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North West Counties Football League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| North West Counties Football League |
|---|
 |
| Founded |
| 1982 |
| Nation |
 England |
| Feeder To |
| NPL First Division |
| Divisions |
| Division One (1982-present) Division Two (1982-present) |
| Number of Teams |
| 38 20 (Division One) 18 (Division Two) |
| Levels on Pyramid |
| Level 9 (Division One) Level 10 (Division Two) |
| Cups |
| NWCFL Challenge Cup |
| Current Champions (2006/07) |
| FC United of Manchester (Division One) Winsford United (Division Two) |
| Website |
| Official website |
The North West Counties Football League (currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Vodkat League) is a football league in the north west of England. As of 2006, the league covers the whole of the North West England region, and part of the West Midlands region, from Stoke-on-Trent up to the Lake District. The league currently has two divisions: Division One, at level nine in the English football league system, and Division Two at level ten.
Contents |
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. At the same time, promotion and relegation between the two leagues were introduced, with either the first or second placed club in the North West Counties Football League being entitled to a place in the NPL, subject to their ground meeting that league's requirements. There are two other feeder leagues to the Northern Premier League, the Northern League and the Northern Counties East League.
The NWCFL has six feeder leagues of its own with eligibility for promotion to the North West Counties Football League Division Two being accorded to champions of the Liverpool County Premier League, Mid-Cheshire League, West Cheshire Amateur Football League, Staffordshire County Senior League, West Lancashire League, and Manchester League, again subject to their grounds meeting the NWCFL's requirements.
The record attendance for a North West Counties League match is 6,023 for a Division Two match between FC United of Manchester and Great Harwood Town on 23 April 2006.
The only club to have played in the North West Counties Football League Division One every season since its inception is St Helens Town. The league is home to three ex-Football League clubs; Darwen, Glossop North End and Nelson (the Bootle club is not the same club as the former Football League club) and perhaps uniquely, home to two supporter-created teams; Maine Road (formed by Manchester City fans) and FC United (formed by Manchester United fans).
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 |
Due to the expansion of the Northern Premier League, and the withdrawal of teams who could no longer meet the ground requirements, the third division was disbanded and a two division format instigated. This format remains in place today.
| 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 |
| 1999-00 | Vauxhall Motors | 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[1] | Cammell Laird |
| 2005-06 | Cammell Laird | FC United of Manchester |
| 2006-07 | FC United of Manchester | Winsford United |
- ^ 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, the new club was not formed until 1997 and played as Fleetwood Wanderers and Fleetwood Freeport before taking the Fleetwood Town name in 2002.