Northern Premier League history coverage starts with the period 1969-1979.  Below are the Final Tables for those seasons, with notes on changes/movements affecting the league in those seasons.

 

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1969-1970

 

1	Macclesfield Town	38	22	8	8	72	41	52
2	Wigan Athletic	38	20	12	6	56	32	52
3	Boston United	38	21	8	9	65	33	50
4	Scarborough	38	20	10	8	74	39	50
5	South Shields	38	19	7	12	66	43	45
6	Gainsborough Trinity	38	16	11	11	64	49	43
7	Stafford Rangers	38	16	7	15	59	52	39
8	Bangor City	38	15	9	14	68	63	39
9	Northwich Victoria	38	15	8	15	60	66	38
10	Netherfield	38	14	9	15	56	54	37
11	Hyde United	38	15	7	16	59	59	37
12	Altrincham	38	14	8	16	62	65	36
13	Fleetwood	38	13	10	15	53	60	36
14	Runcorn	38	11	13	14	57	72	35
15	Morecambe	38	10	13	15	41	51	33
16	South Liverpool	38	11	11	16	44	55	33
17	Great Harwood	38	10	9	19	63	92	29
18	Matlock Town	38	8	12	18	52	67	28
19	Goole Town	38	10	6	22	50	71	26
20	Gateshead	38	5	12	21	37	94	22
		760	285	190	285	1158	1158	760

 

Gateshead and Hyde United left the competition at the end of the season.  The size of the Northern Premier League was increased to 22 clubs, with the admission of Bradford Park Avenue from the Football League, Chorley, Kirkby Town and Lancaster City.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1970-1971

 

1	Wigan Athletic	42	27	13	2	91	32	67
2	Stafford Rangers	42	27	7	8	87	51	61
3	Scarborough	42	23	12	7	83	40	58
4	Boston United	42	22	12	8	69	31	56
5	Macclesfield Town	42	23	10	9	84	45	56
6	Northwich Victoria	42	22	5	15	71	55	49
7	Bangor City	42	19	10	13	72	61	48
8	Altrincham	42	19	10	13	80	76	48
9	South Liverpool	42	15	15	12	67	57	45
10	Chorley	42	14	14	14	58	61	42
11	Gainsborough Trinity	42	15	11	16	65	63	41
12	Morecambe	42	14	11	17	67	79	39
13	South Shields	42	12	14	16	67	66	38
14	Bradford Park Avenue	42	15	8	19	54	73	38
15	Lancaster City	42	12	12	18	53	76	36
16	Netherfield	42	13	9	20	59	57	35
17	Matlock Town	42	10	13	19	58	80	33
18	Fleetwood	42	10	11	21	56	90	31
19	Great Harwood	42	8	13	21	66	98	29
20	Runcorn	42	10	5	27	58	84	25
21	Kirkby Town	42	6	13	23	57	93	25
22	Goole Town	42	10	4	28	44	98	24
		924	346	232	346	1466	1466	924

 

The size of the league was increased to 24 clubs, with Ellesmere Port Town and Skelmersdale United being admitted.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1971-1972

 

1	Stafford Rangers	46	30	11	5	91	32	71
2	Boston United	46	28	13	5	87	37	69
3	Wigan Athletic	46	27	10	9	70	43	64
4	Scarborough	46	21	15	10	75	46	57
5	Northwich Victoria	46	20	14	12	65	59	54
6	Macclesfield Town	46	18	15	13	61	50	51
7	Gainsborough Trinity	46	21	9	16	93	79	51
8	South Shields	46	18	14	14	75	57	50
9	Bangor City	46	20	8	18	93	74	48
10	Altrincham	46	18	11	17	72	58	47
11	Skelmersdale United	46	19	9	18	61	58	47
12	Matlock Town	46	20	7	19	67	75	47
13	Chorley	46	17	12	17	66	59	46
14	Lancaster City	46	15	14	17	85	84	44
15	Great Harwood	46	15	14	17	60	74	44
16	Ellesmere Port Town	46	17	9	20	67	71	43
17	Morecambe	46	15	10	21	51	64	40
18	Bradford Park Avenue	46	13	13	20	54	71	39
19	Netherfield	46	16	5	25	51	73	37
20	Fleetwood	46	11	15	20	43	67	37
21	South Liverpool	46	12	12	22	61	73	36
22	Runcorn	46	8	14	24	48	80	30
23	Goole Town	46	9	10	27	51	97	28
24	Kirkby Town	46	6	12	28	38	104	24
		1104	414	276	414	1585	1585	1104

