2009–10 Northern Premier League

The 2009–10 season was the 42nd season for the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and the third season for the Northern Premier League Division One North and South.

For Sponsorship reasons, the leagues were more formally known as the Unibond Premier, Unibond 1st Division North and Unibond 1st Division South

This was the last season that the three Northern Premier League divisions were sponsored by Henkel Unibond, ending a record 17 seasons relationship.

The final allocations of teams following the 2008–09 season was released on 29 May 2009.[1] With the restructuring of the national league system complete, all three divisions of the Northern Premier League had their full complement of twenty-two teams until the withdrawal of Newcastle Blue Star (see below).

Premier Division

Northern Premier League Premier Division
Season 2009–10
Champions Guiseley
Promoted Guiseley
Boston United
Relegated Durham City
Matches played 383
Goals scored 1280 (3.34 per match)

The Premier Division featured seven new clubs:

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Guiseley (C) (P) 38 25 4 9 73 41+32 79 Promotion to Conference North
2 Bradford Park Avenue 38 24 6 8 94 51+43 78 Qualification to Playoffs
3 Boston United (P) 38 23 8 7 90 34+56 77
4 North Ferriby United 38 22 9 7 70 38+32 75
5 Kendal Town 38 21 8 9 75 47+28 71
6 Retford United 38 18 11 9 73 46+27 65
7 Matlock Town 38 17 9 12 72 49+23 60
8 Buxton 38 16 12 10 66 43+23 60
9 Marine 38 17 6 15 60 55+5 57
10 Nantwich Town 38 16 6 16 64 69−5 54
11 Stocksbridge Park Steels 38 15 7 16 80 68+12 52
12 Ashton United 38 15 6 17 48 63−15 51
13 F.C. United of Manchester 38 13 8 17 62 65−3 47
14 Whitby Town 38 12 10 16 56 62−6 46
15 Frickley Athletic 38 12 9 17 50 66−16 45
16 Burscough 38 13 5 20 55 65−10 44
17 Hucknall Town 38 12 8 18 65 81−16 44
18 Worksop Town 38 7 9 22 45 68−23 30
19 Ossett Town 38 6 7 25 46 92−46 25†
20 Durham City (R) 38 2 0 36 27 168−141 0* Relegation to NPL Division One North
21 King's Lynn 0 0 0 0 0 00 02 Club folded, record expunged
22 Newcastle Blue Star 0 0 0 0 0 00 01 Resigned, club folded

Updated to games played on 17 May 2010.
Source: Unibond League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1Newcastle Blue Star resigned from the league prior to the season's start.
2King's Lynn folded on 9 December 2009 and their record (P18 W8 D6 L4 GF49 GA24 Pts30) was expunged on 21 December 2009
* Durham City deducted 6 points for fielding a player under a false name whilst suspended for another club.
† Ossett Town reprieved from relegation.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (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; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Playoffs

Semifinals Final
      
2 Bradford Park Avenue 2
5 Kendal Town 1
2 Bradford Park Avenue 1
3 Boston United 2*
3 Boston United 2
4 North Ferriby United 1

* After extra time

Stadia and Locations

Team Stadium Capacity
F.C. United of Manchester Gigg Lane (Bury ground share) 11,840
Newcastle Blue Star Kingston Park 10,200
Boston United York Street 6,643
King's Lynn The Walks 5,733
Buxton The Silverlands 5,200
Bradford Park Avenue Horsfall Stadium 5,000
Hucknall Town Watnall Road 5,000
Ashton United Hurst Cross 4,500
Nantwich Town The Weaver Stadium 3,500
Stocksbridge Park Steels Look Local Stadium 3,500
Whitby Town Turnbull Ground 3,500
Worksop Town New Manor Ground (Ilkeston ground share) 3,500
Burscough Victoria Park 3,054
Durham City The Arnott Stadium 3,000
Guiseley Nethermoor Park 3,000
Marine The Arriva Stadium 2,800
North Ferriby United Grange Lane 2,700
Kendal Town Lakeland Radio Stadium 2,400
Matlock Town Causeway Lane 2,214
Frickley Athletic Westfield Lane 2,087
Ossett Town Ingfield 2,000
Retford United Cannon Park 2,000

