LANCASHIRE COMBINATION 1959-1968

 

Where an asterisk appears at the end of a team’s name, this means it was the reserve side of a Football League club.  Where a double asterisk is used, this means it was the reserve side of a non-league club.

 

1959-1960

 

Division 1

 

1	Chorley	42	31	5	6	133	48	67
2	Wigan Athletic	42	27	6	9	101	51	60
3	New Brighton	42	28	4	10	103	54	60
4	Morecambe	42	28	2	12	103	54	58
5	Rossendale United	42	21	7	14	116	95	49
6	Burscough	42	20	8	14	94	73	48
7	Nelson	42	22	4	16	78	68	48
8	Netherfield	42	20	7	15	88	70	47
9	Marine	42	19	6	17	92	98	44
10	Horwich RMI	42	17	8	17	82	76	42
11	Prescot Cables	42	16	9	17	74	68	41
12	Oldham Athletic*	42	16	7	19	64	66	39
13	Ashton United	42	13	12	17	61	86	38
14	Fleetwood	42	16	5	21	63	71	37
15	Bacup Borough	42	11	12	19	71	99	34
16	Earlestown	42	13	7	22	79	113	33
17	Lancaster City	42	12	9	21	73	107	33
18	Lytham	42	10	12	20	60	88	32
19	Skelmersdale United	42	13	6	23	59	97	32
20	Darwen	42	10	11	21	57	86	31
21	Southport*	42	9	10	23	57	92	28
22	South Liverpool	42	7	9	26	54	102	23
		924	379	166	379	1762	1762	924

 

Southport Reserves and South Liverpool were relegated to Division 2.

 

Division 2

 

1	Clitheroe	34	26	3	5	81	28	55
2	Droylsden	34	25	3	6	106	55	53
3	Chorley**	34	24	4	6	92	37	52
4	Glossop	34	19	3	12	75	57	41
5	St. Helens Town	34	17	7	10	63	52	41
6	Wigan Athletic**	34	18	4	12	93	69	40
7	Morecambe**	34	16	4	14	88	75	36
8	Crompton's Recreation	34	14	7	13	78	61	35
9	Padiham	34	16	3	15	74	65	35
10	Netherfield**	34	13	8	13	77	74	34
11	Nelson**	34	13	7	14	58	61	33
12	Horwich RMI**	34	13	4	17	90	84	30
13	Rolls Royce	34	12	2	20	61	109	26
14	Leyland Motors	34	8	8	18	51	80	24
15	Lancaster City**	34	9	4	21	48	88	22
16	Northern Nomads	34	8	3	23	52	91	19
17	Lomax	34	7	5	22	48	107	19
18	Great Harwood	34	7	3	24	44	86	17
		612	265	82	265	1279	1279	612

 

Clitheroe and Droylsden were promoted to Division 1.  Lomax left the competition and were replaced by Prescot Cables Reserves.

 

1960-1961

 

Division 1

 

1	Chorley	42	31	7	4	125	33	69
2	Nelson	42	29	7	6	106	47	65
3	Wigan Athletic	42	25	8	9	108	56	58
4	Burscough	42	25	8	9	76	49	58
5	Netherfield	42	24	8	10	123	71	56
6	Morecambe	42	23	5	14	96	76	51
7	Lancaster City	42	17	14	11	75	53	48
8	Prescot Cables	42	20	7	15	70	78	47
9	New Brighton	42	20	6	16	80	65	46
10	Marine	42	17	10	15	79	75	44
11	Clitheroe	42	17	7	18	84	88	41
12	Ashton United	42	18	5	19	78	88	41
13	Horwich RMI	42	14	7	21	75	94	35
14	Lytham	42	13	8	21	69	85	34
15	Skelmersdale United	42	12	9	21	71	85	33
16	Rossendale United	42	13	7	22	92	139	33
17	Oldham Athletic*	42	13	6	23	71	84	32
18	Earlestown	42	12	8	22	74	103	32
19	Bacup Borough	42	11	9	22	76	96	31
20	Fleetwood	42	12	5	25	82	110	29
21	Droylsden	42	10	5	27	73	132	25
22	Darwen	42	7	2	33	45	121	16
		924	383	158	383	1828	1828	924

 

Droylsden were relegated to Division 2, but Darwen were reprieved as Ashton United were demoted and Wigan Athletic left the Lancashire Combination to join the Cheshire County League.

