2016–17 North West Counties Football League
The 2016–17 North West Counties Football League season (known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons[1]) was the 35th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions: Premier Division and First Division.
Premier Division
Season | 2016–17 |
---|---|
Champions | Atherton Collieries |
Promoted | Atherton Collieries |
Relegated | New Mills Nelson Cammell Laird 1907 |
← 2015–16 2017–18 → |
The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs.[2]
The following four clubs joined the division at the start of the season:
- Barnton – promoted from the First Division
- Hanley Town – promoted from the First Division
- Irlam – promoted from the First Division
- New Mills – relegated from the Northern Premier League First Division North
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Atherton Collieries (C, P) | 42 | 32 | 4 | 6 | 103 | 39 | +64 | 100 | Promoted to NPL Division One North |
2 | Bootle | 42 | 30 | 2 | 10 | 134 | 57 | +77 | 92 | |
3 | Runcorn Town | 42 | 29 | 5 | 8 | 112 | 52 | +60 | 92 | |
4 | Runcorn Linnets | 42 | 27 | 9 | 6 | 105 | 45 | +60 | 90 | |
5 | 1874 Northwich | 42 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 81 | 50 | +31 | 82 | |
6 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | 42 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 106 | 83 | +23 | 70 | |
7 | Padiham | 42 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 85 | 71 | +14 | 69 | |
8 | Irlam | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 65 | 70 | −5 | 66 | |
9 | Ashton Athletic | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 83 | 74 | +9 | 60 | |
10 | Hanley Town | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 83 | 73 | +10 | 57 | |
11 | Barnoldswick Town | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 78 | 75 | +3 | 56 | |
12 | AFC Liverpool | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 79 | 84 | −5 | 54[lower-alpha 1] | |
13 | Winsford United | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 76 | 85 | −9 | 52 | |
14 | Abbey Hey | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 63 | 76 | −13 | 52 | |
15 | Maine Road | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 67 | 72 | −5 | 49 | |
16 | Congleton Town | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 75 | 89 | −14 | 47 | |
17 | Barnton | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 50 | 95 | −45 | 45 | |
18 | AFC Darwen | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 50 | 110 | −60 | 41 | |
19 | Squires Gate | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 80 | 106 | −26 | 40 | |
20 | New Mills (R) | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 65 | 102 | −37 | 33 | Relegated to Division One |
21 | Nelson (R) | 42 | 5 | 11 | 26 | 55 | 87 | −32 | 25[lower-alpha 2] | |
22 | Cammell Laird 1907 (R) | 42 | 3 | 11 | 28 | 40 | 140 | −100 | 20 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results [5]
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
Promotion criteria
To be promoted at the end of the season a team must:[6]
- Have applied to be considered for promotion by 30 November 2016
- Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2017
- Finish the season in a position higher than that of any other team also achieving criteria 1 and 2
- Finish the season in one of the top three positions
The following seven clubs achieved criterion 1:[7]
Results
Stadia and Locations
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|
A.F.C. Darwen | The Anchor Ground | 4,000 |
A.F.C. Liverpool | Marine Travel Arena, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) | 3,185 |
1874 Northwich | Barton Stadium (groundshare with Winsford United) | 3,000 |
Winsford United | Barton Stadium | 3,000 |
Atherton Collieries | Alder Street | 2,500 |
Bootle | Delta Taxis Stadium | 2,500 |
Cammell Laird 1907 | North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead | 2,000 |
Maine Road | Brantingham Road, Chorlton | 2,000 |
Nelson | Victoria Park | 2,000 |
Padiham | Arbories Memorial Sports Ground | 1,688 |
Runcorn Linnets | Millbank Linnets Stadium | 1,600 |
Runcorn Town | Pavilions Sports Complex | 1,530 |
Congleton Town | Richborough Estates Stadium | 1,450 |
New Mills | Church Lane | 1,400 |
Abbey Hey | The Abbey Stadium, Gorton | 1,000 |
Ashton Athletic | Brockstedes Park | 1,000 |
Irlam | Silver Street | 1,000 |
Squires Gate | School Road | 1,000 |
West Didsbury & Chorlton | Brookburn Road, Chorlton | 1,000 |
Hanley Town | Abbey Lane | 750 |
Barnoldswick Town | Silentnight Beds Stadium | |
Barnton | Townfield |
Division One
Season | 2016–17 |
---|---|
Champions | Widnes |
Promoted | Widnes Charnock Richard City of Liverpool |
Relegated | Ashton Town |
← 2015–16 2017–18 → |
The Division One consisted of 22 teams.[2][8]
The following nine clubs joined the division at the start of the season:
- AFC Blackpool – relegated from the Premier Division
- Alsager Town – relegated from the Premier Division
- Carlisle City – promoted from the Northern Football Alliance
- Charnock Richard – promoted from the West Lancashire League
- City of Liverpool – new team
- FC Oswestry Town – promoted from the Mercian Regional League
- Prestwich Heys – promoted from the Manchester League
- Sandbach United – promoted from the Cheshire League
- Silsden – relegated from the Premier Division