 

Chorley and Kirkby Town left the competition, being replaced by Barrow from the Football league and Mossley.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1972-1973

 

1	Boston United	46	27	16	3	88	34	70
2	Scarborough	46	26	9	11	72	39	61
3	Wigan Athletic	46	23	14	9	69	38	60
4	Altrincham	46	22	16	8	75	55	60
5	Bradford Park Avenue	46	19	17	10	63	50	55
6	Stafford Rangers	46	20	11	15	63	46	51
7	Gainsborough Trinity	46	18	13	15	70	50	49
8	Northwich Victoria	46	17	15	14	74	62	49
9	Netherfield	46	20	9	17	68	65	49
10	Macclesfield Town	46	16	16	14	58	47	48
11	Ellesmere Port Town	46	18	11	17	52	56	47
12	Skelmersdale United	46	15	16	15	58	59	46
13	Bangor City	46	16	13	17	70	60	45
14	Mossley	46	17	11	18	70	73	45
15	Morecambe	46	17	11	18	62	70	45
16	Great Harwood	46	14	15	17	63	74	43
17	South Liverpool	46	12	19	15	47	57	43
18	Runcorn	46	15	12	19	75	78	42
19	Goole Town	46	13	13	20	64	73	39
20	South Shields	46	17	4	25	64	81	38
21	Matlock Town	46	11	11	24	42	80	33
22	Lancaster City	46	10	11	25	53	78	31
23	Barrow	46	12	6	28	52	101	30
24	Fleetwood	46	5	15	26	31	77	25
		1104	400	304	400	1503	1503	1104

 

Ellesmere Port Town left the League and were replaced by Buxton.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1973-1974

 

1	Boston United	46	27	11	8	69	32	65
2	Wigan Athletic	46	28	8	10	96	39	64
3	Altrincham	46	26	11	9	77	34	63
4	Stafford Rangers	46	27	9	10	101	45	63
5	Scarborough	46	22	14	10	62	43	58
6	South Shields	46	25	6	15	87	48	56
7	Runcorn	46	21	14	11	72	47	56
8	Macclesfield Town	46	18	15	13	48	47	51
9	Bangor City	46	19	11	16	65	56	49
10	Gainsborough Trinity	46	18	11	17	77	64	47
11	South Liverpool	46	16	15	15	55	47	47
12	Skelmersdale United	46	16	13	17	50	59	45
13	Goole Town	46	14	15	17	60	69	43
14	Fleetwood	46	14	15	17	48	68	43
15	Mossley	46	15	11	20	53	65	41
16	Northwich Victoria	46	14	13	19	68	75	41
17	Morecambe	46	13	13	20	62	84	39
18	Buxton	46	14	10	22	45	71	38
19	Matlock Town	46	11	14	21	50	79	36
20	Great Harwood	46	10	14	22	52	74	34
21	Bradford Park Avenue	46	9	15	22	42	84	33
22	Barrow	46	13	7	26	46	94	33
23	Lancaster City	46	10	12	24	52	67	32
24	Netherfield	46	11	5	30	42	88	27
		1104	411	282	411	1479	1479	1104

 

The Bradford Park Avenue club folded and their place was taken by Worksop Town.  The South Shields club moved home and became Gateshead United.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1974-1975

 