 

Division 2

 

1	Chorley**	34	24	6	4	120	56	54
2	Morecambe**	34	21	8	5	92	46	50
3	Padiham	34	21	6	7	94	55	48
4	Wigan Athletic**	34	22	3	9	105	47	47
5	Southport*	34	21	5	8	86	50	47
6	South Liverpool	34	21	4	9	116	60	46
7	Northern Nomads	34	16	6	12	91	80	38
8	Netherfield**	34	16	5	13	89	81	37
9	St. Helens Town	34	15	5	14	69	67	35
10	Glossop	34	13	5	16	64	86	31
11	Nelson**	34	13	3	18	55	78	29
12	Leyland Motors	34	10	7	17	66	86	27
13	Crompton's Recreation	34	10	6	18	67	93	26
14	Horwich RMI**	34	10	6	18	67	106	26
15	Prescot Cables**	34	10	4	20	66	74	24
16	Great Harwood	34	8	5	21	56	104	21
17	Rolls Royce	34	6	1	27	50	117	13
18	Lancaster City**	34	4	5	25	44	111	13
		612	261	90	261	1397	1397	612

 

Padiham and Southport Reserves were promoted.  In a rather surprise move, Leyland Motors were also placed in Division 1 for the following season.  Wigan Athletic Reserves were withdrawn from the competition, with Accrington Stanley Reserves, Barrow Reserves, Lucas Sports Club and Wigan Rovers joining Division 2, which increased its membership to 20 clubs.

 

1961-1962

 

Division 1

 

1	Morecambe	42	32	6	4	143	51	70
2	Netherfield	42	27	10	5	143	67	64
3	Horwich RMI	42	26	9	7	110	48	61
4	Burscough	42	26	8	8	122	68	60
5	Chorley	42	24	9	9	107	71	57
6	Rossendale United	42	22	6	14	114	89	50
7	Oldham Athletic*	42	21	8	13	89	71	50
8	New Brighton	42	23	3	16	105	57	49
9	Lancaster City	42	18	12	12	75	65	48
10	Southport*	42	18	9	15	102	77	45
11	Nelson	42	20	5	17	86	71	45
12	Clitheroe	42	18	9	15	85	83	45
13	Earlestown	42	17	6	19	89	102	40
14	Marine	42	15	7	20	94	99	37
15	Prescot Cables	42	14	9	19	66	83	37
16	Fleetwood	42	11	11	20	84	89	33
17	Skelmersdale United	42	12	7	23	62	103	31
18	Lytham	42	9	7	26	67	127	25
19	Darwen	42	8	9	25	56	119	25
20	Leyland Motors	42	6	8	28	67	126	20
21	Bacup Borough	42	6	4	32	52	149	16
22	Padiham	42	4	8	30	51	154	16
		924	377	170	377	1969	1969	924

 

Padiham were relegated to Division 2, but Bacup Borough were reprieved because Oldham Athletic withdrew their reserve side from the Lancashire Combination.

 

Division 2

 

1	Ashton United	36	29	4	3	124	32	62
2	South Liverpool	36	25	4	7	110	41	54
3	Droylsden	36	25	3	8	126	46	53
4	Morecambe**	36	24	3	9	91	63	51
5	Glossop	36	20	5	11	85	62	45
6	Barrow*	36	20	4	12	81	46	44
7	Chorley**	36	17	7	12	79	58	41
8	Netherfield**	36	16	8	12	92	66	40
9	Nelson**	36	16	6	14	87	62	38
10	St. Helens Town	36	13	8	15	67	62	34
11	Wigan Rovers	36	14	6	16	67	82	34
12	Lancaster City**	36	14	2	20	77	80	30
13	Rolls Royce	36	12	6	18	100	108	30
14	Horwich RMI**	36	13	3	20	77	85	29
15	Crompton’s Recreation	36	12	3	21	73	109	27
16	Northern Nomads	36	10	6	20	68	94	26
17	Prescot Cables**	36	10	4	22	63	107	24
18	Great Harwood	36	9	2	25	76	129	20
19	Lucas Sports Club	36	1	0	35	28	239	2
		684	300	84	300	1571	1571	684

 

Accrington Stanley folded in March 1962, so their reserve side withdrew from the competition and its record was deleted.

