2023–24 Northern Premier League

The 2023–24 season was the 56th season of the Northern Premier League. The league consists of four divisions, the Premier Division at Step 3 of the National League System, and the West, East and Midlands divisions at Step 4.

Premier Division

Northern Premier League
Premier Division
Season2023–24
ChampionsRadcliffe
PromotedRadcliffe
Marine
RelegatedAtherton Collieries
Bradford (Park Avenue)
Stafford Rangers
Marske United (resigned)

Team changes

The following 6 clubs left the Premier Division before the season:

The following 6 clubs joined the division before the season:

Premier Division table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Radcliffe (C, P) 40 28 3 9 103 58 +45 87 Promotion to the National League North
2 Macclesfield 40 24 5 11 84 47 +37 77 Qualification for the play-offs[a]
3 Marine (O, P) 40 23 7 10 87 44 +43 76
4 Warrington Rylands 1906 40 21 12 7 65 42 +23 75
5 Worksop Town 40 21 7 12 72 49 +23 70
6 Hyde United 40 19 10 11 68 48 +20 67
7 Ashton United 40 19 10 11 73 63 +10 67
8 Gainsborough Trinity 40 19 6 15 66 63 +3 63
9 Lancaster City 40 18 8 14 60 62 −2 62
10 Guiseley 40 18 7 15 69 63 +6 61
11 Ilkeston Town 40 18 6 16 69 62 +7 60
12 Whitby Town 40 17 8 15 60 50 +10 56[b]
13 Morpeth Town 40 14 8 18 76 81 −5 50
14 FC United of Manchester 40 15 4 21 55 77 −22 48[c]
15 Matlock Town 40 14 5 21 62 77 −15 47
16 Bamber Bridge 40 12 11 17 63 82 −19 47
17 Workington 40 11 11 18 67 81 −14 44
18 Basford United 40 9 10 21 44 65 −21 37
19 Bradford (Park Avenue) (R) 40 7 9 24 50 85 −35 30 Relegation to Division One East
20 Stafford Rangers (R) 40 9 3 28 36 81 −45 30 Relegation to Division One West
21 Atherton Collieries (R) 40 7 4 29 47 96 −49 25
22 Marske United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Resigned from the league[d]
Source: NPL official site
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[1]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the National League North
  2. ^ Whitby Town were deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player.
  3. ^ FC United of Manchester were deducted 1 point for fielding an ineligible player.
  4. ^ On 3 January, Marske United resigned from the NPL, a decision that was ratified by the league on 5 January and the FA on 12 January. Marske United's playing record of Pld22 W7 D0 L15 GD23 Pts21 was expunged.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Macclesfield 3
5 Worksop Town 1
2 Macclesfield 1
3 Marine 2
3 Marine 1
4 Warrington Rylands 1906 0

Semi-finals

30 April Macclesfield 3–1Worksop TownMacclesfield
19:45
Report
Stadium: Leasing.com Stadium
Attendance: 3,098
Referee: Liam Corrigan
30 April Marine 1–0Warrington Rylands 1906Crosby
19:45
Report
Stadium: Rossett Park
Attendance: 1,779
Referee: Alex Beckett

Final

6 May Macclesfield1–2 Marine Macclesfield
15:00
Report
Stadium: Leasing.com Stadium
Attendance: 5,329

Stadia and locations

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2023–24 Premier Division teams
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Locations of Northern Premier League 2023–24 Premier Division teams (Greater Manchester)
Club Location Ground Capacity
Ashton United Ashton-under-Lyne Hurst Cross 4,500
Atherton Collieries Atherton Alder Street 2,500
Bamber Bridge Bamber Bridge Irongate 2,264
Basford United Nottingham (Basford) Greenwich Avenue 1,600
Bradford (Park Avenue) Bradford Horsfall Stadium 3,500
FC United of Manchester Manchester (Moston) Broadhurst Park 4,400
Gainsborough Trinity Gainsborough The Northolme 4,304
Guiseley Guiseley Nethermoor Park 4,200
Hyde United Hyde Ewen Fields 4,250
Ilkeston Town Ilkeston New Manor Ground 3,029
Lancaster City Lancaster The Giant Axe 3,500
Macclesfield Macclesfield Leasing.com Stadium 5,300
Marine Crosby Rossett Park 3,185
Marske United Marske-by-the-Sea Mount Pleasant 2,500
Matlock Town Matlock Causeway Lane 2,214
Morpeth Town Morpeth Craik Park 1,500
Radcliffe Radcliffe Stainton Park 3,500
Stafford Rangers Stafford Marston Road 4,000
Warrington Rylands 1906 Warrington Gorsey Lane 1,345
Whitby Town Whitby Turnbull Ground 3,500
Workington Workington Borough Park 3,101
Worksop Town Worksop Sandy Lane 2,500

