2021–22 North West Counties Football League

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The 2021–22 North West Counties Football League season is the 40th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England, and the fourth season following the split of the lower level into two geographically separated divisions. Teams are divided into three divisions: Premier Division, at Step 5, and Divisions One North and South, at Step 6.

The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by The Football Association on 18 May 2021,[1] and were subject to appeal. On 8 April, it was announced at the league's Management Committee meeting that the season would start no earlier than Saturday 31 July.[2] The league constitution was adopted on 12 June.[3]

After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons.[4][5][6]

Premier Division[]

North West Counties
Football League
Premier Division
Season2021–22
Biggest home winCharnock Richard 9-1 Ashton Athletic (August 14)
Biggest away winWinsford United 1-7 Irlam (August 30)
Highest scoringCharnock Richard 9-1 Ashton Athletic (August 14)
AFC Liverpool 4-6 Burscough (October 9)

The Premier Division comprises 21 teams, 15 of which competed in the previous season's aborted competition.

The following five clubs left the Premier Division before the season:

The following six clubs joined the Premier Division before the season:

Congleton Town's initial transfer laterally to the Midland League was successfully appealed and this move was reversed.[7]

Premier Division table[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Macclesfield 27 18 5 4 51 30 +21 59 Promotion to the
2 Skelmersdale United 27 17 6 4 65 31 +34 57 Promotion to the NPL or qualification for inter-step play-offs[a]
3 Wythenshawe Town 29 16 6 7 60 36 +24 54
4 Charnock Richard 26 15 4 7 75 49 +26 49
5 Avro 27 14 5 8 52 38 +14 47
6 Burscough 28 13 6 9 55 43 +12 45
7 Longridge Town 28 12 6 10 57 52 +5 42
8 Congleton Town 27 12 5 10 47 37 +10 41
9 Northwich Victoria 26 12 4 10 58 45 +13 40
10 Lower Breck 27 12 3 12 51 55 −4 39
11 Barnoldswick Town 27 8 10 9 48 51 −3 34
12 Prestwich Heys 26 11 1 14 46 55 −9 34
13 Vauxhall Motors 26 10 4 12 42 55 −13 34
14 Winsford United 26 9 6 11 52 59 −7 33
15 Irlam 26 10 3 13 40 48 −8 33
16 AFC Liverpool 25 9 5 11 55 55 0 32
17 Squires Gate 27 7 9 11 39 45 −6 30
18 Padiham 29 7 9 13 36 50 −14 30
19 Ashton Athletic 27 6 6 15 43 73 −30 24
20 Runcorn Town 27 4 8 15 42 65 −23 20 Possible relegation to Step 6[b]
21 Litherland REMYCA 26 4 1 21 34 76 −42 13 Relegation to Step 6
Updated to match(es) played on 19 January 2022. Source: NWCFL Tables Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[10]
Notes:
  1. ^ The 10 runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game (PPG) will be automatically promoted at the end of the 2021–22 season. The remaining six runners-up will contest one-off inter-step play-off matches with the six third-from-bottom clubs with the fewest PPG from the eight divisions at Step 4. The winner of each match will rise to or stay at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will drop to or remain at Step 5.[8]
  2. ^ Twelve clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that are second-from-bottom at Step 5 will be reprieved.[9]

Stadia and locations[]

Locations of the 2021–22 North West Counties Football League Premier Division teams
Team Location Stadium
AFC Liverpool Crosby Rossett Park
Ashton Athletic Ashton-in-Makerfield Brockstedes Park
Avro Oldham Whitebank Stadium
Barnoldswick Town Barnoldswick Greenberfield Lane
Burscough Burscough Victoria Park
Charnock Richard Charnock Richard Mossie Park
Congleton Town Congleton Ivy Gardens
Irlam Irlam Silver Street
Litherland REMYCA Litherland Litherland Sports Park
Longridge Town Longridge Mike Riding Ground
Lower Breck Liverpool Anfield Sports and Community Centre
Macclesfield Macclesfield Moss Rose
Northwich Victoria Wincham Wincham Park
Padiham Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground
Prestwich Heys Prestwich Adie Moran Park
Runcorn Town Runcorn Pavilions Sports Complex
Skelmersdale United Skelmersdale Valerie Park
Squires Gate Squires Gate School Road
Warrington Rylands Warrington Gorsey Lane
Vauxhall Motors Ellesmere Port Rivacre Park
Winsford United Winsford St Luke's Barton Stadium
Wythenshawe Town Wythenshawe Ericstan Stadium