 

Ashton United and South Liverpool were promoted to Division 1.  Lucas Sports Club left the competition.  Accrington Stanley, Blackpool Mechanics and Vulcan Institute joined Division 2 to restore membership to 20 clubs.

 

1962-1963

 

Division 1

 

1	Morecambe	42	31	6	5	153	40	68
2	Chorley	42	31	6	5	137	59	68
3	Ashton United	42	25	8	9	101	57	58
4	Horwich RMI	42	25	5	12	107	59	55
5	Netherfield	42	23	7	12	125	69	53
6	Lancaster City	42	23	6	13	96	61	52
7	Marine	42	22	6	14	92	73	50
8	Nelson	42	22	4	16	95	81	48
9	Fleetwood	42	23	1	18	97	71	47
10	South Liverpool	42	20	3	19	76	65	43
11	New Brighton	42	18	5	19	83	76	41
12	Southport*	42	17	7	18	80	76	41
13	Clitheroe	42	17	6	19	80	81	40
14	Rossendale United	42	17	6	19	103	138	40
15	Skelmersdale United	42	15	5	22	73	90	35
16	Burscough	42	15	5	22	68	93	35
17	Bacup Borough	42	14	6	22	81	110	34
18	Earlestown	42	14	3	25	88	132	31
19	Prescot Cables	42	13	5	24	71	108	31
20	Leyland Motors	42	9	7	26	54	106	25
21	Darwen	42	5	6	31	41	117	16
22	Lytham	42	5	3	34	34	173	13
		924	404	116	404	1935	1935	924

 

Darwen and Lytham were relegated to Division 2.  Earlestown left the Lancashire Combination.

 

Division 2

1	Crompton’s Recreation	38	29	5	4	138	52	63
2	Droylsden	38	27	6	5	124	31	60
3	Morecambe**	38	23	6	9	93	46	52
4	Barrow*	38	24	3	11	91	52	51
5	Great Harwood	38	22	7	9	121	77	51
6	Horwich RMI**	38	21	6	11	100	58	48
7	Chorley**	38	21	5	12	94	63	47
8	Accrington Stanley	38	19	7	12	99	66	45
9	Glossop	38	15	9	14	75	73	39
10	St. Helens Town	38	16	6	16	59	58	38
11	Blackpool Mechanics	38	14	10	14	67	84	38
12	Rolls Royce	38	13	8	17	82	101	34
13	Netherfield**	38	11	10	17	72	84	32
14	Wigan Rovers	38	10	10	18	73	98	30
15	Northern Nomads	38	10	8	20	64	93	28
16	Padiham	38	11	6	21	70	109	28
17	Lancaster City**	38	9	6	23	67	111	24
18	Nelson**	38	8	4	26	47	114	20
19	Vulcan Institute	38	9	1	28	74	137	19
20	Prescot Cables**	38	5	3	30	40	143	13
		760	317	126	317	1650	1650	760

 

Barrow Reserves, Crompton’s Recreation and Droylsden were promoted to Division 1.  Nelson Reserves, Prescot Cables Reserves and Rolls Royce all departed at the end of the season .  Kirkby Town and Radcliffe Borough joined Division 2, membership of which was back down to 18 clubs.

1963-1964

 

Division 1

 

1	Chorley	42	27	7	8	114	51	61
2	Netherfield	42	26	8	8	123	64	60
3	New Brighton	42	24	10	8	83	45	58
4	Horwich RMI	42	24	8	10	91	51	56
5	Ashton United	42	20	10	12	91	65	50
6	Lancaster City	42	21	8	13	90	69	50
7	Droylsden	42	21	7	14	80	58	49
8	Nelson	42	23	3	16	84	73	49
9	South Liverpool	42	19	9	14	88	62	47
10	Morecambe	42	19	8	15	93	71	46
11	Skelmersdale United	42	21	4	17	88	76	46
12	Southport*	42	17	6	19	68	75	40
13	Bacup Borough	42	17	5	20	59	68	39
14	Marine	42	15	8	19	73	83	38
15	Burscough	42	11	11	20	80	84	33
16	Rossendale United	42	12	9	21	70	114	33
17	Fleetwood	42	10	13	19	54	88	33
18	Prescot Cables	42	11	9	22	66	98	31
19	Clitheroe	42	10	10	22	59	88	30
20	Leyland Motors	42	11	7	24	57	118	29
21	Barrow*	42	8	9	25	56	109	25
22	Crompton's Recreation	42	8	5	29	58	115	21
		924	375	174	375	1725	1725	924