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Declan Howe Gainsborough Trinity 26
2 David Symington Workington 24
3 Jordan Hulme Radcliffe 22
Jonathon Margetts Matlock Town
5 Finlay Sinclair-Smith Marine 20
6 Sam Hodgson Morpeth Town 18
7 Josh Hancock Radcliffe 17
Gabriel Johnson Guiseley
Momodou Touray Warrington Rylands
Jaime Walker Ilkeston Town

Results table

Home \ Away ASH ATH BAM BAS BRA UOM GAI GUI HYD ILK LNC MAC MAR MAT MOR RAD STA WRY WHI WRK WOR
Ashton United — 4–3 2–2 1–0 2–1 1–2 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–2 5–0 0–2 1–3 5–0 4–3 0–2 2–1 0–0 4–1 2–2 2–0
Atherton Collieries 1–2 — 1–2 1–2 2–0 1–2 0–1 1–2 1–2 2–3 0–2 0–1 0–5 1–3 4–3 0–4 1–0 1–1 2–3 4–3 0–2
Bamber Bridge 1–3 3–1 — 5–2 1–1 3–3 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–4 2–1 2–1 1–7 2–1 3–3 1–5 0–2 2–2 3–2 3–0 1–1
Basford United 1–2 1–1 4–0 — 2–0 1–1 3–0 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–0 1–3 2–1 2–1 2–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 1–1 0–3 3–1
Bradford (Park Avenue) 1–1 1–2 0–3 2–1 — 2–4 3–3 0–1 0–3 4–1 2–3 0–2 1–3 2–3 2–0 2–3 1–0 1–2 1–1 1–2 1–2
FC United of Manchester 0–2 0–2 3–0 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 3–2 0–2 1–0 4–3 2–1 0–3 2–3 2–5 0–1 2–1 1–2 1–1 1–3 3–0
Gainsborough Trinity 2–2 4–1 1–1 3–0 2–1 1–3 — 4–0 4–1 0–1 1–0 1–3 0–0 5–3 0–2 3–2 2–1 1–1 2–0 4–2 2–0
Guiseley 0–1 3–2 2–0 2–1 2–2 3–1 0–1 — 2–2 1–2 2–3 1–2 4–2 4–0 4–1 1–0 2–0 0–2 1–3 4–3 2–4
Hyde United 2–2 3–2 2–2 1–0 5–0 2–1 2–2 1–1 — 2–0 0–3 1–3 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–0 3–1
Ilkeston Town 2–2 3–0 1–0 4–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–4 1–1 — 2–3 1–1 1–1 0–1 3–2 1–2 3–1 0–1 2–4 6–1 1–2
Lancaster City 2–1 3–2 3–2 1–0 2–2 0–0 2–1 2–2 0–4 0–4 — 3–0 0–2 1–0 3–2 1–2 2–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0
Macclesfield 5–0 6–0 2–1 1–1 3–4 3–1 3–0 5–1 0–0 5–3 1–2 — 2–1 3–0 3–0 2–3 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 1–2
Marine 1–1 4–0 4–1 2–0 4–0 5–1 3–1 1–0 1–4 0–0 2–1 1–2 — 2–0 3–1 3–2 4–0 1–1 1–3 4–4 2–1
Matlock Town 5–1 3–0 0–0 2–0 5–2 3–0 0–4 2–1 3–2 1–2 2–1 1–2 0–1 — 1–1 4–0 1–3 2–4 1–5 2–2 0–0
Morpeth Town 3–3 2–1 1–3 2–2 2–1 3–0 2–0 1–1 1–5 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 3–3 — 2–3 6–0 1–3 0–1 3–0 4–0
Radcliffe 2–5 2–2 3–2 1–1 3–0 5–0 1–0 3–4 2–0 3–0 4–2 4–3 3–2 4–0 4–1 — 3–1 2–3 0–1 3–1 4–3
Stafford Rangers 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–1 0–0 3–2 4–0 2–1 1–2 0–2 2–4 1–3 0–2 2–4 0–3 0–3 — 0–2 1–0 1–0 0–2
Warrington Rylands 1906 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3 1–0 1–4 0–1 1–0 2–0 1–2 2–3 2–0 1–0 2–0 0–4 7–2 — 1–0 1–0 2–1
Whitby Town 1–3 2–0 2–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–2 2–1 3–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–2 1–0 1–3 — 1–1 2–4
Workington 5–0 2–3 2–2 5–3 0–2 2–1 2–3 2–1 0–1 4–1 2–1 0–0 0–3 2–1 2–2 1–4 2–1 2–2 0–0 — 3–3
Worksop Town 1–0 4–1 2–4 1–0 3–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 0–1 2–0 7–0 1–1 5–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 —
Source: NPL official site
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Division One West

