1996–97 North West Counties Football League

The 1996–97 North West Counties Football League season was the 15th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions: Division One and Division Two.

Division One

North West Counties
Football League
Division One

Season	1996–97
Champions	Trafford
Promoted	Trafford
Relegated	Bootle
Matches played	462
Goals scored	1,422 (3.08 per match)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Division One featured two new teams, promoted from Division Two:

• Atherton Collieries
• Vauxhall GM

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Trafford (C, P)	42	29	7	6	99	38	+61	94	Promotion to Northern Premier League Division One
2	Newcastle Town	42	27	7	8	71	31	+40	88
3	Clitheroe	42	23	14	5	75	36	+39	83
4	Penrith	42	23	10	9	75	49	+26	79	Transferred to the Northern League Division One
5	Burscough	42	22	9	11	68	48	+20	75
6	Eastwood Hanley	42	20	10	12	64	51	+13	70	Club folded
7	Mossley	42	20	8	14	79	58	+21	68
8	Blackpool Rovers	42	17	16	9	70	47	+23	67
9	Prescot Cables	42	17	11	14	68	60	+8	62
10	Vauxhall GM	42	14	15	13	70	69	+1	57
11	Nantwich Town	42	14	11	17	74	74	0	53
12	Glossop North End	42	14	11	17	56	67	−11	53
13	Bootle (R)	42	15	8	19	61	73	−12	53	Relegation to Division Two
14	St Helens Town	42	14	6	22	65	79	−14	48
15	Atherton Collieries	42	12	9	21	63	85	−22	45
16	Kidsgrove Athletic	42	10	14	18	53	73	−20	44
17	Rossendale United	42	11	9	22	51	76	−25	42
18	Chadderton	42	10	11	21	49	80	−31	41
19	Holker Old Boys	42	10	9	23	60	80	−20	39
20	Maine Road	42	9	11	22	49	85	−36	38
21	Darwen	42	9	10	23	49	81	−32	37
22	Salford City	42	8	12	22	53	82	−29	36

Updated to match(es) played on May 1997. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Division Two

North West Counties
Football League
Division Two

Season	1996–97
Champions	Ramsbottom United
Promoted	Haslingden Ramsbottom United
Relegated	None
Matches played	380
Goals scored	1,299 (3.42 per match)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Division Two featured four new teams:

• Garswood United, promoted as champions of the Mid-Cheshire League Division One
• Leek CSOB, promoted as champions of the Midland League
• Skelmersdale United, relegated from Division One
• Colne, a new team

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
1	Ramsbottom United (C, P)	38	27	6	5	100	34	+66	87	Promotion to Division One
2	Haslingden (P)	38	27	6	5	90	32	+58	87
3	Garswood United	38	26	5	7	90	38	+52	83
4	Tetley Walker	38	24	5	9	105	58	+47	77
5	Castleton Gabriels	38	22	8	8	78	39	+39	74
6	Leek County School Old Boys	38	22	7	9	67	49	+18	73
7	Formby	38	21	6	11	86	57	+29	69
8	Maghull	38	17	7	14	52	50	+2	58
9	Cheadle Town	38	15	8	15	59	63	−4	53
10	Skelmersdale United	38	14	10	14	72	66	+6	52
11	Nelson	38	14	10	14	64	72	−8	52
12	Stantondale	38	11	12	15	59	69	−10	45
13	Middlewich Athletic	38	13	6	19	54	65	−11	45
14	Squires Gate	38	12	4	22	44	79	−35	40
15	Daisy Hill	38	10	5	23	47	76	−29	35
16	Bacup Borough	38	9	6	23	48	83	−35	33
17	Ashton Town	38	6	14	18	53	77	−24	32
18	Blackpool Mechanics	38	7	5	26	48	88	−40	26
19	Oldham Town	38	6	7	25	48	113	−65	25
20	Colne	38	6	5	27	35	91	−56	23

Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 1997. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted