2009–10 Northern Premier League
The 2009–10 season was the 42nd season for the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and the third season for the Northern Premier League Division One North and South.
For Sponsorship reasons, the leagues were more formally known as the Unibond Premier, Unibond 1st Division North and Unibond 1st Division South
This was the last season that the three Northern Premier League divisions were sponsored by Henkel Unibond, ending a record 17 seasons relationship.
The final allocations of teams following the 2008–09 season was released on May 29, 2009.[1] With the restructuring of the national league system complete, all three divisions of the Northern Premier League had their full complement of twenty-two teams until the withdrawal of Newcastle Blue Star (see below).
Premier Division
The Premier Division featured seven new clubs:
- Burscough, relegated from the Conference North
- Hucknall Town, relegated from the Conference North
- King's Lynn, demoted under stadium quality rules from the Conference North
- Durham City, promoted from NPL Division One North
- Newcastle Blue Star, promoted via play-offs from NPL Division One North
- Retford United, promoted from NPL Division One South
- Stocksbridge Park Steels, promoted via play-offs from NPL Division One South
League table
Template:Fb cl header Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl3 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl3 qr Template:Fb cl footer
Playoffs
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Bradford Park Avenue | 2 | |||||||
| 5 | Kendal Town | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Bradford Park Avenue | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Boston United | 2* | |||||||
| 3 | Boston United | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | North Ferriby United | 1 | |||||||
* After extra time
Division One
North
The Division One North featured three new clubs:
- AFC Fylde, promoted from North West Counties Football League Premier Division
- Leigh Genesis, relegated from the NPL Premier Division
- Prescot Cables, relegated from the NPL Premier Division
League table
Template:Fb cl header Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl footer
Playoffs
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Lancaster City | 2 | |||||||
| 5 | Skelmersdale United | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Lancaster City | 0 | |||||||
| 4 | Colwyn Bay | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Curzon Ashton | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Colwyn Bay | 2 | |||||||
South
The Division One South featured five new clubs:
- Witton Albion, relegated from the NPL Premier Division
- Cammell Laird, demoted under stadium quality rules from the NPL Premier Division
- Chasetown, moved from the SFL Division One Midland
- Mickleover Sports, promoted from the NCEL Premier Division
- Market Drayton, promoted from the Midland Football Alliance
League table
Template:Fb cl header Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl team Template:Fb cl2 qr Template:Fb cl footer
Playoffs
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Chasetown | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | Sheffield | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | Chasetown | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Glapwell | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Glapwell | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Kidsgrove Athletic | 0 | |||||||
Resignations and their effects
On 20 June 2009, three days following the league's AGM which confirmed the 2009-10 allocation, Newcastle Blue Star resigned from the league.[2] As division placements had been confirmed be then, no replacement team could be entered and the Premier Division was reduced to twenty one teams for the season.
On 9 December 2009, King's Lynn were officially wound up by the High Court in London over debts and an overdue tax bill, and they will play no further games in the season. The League released a table on 21 December with King's Lynn's playing record expunged from it, and leaving the Premier Division with twenty clubs and only two relegation spots.[3] Then, in March 2010 Chester City F.C. and Farsley Celtic A.F.C. were removed from the Conference National and Conference North respectively.
Promotion from the First Divisions to the Premier Division took place as planned. Relegation from the First Divisions to the county level was reduced from the planned two per division to one. Relegation from the Premier Division was reduced from two to one on account of developments in the Conference. The final decision on relegations were made during the close season by the FA's National League System Committee which left this method completely redundant as Chester City, Farsley Celtic (now Farsley A.F.C.), King's Lynn, Grays Athletic (lost their ground), Merthyr Tydfil (expelled), VCD Athletic (ground grade fail) and Rothwell Town (resigned) were all demoted to Level 8.
Cup Results
Unibond Challenge Cup : Boston United 2-0 Retford United
Unibond Presidents Cup : Belper Town 3-1 Stamford
Chairmans Cup : Halifax 2-2 Mickleover, Mickleover win 3-1 on Pens
Peter Swales Shield : Guisely vs Mickleover
References
- ^ NLS club allocations released FA.com. 29/05/09. Accessed 08.07.09
- ^ UniBond League Response to Newcastle Blue Star's Resignation 25 June 2009. Accessed 08/07/09
- ^ Kings Lynn Wound up by the High Court -http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8402159.stm