The NCEL got off to an interesting start.  The first few seasons are covered below - Final Tables, changes/movements (or the lack of them) and a bit of explanation as to what was going on in the 1980s that had such dramatic effects.

 

NORTHERN COUNTIES (EAST) LEAGUE

 

1983-1984

 

By the time the season began, the first batch of changes which affected the new league in its early seasons had happened.  Shepshed Charterhouse and Skegness Town had left the Premier Division, which was reduced to 18 clubs, there having been no promotion from Division 1.  Creswell Colliery, Leeds Ashley Road, Long Eaton Grange and Rolls Royce Welfare had also departed, while Collingham had dropped the ‘& Linton’ from their name.  Three new clubs joined, however – Armthorpe Welfare, Retford Town and Yorkshire Main Colliery.

 

Premier Division Final Table

 

1	Spalding United	34	20	8	6	76	43	48
2	Arnold	34	22	3	9	82	37	47
3	Emley	34	20	7	7	59	32	47
4	Alfreton Town	34	18	6	10	56	32	42
5	Eastwood Town	34	17	7	10	75	49	41
6	Ilkeston Town	34	14	11	9	49	38	39
7	Guiseley	34	14	11	9	54	48	39
8	Guisborough Town	34	16	6	12	58	54	38
9	Thackley	34	14	6	14	61	54	34
10	Winterton Rangers	34	13	7	14	48	42	33
11	Belper Town	34	12	8	14	47	46	32
12	Boston	34	10	12	12	46	57	32
13	Sutton Town	34	10	7	17	36	63	27
14	Appleby Frodingham Athletic	34	8	9	17	51	75	25
15	Mexborough Town Athletic	34	6	12	16	34	68	24
16	Bridlington Trinity	34	7	9	18	40	60	23
17	Heanor Town	34	7	9	18	31	68	23
18	Bentley Victoria Welfare	34	6	6	22	45	82	18
		612	234	144	234	948	948

 

Division 1 (North) Final Table

 

1	Pontefract Collieries	26	17	5	4	43	24	39
2	Rowntree Mackintosh	26	16	2	8	59	43	34
3	Farsley Celtic	26	12	6	8	51	33	30
4	Bradley Rangers	26	12	6	8	35	36	30
5	Ossett Albion	26	10	9	7	44	30	29
6	Garforth Miners	26	10	8	8	45	33	28
7	Harrogate Town	26	12	4	10	43	31	28
8	Scarborough Reserves	26	9	7	10	42	43	25
9	North Ferriby United	26	8	8	10	33	35	24
10	York Railway Institute	26	9	6	11	35	45	24
11	Bridlington Town	26	7	9	10	30	50	23
12	Hatfield Main	26	6	7	13	38	45	19
13	Liversedge	26	5	7	14	29	53	17
14	Ossett Town	26	4	6	16	34	60	14
		364	137	90	137	561	561

 

Division 1 (South) Final Table

 

1	Borrowash Victoria	26	18	3	5	61	24	39
2	Denaby United	26	16	4	6	58	28	36
3	Woolley Miners Welfare	26	14	6	6	61	33	34
4	Sheffield	26	12	6	8	44	38	30
5	Lincoln United	26	11	7	8	39	30	29
6	Maltby Miners’ Welfare*	26	11	7	8	36	29	27
7	BSC Parkgate	26	11	5	10	29	29	27
8	Staveley Works	26	10	5	11	41	34	25
9	Hallam	26	8	7	11	28	39	23
10	Long Eaton United	26	7	8	11	24	38	22
11	Frecheville CA	26	6	10	10	33	48	22
12	Arnold Kingswell	26	7	7	12	30	44	21
13	Norton Woodseats	26	5	4	17	23	59	14
14	Harworth Colliery Institute	26	5	3	18	19	53	13
		364	141	82	141	526	526

*2 points deducted

 

Division 2 (North) Final Table

 

