2017–18 North West Counties Football League
The 2017–18 North West Counties Football League season (known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons[1]) was the 36th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. It was also the last season to have a single Division One. Teams were divided into two divisions: Premier Division and Division One.
The constitution for Step 5 and Step 6 divisions for 2017–18 was announced by the FA on 26 May 2017,[2] and ratified by the league at its AGM on 17 June.[3]
Premier Division
Season | 2017–18 |
---|---|
Champions | Runcorn Linnets |
Promoted | Runcorn Linnets Widnes |
Relegated | AFC Liverpool Maine Road Barnton AFC Darwen |
← 2016–17 2018–19 → |
At the end of season 2016–17, the following four teams left the division:
- Atherton Collieries, promoted to NPL Division One North
- Cammell Laird 1907, relegated to Division One
- Nelson, relegated to Division One
- New Mills, relegated to Division One
The remaining 18 teams, together with the following, formed the Premier Division for season 2017–18:
- Burscough, relegated from NPL Division One North
- Charnock Richard, promoted from the First Division
- City of Liverpool, promoted from the First Division
- Northwich Victoria, relegated from NPL Division One South
- Widnes, promoted from the First Division
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Runcorn Linnets (C, P) | 44 | 31 | 7 | 6 | 122 | 36 | +86 | 100 | Promoted to Northern Premier League West Division |
2 | Widnes (P) | 44 | 30 | 6 | 8 | 102 | 52 | +50 | 96 | Promoted to Northern Premier League West Division[a] |
3 | Runcorn Town | 44 | 29 | 6 | 9 | 107 | 65 | +42 | 93 | |
4 | City of Liverpool | 44 | 25 | 9 | 10 | 115 | 58 | +57 | 84 | |
5 | Bootle | 44 | 25 | 8 | 11 | 122 | 61 | +61 | 83 | |
6 | Charnock Richard | 44 | 24 | 7 | 13 | 103 | 72 | +31 | 79 | |
7 | 1874 Northwich | 44 | 24 | 7 | 13 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 79 | |
8 | Hanley Town | 44 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 94 | 59 | +35 | 76 | |
9 | Barnoldswick Town | 44 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 102 | 78 | +24 | 71 | |
10 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | 44 | 21 | 4 | 19 | 99 | 120 | −21 | 67 | |
11 | Squires Gate | 44 | 19 | 7 | 18 | 79 | 94 | −15 | 64 | |
12 | Ashton Athletic | 44 | 19 | 5 | 20 | 86 | 69 | +17 | 62 | |
13 | Irlam | 44 | 18 | 5 | 21 | 66 | 80 | −14 | 59 | |
14 | Winsford United | 44 | 16 | 10 | 18 | 77 | 87 | −10 | 58 | |
15 | Congleton Town | 44 | 16 | 8 | 20 | 83 | 85 | −2 | 56 | |
16 | Northwich Victoria | 44 | 17 | 5 | 22 | 77 | 93 | −16 | 56 | |
17 | Padiham | 44 | 16 | 5 | 23 | 85 | 96 | −11 | 53 | |
18 | Burscough | 44 | 15 | 5 | 24 | 82 | 103 | −21 | 50 | |
19 | Abbey Hey | 44 | 13 | 6 | 25 | 65 | 84 | −19 | 45 | |
20 | AFC Liverpool (R) | 44 | 12 | 6 | 26 | 77 | 94 | −17 | 42 | Relegated to Division One North |
21 | Maine Road (R) | 44 | 11 | 4 | 29 | 59 | 117 | −58 | 37 | Relegated to Division One South |
22 | Barnton (R) | 44 | 4 | 7 | 33 | 61 | 171 | −110 | 19 | |
23 | AFC Darwen (R) | 44 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 42 | 160 | −118 | 16 | Relegated to Division One North |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results [5]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Results
Stadia and locations
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Widnes | Select Security Stadium (groundshare with Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club) |
13,350 |
AFC Darwen | The Anchor Ground | 4,000 |
AFC Liverpool | Marine Travel Arena, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) | 3,185 |
Burscough | Victoria Park | 3,054 |
1874 Northwich * | Barton Stadium (groundshare with Winsford United) | 3,000 |
Winsford United | Barton Stadium | 3,000 |
Bootle | Delta Taxis Stadium | 2,500 |
City of Liverpool | Delta Taxis Stadium (groundshare with Bootle) | 2,500 |
Maine Road | Brantingham Road, Chorlton | 2,000 |
Padiham | Arbories Memorial Sports Ground | 1,688 |
Runcorn Linnets | Millbank Linnets Stadium | 1,600 |
Runcorn Town | Pavilions Sports Complex | 1,530 |
Congleton Town | Richborough Estates Stadium | 1,450 |
Abbey Hey | The Abbey Stadium, Gorton | 1,000 |
Ashton Athletic | Brockstedes Park | 1,000 |
Irlam | Silver Street | 1,000 |
Squires Gate | School Road | 1,000 |
West Didsbury & Chorlton | Brookburn Road, Chorlton | 1,000 |
Hanley Town | Abbey Lane | 750 |
Barnoldswick Town | Silentnight Beds Stadium | |
Barnton | Townfield | |
Charnock Richard | Mossie Park | |
Northwich Victoria | Townfield (groundshare with Barnton) |
- Due to ground conditions and acute fixture congestion, 1874 Northwich played some home matches, notably in the latter stages of the FA Vase and the league programme, at Wincham Park, Northwich, home of Witton Albion.[6]
Division One
Season | 2017–18 |
---|---|
Champions | Silsden |
Promoted | Silsden Litherland REMYCA Whitchurch Alport |
← 2016–17 2018–19 → |
At the end of season 2016–17, the following four teams left the division:
- Ashton Town, relegated to the Cheshire Association Football League Premier Division.