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Widnes (C, P) | 42 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 117 | 50 | +67 | 96 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
2 | Charnock Richard (P) | 42 | 29 | 5 | 8 | 117 | 51 | +66 | 92 | |
3 | Litherland REMYCA | 42 | 27 | 8 | 7 | 107 | 60 | +47 | 89 | Qualified for the play-offs |
4 | City of Liverpool (O, P) | 42 | 27 | 7 | 8 | 119 | 45 | +74 | 88 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division[lower-alpha 1] |
5 | Whitchurch Alport | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 97 | 45 | +52 | 85 | Qualified for the play-offs |
6 | Sandbach United | 42 | 25 | 6 | 11 | 81 | 51 | +30 | 81 | |
7 | Alsager Town | 42 | 23 | 5 | 14 | 98 | 66 | +32 | 74 | |
8 | Prestwich Heys | 42 | 22 | 3 | 17 | 87 | 62 | +25 | 69 | |
9 | Chadderton | 42 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 103 | 80 | +23 | 67 | |
10 | Stockport Town | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 92 | 89 | +3 | 64[lower-alpha 2] | |
11 | Silsden | 42 | 20 | 2 | 20 | 83 | 77 | +6 | 62 | |
12 | Cheadle Town | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 97 | 83 | +14 | 61 | |
13 | St Helens Town | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 88 | 95 | −7 | 56 | |
14 | Carlisle City | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 72 | 92 | −20 | 54 | |
15 | FC Oswestry Town | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 73 | 97 | −24 | 53 | |
16 | Daisy Hill | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 82 | 111 | −29 | 49 | |
17 | Holker Old Boys | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 65 | 94 | −29 | 43 | |
18 | Bacup Borough | 42 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 45 | 78 | −33 | 40 | |
19 | AFC Blackpool | 42 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 48 | 114 | −66 | 32 | |
20 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 42 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 44 | 95 | −51 | 28 | |
21 | Eccleshall | 42 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 55 | 145 | −90 | 18 | |
22 | Ashton Town (R) | 42 | 5 | 2 | 35 | 42 | 132 | −90 | 17 | Relegated to the Cheshire Association League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results [5]
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
- Four teams played for one spot and promotion to the Premier Division.
- Stockport Town have been deducted 1 point for a rule contravention.
Results
Playoffs
Source for this subsection: NWC results archives
Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
3 | Litherland REMYCA | 1 | |||||||
6 | Sandbach United | 0 | |||||||
3 | Litherland REMYCA | 0 | |||||||
4 | City of Liverpool | 3 | |||||||
4 | City of Liverpool | 1 | |||||||
5 | Whitchurch Alport | 0 | |||||||
Stadia & Locations
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Widnes | Select Security Stadium (groundshare with Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club) | 13,350 |
Carlisle City | Gillford Park Stadium | 4,000 |
Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Crilly Park | 3,000 |
Bacup Borough | West View | 3,000 |
City of Liverpool | Delta Taxis Stadium (groundshare with Bootle) | 2,500 |
Holker Old Boys | Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness | 2,500 |
Stockport Town | Stockport Sports Village | 2,384 |
F.C. Oswestry Town | Park Hall Stadium | 2,034 |
Ashton Town | Edge Green Street | 2,000 |
Cheadle Town | Park Road Stadium | 2,000 |
Daisy Hill | New Sirs Westhoughton | 2,000 |
Eccleshall | Pershall Park | 2,000 |
A.F.C. Blackpool | The Mechanics | 1,500 |
Alsager Town | Wood Park Stadium | 1,500 |
Chadderton | MCA Stadium | 1,500 |
Silsden | Keighley Road Stadium | 1,500 |
Charnock Richard | Mossie Park | |
Litherland REMYCA | Litherland Sports Park | |
Prestwich Heys | Aide Moran Park | |
Sandbach United | Sandbach Community Football Centre * | |
St Helens Town | Ruskin Drive Sportsground * | |
Whitchurch Alport | Yockings Park |
- As their ground was not ready, St Helens Town played the majority of their home matches in 2016–17 at Volair Park, home of Prescot Cables, with the remainder being played at Edge Green Street, home of Ashton Town.
- Until their floodlight system was ready, Sandbach United played home evening matches at Alsager Town's ground.
- Due to fixture congestion at their home ground, Widnes played some of their home games at Townfield, home of Barnton.
League Challenge Cup
Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons.[9] Source for this section: NWC results archives
First Round
Atherton Collieries are exempt until the second round, as holders.
|
* Played at Alsager |
All remaining teams received byes.
Second Round
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* Played at Barnton
|
Third Round
* Played at Barnoldswick
|
* Played at Bootle |
Quarter Finals
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First Leg
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Second Leg
City of Liverpool won on penalties following a 2–2 aggregate draw |
Barnoldswick Town won 4–2 on aggregate |
Final
Played at Highbury Stadium, home of Fleetwood Town
First Division TrophyAlso called the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons.[10] Source for this section: NWC league archives First RoundAll the remaining First Division teams received a bye to the second round.
Second Round
Quarter Finals
Semi FinalsFirst leg
Second leg
Final
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