1	Wigan Athletic	46	33	6	7	94	38	72
2	Runcorn	46	30	8	8	102	42	68
3	Altrincham	46	26	12	8	87	43	64
4	Stafford Rangers	46	25	13	8	81	39	63
5	Scarborough	46	24	12	10	75	45	60
6	Mossley	46	23	11	12	78	52	57
7	Gateshead United	46	22	12	12	74	48	56
8	Goole Town	46	19	12	15	75	71	50
9	Northwich Victoria	46	18	12	16	83	71	48
10	Great Harwood	46	17	14	15	69	66	48
11	Matlock Town	46	19	8	19	87	79	46
12	Boston United	46	16	14	16	64	63	46
13	Morecambe	46	14	15	17	71	87	43
14	Worksop Town	46	14	14	18	69	66	42
15	South Liverpool	46	14	14	18	59	71	42
16	Buxton	46	11	17	18	50	77	39
17	Macclesfield Town	46	11	14	21	46	62	36
18	Lancaster City	46	13	10	23	53	76	36
19	Bangor City	46	13	9	24	56	67	35
20	Gainsborough Trinity	46	10	15	21	46	79	35
21	Skelmersdale United	46	13	7	26	63	93	33
22	Barrow	46	9	15	22	45	72	33
23	Netherfield	46	12	8	26	42	91	32
24	Fleetwood	46	5	10	31	26	97	20
		1104	411	282	411	1595	1595	1104

 

There were no changes in the membership of the Northern Premier League.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1975-1976

 

1	Runcorn	46	29	10	7	95	42	68
2	Stafford Rangers	46	26	15	5	81	41	67
3	Scarborough	46	26	10	10	84	43	62
4	Matlock Town	46	26	9	11	96	63	61
5	Boston United	46	27	6	13	95	58	60
6	Wigan Athletic	46	21	15	10	81	42	57
7	Altrincham	46	20	14	12	77	57	54
8	Bangor City	46	21	12	13	80	70	54
9	Mossley	46	21	11	14	70	58	53
10	Goole Town	46	20	13	13	58	49	53
11	Northwich Victoria	46	17	17	12	79	59	51
12	Lancaster City	46	18	9	19	61	70	45
13	Worksop Town	46	17	10	19	63	56	44
14	Gainsborough Trinity	46	13	17	16	58	69	43
15	Macclesfield Town	46	15	12	19	50	64	42
16	Gateshead United	46	17	7	22	64	63	41
17	Buxton	46	11	13	22	37	62	35
18	Skelmersdale United	46	12	10	24	45	74	34
19	Netherfield	46	11	11	24	55	76	33
20	Morecambe	46	11	11	24	47	67	33
21	Great Harwood	46	13	7	26	58	86	33
22	South Liverpool	46	12	9	25	45	78	33
23	Barrow	46	12	9	25	47	84	33
24	Fleetwood	46	3	9	34	36	131	15
		1104	419	266	419	1562	1562	1104

 

Fleetwood and Skelmersdale United left the competition.  Frickley Athletic were admitted.  These changes meant that the League would operate with 23 clubs for the forthcoming season.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1976-1977

 

1	Boston United	44	27	11	6	82	35	65
2	Northwich Victoria	44	27	11	6	85	43	65
3	Matlock Town	44	26	11	7	108	57	63
4	Bangor City	44	22	11	11	87	52	55
5	Scarborough	44	21	12	11	77	66	54
6	Goole Town	44	23	6	15	64	50	52
7	Lancaster City	44	21	9	14	71	58	51
8	Gateshead United	44	18	12	14	80	64	48
9	Mossley	44	17	14	13	74	59	48
10	Altrincham	44	19	9	16	60	53	47
11	Stafford Rangers	44	16	14	14	60	55	46
12	Runcorn	44	15	14	15	57	49	44
13	Worksop Town	44	16	12	16	50	58	44
14	Wigan Athletic	44	14	15	15	62	54	43
15	Morecambe	44	13	11	20	59	75	37
16	Gainsborough Trinity	44	13	10	21	58	74	36
17	Great Harwood	44	11	14	19	63	84	36
18	Buxton	44	11	13	20	48	63	35
19	Macclesfield Town	44	8	15	21	41	68	31
20	Frickley Athletic	44	11	8	25	53	93	30
21	Barrow	44	11	6	27	56	87	28
22	South Liverpool	44	10	8	26	51	104	28
23	Netherfield	44	9	8	27	47	92	26
		1012	379	254	379	1493	1493	1012