Division One North[]

North West Counties
Football League
Division One North
Season2021–22

Division One North comprises 19 clubs, 16 of which were in the division the previous season.

The following four clubs left Division One North before the season, three promoted to the Premier Division:

The following three clubs joined Division One North before the season:

FC Isle of Man appealed for a move to Division One South for logistical reasons after the initial allocation to this division and the club's request was granted.[3]

Division One North table[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Bury AFC 24 18 6 0 68 23 +45 60 Promotion to Step 5
2 Golcar United 25 18 3 4 67 44 +23 57 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Holker Old Boys 24 16 4 4 46 24 +22 52
4 Bacup Borough 25 11 8 6 57 34 +23 41
5 AFC Blackpool 24 12 5 7 52 39 +13 41
6 Pilkington 24 12 5 7 53 52 +1 41
7 Garstang 26 9 9 8 60 55 +5 36
8 Nelson 25 10 4 11 55 51 +4 34
9 Chadderton 24 9 6 9 32 36 −4 33
10 Daisy Hill 26 10 3 13 48 54 −6 33
11 Campion 25 8 7 10 55 47 +8 31
12 Ashton Town 25 9 4 12 49 60 −11 31
13 Ilkley Town 25 9 3 13 54 55 −1 30
14 Steeton 25 9 3 13 57 59 −2 30
15 South Liverpool 24 7 7 10 42 54 −12 28
16 Cleator Moor Celtic 26 9 3 14 58 62 −4 27[a]
17 Atherton LR 25 7 3 15 45 67 −22 24 Possible relegation to feeder leagues
18 AFC Darwen 25 7 1 17 50 72 −22 22
19 St Helens Town 27 3 4 20 41 101 −60 13
Updated to match(es) played on 18 January 2022. Source: NWCFL Tables, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[10]
Notes:
  1. ^ Cleator Moor Celtic were deducted 3 points for failing to field a side against Golcar United on 28 August 2021.

Stadia and locations[]


Locations of the 2021–22 North West Counties Football League Division One North teams
Team Location Stadium
AFC Blackpool Blackpool The Mechanics
AFC Darwen Darwen The Anchor Ground
Ashton Town Ashton-in-Makerfield Edge Green Street
Atherton Laburnum Rovers Atherton Crilly Park
Bacup Borough Bacup West View
Bury AFC Radcliffe Stainton Park
Campion Bradford Scotchman Road
Chadderton Chadderton MCA Stadium
Cleator Moor Celtic Cleator Moor McGrath Park
Daisy Hill Westhoughton New Sirs
Garstang Garstang The Riverside
Golcar United Golcar Longfield Avenue
Holker Old Boys Barrow-in-Furness Rakesmoor Lane
Ilkley Town Ilkley MPM Lane
Nelson Nelson Victoria Park
Pilkington St Helens Ruskin Drive Sportsground
South Liverpool Liverpool Jericho Lane
St Helens Town St Helens Ruskin Drive Sportsground
Steeton Steeton Marley Stadium

Locations of the 2021–22 North West Counties Football League Division One North teams (West Yorkshire)

Division One South[]

North West Counties
Football League
Division One South
Season2021–22

Division One South comprises 20 clubs, 16 of which were in the division the previous season.

The following three clubs left Division One South before the season:

The following four clubs joined Division One South before the season, three transferred from the Midland League:

Wem Town, previously allocated from the West Midlands (Regional) League, resigned from this league. To fill the vacancy, FC Isle of Man, returning from membership suspension for the rest of last season and initially assigned to Division One North, requested for a transfer to this division and the FA granted it.