- Charnock Richard, promoted to the Premier Division
- City of Liverpool, promoted to the Premier Division
- Widnes, promoted to the Premier Division
The remaining 18 teams, together with the following, formed Division One for the 2017–18 season:
- Abbey Hulton United, promoted from Staffordshire County Senior League
- Cammell Laird 1907, relegated from the Premier Division
- Nelson, relegated from the Premier Division
- New Mills, relegated from the Premier Division
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Silsden (C, P) | 42 | 33 | 4 | 5 | 110 | 38 | +72 | 103 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
2 | Litherland REMYCA (P) | 42 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 117 | 39 | +78 | 99 | |
3 | Prestwich Heys | 42 | 29 | 4 | 9 | 124 | 50 | +74 | 91 | Qualified for the play-offs, then allocated to Division One North |
4 | Whitchurch Alport (O, P) | 42 | 28 | 4 | 10 | 91 | 38 | +53 | 88 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division[a] |
5 | Sandbach United | 42 | 27 | 3 | 12 | 90 | 57 | +33 | 84 | Qualified for the play-offs, then allocated to Division One South |
6 | Cammell Laird 1907 | 42 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 84 | 58 | +26 | 72 | |
7 | AFC Blackpool | 42 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 92 | 78 | +14 | 68 | Allocated to Division One North |
8 | Alsager Town | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 84 | 71 | +13 | 67 | Allocated to Division One South |
9 | Holker Old Boys | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 72 | 89 | −17 | 65 | Allocated to Division One North |
10 | Stockport Town | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 81 | 87 | −6 | 53 | Allocated to Division One South |
11 | Carlisle City | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 71 | 80 | −9 | 53 | Allocated to Division One North |
12 | Cheadle Town | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 72 | 83 | −11 | 53 | Allocated to Division One South |
13 | Abbey Hulton United | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 56 | 66 | −10 | 50 | |
14 | New Mills | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 68 | 95 | −27 | 49 | |
15 | Eccleshall | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 66 | 105 | −39 | 47 | |
16 | Chadderton | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 83 | 93 | −10 | 46 | Allocated to Division One North |
17 | Bacup Borough | 42 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 65 | 95 | −30 | 46[b] | |
18 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 42 | 13 | 5 | 24 | 61 | 81 | −20 | 44 | |
19 | FC Oswestry Town | 42 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 60 | 101 | −41 | 40 | Allocated to Division One South |
20 | St Helens Town | 42 | 8 | 8 | 26 | 55 | 98 | −43 | 32 | Allocated to Division One North |
21 | Nelson | 42 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 91 | −41 | 31 | |
22 | Daisy Hill | 42 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 49 | 108 | −59 | 31 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results [5]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
Notes:
- ^ Four teams played for one spot and promotion to the Premier Division.
- ^ Bacup Borough were awarded a 3–0 win against FC Oswestry Town, due to Oswestry failing to fulfill fixture on 5 May.
Results
- Bacup Borough v FC Oswestry Town: visitors failed to fulfil fixture on 5 May, result declared a 3–0 home win
- St Helens Town v Abbey Hulton United: result declared a draw following investigation[7]
Playoffs
Source for this subsection: NWC website
Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
3 | Prestwich Heys | 1 | |||||||
6 | Cammell Laird 1907 | 4 | |||||||
6 | Cammell Laird 1907 | 1 | |||||||
4 | Whitchurch Alport | 2 | |||||||
4 | Whitchurch Alport | 1 | |||||||
5 | Sandbach United | 0 |
Stadia and locations
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Carlisle City | Gillford Park Stadium | 4,000 |
Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Crilly Park | 3,000 |
Bacup Borough | West View | 3,000 |
Holker Old Boys | Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness | 2,500 |
Stockport Town | Stockport Sports Village | 2,384 |
FC Oswestry Town | Park Hall Stadium | 2,034 |
Cammell Laird 1907 | North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead | 2,000 |
Cheadle Town | Park Road Stadium | 2,000 |
Daisy Hill | New Sirs Westhoughton | 2,000 |
Eccleshall | Pershall Park | 2,000 |
Nelson | Victoria Park | 2,000 |
AFC Blackpool | The Mechanics | 1,500 |
Alsager Town | Wood Park Stadium | 1,500 |
Chadderton | MCA Stadium | 1,500 |
Silsden | Keighley Road Stadium | 1,500 |
New Mills | Church Lane | 1,400 |
Abbey Hulton United | Birches Head Road | |
Litherland REMYCA | Litherland Sports Park | |
Prestwich Heys | Aide Moran Park | |
Sandbach United | Sandbach Community Football Centre | |
St Helens Town | Ruskin Drive Sportsground | |
Whitchurch Alport | Yockings Park |
League Challenge Cup
Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons.[8] Source for this section: NWCFL web site
First Round
Northern Section
|
Southern Section
|
All remaining teams received byes to the second round.
Second Round
Northern Section
* Played at Padiham, following two postponements
|
Southern Section
* Played at Abbey Hulton, following two postponements
|
Third Round
Northern Section
|
Southern Section
|
Quarter Finals
|
|
Semi Finals
First Leg
|
|
Second Leg
|
|
Final
Played at Highbury Stadium, home of Fleetwood Town.
Division One TrophyAlso called the LWC Drinks First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons.[3] Source for this section: NWCFL web site First Round
All the remaining First Division teams received a bye to the second round. Second Round
Quarter Finals
Semi FinalsFirst leg
Second leg
FinalPlayed at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, home of Runcorn Linnets.
|