Northern Premier League
Division One West
Season2023–24
ChampionsLeek Town
PromotedLeek Town
Prescot Cables
Relegated
1874 Northwich

Team changes

The following 6 clubs left Division One West before the season:

The following 6 clubs joined the division before the season:

Division One West table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Leek Town (C, P) 38 24 6 8 85 44 +41 78 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Runcorn Linnets 38 20 8 10 63 39 +24 68 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Prescot Cables (O, P) 38 19 10 9 59 41 +18 67
4 Bootle 38 19 9 10 60 45 +15 66
5 City of Liverpool 38 18 9 11 69 47 +22 63
6 Witton Albion 38 19 6 13 65 59 +6 63
7 Avro 38 15 13 10 49 43 +6 58
8 Clitheroe 38 16 10 12 69 56 +13 58
9 Widnes 38 17 6 15 60 43 +17 57
10 Nantwich Town 38 17 6 15 61 47 +14 57
11 Chasetown 38 16 8 14 52 50 +2 56
12 Stalybridge Celtic 38 14 11 13 56 59 −3 53
13 Hanley Town 38 12 11 15 37 46 −9 47
14 Newcastle Town 38 13 6 19 44 51 −7 45
15 Mossley 38 12 9 17 43 56 −13 45
16 Vauxhall Motors 38 13 5 20 51 73 −22 44
17 Trafford 38 8 15 15 40 57 −17 39
18 Kidsgrove Athletic 38 10 9 19 56 74 −18 39
19 Hednesford Town 38 7 11 20 44 68 −24 32 Reprieve from relegation[a]
20 1874 Northwich (R) 38 4 6 28 24 89 −65 18 Relegation to the Midland League
Source: NPL official site
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[1]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Hednesford Town were reprieved from relegation to fill a vacancy in the league pyramid.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Runcorn Linnets 0
5 City of Liverpool 2
5 City of Liverpool 0
3 Prescot Cables 2
3 Prescot Cables 1
4 Bootle 0

Semi-finals

30 April Runcorn Linnets0–2 City of Liverpool Runcorn
19:45
Report
Stadium: APEC Taxis Stadium
Attendance: 1,600
Referee: Daniel Smith
30 April Prescot Cables 1–0 (a.e.t.)BootlePrescot
19:45
Report
Stadium: Valerie Park
Attendance: 2,035

Final

4 May Prescot Cables 2–0City of LiverpoolPrescot
15:00
Report Stadium: Valerie Park
Attendance: 2,070

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Rob Stevenson Leek Town 21
2 Sefton Gonzales Clitheroe 20
3 Ben Hodkinson Bootle 18
John Murphy Prescot Cables
5 Byron Harrison Nantwich Town 17
6 James Steele Widnes 16
Daniel Trickett-Smith Leek Town
8 Aaron Dwyer Stalybridge Celtic 15
Oliver Molloy Runcorn Linnets

Stadia and locations

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Locations of Northern Premier League 2023–24 Division One West teams
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Locations of Northern Premier League 2023–24 Division One West Staffordshire teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
1874 Northwich Barnton The Offside Trust Stadium (groundshare with Barnton) 3,000
Avro Oldham Whitebank Stadium 1,500
Bootle Bootle New Bucks Park 3,750
Chasetown Burntwood The Scholars Ground 3,000
City of Liverpool Bootle New Bucks Park (groundshare with Bootle) 3,750
Clitheroe Clitheroe Shawbridge 2,000
Hanley Town Stoke-on-Trent Potteries Park 1,300
Hednesford Town Hednesford Keys Park 6,039
Kidsgrove Athletic Kidsgrove The Autonet Insurance Stadium 2,000
Leek Town Leek Harrison Park 3,600
Mossley Mossley Seel Park 4,000
Nantwich Town Nantwich The Weaver Stadium 3,500
Newcastle Town Newcastle-under-Lyme Lyme Valley Stadium 4,000
Prescot Cables Prescot IP Truck Parts Stadium 3,200
Runcorn Linnets Runcorn APEC Taxis Stadium 1,600
Stalybridge Celtic Stalybridge Bower Fold 6,500
Trafford Flixton Shawe Lane 2,500
Vauxhall Motors Ellesmere Port vanEupen Arena 3,300
Widnes Widnes Halton Stadium 13,350
Witton Albion Northwich Wincham Park 4,813

Division One East

Northern Premier League
Division One East
Season2023–24
ChampionsHebburn Town
PromotedHebburn Town
Stockton Town
RelegatedWinterton Rangers

Division One East comprises 20 teams, one more than the previous season.