1	Harrogate Railway Athletic	26	19	6	1	72	23	44
2	Armthorpe Welfare	26	17	5	4	48	26	39
3	Yorkshire Amateur	26	14	7	5	42	21	35
4	Selby Town	26	12	7	7	48	30	31
5	Phoenix Park	26	12	7	7	49	36	31
6	Pickering Town	26	13	2	11	36	34	28
7	Fryston Colliery Welfare	26	10	6	10	48	41	26
8	Thorne Colliery	26	10	6	10	43	41	26
9	Grimethorpe MWES	26	8	9	9	38	39	25
10	Hall Road Rangers	26	5	8	13	36	57	18
11	Collingham	26	5	6	15	26	47	16
12	Pilkington Recreation	26	4	7	15	33	55	15
13	Tadcaster Albion	26	3	9	14	23	56	15
14	Brook Sports	26	5	5	16	27	63	15
		364	137	90	137	569	569

 

Division 2 (South) Final Table

 

1	Retford Town	24	18	3	3	63	22	39
2	Kimberley Town	24	16	4	4	39	21	36
3	Graham Street Prims	24	15	3	6	58	37	33
4	Brigg Town	24	13	6	5	44	30	32
5	Oakham United	24	12	3	9	44	28	27
6	Yorkshire Main Colliery	24	12	3	9	44	37	27
7	Worsbrough Bridge MW	24	12	3	9	51	46	27
8	Wombwell SA	24	7	6	11	28	37	20
9	Blidworth Welfare	24	8	3	13	32	52	19
10	Kiveton Park	24	7	4	13	31	41	18
11	Stocksbridge Works SS	24	6	5	13	40	44	17
12	Retford Rail	24	5	4	15	27	53	14
13	Sutton Trinity	24	0	3	21	21	74	3
		312	131	50	131	522	522

 

Pontefract Collieries were promoted to the Premier Division.  Five teams left the NCEL – Brook Sports, Retford Rail, Scarborough Reserves, Sutton Trinity and Winterton Rangers, who were forced to disband because on serious financial problems.  Norton Woodseats became Dronfield United.

 

With numbers in the NCEL having fallen, there was a major reorganisation below the Premier Division, with clubs outside the top flight forming three regional 1^st Divisions – North (17 teams), Central (16) and South (16).  It was decided that in future 3 points would be awarded for a win.

 

1984-1985

 

Premier Division Final Table

 

1	Belper Town	36	25	6	5	74	30	81
2	Eastwood Town	36	23	3	10	98	59	72
3	Guiseley	36	21	7	8	78	47	70
4	Alfreton Town	36	20	6	10	69	39	66
5	Guisborough Town	36	18	8	10	71	49	62
6	Denaby United	36	18	8	10	71	51	62
7	Arnold	36	17	9	10	72	49	60
8	Emley	36	16	7	13	67	52	55
9	Bridlington Trinity	36	16	5	15	71	67	53
10	Thackley	36	15	6	15	55	61	51
11	Spalding United	36	14	8	14	55	48	50
12	Sutton Town	36	14	5	17	45	69	47
13	Ilkeston Town	36	14	4	18	49	54	46
14	Pontefract Collieries	36	11	10	15	45	54	43
15	Bentley Victoria Welfare	36	11	6	19	47	67	39
16	Appleby Frodingham Athletic	36	8	9	19	46	73	33
17	Boston	36	8	6	22	35	88	30
18	Heanor Town	36	8	5	23	50	89	29
19	Mexborough Town Athletic	36	2	8	26	32	84	14
		684	279	126	279	1130	1130

 

Division 1 (North) Final Table

 

1	Farsley Celtic	32	18	10	4	66	28	64
2	Harrogate Town	32	17	9	6	61	35	60
3	Bradley Rangers	32	16	11	5	61	35	59
4	Harrogate Railway Athletic	32	17	7	8	65	41	58
5	Bridlington Town	32	16	6	10	57	46	54
6	Rowntree Mackintosh	32	15	8	9	62	37	53
7	North Ferriby United	32	16	5	11	54	42	53
8	Liversedge	32	14	6	12	55	50	48
9	Garforth Miners	32	11	9	12	53	57	42
10	York Railway Institute	32	11	9	12	51	55	42
11	Pickering Town	32	11	8	13	37	43	41
12	Phoenix Park	32	10	8	14	57	59	38
13	Selby Town	32	10	7	15	43	59	37
14	Hall Road Rangers	32	9	6	17	45	70	33
15	Yorkshire Amateur	32	7	7	18	34	60	28
16	Collingham	32	5	12	15	42	71	27
17	Tadcaster Albion	32	3	4	25	23	78	13
		544	206	132	206	866	866