Division One South table[]

Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphabetic sequence of teams rather than league position.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 West Didsbury & Chorlton 25 19 5 1 67 16 +51 62 Promotion to Step 5
2 New Mills 26 18 5 3 76 30 +46 59 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Abbey Hey 26 17 4 5 67 29 +38 55
4 FC Isle of Man 26 16 6 4 85 43 +42 54
5 Wythenshawe Amateurs 27 15 6 6 65 36 +29 51
6 Cheadle Town 27 13 8 6 61 35 +26 47
7 Sandbach United 26 12 6 8 57 45 +12 42
8 Stafford Town 26 11 4 11 50 50 0 37
9 Ellesmere Rangers 26 10 6 10 58 55 +3 36
10 Cammell Laird 27 10 4 13 44 60 −16 34
11 Stockport Town 25 10 3 12 51 37 +14 33
12 Cheadle Heath Nomads 25 8 8 9 57 61 −4 32
13 Brocton 27 9 5 13 46 64 −18 32
14 Maine Road 23 9 3 11 54 42 +12 30
15 Barnton 26 8 6 12 44 56 −12 30
16 Abbey Hulton United 26 9 2 15 47 57 −10 29
17 Alsager Town 25 7 3 15 37 51 −14 24
18 Eccleshall 26 7 3 16 34 63 −29 24 Possible relegation to feeder leagues
19 Rocester 26 5 3 18 30 63 −33 18
20 St Martins 27 0 2 25 19 156 −137 2
Updated to match(es) played on 18 January 2022. Source: NWCFL Tables, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[10]

Stadia and locations[]

Locations of the 2021–22 North West Counties Football League Division One South teams
Locations of 2021–22 North West Counties Division One South teams (Shropshire)
Locations of 2021–22 North West Counties Division One South teams (Staffordshire)
Team Location Stadium
Abbey Hey Gorton The Abbey Stadium
Abbey Hulton United Abbey Hulton Birches Head Road
Alsager Town Alsager Wood Park Stadium
Barnton Barnton Townfield
Brocton Brocton Silkmore Lane
Cammell Laird 1907 Birkenhead Kirklands
Cheadle Heath Nomads Stockport The Heath
Cheadle Town Cheadle Park Road Stadium
Eccleshall Eccleshall Pershall Park
Ellesmere Rangers Ellesmere Beech Grove
FC Isle of Man Isle of Man Douglas The Bowl
Maine Road Chorlton-cum-Hardy Brantingham Road
New Mills New Mills Church Lane
Rocester Rocester Hillsfield
Sandbach United Sandbach Sandbach Community Football Centre
St Martins Oswestry Park Hall
Stafford Town Stafford Evans Park
Stockport Town Stockport Stockport Sports Village
West Didsbury & Chorlton Chorlton-cum-Hardy Brookburn Road
Wythenshawe Amateurs Wythenshawe Hollyhedge Park

References[]

  1. ^ "FA Restructure Details Announced". nwcfl.com. 18 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Confirmation of 2021-22 Season Start Date". nwcfl.com. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "League AGM 2021". nwcfl.com. 12 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ^ "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. ^ "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Congleton Town Win Appeal". nwcfl.com. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  8. ^ Bayliss, Ollie [@Ollie_Bayliss] (2 November 2021). "One of the other significant changes is promotion from Step 5 to Step 4. At Step 5, the best 10 second-placed teams now go up automatically. The other second-placed teams at Step 5 will play a play-off against a club third-bottom in Step 4" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 December 2021 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Bayliss, Ollie [@Ollie_Bayliss] (2 November 2021). "As a result of gaps in the non-league pyramid, the FA has clarified its position on promotions & relegations this season: ♦ Just 1 club per division will be relegated from the National League North & South ♦ Just 9 [recte 8] Step 3 clubs will be relegated (rather than 16 [recte 15])" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 December 2021 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ a b c "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.

External links[]

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