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).
Updated to match(es) played on 17 May 2010. Source: Unibond League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
Updated to match(es) played on 24 April 2010. Source: Northern Premier Division results grid Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Updated to match(es) played on 17 May 2010. Source: Unibond League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^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.
^Harrogate Railway Athletic deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.
Updated to match(es) played on 17 May 2010. Source: Unibond League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
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.
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]