 

Division 1 (Central) Final Table

 

1	Armthorpe Welfare	30	21	5	4	68	26	68
2	Brigg Town	30	19	7	4	68	36	64
3	Woolley Miners’ Welfare	30	19	6	5	67	38	63
4	Ossett Albion	30	16	7	7	55	28	55
5	Hatfield Main	30	16	7	7	56	35	55
6	Pilkington Recreation	30	14	4	12	41	42	46
7	Thorne Colliery	30	13	6	11	54	45	45
8	Ossett Town	30	12	6	12	51	37	42
9	BSC Parkgate	30	12	6	12	52	41	42
10	Grimethorpe MW	30	12	6	12	59	53	42
11	Maltby Miners’ Welfare	30	13	3	14	49	46	42
12	Yorkshire Main Colliery	30	11	8	11	53	56	41
13	Worsbrough Bridge MW	30	8	7	15	48	67	31
14	Stocksbridge Works	30	6	2	22	31	76	20
15	Wombwell SA	30	3	5	22	23	70	14
16	Fryston Colliery Welfare	30	2	1	27	26	105	7
		480	197	86	197	801	801

 

Division 1 (South) Final Table

 

1	Long Eaton United	30	21	5	4	58	23	68
2	Borrowash Victoria	30	20	5	5	64	32	65
3	Dronfield United	30	18	4	8	55	35	58
4	Retford Town	30	17	5	8	60	36	56
5	Harworth Colliery Institute	30	14	7	9	42	33	49
6	Sheffield	30	13	8	9	58	39	47
7	Staveley Works	30	13	5	12	42	39	44
8	Arnold Kingswell	30	12	6	12	48	42	42
9	Hallam	30	10	9	11	46	41	39
10	Frecheville CA	30	10	9	11	47	45	39
11	Lincoln United	30	10	8	12	37	35	38
12	Kiveton Park	30	10	5	15	29	49	35
13	Oakham United	30	8	8	14	30	44	32
14	Graham Street Prims	30	9	4	17	28	45	31
15	Blidworth Welfare	30	7	1	22	32	87	22
16	Kimberly Town	30	2	3	25	21	72	9
		480	194	92	194	697	697

 

Mexborough Town Athletic were relegated to Division 1, while Armthorpe Welfare, Farsley Celtic and Long Eaton United were all promoted to the Premier Division.  Guisborough Town and Retford Town left the NCEL.  The regionalised 1^st Divisions were scrapped in favour of Divisions 1, 2 and 3 – a move which was to prove something of a fateful decision.  Glasshoughton Welfare were admitted to the new 3^rd Division.  Garforth Miners became Garforth Town and Phoenix Park became Eccleshill United.

 

1985-1986

 

Premier Division Final Table

 

1	Arnold*	38	24	8	6	83	36	79
2	Emley	38	22	11	5	77	47	77
3	Guiseley	38	22	6	10	81	52	72
4	Long Eaton United	38	19	11	8	70	39	68
5	Eastwood Town*	38	21	5	12	73	62	67
6	Alfreton Town	38	21	2	15	66	47	65
7	Sutton Town	38	18	6	14	69	57	60
8	Farsley Celtic	38	14	12	12	71	55	54
9	Belper Town	38	15	9	14	54	45	54
10	Thackley	38	14	11	13	52	58	53
11	Denaby United*	38	13	14	11	63	56	52
12	Pontefract Collieries	38	15	7	16	55	54	52
13	Armthorpe Welfare	38	15	7	16	57	58	52
14	Bentley Victoria Welfare	38	12	11	15	61	65	47
15	Heanor Town*	38	11	9	18	61	69	41
16	Spalding United	38	9	12	17	41	62	39
17	Boston	38	10	6	22	42	79	36
18	Appleby Frodingham Athletic	38	6	12	20	40	83	30
19	Bridlington Trinity	38	4	14	20	34	85	26
20	Ilkeston Town	38	5	7	26	31	72	22
		760	290	180	290	1181	1181

*1 point deducted for a breach of League rules.

