1971–72 Northern Premier League

Northern Premier League
Season1971–72
ChampionsStafford Rangers
PromotedNone
RelegatedChorley
Kirkby Town
Matches played552
Goals scored1,585 (2.87 per match)
Biggest home winChorley 8–0 Matlock Town[1]
(14 August 1971)
Biggest away winEllesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1]
(26 March 1972)
Highest scoringEllesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1]
(26 March 1972)
Longest winning run6 matches
Boston United
(29 January 1972 – 5 March 1972)
Wigan Athletic
(4 March 1972 – 31 March 1972)
Longest unbeaten run19 matches
Boston United
(29 January 1972 – 4 May 1972)
Longest winless run19 matches
Kirkby Town
(27 December 1971 – 17 April 1972)
Longest losing run9 matches
South Liverpool
(6 October 1971 – 30 November 1971)

The 1971–72 Northern Premier League was the fourth season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 14 August 1971 and concluded on 5 May 1972.[1]

Overview

The League was expanded, for the second consecutive season, from twenty-two teams to twenty-four teams.

Team changes

The following two clubs joined the League at the start of the season:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Stafford Rangers (C) 46 30 11 5 91 32 2.844 71
2 Boston United 46 28 13 5 87 37 2.351 69
3 Wigan Athletic 46 27 10 9 70 43 1.628 64
4 Scarborough 46 21 15 10 75 46 1.630 57
5 Northwich Victoria 46 20 14 12 65 59 1.102 54
6 Macclesfield Town 46 18 15 13 61 50 1.220 51
7 Gainsborough Trinity 46 21 9 16 93 79 1.177 51
8 South Shields 46 18 14 14 75 57 1.316 50
9 Bangor City 46 20 8 18 93 74 1.257 48
10 Altrincham 46 18 11 17 72 58 1.241 47
11 Skelmersdale United 46 19 9 18 61 58 1.052 47
12 Matlock Town 46 20 7 19 67 75 0.893 47
13 Chorley (R) 46 17 12 17 66 59 1.119 46 Relegated to Cheshire County League
14 Lancaster City 46 15 14 17 85 84 1.012 44
15 Great Harwood 46 15 14 17 60 74 0.811 44
16 Ellesmere Port Town 46 17 9 20 67 71 0.944 43
17 Morecambe 46 15 10 21 51 64 0.797 40
18 Bradford Park Avenue 46 13 13 20 54 71 0.761 39
19 Netherfield 46 16 5 25 51 73 0.699 37
20 Fleetwood 46 11 15 20 43 67 0.642 37
21 South Liverpool 46 12 12 22 61 73 0.836 36
22 Runcorn 46 8 14 24 48 80 0.600 30
23 Goole Town 46 9 10 27 51 97 0.526 28
24 Kirkby Town (R) 46 6 12 28 38 104 0.365 24 Relegated to Lancashire Combination
Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 1972. Source: The Football Archives
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.

