederation	FA
Founded	1982
Divisions	Premier Division First Division
Number of teams	44 22 (Premier Division) 22 (First Division)
Level on pyramid	9–10
Feeder to	Northern Premier League Division One North and Division One South
Domestic cup(s)	League Challenge Cup First Division Challenge Cup FA Cup FA Vase
Current champions	Colne (Premier Division) Hanley Town (First Division) (2015–16)
Website	Official website
2016–17 season

The North West Counties Football League is a football league in the North West of England, and is known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons.^[1] As of 2016–17, the league covers 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. The league currently has two divisions: the Premier Division, at level nine in the English football league system, and the First Division at level ten. The league is a member of the Joint Liaison Council which administers the Northern arm of the National Football System in England.^[2]

History

The league was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination. It originally consisted of three divisions, but this was reduced to two in 1987, partly because of 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 their grounds meeting the NWCFL's requirements.^[2]

The first sponsorship of the NWCFL came in with Bass who remained the league sponsors until 1995. In 1998, the regional train operating company, First North Western became the new sponsor in a two-year deal.^[2]

The area covered by the NWCFL is coloured in cyan.

In the 2008–09 season, Division One was renamed the Premier Division and Division Two became the First Division.

Four clubs have won a league and cup double, Ashton United in 1991–92, Kidsgrove Athletic in 1997–98, F.C. United of Manchester in 2006–07 and Glossop North End in 2014–15, while Atherton Laburnum Rovers are the only club to have won consecutive championships in 1992–93 and 1993–94. For three consecutive seasons in the 1980s Clitheroe won each of the NWCFL divisions. In 1983–84 they were Division Three champions, the following season they won the Division Two championship and then in 1985–86 they were crowned Division One champions.^[2]

The league is currently home to one former Football League clubs; Nelson, while AFC Darwen are a continuation of Darwen. The Bootle club is not the same one as the former Football League club. Former NWCFL members Accrington Stanley have risen to play in the Football League.

For sixteen years the record attendance for a NWCFL match was 1,353 for a First Division championship decider between Radcliffe Borough and Caernarfon Town in the 1982–83 season. In the 1998–99 season a crowd of 2,281 saw Workington's championship deciding match with Mossley at Borough Park. In the 2005–06 season 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 2006. The following season, due mainly to the relatively large support for FC United of Manchester, saw attendances rise and included a record 4,058 for an evening match, with Salford City's Division One home game against FC United of Manchester.^[2]

The league has two cup competitions – the League Challenge Cup which is open to all clubs, and the First Division Challenge Cup. For sponsorship reasons the League Challenge Cup is known as The Macron Challenge Cup, and the First Division Challenge Cup as The Reusch First Division Cup,^[3][4] Until it was disbanded in 2014, the league also ran a reserve league together with its own dedicated League Cup.^[5] From 1990–91 to 1999–2000 the league also ran a Floodlit Trophy competition.^[2]

Current clubs (2016–17)

Premier Division 1874 Northwich Abbey Hey AFC Darwen AFC Liverpool Ashton Athletic Atherton Collieries Barnoldswick Town Barnton Bootle Cammell Laird 1907 Congleton Town Hanley Town Irlam Maine Road Nelson New Mills Padiham Runcorn Linnets Runcorn Town Squires Gate West Didsbury & Chorlton Winsford United

First Division AFC Blackpool Alsager Town Ashton Town Atherton Laburnum Rovers Bacup Borough Carlisle City Chadderton Charnock Richard Cheadle Town City of Liverpool Daisy Hill Eccleshall FC Oswestry Town Holker Old Boys Litherland REMYCA Prestwich Heys Sandbach United Silsden St. Helens Town Stockport Town Whitchurch Alport Widnes

Location of the NWCL member clubs for the 2016–17 season

Previous divisional champions

1982–87

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

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 instigated, a format that still remains in place.

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[6]	Cammell Laird
2005–06	Cammell Laird	FC United of Manchester
2006–07	FC United of Manchester	Winsford United
2007–08	Trafford	New Mills

2008–present

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[7]	Wigan Robin Park[8]
2012–13	Padiham	Formby
2013–14	Norton United	Nelson
2014–15	Glossop North End	Atherton Collieries
2015–16	Colne	Hanley Town

League Challenge Cup winners

The NWCFL League Challenge Cup is for all members of the league.

1982–83 – Darwen 1983–84 – Ellesmere Port & Neston 1984–85 – Leek Town 1985–86 – Warrington Town 1986–87 – Colne Dynamoes 1987–88 – Warrington Town 1988–89 – Colwyn Bay 1989–90 – Knowsley United 1990–91 – Vauxhall GM 1991–92 – Ashton United 1992–93 – Burscough 1993–94 – Rossendale United 1994–95 – Nantwich Town 1995–96 – Burscough 1996–97 – Newcastle Town 1997–98 – Kidsgrove Athletic 1998–99 – Vauxhall GM

1999–2000 – Skelmersdale United 2000–01 – Formby 2001–02 – Prescot Cables 2002–03 – Mossley 2003–04 – Bacup Borough 2004–05 – Cammell Laird 2005–06 – Salford City 2006–07 – F.C. United of Manchester 2007–08 – Maine Road 2008–09 – New Mills 2009–10 – Abbey Hey 2010–11 – Winsford United 2011–12 – Bacup Borough 2012–13 – Runcorn Linnets 2013–14 – Ashton Athletic 2014–15 – Glossop North End 2015–16 – Atherton Collieries

First Division Challenge Cup winners

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.

1989–90 – Great Harwood Town 1990–91 – Glossop 1991–92 – Newcastle Town 1992–93 – Stantondale 1993–94 – North Trafford 1994–95 – Formby 1995–96 – Ramsbottom United 1996–97 – Nelson 1997–98 – Tetley Walker 1998–99 – Fleetwood Freeport 1999–2000 – Warrington Town 2000–01 – Squires Gate 2001–02 – No competition 2002–03 – Stone Dominoes

2003–04 – Colne 2004–05 – Cammell Laird 2005–06 – Flixton 2006–07 – New Mills 2007–08 – Kirkham & Wesham 2008–09 – AFC Liverpool 2009–10 – AFC Liverpool 2010–11 – Atherton Collieries 2011–12 – Norton United 2012–13 – West Didsbury & Chorlton 2013–14 – Formby 2014–15 – AFC Darwen 2015–16 – Barnton

Floodlit Trophy winners

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

1990–91 – Colwyn Bay 1991–92 – Great Harwood Town 1992–93 – Newcastle Town 1993–94 – Bootle 1994–95 – Penrith

1995–96 – Newcastle Town 1996–97 – Colwyn Bay 1997–98 – Burscough 1998–99 – Clitheroe 1999–2000 – Vauxhall GM

References

1. "The NWCFL agree headline sponsorship deal with Hallmark Security". NWCFL. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
2. "LEAGUE HISTORY – A Brief History of the North West Counties Football League". North West Counties Football League. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
3. "Introducing The Reusch First Division Cup". NWCFL. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
4. "League announces 4-year partnership deal with Macron". NWCFL. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
5. "News from the League AGM". NWCFL. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
6. 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.
7. "Ramsbottom Are Champions". NonLeagueDaily.com. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
8. "Double Celebration For Wigan Robin Park". NWCFL. Retrieved 29 April 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Current league tables
• NWCL at Non League UK