 

Division 1 Final Table

 

1	North Ferriby United	30	18	5	7	54	31	59
2	Sheffield	30	16	8	6	54	39	56
3	Harrogate Town	30	16	6	8	65	42	54
4	Rowntree Mackintosh	30	16	5	9	67	45	53
5	Ossett Albion	30	13	11	6	54	39	50
6	Bridlington Town	30	11	13	6	49	41	46
7	Borrowash Victoria	30	12	10	8	53	48	46
8	Harworth Colliery Institute	30	12	6	12	51	50	42
9	Woolley Miners’ Welfare*	30	12	7	11	59	59	42
10	Bradley Rangers	30	12	4	14	51	51	40
11	Hatfield Main	30	8	13	9	57	43	37
12	Brigg Town	30	8	8	14	31	42	32
13	Mexborough Town Athletic*	30	8	7	15	39	68	30
14	Harrogate Railway Athletic*	30	6	6	18	47	70	23
15	Dronfield United	30	6	6	18	32	61	23
16	Pilkington Recreation	30	4	9	17	32	66	21
		480	178	124	178	795	795

*1 point deducted for a breach of League rules.

 

Division 2 Final Table

 

1	Lincoln United	30	20	5	5	73	29	65
2	Garforth Town	30	20	4	6	66	29	64
3	York Railway Institute	30	17	5	8	58	39	56
4	Staveley Works	30	17	4	9	52	33	55
5	Hallam	30	15	2	13	48	42	47
6	Maltby Miners’ Welfare	30	12	7	11	44	48	43
7	Grimethorpe MW**	30	12	7	11	50	48	40
8	Kiveton Park	30	11	6	13	42	48	39
9	BSC Parkgate*	30	11	7	12	43	50	39
10	Liversedge	30	11	5	14	46	56	38
11	Frecheville CA	30	9	8	13	43	61	35
12	Arnold Kingswell	30	10	4	16	48	57	34
13	Yorkshire Main Colliery*	30	10	5	15	38	53	34
14	Ossett Town	30	8	7	15	40	53	31
15	Pickering Town*	30	5	10	15	33	52	24
16	Thorne Colliery*	30	7	4	19	31	57	24
		480	195	90	195	755	755

*1 point deducted for a breach of League rules.

**3 points deducted for a breach of League rules.

 

Division 3 Final Table

 

1	Collingham	26	16	7	3	66	23	55
2	Worsbrough Bridge MW	26	14	5	7	60	32	47
3	Eccleshill United	26	13	6	7	43	34	45
4	Glasshoughton Welfare	26	12	7	7	42	33	43
5	Yorkshire Amateur*	26	11	10	5	38	29	42
6	Hall Road Rangers	26	9	9	8	37	33	36
7	Oakham United	26	10	6	10	38	35	36
8	Graham Street Prims	26	10	5	11	43	41	35
9	Tadcaster Albion	26	9	7	10	44	39	34
10	Stocksbridge Works	26	9	6	11	42	43	33
11	Selby Town	26	8	7	11	47	59	31
12	Fryston Colliery Welfare	26	5	6	15	32	72	21
13	Wombwell SA**	26	6	5	15	28	49	20
14	Kimberley Town	26	4	6	16	26	64	18
		364	136	92	136	586	586

Blidworth Welfare resigned during the season and the club’s record was deleted.

*1 point deducted for a breach of League rules.

**3 points deducted for a breach of League rules.

 

By the time the 1985-1986 season began, the Miners’ Strike, which had started in March 1984 had finished.  During the Strike, the Yorkshire Miners had stopped work, while in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire support for the action had not been as strong.  This left the Miners divided and there was animosity and bitterness between those who had supported NUM leader, Arthur Scargill, and those who had not.  These feelings continued.  With teams from mining communities in Yorkshire playing clubs from Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in the reorganised NCEL, the ‘two sides in the conflict’ came ‘face to face’.  The result was far from pleasant. 