Division One North

Northern Premier League Division One North
Season 2009–10
Champions F.C. Halifax Town
Promoted F.C. Halifax Town
Colwyn Bay
Relegated Rossendale United
Matches played 463
Goals scored 1503 (3.25 per match)

The Division One North featured three new clubs:

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 F.C. Halifax Town (C) (P) 42 30 10 2 108 38+70 100 Promotion to NPL Premier Division
2 Lancaster City 42 31 3 8 95 45+50 96 Qualification to Playoffs
3 Curzon Ashton 42 23 12 7 93 50+43 75‡
4 Colwyn Bay (P) 42 23 6 13 77 57+20 75
5 Skelmersdale United 42 22 8 12 80 56+24 74
6 Leigh Genesis 42 21 8 13 81 51+30 71
7 Mossley 42 18 11 13 73 67+6 65
8 Clitheroe 42 18 8 16 72 66+6 62
9 Warrington Town 42 18 6 18 65 69−4 60
10 Radcliffe Borough 42 17 6 19 65 78−13 57
11 Salford City 42 16 8 18 63 74−11 56
12 Trafford 42 15 8 19 79 73+6 53
13 A.F.C. Fylde 42 15 8 19 67 79−12 53
14 Bamber Bridge 42 14 10 18 58 67−9 52
15 Prescot Cables 42 13 11 18 51 68−17 50
16 Chorley 42 13 10 19 56 76−20 49
17 Harrogate Railway Athletic 42 15 7 20 58 79−21 49*
18 Wakefield 42 12 12 18 49 58−9 48
19 Woodley Sports 42 10 15 17 53 67−14 45
20 Garforth Town 42 11 7 24 64 94−30 40
21 Ossett Albion 42 7 7 28 52 91−39 28†
22 Rossendale United (R) 42 6 7 29 38 94−56 25 Relegation to NWCFL Premier Division

Updated to games played on 17 May 2010.
Source: Unibond League.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
* Harrogate Railway Athletic deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.
‡ Curzon Ashton deducted six points; three for fielding an ineligible player and three for a financial irregularity. Initially Curzon Ashton were docked ten points for the financial irregularity, with five points suspended, but on appeal this was reduced to six points with three suspended.
† Ossett Albion reprieved from relegation.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (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; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Playoffs

Semifinals Final
      
2 Lancaster City 2
5 Skelmersdale United 0
2 Lancaster City 0
4 Colwyn Bay 1
3 Curzon Ashton 1
4 Colwyn Bay 2

Division One South

Northern Premier League Division One South
Season 2009–10
Champions Mickleover Sports
Promoted Mickleover Sports
Chasetown
Relegated Willenhall Town
Matches played 463
Goals scored 1459 (3.15 per match)

The Division One South featured five new clubs:

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Mickleover Sports (C) (P) 42 28 5 9 93 51+42 89 Promotion to Southern Premier Division
2 Chasetown (P) 42 24 10 8 78 42+36 82 Qualification to Playoffs
3 Glapwell 42 23 12 7 73 42+31 81
4 Kidsgrove Athletic 42 22 12 8 93 50+43 78
5 Sheffield 42 21 10 11 75 51+24 73
6 Belper Town 42 21 8 13 83 55+28 71
7 Witton Albion 42 20 7 15 76 53+23 67 Transferred to the NPL Division One North
8 Leek Town 42 18 13 11 68 61+7 67
9 Carlton Town 42 19 9 14 74 68+6 66
10 Stamford 42 18 10 14 77 54+23 64
11 Grantham Town 42 17 11 14 62 56+6 62
12 Rushall Olympic 42 16 11 15 68 61+7 59
13 Market Drayton Town 42 16 5 21 71 81−10 53
14 Loughborough Dynamo 42 15 8 19 70 80−10 53
15 Brigg Town 42 15 7 20 60 77−17 52
16 Cammell Laird 42 13 11 18 51 66−15 50 Transferred to the NPL Division One North
17 Shepshed Dynamo 42 10 18 14 44 55−11 48
18 Goole 42 12 10 20 70 84−14 46
19 Lincoln United 42 13 5 24 57 67−10 44
20 Quorn 42 9 13 20 55 78−23 40
21 Spalding United 42 5 5 32 33 111−78 20†
22 Willenhall Town (R) 42 5 4 33 21 109−88 9* Relegation to Midland Alliance

