Northern Premier League Premier Division
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Northern Premier League Premier Division |
|---|
 |
| Founded |
| 1968 |
| Nation |
 England |
| Feeder To |
| Conference North |
| Level on Pyramid |
| 7th tier |
| Website |
| link |
The Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 (or level 7) of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the FA Premier League. For sponsorship reasons, it is often referred to as the UniBond League Premier Division.
The league was founded in 1968, as the northern equivalent of the Southern League, being the highest level non-League division below The Football League. In 1979, upon the creation of the Alliance Premier League, it became a feeder league and fell down one 'level' in the English football league system. Since then, its prestige has fallen further: there are now two levels between it and the Football League.
The division is at the same level as the Premier Divisions of the Southern League and the Isthmian League. At the end of each season two clubs are promoted to the Conference North: the league champions, and the winners of a play-off competition held between the 2nd through 5th placed clubs. The four lowest placed teams are relegated to the Northern Premier League First Division. However, these are all dependent on these teams having adequate stadium-requirements for the higher level league. If not, promotion will be offered to the team below them, or cancelled for a year. In 1995, for example, Morecambe were promoted over champions Marine, whose ground was of an indequate quality.
[edit] Current Clubs
| Club |
Finishing position last season |
|---|---|
| A.F.C. Telford United | 10th |
| Ashton United | 15th |
| Burscough | 7th |
| Fleetwood Town | 2nd in First Division |
| Frickley Athletic | 2nd |
| Gateshead | 17th |
| Grantham Town | 11th in Southern Football League Premier Division |
| Guiseley | 14th |
| Hednesford Town | 22nd in Conference North |
| Ilkeston Town | 16th |
| Kendal Town | 3rd in Division One |
| Leek Town | 12th |
| Lincoln United | 19th |
| Marine | 3rd |
| Matlock Town | 9th |
| Mossley | 1st in Division One |
| North Ferriby United | 5th |
| Ossett Town | 11th |
| Prescot Cables | 13th |
| Radcliffe Borough | 18th |
| Whitby Town | 6th |
| Witton Albion | 8th |
[edit] Past winners
| Northern Premier League Premier Division 2006/07 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AFC Telford United | Ashton United | Burscough | Fleetwood Town | Frickley Athletic | Gateshead | Grantham Town | Guiseley | Hednesford Town | Ilkeston Town | Kendal Town | Leek Town | Lincoln United | Marine | Matlock Town | Mossley | North Ferriby United | Ossett Town | Prescot Cables | Radcliffe Borough | Whitby Town | Witton Albion edit |
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| English football league system - Level 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Promotion to: Conference North | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relegation to: Northern Premier League First Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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