The 1996-97 Northern Premier League season was the 29th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First. It was known as the Unibond League for sponsorship reasons.[1]
Contents |
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Leek Town |
| Promoted | Leek Town |
| Relegated | Buxton Witton Albion |
| Matches played | 506 |
| Goals scored | 1466 (2.9 per match) |
|
← 1995–96
1997–98 →
|
|
The Premier League featured three new teams:
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leek Town (C) (P) | 44 | 28 | 9 | 7 | 71 | 35 | +36 | 93 | Promotion to the Conference |
| 2 | Bishop Auckland | 44 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 88 | 43 | +45 | 83 | |
| 3 | Hyde United | 44 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 93 | 46 | +47 | 82 | |
| 4 | Emley | 44 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 89 | 54 | +35 | 81 | |
| 5 | Barrow | 44 | 23 | 11 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 80 | |
| 6 | Boston United | 44 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 79 | |
| 7 | Blyth Spartans | 44 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 49 | +25 | 77 | |
| 8 | Marine | 44 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 53 | 37 | +16 | 75 | |
| 9 | Guiseley | 44 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 71 | |
| 10 | Gainsborough Trinity | 44 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 66 | |
| 11 | Accrington Stanley | 44 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 77 | 70 | +7 | 66 | |
| 12 | Runcorn | 44 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 63 | 62 | +1 | 60 | |
| 13 | Chorley | 44 | 16 | 9 | 19 | 69 | 66 | +3 | 57 | |
| 14 | Winsford United | 44 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 53 | |
| 15 | Knowsley United | 44 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 58 | 79 | −21 | 50 | Club folded at the end of the season |
| 16 | Colwyn Bay | 44 | 11 | 13 | 20 | 60 | 76 | −16 | 46 | |
| 17 | Lancaster City | 44 | 12 | 9 | 23 | 48 | 75 | −27 | 45 | |
| 18 | Frickley Athletic | 44 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 62 | 91 | −29 | 44 | |
| 19 | Spennymoor United | 44 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 52 | 68 | −16 | 40 | |
| 20 | Bamber Bridge | 44 | 11 | 7 | 26 | 59 | 99 | −40 | 40 | |
| 21 | Alfreton Town | 44 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 45 | 86 | −41 | 37 | |
| 22 | Witton Albion (R) | 44 | 5 | 14 | 25 | 49 | 91 | −42 | 29 | Relegation to the NPL Division One |
| 23 | Buxton (R) | 44 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 33 | 86 | −53 | 27 |
Updated to games played on 3 March 2011
Source: [1].
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
| Season | 1996–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Radcliffe Borough |
| Promoted | Leigh RMI Radcliffe Borough |
| Relegated | Atherton L.R. Curzon Ashton Warrington Town |
| Matches played | 462 |
| Goals scored | 1281 (2.77 per match) |
|
← 1995–96
1997–98 →
|
|
Division One featured four new teams:
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radcliffe Borough (C) (P) | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 77 | 33 | +44 | 85 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Leigh RMI (P) | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 65 | 33 | +32 | 83 | |
| 3 | Lincoln United | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 78 | 47 | +31 | 83 | |
| 4 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 75 | 48 | +27 | 77 | |
| 5 | Worksop Town | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 72 | |
| 6 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 66 | 54 | +12 | 68 | |
| 7 | Bradford Park Avenue | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 68 | |
| 8 | Ashton United | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 73 | 52 | +21 | 65 | |
| 9 | Great Harwood Town | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 60 | |
| 10 | Droylsden | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 67 | +2 | 59 | |
| 11 | Matlock Town | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 60 | 69 | −9 | 57 | |
| 12 | Whitley Bay | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 47 | 54 | −7 | 54 | |
| 13 | Flixton | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 52 | |
| 14 | Netherfield | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 54 | 56 | −2 | 50 | |
| 15 | Eastwood Town | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 50 | |
| 16 | Gretna | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 55 | 67 | −12 | 50 | |
| 17 | Harrogate Town | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 54 | 76 | −22 | 47 | |
| 18 | Congleton Town | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 45 | |
| 19 | Workington | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 45 | 63 | −18 | 42 | |
| 20 | Curzon Ashton (R) | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 48 | 79 | −31 | 34 | Relegation to the NCEFL Premier Division |
| 21 | Warrington Town (R) | 42 | 5 | 18 | 19 | 42 | 79 | −37 | 33* | Relegation to the NWCFL Division Two |
| 22 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers (R) | 42 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 45 | 85 | −40 | 30 | Relegation to the NWCFL Division One |
Updated to games played on May 1997
Source: [2].
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
* Warrington Town were relegated an extra level due to ground standards issues.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
In the twenty-ninth season of the Northern Premier League Leek Town (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Witton Albion and Buxton were relegated to the First Division while Knowsley United left the League at the end of the season. Boston United moved to the Southern League. These clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Altrincham, First Division winners Radcliffe Borough and second placed Leigh RMI. In the First Division Curzon Ashton, Warrington Town and Atherton Laburnum Rovers left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly-admitted Whitby Town, Belper Town and Trafford.
Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.
President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
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