1982–83 North West Counties Football League

North West Counties Football League
Season1982–83

The 1982–83 North West Counties Football League was the first in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. The League was formed from a merger between the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination.[1]

The league comprised three divisions with clubs allocated to them based on a grading of their ground's facilities and their finishing positions over the previous two seasons.[2] There was additionally the League Challenge Cup knockout competition open to all clubs and a reserves team section.

Division One

North West Counties
Football League
Division One
Season1982–83
Teams20
ChampionsBurscough
PromotedRhyl
Horwich RMI
RelegatedNantwich Town
Matches380
Goals1,122 (2.95 per match)

The division featured 20 clubs, 18 from the previous season's Cheshire County League and 1 each transferring from the previous season's Northern League and the Northern Premier League:

At the end of the season the champions Burscough did not apply for promotion to the Northern Premier League and so remained in the division;[3] however, second and third placed Rhyl and Horwich RMI did leave as both were elected to the Northern Premier League[4] Also leaving the division were last placed club Nantwich Town who were relegated to Division Two; owing to two clubs taking promotion from the division St Helens Town were reprieved from relegation.[5]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Season End Notes
1 Burscough (C) 38 26 7 5 93 45 +48 59
2 Rhyl (P) 38 23 11 4 76 30 +46 57 Promoted to the
Northern Premier League
3 Horwich RMI (P) 38 22 10 6 77 35 +42 54
4 Stalybridge Celtic 38 17 15 6 60 32 +28 49
5 Winsford United 38 18 10 10 72 48 +24 46
6 Darwen 38 17 12 9 68 46 +22 46
7 Lancaster City 38 17 11 10 69 54 +15 45
8 Congleton Town 38 13 14 11 52 35 +17 40
9 Penrith 38 17 6 15 68 61 +7 40
10 Accrington Stanley 38 13 12 13 56 55 +1 38
11 Leek Town 38 14 9 15 42 44 −2 37
12 Curzon Ashton 38 14 8 16 46 47 −1 36
13 Ashton United 38 13 10 15 55 69 −14 36
14 Bootle 38 14 6 18 55 79 −24 32[a]
15 Prescot Cables 38 9 13 16 50 60 −10 31
16 Formby 38 10 8 20 48 68 −20 28
17 Leyland Motors 38 7 10 21 34 74 −40 24
18 Glossop 38 6 11 21 29 67 −38 23
19 St Helens Town 38 5 10 23 29 80 −51 20 Reprieved from relegation[5]
20 Nantwich Town (R) 38 6 5 27 43 93 −50 17 Relegated to Division Two
Source: NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1982/83
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
The points system until the 1990–91 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Bootle deducted 2 point

Division Two

North West Counties
Football League
Division Two
Season1982–83
Teams20
ChampionsRadcliffe Borough
PromotedRadcliffe Borough
Caernarfon Town
RelegatedPadiham
Matches380
Goals1,269 (3.34 per match)

The division featured 20 clubs, 14 from the previous season's Cheshire County League and 6 from the previous season's Lancashire Combination:

At the end of the season the two top clubs, the champions Radcliffe Borough and runners-up Caernarfon Town, were promoted to Division One and Padiham were relegated to Division Three. Two clubs exited the league: Kirkby Town were expelled (to return a year later) as their ground was adjudged below the required standard for the league[6] and New Mills folded.[5]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Season End Notes
1 Radcliffe Borough (C, P) 38 33 4 1 110 25 +85 70 Promoted to Division One
2 Caernarfon Town (P) 38 28 7 3 85 28 +57 63
3 Wren Rovers 38 23 7 8 84 38 +46 53
4 Eastwood Hanley 38 23 7 8 81 42 +39 53
5 Kirkby Town 38 22 3 13 80 60 +20 47 Expelled (ground substandard)[6]
6 Irlam Town 38 17 8 13 79 52 +27 42
7 Chadderton 38 18 6 14 55 51 +4 42
8 Rossendale United 38 15 10 13 75 68 +7 40
9 Ford Motors 38 18 4 16 61 59 +2 40
10 Ellesmere Port & Neston 38 17 5 16 56 68 −12 39
11 Skelmersdale United 38 13 11 14 70 63 +7 37
12 Fleetwood Town 38 12 8 18 54 80 −26 32
13 Atherton Laburnum Rovers 38 11 9 18 52 70 −18 31
14 Lytham 38 11 5 22 54 71 −17 27
15 Great Harwood Town 38 8 10 20 54 76 −22 26
16 Salford 38 10 6 22 43 86 −43 26
17 Droylsden 38 11 5 22 49 71 −22 25[a]
18 Prescot BI 38 10 5 23 46 81 −35 25
19 Padiham (R) 38 8 6 24 41 74 −33 22 Relegated to Division Three
20 New Mills 38 7 4 27 40 106 −66 18 Resigned (folded)[5]
Source: NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1982/83
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
The points system until the 1990–91 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Droylsden deducted 2 points.