 

As a direct consequence of this, one club (Blidworth Welfare) left the NCEL during the season and nine others followed at the end – Arnold, Arnold Kingswell, Borrowash Victoria, Graham Street Prims, Harworth Colliery Institute, Heanor Town, Ilkeston Town, Kimberley Town and Oakham United.  Lincoln United also resigned and joined these teams in the Central Midlands League.  Appleby Frodingham Athletic, Spalding United and Thorne Colliery also departed.

 

The NCEL was therefore forced into another process of reorganisation, reducing the three divisions, with 19 clubs in the Premier Division and 18 in the other tiers, accommodating all existing members, plus Immingham Town and the re-formed Winterton Rangers.  BSC Parkgate became simply Parkgate and Stocksbridge Works, having amalgamated with neighbours Oxley Park, became Stocksbridge Park Steels.

 

1986-1987

 

Premier Division Final Table

 

1	Alfreton Town	36	25	6	5	74	29	81
2	Farsley Celtic	36	24	6	6	74	41	78
3	North Ferriby United	36	20	10	6	57	26	70
4	Emley	36	17	10	9	60	41	61
5	Sutton Town	36	17	10	9	54	45	61
6	Denaby United	36	15	10	11	59	43	55
7	Thackley	36	14	13	9	47	45	55
8	Pontefract Collieries	36	16	6	14	54	44	54
9	Harrogate Town	36	14	10	12	48	48	52
10	Bridlington Town	36	12	14	10	57	49	50
11	Long Eaton United	36	12	11	13	41	43	47
12	Armthorpe Welfare	36	13	6	17	55	60	45
13	Eastwood Town	36	11	9	16	45	57	42
14	Bentley Victoria Welfare	36	10	9	17	64	77	39
15	Belper Town	36	8	12	16	49	47	36
16	Guiseley	36	9	8	19	46	76	35
17	Bridlington Trinity	36	6	11	19	46	76	29
18	Brigg Town	36	6	9	21	35	73	27
19	Boston	36	6	4	26	23	68	22
		684	255	174	255	988	988

 

Division 1 Final Table

 

1	Ossett Albion	34	22	4	8	65	43	70
2	Rowntree Mackintosh	34	20	4	10	101	54	64
3	Hatfield Main	34	19	7	8	69	47	64
4	Harrogate Railway Athletic	34	19	7	8	65	44	64
5	Bradley Rangers	34	17	8	9	64	51	59
6	Hallam	34	16	8	10	49	37	56
7	Staveley Works	34	14	9	11	51	46	51
8	York Railway Institute	34	15	5	14	49	56	50
9	Maltby Miners’ Welfare	34	13	7	14	53	57	46
10	Pilkington Recreation	34	13	6	15	51	49	45
11	Garforth Town	34	11	10	13	44	48	43
12	Grimethorpe MW	34	13	4	17	60	65	43
13	Woolley Miners’ Welfare	34	11	9	14	57	61	42
14	Kiveton Park	34	11	6	17	41	64	39
15	Parkgate	34	10	8	16	51	57	38
16	Mexborough Town Athletic	34	8	10	16	38	64	34
17	Sheffield	34	9	6	19	41	55	33
18	Dronfield United	34	4	4	26	33	84	16
		612	245	122	245	982	982

 

Division 2 Final Table

 

1	Frecheville CA	34	24	7	3	57	27	79
2	Eccleshill United	34	22	6	6	75	36	72
3	Immingham Town	34	18	4	12	53	43	58
4	Hall Road Rangers	34	16	9	9	72	48	57
5	Collingham	34	14	13	7	67	34	55
6	Worsbrough Bridge MW	34	15	7	12	61	48	52
7	Stocksbridge Park Steels	34	12	15	7	50	38	51
8	Selby Town	34	14	8	12	47	42	50
9	Yorkshire Amateur	34	12	10	12	47	36	46
10	Ossett Town	34	12	10	12	42	52	46
11	Liversedge	34	10	13	11	40	45	43
12	Glasshoughton Welfare	34	11	9	14	50	52	42
13	Tadcaster Albion	34	11	7	16	38	46	40
14	Pickering Town	34	8	15	11	39	57	39
15	Yorkshire Main Colliery	34	8	13	13	43	60	37
16	Winterton Rangers	34	7	7	20	30	53	28
17	Wombwell SA	34	7	7	20	39	75	28
18	Fryston Colliery Welfare	34	2	6	26	18	76	12
		612	223	166	223	868	868

 

Five clubs joined the new Northern Premier League Division 1 - Alfreton Town, Eastwood Town, Farsley Celtic, Harrogate Town and Sutton Town.  Bentley Victoria Welfare and Boston also departed.  The Premier Division was re-sized at 17 clubs, with Division 1 at 16 and Division 2 at 15.  Five clubs from Division 1 moved up to the Premier Division, though this was not based purely on performance, and the top three sides in Division 2 were promoted to Division 1.

