| Founded | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Region | England Wales |
| Number of teams | 67 |
| Current champions | Guiseley (1st time) |
| Most successful club | Boston United (3 wins, 1 runner-up) |
| Website | Evo-Stik League Website |
| 2010-11 | |
The Peter Swales Shield (previously known as the Northern Premier League Shield) is an annual one-off game organised by the Northern Premier League. It is named in memory of Peter Swales.
The game is currently played between the champions of the NPL Premier Division and the winners of the Chairman's Cup. Prior to the split of Division One into Division One North and Division One South, the match was played between the champions of the Premier Division and the winners of the Challenge Cup. If a team won the league double i.e. both the league and the cup; the 2nd placed team in the Premier Division would take the Shield berth.
Contents |
The first time the shield was contested was in 1971–72. At this point the Northern Premier League consisted of just one division. As the league was expanded, the competition accepted teams from the new divisions. Boston United are the most successful club with three titles and a runners-up. Accrington Stanley, Altrincham, Boston United, Marine, Runcorn and Wigan Athletic are the clubs which have successfully defended the title. Only one Welsh team has ever won the Challenge Cup: Bangor City in the competition's 1987–88
From 1973–1989 and 1996–2007, the winners of the Challenge Cup qualified for the Peter Swales Shield where they would play the champions of the Premier Division. This practice ended upon the splitting of Division One into two divisions: Division One North and Division One South. Now the winners of the Chairman's Cup qualify instead.
Between 1990–1995, the winners of the President's Cup qualified instead of the Challenge Cup winners.
1 As Mossley won both the Northern Premier League and the Challenge Cup, Altrincham qualified as 2nd placed team of the NPL.
2 As Macclesfield Town won both the Northern Premier League and the Presidents Cup, Bangor City qualified as 2nd placed team of the NPL.
3 Due to Colne Dynamoes folding at the end of the season, Leek Town were selected to contest the shield as champions of Division One.
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Notes | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Witton Albion | Stalybridge Celtic3 | |||
| 1992 | Stalybridge Celtic | Morecambe | |||
| 1993 | Southport | Winsford United | |||
| 1994 | Marine | Guiseley | |||
| 1995 | Marine | Lancaster City |
3 As Witton Albion won both the Northern Premier League and the Presidents Cup, Stalybridge Celtic qualified as 2nd placed team of the NPL.
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Notes | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Fleetwood Town | Bradford Park Avenue4 | |||
| 2009 | Eastwood Town | 2–1 | Durham City | ||
| 2010 | Guiseley | 1–1 | Mickleover Sports | 5–3 on penalties |
4 Retford United would have qualified but its ground standards were not high enough for it to play in the shield.
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Notes | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | F.C. Halifax Town | 1–1[5] | Ashton United | 5–4 on penalties |
Teams that have won the cup at least once.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston United |
|
|
1973, 1976, 1977 |
| Altrincham |
|
|
1979, 1998, 1999 |
| Wigan Athletic |
|
|
1972, 1974, 1975 |
| Hyde United |
|
|
1997, 2005 |
| Marine |
|
|
1994, 1995 |
| Runcorn |
|
|
1980, 1981 |
| Stalybridge Celtic |
|
|
1992, 2001 |
| Accrington Stanley |
|
|
2002, 2003 |
| Mossley |
|
|
1989 |
| Barrow |
|
|
1984 |
| Burton Albion |
|
|
1983 |
| Fleetwood Town |
|
|
2008 |
| Gateshead |
|
|
1986 |
| Guiseley |
|
|
2010 |
| Leek Town |
|
|
1990 |
| Matlock Town |
|
|
1978 |
| Stafford Rangers |
|
|
1985 |
| Bangor City |
|
|
1987 |
| Blyth Spartans |
|
|
2006 |
| Burscough |
|
|
2007 |
| Chorley |
|
|
1988 |
| Droylsden |
|
|
2004 |
| Eastwood Town |
|
|
2009 |
| Gainsborough Trinity |
|
|
1997 |
| F.C. Halifax Town |
|
|
2011 |
| Leigh RMI |
|
|
2000 |
| Southport |
|
|
1993 |
| Witton Albion |
|
|
1991 |
|
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