Updated to games played on 17 May 2010.
Source: Unibond League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
* Willenhall Town deducted 10 points for entering administration
† Spalding United reprieved from relegation.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (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; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Playoffs

Semifinals Final
      
2 Chasetown 3
5 Sheffield 2
2 Chasetown 1
3 Glapwell 0
3 Glapwell 1
4 Kidsgrove Athletic 0

Resignations and their effects

On 20 June 2009, three days following the league's AGM which confirmed the 2009–10 allocation, Newcastle Blue Star resigned from the league.[2] As division placements had been confirmed be then, no replacement team could be entered and the Premier Division was reduced to twenty one teams for the season.

On 9 December 2009, King's Lynn were officially wound up by the High Court in London over debts and an overdue tax bill, and they will play no further games in the season. The League released a table on 21 December with King's Lynn's playing record expunged from it, and leaving the Premier Division with twenty clubs and only two relegation spots.[3] Then, in March 2010 Chester City F.C. and Farsley Celtic A.F.C. were removed from the Conference National and Conference North respectively.

Promotion from the First Divisions to the Premier Division took place as planned. Relegation from the First Divisions to the county level was reduced from the planned two per division to one. Relegation from the Premier Division was reduced from two to one on account of developments in the Conference. The final decision on relegations were made during the close season by the FA's National League System Committee which left this method completely redundant as Chester City, Farsley Celtic (now Farsley A.F.C.), King's Lynn, Grays Athletic (lost their ground), Merthyr Tydfil (expelled), VCD Athletic (ground grade fail) and Rothwell Town (resigned) were all demoted to Level 8.

Cup results

Challenge Cup: Teams from all 3 divisions.

President's Cup: Teams from lower 2 divisions.

Chairman's Cup: Between Champions of NPL Division One North and NPL Division One South.

Peter Swales Shield

2010 Peter Swales Shield
Guiseley won 5–3 on penalties
Date 1 May 2010
Venue Nethermoor Park, Guiseley
Referee C Grundy[4]
Attendance 259

The Peter Swales Shield has changed format several times, and the 2010 version saw the champions of the 2009–10 NPL Premier Division, Guiseley, play against the winners of the 2010 NPL Chairman's Cup, North Ferriby United. It was decided before the match that no extra time would be played and would go straight to penalties after regulation.[5] Guiseley won the game 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes.[6]

1 May 2010 Guiseley
(2009–10 NPL Premier Division Winners)		 1–1
(5–3 p)		 Mickleover Sports
(2010 Chairman's Cup Winners)		 Nethermoor Park, Guiseley  
15:00 Johnson  52' Guiseley Report
Mickleover Sports Report 		Martin  31' Attendance: 259
Referee: C Grundy
    Penalties  
Fitzgerald
Rudd
Johnson
Burton
Ainge 		  Martin


   |

References

  1. ↑ NLS club allocations released FA.com. 29/05/09. Accessed 08.07.09
  2. ↑ UniBond League Response to Newcastle Blue Star's Resignation 25 June 2009. Accessed 08/07/09
  3. ↑ Kings Lynn Wound up by the High Court -http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8402159.stm
  4. ↑ "Sports push champs right to the death". Derby Telegraph. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Guiseley are spot-on for double celebration". Wharfedale Observer. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Press Release Issue No. 38 Week Ending 1st May 2010" (PDF). The Unibond League. p. 2. Retrieved 29 August 2013.

External links