 

1987-1988

 

Premier Division Final Table

 

1	Emley	32	20	8	4	57	21	68
2	Armthorpe Welfare	32	21	5	6	56	36	68
3	Denaby United	32	19	4	9	61	46	61
4	Bridlington Town	32	18	5	9	63	25	59
5	Thackley	32	16	8	8	50	37	56
6	North Ferriby United	32	12	11	9	49	41	47
7	Guiseley	32	14	5	13	52	51	47
8	Pontefract Collieries	32	11	10	11	42	42	43
9	Grimethorpe MW	32	11	9	12	46	49	42
10	Hallam	32	11	6	15	48	53	39
11	Hatfield Main	32	11	6	15	52	59	39
12	Harrogate Railway Athletic	32	9	9	14	40	56	36
13	Bridlington Trinity	32	8	9	15	52	68	33
14	Long Eaton United	32	9	6	17	24	44	33
15	Brigg Town	32	8	8	16	40	57	32
16	Belper Town	32	5	12	15	32	52	27
17	Ossett Albion	32	4	9	19	31	58	21
		544	207	130	207	795	795

 

Division 1 Final Table

 

1	York Railway Institute	30	22	2	6	66	29	68
2	Rowntree Mackintosh	30	20	5	5	74	35	65
3	Maltby Miners’ Welfare	30	18	6	6	61	32	60
4	Parkgate	30	18	4	8	52	34	58
5	Bradley Rangers	30	15	9	6	64	45	54
6	Woolley Miners’ Welfare	30	14	8	8	69	39	50
7	Eccleshill United	30	13	8	9	49	50	47
8	Sheffield	30	13	4	13	38	34	43
9	Immingham Town	30	9	10	11	41	40	37
10	Frecheville CA	30	8	10	12	40	51	34
11	Kiveton Park	30	10	4	16	29	51	34
12	Staveley Works	30	9	5	16	42	65	32
13	Pilkington Recreation	30	6	7	17	30	65	25
14	Garforth Town	30	6	6	18	29	51	24
15	Mexborough Town Athletic	30	6	5	19	38	62	23
16	Dronfield United	30	3	7	20	36	75	16
		480	190	100	190	758	758

 

Division 2 Final Table

 

1	Pickering Town	28	18	6	4	66	33	60
2	Collingham	28	16	9	3	63	26	57
3	Yorkshire Amateur	28	16	9	3	44	23	57
4	Ossett Town	28	16	7	5	78	37	55
5	Worsbrough Bridge MW	28	14	4	10	54	43	46
6	Liversedge	28	13	5	10	51	40	44
7	Yorkshire Main Colliery	28	11	8	9	53	58	41
8	Stocksbridge Park Steels	28	11	7	10	50	37	40
9	Winterton Rangers	28	10	7	11	47	47	37
10	Selby Town	28	9	4	15	39	48	31
11	Hall Road Rangers	28	9	4	15	35	63	31
12	Glasshoughton Welfare	28	6	12	10	29	35	30
13	Fryston Colliery Welfare	28	6	4	18	30	60	22
14	Wombwell SA	28	5	5	18	27	60	20
15	Tadcaster Albion	28	1	7	20	19	75	10
		420	161	98	161	685	685

 

The only movement between divisions involved Pickering Town, who were promoted to Division 1.  Staveley Works and Wombwell Sporting Association left to join the Central Midlands League.   Brodsworth Miners’ Welfare joined Division 2.  It seemed as if some sort of stability had arrived, but this was not to be the case, as events over the next three years were to prove.

 

 

 

The next stage in the NCEL's history is now on site and covers the years 1988-1994.