 

Workington joined the Northern Premier League after failing to gain re-election to Division 4.  This restored the size of the competition to 24 clubs.  Gateshead United became Gateshead.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1977-1978

 

1	Boston United	46	31	9	6	85	35	71
2	Wigan Athletic	46	25	15	6	83	45	65
3	Bangor City	46	26	10	10	92	50	62
4	Scarborough	46	26	10	10	80	39	62
5	Altrincham	46	22	15	9	84	49	59
6	Northwich Victoria	46	22	14	10	83	55	58
7	Stafford Rangers	46	22	13	11	71	41	57
8	Runcorn	46	19	18	9	70	44	56
9	Mossley	46	22	11	13	85	73	55
10	Matlock Town	46	21	12	13	79	60	54
11	Lancaster City	46	15	14	17	66	82	44
12	Frickley Athletic	46	15	12	19	77	81	42
13	Barrow	46	14	12	20	58	61	40
14	Goole Town	46	15	9	22	60	68	39
15	Great Harwood	46	13	13	20	66	83	39
16	Gainsborough Trinity	46	14	10	22	61	74	38
17	Gateshead	46	16	5	25	65	74	37
18	Netherfield	46	11	13	22	50	80	35
19	Workington	46	13	8	25	48	80	34
20	Worksop Town	46	12	10	24	45	84	34
21	Morecambe	46	11	11	24	67	92	33
22	Macclesfield Town	46	12	9	25	60	92	33
23	Buxton	46	13	6	27	60	95	32
24	South Liverpool	46	9	7	30	53	111	25
		1104	419	266	419	1648	1648	1104

 

Wigan Athletic were elected to the Football League in place of Southport, who moved to the Northern Premier League.  Great Harwood left the competition, possibly because they folded as the club does not seem to have continued in any form in the 1978-1979 season, though a ‘Great Harwood Town’ was in existence 1979-1980 onwards.  The Northern Premier League again operated with 23 clubs for the following season.

 

Northern Premier League Final Table 1978-1979

 

1	Mossley	44	32	5	7	117	48	69
2	Altrincham	44	25	11	8	93	39	61
3	Matlock Town	44	24	8	12	100	59	56
4	Scarborough	44	19	14	11	61	44	52
5	Southport	44	19	14	11	62	49	52
6	Boston United	44	17	18	9	40	33	52
7	Runcorn	44	21	9	14	79	54	51
8	Stafford Rangers	44	18	14	12	67	41	50
9	Goole Town	44	17	15	12	56	61	49
10	Northwich Victoria	44	18	11	15	64	52	47
11	Lancaster City	44	17	12	15	62	54	46
12	Bangor City	44	15	14	15	65	66	44
13	Worksop Town	44	13	14	17	55	67	40
14	Workington	44	16	7	21	62	74	39
15	Netherfield	44	13	11	20	39	69	37
16	Barrow	44	14	9	21	47	78	37
17	Gainsborough Trinity	44	12	12	20	52	67	36
18	Morecambe	44	11	13	20	55	65	35
19	Frickley Athletic	44	13	9	22	58	70	35
20	South Liverpool	44	12	10	22	48	85	34
21	Gateshead	44	11	11	22	42	63	33
22	Buxton	44	11	9	24	50	84	31
23	Macclesfield Town	44	8	10	26	40	92	26
		1012	376	260	376	1414	1414	1012

 

With the creation of the new national competition for the top non-league sides in the country, the Alliance Premier League, seven clubs now left the Northern Premier League.  These were: Altrincham, Bangor City, Barrow, Boston United, Northwich Victoria, Scarborough and Stafford Rangers.  The NPL admitted six new members to take its membership to 22 clubs for the 1979-1980 season.  These were: Burton Albion, Grantham, Marine, Oswestry Town, Tamworth and Witton Albion.

 

 

The period 1979-1990, which saw the NPL expand to two divisions, is now covered.  Please use the link button at the top of the page to access the next phase in the story.