Division Three

North West Counties
Football League
Division Three
Season1982–83
Teams18
ChampionsColne Dynamoes
PromotedColne Dynamoes
Warrington Town
Matches306
Goals1,049 (3.43 per match)

The division featured 18 clubs, 12 from the from the previous season's Lancashire Combination, 5 from the previous season's Cheshire County League and 1 transferring from the Mid-Cheshire League:

At the end of the season three clubs left the division: the two top clubs, the champions Colne Dynamoes and runners-up Warrington Town, were promoted to Division Two; and Wigan Rovers resigned from the league[5] and joined the West Lancashire League.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Season End Notes
1 Colne Dynamoes (C, P) 34 25 5 4 95 37 +58 55 Promoted to Division Two
2 Warrington Town (P) 34 24 6 4 83 33 +50 54
3 Clitheroe 34 22 7 5 87 35 +52 51
4 Prestwich Heys 34 18 11 5 70 37 +33 47
5 Vulcan Newton 34 13 10 11 70 65 +5 36
6 Blackpool Mechanics 34 11 13 10 67 56 +11 35
7 Bacup Borough 34 14 7 13 53 45 +8 35
8 Atherton Collieries 34 12 11 11 55 57 −2 35
9 Whitworth Valley 34 13 9 12 54 65 −11 35
10 Nelson 34 7 16 11 49 56 −7 30
11 Daisy Hill 34 10 10 14 47 58 −11 30
12 Maghull 34 10 9 15 56 61 −5 29
13 Ashton Town 34 12 5 17 53 73 −20 29
14 Newton 34 8 12 14 59 62 −3 28
15 Oldham Dew 34 10 8 16 48 61 −13 28
16 Bolton ST 34 9 6 19 50 84 −34 24
17 Wigan Rovers 34 5 7 22 35 72 −37 17 Resigned[5]
18 Ashton Athletic 34 3 8 23 18 92 −74 14
Source: NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1982/83
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
The points system until the 1990–91 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

League Challenge Cup

The 1982–83 League Challenge Cup was a knockout competition open to all clubs in the League. The winners were Darwen of Division One who defeated Division Two club Skelmersdale United 2–1 after extra time (1–1 at 90 minutes) in the replayed final at Darwen; the original match held at Bury F.C. finished 2–2 after extra time (1–1 at 90 minutes).[7]

Semi-finals and Final

Semi-finals Final
          
Darwen (D1) 3
Warrington Town (D3) 0
Darwen (D1) 2 [a] 2 [b]
Skelmersdale United (D2) 2 [a] 1 [b]
Rossendale United (D2) 1
Skelmersdale United (D2) 4
  1. ^ a b After extra time, score at 90 minutes: 1–1. Played at Bury F.C.
  2. ^ a b Replay: after extra time, score at 90 minutes: 1–1. Played at Darwen F.C.

Club's division appended to team name: (D1)=Division One; (D2)=Division Two; (D3)=Division Three
source: NWCFL: All Results, 1982/83 Season

Reserves Section

Main honours for the 1982–83 season:[8]

References

  1. ^ Albert Draper (6 December 1980). "Merger plan takes shape – 40 years on". Football Echo. Liverpool. p. 6.
  2. ^ David Burke (2 January 1982). "The big scramble starts". Manchester Evening News: Pink Extra. Manchester. p. 6.
  3. ^ "New blood in NPL". Macclesfield Express Advertiser. Stockport. 12 May 1983. p. 72.
  4. ^ "Goole will face new opponents". The Daily Mail. Hull. 22 June 1983. p. 16.
  5. ^ a b c d e f David Burke (13 August 1983). "End of Road for Millers". Manchester Evening News: Pink Extra. Manchester. p. 4.
  6. ^ a b Albert Draper (17 June 1983). "Kirkby's soccer blow". Liverpool Echo. Liverpool. p. 24.
  7. ^ David Martin (12 May 1983). "Last gasp defeat for brave Skem". Ormskirk Advertiser. Ormskirk. p. 10.
  8. ^ "League Honours". The NWCFL. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
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