Team changes

The following 6 clubs left Division One East before the season:

The following 6 clubs joined the division before the season:

Division One East table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Hebburn Town (C, P) 38 25 6 7 82 37 +45 81 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Stockton Town (O, P) 38 24 8 6 78 31 +47 80 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Dunston UTS 38 21 9 8 77 45 +32 72
4 Pontefract Collieries 38 20 10 8 73 38 +35 70
5 Carlton Town 38 21 2 15 59 52 +7 65
6 Belper Town 38 18 6 14 64 62 +2 60
7 Newton Aycliffe 38 18 6 14 68 67 +1 60
8 North Ferriby 38 18 3 17 57 65 −8 57
9 Cleethorpes Town 38 15 11 12 58 47 +11 56
10 Liversedge 38 15 6 17 53 46 +7 51
11 Grimsby Borough 38 15 5 18 51 60 −9 50
12 Consett 38 14 7 17 58 62 −4 49
13 Sheffield 38 14 6 18 62 64 −2 48
14 Ashington 38 13 7 18 62 68 −6 46
15 Stocksbridge Park Steels 38 9 13 16 42 48 −6 40
16 Ossett United 38 10 8 20 38 70 −32 38
17 Grantham Town 38 9 10 19 49 75 −26 37 Transfer to Division One Midlands
18 Bridlington Town 38 9 9 20 47 72 −25 36
19 Brighouse Town 38 9 9 20 49 81 −32 36 Reprieve from relegation[a]
20 Winterton Rangers (R) 38 10 5 23 37 74 −37 35 Relegation to the Northern Counties East League
Source: NPL official site
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[1]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Marske United resigned from the NPL. Because of this, Brighouse Town were reprieved from relegation.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Stockton Town 2
5 Carlton Town 0
2 Stockton Town 4(5)
3 Dunston UTS 4(3)
3 Dunston UTS 2
4 Pontefract Collieries 0

Semi-finals

30 April Stockton Town 2–0Carlton TownStockton
19:45
Report Stadium: Bishopton Road West
Attendance: 1,637
Referee: Connor Scott
30 April Dunston UTS 2–0Pontefract CollieriesDunston
19:45
Report
Stadium: Wellington Road
Attendance: 694

Final

4 May Stockton Town 4–4 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)		Dunston UTSStockton
15:00
Stadium: Bishopton Road West
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Mark Bell
Penalties

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Amar Purewal Hebburn Town 28
2 Jack Maskell Dunston 22
3 Kevin Bastos Belper Town 18
Kevin Hayes Stockton Town
Dale Pearson Dunston
6 Adam Haw Pontefract Collieries 16
Cameron Johnson Belper Town
Sheffield
Connor Thomson Ashington
9 Liam Adamson Newton Aycliffe 15
Michael Fowler Stockton Town

Stadia and locations

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Locations of Northern Premier League 2023–24 Division One East teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Ashington Ashington Woodhorn Lane 2,000
Belper Town Belper Christchurch Meadow 2,650
Bridlington Town Bridlington Queensgate 3,000
Brighouse Town Brighouse St Giles Road 1,000
Carlton Town Carlton Bill Stokeld Stadium 1,500
Cleethorpes Town Grimsby Clee Road 1,000
Consett Consett Belle View Stadium 3,770
Dunston UTS Dunston Wellington Road 2,500
Grantham Town Grantham South Kesteven Sports Stadium 7,500
Grimsby Borough Grimsby Bradley Football Centre 1,000
Hebburn Town Hebburn The Green Energy Sports Ground –
Liversedge Cleckheaton Clayborn 2,000
Newton Aycliffe Newton Aycliffe Securicorp Stadium –
North Ferriby North Ferriby The Dransfield Stadium 3,000
Ossett United Ossett Ingfield 1,950
Pontefract Collieries Pontefract Harratt Nissan Stadium 1,200
Sheffield Dronfield Coach and Horses Ground 2,089
Stocksbridge Park Steels Stocksbridge Bracken Moor 3,500
Stockton Town Stockton Bishopton Road West 1,800
Winterton Rangers Winterton West Street Stadium

