1971–72 Northern Premier League

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]

Northern Premier League

Season	1971–72
Champions	Stafford Rangers
Promoted	None
Relegated	Chorley Kirkby Town
Matches played	552
Goals scored	1,585 (2.87 per match)
Biggest home win	Chorley 8–0 Matlock Town[1] (14 August 1971)
Biggest away win	Ellesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1] (26 March 1972)
Highest scoring	Ellesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1] (26 March 1972)
Longest winning run	6 matches Boston United (29 January 1972 – 5 March 1972) Wigan Athletic (4 March 1972 – 31 March 1972)
Longest unbeaten run	19 matches Boston United (29 January 1972 – 4 May 1972)
Longest winless run	19 matches Kirkby Town (27 December 1971 – 17 April 1972)
Longest losing run	9 matches South Liverpool (6 October 1971 – 30 November 1971)
← 1970–71 1972–73 →

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:

• Skelmersdale United promoted from Cheshire County League
• Ellesmere Port Town promoted from Cheshire County League.

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

Altrincham

Bangor City

Boston United

Bradford Park Avenue

Chorley

Ellesmere Port Town

Fleetwood

Gainsborough Trinity

Gateshead

Goole Town

Great Harwood

Hyde United

Kirkby Town

Lancaster City

Macclesfield Town

Matlock Town

Morecambe

Netherfield

Northwich Victoria

Runcorn

Scarborough

Skelmersdale United

South Liverpool

South Shields

Stafford Rangers

Wigan Athletic

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:

• Chorley resigned, demoted to Cheshire County League
• Kirkby Town relegated to Lancashire Combination

The following two clubs joined the League the following season:

• Mossley promoted from Cheshire County League
• Barrow relegated from Football League Fourth Division.