2022–23 North West Counties Football League

The 2022–23 North West Counties Football League season was the 41st in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England, and the fifth season following the split of the lower level into two geographically separated divisions. Teams are divided into three divisions: Premier Division, at Step 5, and Divisions One North and South, at Step 6.

The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by The Football Association on 12 May 2022,[1] and were subject to appeals and FA ratification.

Premier Division

North West Counties
Football League
Premier Division
Season2022–23

The Premier Division comprises 22 teams, 18 of which competed in the previous season.

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

The following four clubs joined the Premier Division before the season:

Premier Division table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Vauxhall Motors (C, P) 42 30 5 7 85 35 +50 95 Promotion to the Northern Premier League
2 Avro (O, P) 42 27 6 9 75 31 +44 87 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Wythenshawe Town 42 25 8 9 109 56 +53 83
4 Bury AFC 42 25 8 9 74 42 +32 83
5 Northwich Victoria 42 25 6 11 77 50 +27 81 Transfer to the Midland League
6 AFC Liverpool 42 20 7 15 83 63 +20 67
7 Prestwich Heys 42 22 3 17 65 56 +9 66
8 Congleton Town 42 19 8 15 70 62 +8 65 Transfer to the Midland League
9 West Didsbury & Chorlton 42 17 13 12 81 66 +15 64
10 Litherland REMYCA 42 19 5 18 61 62 −1 62
11 Charnock Richard 42 16 8 18 86 82 +4 56
12 Kendal Town 42 15 10 17 72 84 −12 55
13 FC Isle of Man 42 16 4 22 67 90 −23 52
14 Padiham 42 14 9 19 66 69 −3 51
15 Longridge Town 42 13 12 17 74 94 −20 51
16 Lower Breck 42 14 8 20 54 62 −8 50
17 Irlam 42 11 13 18 59 68 −9 46
18 Winsford United (R) 42 12 10 20 56 78 −22 46 Relegation to Division One South
19 Barnoldswick Town 42 11 10 21 59 86 −27 43
20 Squires Gate 42 12 5 25 61 96 −35 41
21 Burscough 42 10 6 26 63 99 −36 36 Reprieve from relegation
22 Ashton Athletic (R) 42 4 6 32 43 109 −66 18 Relegation to Division One North
Source: NWCFL Tables Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Play-off

Inter-step play-off

29 April 2023 Lincoln United1-2 Avro Lincoln
15:00
  • Cotton 42' (pen.)
 Report
Stadium: Ashby Avenue
Attendance: 410
Referee: Sam Wesson

Stadia and locations

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Locations of the 2022–23 North West Counties Football League Premier Division teams
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Locations of 2022–23 North West Counties Premier Division teams (Greater Manchester)
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Locations of 2022–23 North West Counties Premier Division team (Isle of Man)
Team Stadium
AFC Liverpool Rossett Park, Crosby (groundshare with Marine)
Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park
Avro Whitebank Stadium, Oldham
Barnoldswick Town Greenberfield Lane
Burscough Victoria Park
Bury AFC Stainton Park, Radcliffe (groundshare with Radcliffe)
Charnock Richard Mossie Park
Congleton Town Ivy Gardens
FC Isle of Man The Bowl, Douglas
Irlam Silver Street
Kendal Town Parkside Road
Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park
Longridge Town Mike Riding Ground
Lower Breck Anfield Sports and Community Centre
Northwich Victoria Wincham Park (groundshare with Witton Albion)
Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground
Prestwich Heys Adie Moran Park
Squires Gate School Road
Vauxhall Motors Rivacre Park, Ellesmere Port
West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton
Winsford United Barton Stadium
Wythenshawe Town Ericstan Stadium

Division One North

North West Counties
Football League
Division One North
Season2022–23

Division One North comprises 18 clubs, 15 of which were in the division the previous season.

The following four clubs left Division One North before the season:

The following three clubs joined Division One North before the season:

Division One North table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Pilkington (C, P) 34 24 6 4 78 26 +52 78 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Chadderton (O, P) 34 23 7 4 76 45 +31 76 Qualification for the play-offs
3 FC St Helens 34 16 14 4 65 39 +26 62
4 Ilkley Town 34 18 6 10 64 48 +16 60
5 Euxton Villa 34 17 8 9 72 45 +27 59
6 Holker Old Boys 34 18 3 13 73 57 +16 57
7 Steeton 34 16 5 13 65 52 +13 53
8 Darwen 34 14 6 14 65 58 +7 48
9 AFC Blackpool 34 14 6 14 63 64 −1 48
10 South Liverpool 34 14 4 16 74 63 +11 46
11 Nelson 34 13 4 17 56 64 −8 43
12 Atherton LR 34 12 6 16 47 57 −10 42
13 Bacup Borough 34 12 5 17 58 63 −5 41
14 Garstang 34 11 4 19 64 79 −15 37
15 Daisy Hill 34 10 6 18 42 61 −19 36
16 Ashton Town 34 9 8 17 35 68 −33 35
17 Runcorn Town 34 9 2 23 38 90 −52 29 Reprieve from relegation
18 Cleator Moor Celtic (R) 34 4 4 26 46 102 −56 16 Relegation to the West Lancashire Football League
Source: NWCFL Tables, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated


Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Chadderton 1 (9)
5 Euxton Villa 1 (8)
2 Chadderton 1 (6)
3 FC St Helens 1 (5)
3 FC St Helens 2 (3)
4 Ilkley Town 2 (2)

Stadia and locations

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Locations of the 2022–23 North West Counties Football League Division One North teams
Team Stadium
AFC Blackpool The Mechanics
AFC Darwen The Anchor Ground
Ashton Town Edge Green Street
Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park
Bacup Borough West View
Chadderton MCA Stadium
Cleator Moor Celtic McGrath Park
Daisy Hill New Sirs, Westhoughton
Euxton Villa Jim Fowler Memorial Ground
FC St Helens Windleshaw Sports
Garstang The Riverside
Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane, Barrow-in-Furness
Ilkley Town MPM Lane
Nelson Victoria Park
Pilkington Ruskin Drive Sportsground
Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex
South Liverpool Jericho Lane
Steeton Cougar Park

Division One South

North West Counties
Football League
Division One South
Season2022–23

Division One South comprises 20 clubs, 17 of which were in the division the previous season.

The following three clubs left Division One South before the season:

The following three clubs joined Division One South before the season:

Division One South table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Wythenshawe Amateurs (C, P) 38 30 3 5 89 28 +61 93 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Stockport Town 38 29 5 4 108 32 +76 92 Qualification for the play-offs
3 Sandbach United 38 25 4 9 95 59 +36 79
4 Brocton 38 25 4 9 88 57 +31 79
5 Cheadle Town (O, P) 38 22 4 12 91 59 +32 70
6 Ellesmere Rangers (R) 38 19 6 13 79 55 +24 63 Voluntarily relegated to the Shropshire County League Premier Division
7 New Mills 38 18 9 11 83 62 +21 63
8 Cheadle Heath Nomads 38 14 12 12 75 57 +18 54
9 Stockport Georgians 38 15 9 14 55 51 +4 54
10 Eccleshall 38 15 9 14 50 59 −9 54
11 Maine Road 38 16 5 17 58 61 −3 53
12 Ashville 38 15 6 17 62 62 0 51
13 Barnton 38 15 6 17 57 62 −5 51
14 Abbey Hulton United 38 13 8 17 57 53 +4 47
15 Abbey Hey 38 13 7 18 58 72 −14 46
16 Alsager Town 38 10 6 22 43 62 −19 36
17 Cammell Laird 38 9 6 23 51 86 −35 33
18 Stafford Town 38 8 3 27 46 107 −61 27
19 Foley Meir (R) 38 7 4 27 43 111 −68 25 Relegation to the
Staffordshire County Senior League
20 Rocester (R) 38 3 2 33 26 119 −93 11
Source: NWCFL Tables, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Stockport Town 0
5 Cheadle Town 2
5 Cheadle Town 3
3 Sandbach United 1
3 Sandbach United 3
4 Brocton 1

Stadia and locations

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Locations of the 2022–23 North West Counties Football League Division One South teams in the North West
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Locations of the 2022–23 North West Counties Football League Division One South teams in the West Midlands
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Locations of 2022–23 North West Counties Division One South teams (Greater Manchester)
Team Stadium
Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton
Abbey Hulton United Birches Head Road
Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium
Ashville Villa Park, Wallasey
Barnton Townfield
Brocton Silkmore Lane
Cammell Laird 1907 Kirklands, Birkenhead
Cheadle Heath Nomads The Heath
Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium
Eccleshall Pershall Park
Foley Meir Whitcombe Road
Ellesmere Rangers Beech Grove
Maine Road Brantingham Road, Chorlton
New Mills Church Lane
Rocester Hillsfield
Sandbach United Sandbach Community Football Centre
Stafford Town Evans Park
Stockport Georgians Cromley Road
Stockport Town Stockport Sports Village
Wythenshawe Amateurs Hollyhedge Park

References

  1. ^ "Club Allocations 2022/23 Season". nwcfl.com. 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "The FA Handbook 2022/2023 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.