Division One Midlands

Northern Premier League
Division One Midlands
Season2023–24
ChampionsSpalding United
PromotedSpalding United
Harborough Town
RelegatedGresley Rovers
Loughborough Dynamo (resigned)

Team changes

The following 7 clubs left Division One Midlands before the season:

The following 7 clubs joined the division before the season:

Division One Midlands table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Spalding United (C, P) 38 28 5 5 98 33 +65 89 Promotion to the Southern League
2 Anstey Nomads 38 26 10 2 96 40 +56 88 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Harborough Town (O, P) 38 29 4 5 91 24 +67 85[a]
4 Hinckley LRFC 38 20 10 8 64 48 +16 70
5 Quorn 38 19 9 10 81 54 +27 66
6 Loughborough Dynamo 38 18 8 12 69 66 +3 62 Resigned from the league[b]
7 Lye Town 38 18 7 13 56 47 +9 61
8 Corby Town 38 15 11 12 80 50 +30 56
9 Bedworth United 38 14 9 15 50 45 +5 51
10 Sutton Coldfield Town 38 15 6 17 55 58 −3 51
11 Walsall Wood 38 15 5 18 57 70 −13 50
12 Sporting Khalsa 38 15 5 18 52 74 −22 50
13 Boldmere St Michaels 38 14 6 18 65 57 +8 48
14 Shepshed Dynamo 38 12 6 20 49 61 −12 42
15 Coleshill Town 38 10 5 23 53 93 −40 35
16 Coventry Sphinx 38 6 14 18 38 70 −32 32
17 Cambridge City 38 8 8 22 46 81 −35 32 Transfer to the Isthmian League
18 Rugby Town 38 9 5 24 45 82 −37 32
19 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 38 9 5 24 38 78 −40 32 Reprieve from relegation[b]
20 Gresley Rovers (R) 38 7 8 23 39 91 −52 29 Relegation to the United Counties League
Source: NPL official site
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[1]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Harborough Town were deducted 6 points for fielding an ineligible player.
  2. ^ a b Loughborough Dynamo resigned at the end of this season.[2] Because of this, AFC Rushden & Diamonds were reprieved from relegation.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Anstey Nomads 3
5 Quorn 1
2 Anstey Nomads 0
3 Harborough Town 2
3 Harborough Town 1 (4)
4 Hinckley LRFC 1 (2)

Semi-finals

30 April Anstey Nomads 3-1QuornAnstey, Leicestershire
19:45
Report
Stadium: Cropston Road
Attendance: 686
30 April Harborough Town 1-1 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)		Hinckley LRFCMarket Harborough
19:45
Report
Stadium: Bowden Park
Attendance: 706
Referee: Gareth Davis
Penalties

Final

4 May Anstey Nomads0–2 Harborough Town Anstey, Leicestershire
15:00 Report
Stadium: Cropston Road
Attendance: 1,128
Referee: Kavan Hurn

Stadia and locations

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Locations of Northern Premier League 2023–24 Division One Midlands teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
AFC Rushden & Diamonds Rushden Hayden Road 2,000
Anstey Nomads Anstey Cropston Road –
Bedworth United Bedworth The Oval 3,000
Boldmere St Michaels Boldmere Trevor Brown Memorial Ground 2,000
Cambridge City Impington Bridge Road (Impington) 4,300
Coleshill Town Coleshill Pack Meadow 2,000
Corby Town Corby Steel Park 3,893
Coventry Sphinx Coventry Sphinx Drive –
Gresley Rovers Church Gresley Moat Ground 2,400
Harborough Town Market Harborough Bowden Park –
Hinckley LRFC Hinckley Leicester Road Stadium 4,329
Loughborough Dynamo Loughborough Nanpantan Sports Ground 1,500
Lye Town Lye Lye Sports Ground 1,000
Quorn Quorn Farley Way Stadium 1,400
Rugby Town Rugby Butlin Road 6,000
Shepshed Dynamo Shepshed The Dovecote Stadium 2,500
Spalding United Spalding Sir Halley Stewart Field 3,500
Sporting Khalsa Willenhall Guardian Warehousing Arena –
Sutton Coldfield Town Sutton Coldfield Central Ground 2,000
Walsall Wood Walsall Wood Oak Park 1,000

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The FA Handbook 2022/2023 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Statement: Loughborough Dynamo". Northern Premier League (Press release). Pitchero. 27 April 2024.