The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

The points system up until the 1982–83 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ Away ALT BAN BOS BPA CHO EPT FLE GAI GOO GHA KIR LNC MAC MAT MOR NET NOR RUN SCA SKU SLI SSH STA WIG
Altrincham 2–0 1–3 2–1 4–1 4–2 2–0 0–1 1–3 4–5 0–0 5–2 1–1 3–0 3–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 4–0 1–0 2–1 4–1 0–0 1–3
Bangor City 1–0 1–3 3–1 0–1 5–0 5–1 0–2 4–1 1–1 4–0 3–3 6–2 2–0 3–2 4–1 0–0 4–2 2–3 2–2 3–2 2–3 1–5 1–0
Boston United 2–1 4–3 5–1 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 3–0 4–0 4–1 1–1 5–3 0–0 1–0 5–0 0–0 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 1–0
Bradford Park Avenue 2–1 0–2 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 4–2 5–2 0–1 1–0 3–3 1–0 2–4 0–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–2 0–0
Chorley 1–1 3–1 0–1 4–1 2–3 0–0 1–1 1–3 1–2 2–0 3–2 2–2 8–0 1–0 3–1 0–0 3–1 0–1 1–2 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–0
Ellesmere Port Town 1–0 2–1 0–1 3–3 1–2 1–0 0–1 5–2 1–1 4–1 3–2 2–2 5–1 2–1 3–0 0–2 4–1 1–8 2–0 2–1 3–1 0–2 0–1
Fleetwood Town 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–4 2–0 0–3 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 1–3 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1
Gainsborough Trinity 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–2 4–1 1–1 3–2 2–2 3–2 6–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–1 4–2 3–2 4–2 3–0 2–3 0–3 0–1
Goole Town 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–3 0–1 2–1 1–1 2–4 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–3 0–1 2–2 3–0 1–1 2–2 0–0 2–1 0–4 0–2 3–4 0–3
Great Harwood 2–1 4–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 2–2 2–4 2–0 1–5 3–3 2–1 1–0 3–1 3–2 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–3
Kirkby Town 2–3 1–3 1–5 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–2 3–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 0–5 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–3 1–1 0–2 0–0 0–3 0–0 1–1 1–3
Lancaster City 2–0 3–0 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 5–5 4–0 1–1 5–0 2–0 2–1 3–2 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–5
Macclesfield Town 0–3 0–0 0–0 3–1 4–0 0–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 1–1 1–3 1–0
Matlock Town 2–3 3–2 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 1–0 4–2 2–1 5–1 1–0 3–1 0–1 1–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 3–0 1–2 2–0 0–3 1–3
Morecambe 2–3 1–0 1–2 1–1 3–0 2–0 1–4 2–2 1–3 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 3–2 0–2 1–0 0–1 0–3 4–2 0–2 1–0 2–3
Netherfield 2–0 1–3 0–6 1–0 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–2 3–1 3–0 5–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 4–3 1–0 3–0 1–2 0–1 0–3
Northwich Victoria 3–2 0–5 1–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–0 1–0 3–2 2–3 3–1 0–1 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–2
Runcorn 4–4 0–2 0–1 2–2 1–3 1–2 1–0 3–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 2–1 1–2 1–2 3–3 1–2
Scarborough 1–1 3–2 2–0 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 3–1 3–0 1–1 3–0 1–1 0–0 1–3 0–1 3–0 3–1 5–0 1–1 4–2 1–0 1–2 2–2
Skelmersdale United 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 2–0 2–3 3–0 2–4 0–2 2–0 1–1 4–0 0–1 2–2 2–0 0–1 4–1
South Liverpool 1–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 3–1 1–2 1–2 1–1 4–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 3–1 1–2 3–0 0–1 2–3 1–4 2–0 1–3
South Shields 0–1 4–2 1–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 4–2 0–3 0–0 1–1 7–1 3–1 0–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–1 5–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–1 0–1
Stafford Rangers 1–1 3–1 4–0 3–2 4–1 1–0 5–0 3–0 2–0 3–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–1 3–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 3–0 4–2 3–0
Wigan Athletic 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–0 0–0 4–3 2–0 2–1 4–1 1–1 1–0 2–3 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 0–1 2–2 1–0
Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 1972. Source: The Football Archives
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Stadia and locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 1971–72 Northern Premier League teams
Team Stadium
Altrincham Moss Lane
Bangor City Farrar Road
Boston United York Street
Bradford Park Avenue Park Avenue
Chorley Victory Park
Ellesmere Port Town Ellesmere Port
Fleetwood Highbury
Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme
Goole Town Victoria Pleasure Ground
Great Harwood The Showground
Kirkby Town Simonswood Lane
Lancaster City Great Axe
Macclesfield Town Moss Rose
Matlock Town Causeway Lane
Morecambe Christie Park
Netherfield Parkside
Northwich Victoria Drill Field
Runcorn Canal Street
Scarborough Athletic Ground
Skelmersdale United White Moss Park
South Liverpool Holly Park
South Shields Simonside Hall
Stafford Rangers Marston Road
Wigan Athletic Springfield Park

Cup results

Challenge Cup

Main article: Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
Stage Home Team Score Away Team
1st Leg Wigan Athletic ?–? Gainsborough Trinity
2nd Leg Gainsborough Trinity ?–? Wigan Athletic
Aggregate Wigan Athletic 4–2 Gainsborough Trinity

Northern Premier League Shield

Main article: Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.

Home Team Score Away Team
Wigan Athletic beat Stafford Rangers

FA Cup

Main article: 1971–72 FA Cup

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached for the second round:

Second Round

Home Team Score Away Team
Boston United 2–1 Hartlepool
South Shields 1–3 Notts County
Wrexham 4–0 Wigan Athletic

Third Round

Home Team Score Away Team
Boston United 0–1 Portsmouth

FA Trophy

Main article: 1971–72 FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only Stafford Rangers and Macclesfield Town reached for the fourth round:

Fourth Round

Home Team Score Away Team
Stafford Rangers 1–1 Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town 0–3 Stafford Rangers replay

Semi-finals

Home Team Score Away Team
Stafford Rangers 4–0 Yeovil Town

Final

Home Team Score Away Team
Stafford Rangers 3–0 Barnet

End of the season

At the end of the fourth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Chorley resigned the league and Kirkby Town was relegated.

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of twelve non-League teams applied for election, four of which were from the Northern Premier League. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Hereford United from the Southern League replaced Barrow from the Football League as they didn't receive enough votes. Barrow was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.[2]

Club League Votes
Northampton Town Football League 49
Crewe Alexandra Football League 46
Stockport County Football League 46
Hereford United Southern League 26 (29)
Barrow Football League 26 (20)
Bradford Park Avenue Northern Premier League 1
Cambridge City Southern League 1
Wimbledon Southern League 1
Bangor City Northern Premier League 0
Bedford Town Southern League 0
Boston United Northern Premier League 0
Hillingdon Borough Southern League 0
Romford Southern League 0
Telford United Southern League 0
Wigan Athletic Northern Premier League 0
Yeovil Town Southern League 0

Promotion and relegation

The following two clubs left the League at the end of the season:

The following two clubs joined the League the following season:

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Football Archives 71–72". The Football Archives.
  2. ^ A history of admission to the Football League