 

There was no relegation as both Ashton United and Crompton’s Recreation left the league at the end of the season.  Prescot Cables became Prescot Town.

 

Division 2

 

1	Accrington Stanley	34	23	6	5	90	40	52
2	Chorley**	34	21	7	6	102	45	49
3	Great Harwood	34	21	4	9	117	48	46
4	St. Helens Town	34	21	3	10	95	52	45
5	Netherfield**	34	20	4	10	73	48	44
6	Wigan Rovers	34	18	6	10	81	61	42
7	Horwich RMI**	34	17	6	11	93	47	40
8	Glossop	34	17	5	12	73	61	39
9	Darwen	34	14	10	10	77	59	38
10	Northern Nomads	34	15	4	15	73	64	34
11	Morecambe**	34	13	7	14	63	47	33
12	Radcliffe Borough	34	13	7	14	84	74	33
13	Lancaster City**	34	11	4	19	57	80	26
14	Blackpool Mechanics	34	10	6	18	54	94	26
15	Lytham	34	8	7	19	48	108	23
16	Kirkby Town	34	9	2	23	59	110	20
17	Vulcan Institute	34	4	5	25	49	134	13
18	Padiham	34	4	1	19	38	154	9
		612	259	94	249	1326	1326	612

 

Accrington Stanley and Great Harwood were promoted to Division 1.  Northern Nomads and Vulcan Institute left the competition.  Accrington Stanley Reserves, Fleetwood Reserves and Guinness Exports all joined Division 2, which now had 17 clubs.

 

1964-1965

 

Division 1

 

1	Netherfield	42	30	6	6	143	53	66
2	Chorley	42	27	9	6	130	55	63
3	Morecambe	42	30	2	10	132	50	62
4	Horwich RMI	42	24	13	5	128	53	61
5	South Liverpool	42	27	5	10	97	67	59
6	Droylsden	42	23	6	13	81	67	52
7	New Brighton	42	21	9	12	82	48	51
8	Marine	42	21	6	15	90	69	48
9	Barrow	42	19	9	14	80	77	47
10	Great Harwood	42	19	7	16	85	83	45
11	Lancaster City	42	18	6	18	75	65	42
12	Fleetwood	42	14	12	16	68	93	40
13	Nelson	42	15	7	20	68	108	37
14	Skelmersdale United	42	15	6	21	83	84	36
15	Bacup Borough	42	16	2	24	61	94	34
16	Leyland Motors	42	13	7	22	74	105	33
17	Clitheroe	42	13	6	23	60	90	32
18	Rossendale United	42	13	6	23	75	114	32
19	Southport*	42	11	5	26	51	99	27
20	Burscough	42	11	3	28	68	90	25
21	Accrington Stanley	42	7	4	31	48	127	18
22	Prescot Town	42	4	6	32	44	132	14
		924	391	142	391	1823	1823	924

 

Accrington Stanley were relegated to Division 2, but Prescot Town were reprieved by the departure from the Lancashire Combination of New Brighton.

 

Division 2

 

1	Netherfield**	32	22	6	4	103	32	50
2	Chorley**	32	22	3	7	90	36	47
3	St. Helens Town	32	21	4	7	77	36	46
4	Guinness Exports	32	18	9	5	88	35	45
5	Kirkby Town	32	17	9	6	90	45	43
6	Radcliffe Borough	32	17	6	9	77	44	40
7	Horwich RMI**	32	17	4	11	101	58	38
8	Wigan Rovers	32	15	8	9	65	54	38
9	Blackpool Mechanics	32	16	3	13	62	47	35
10	Morecambe**	32	13	9	10	68	62	35
11	Darwen	32	15	5	12	63	58	35
12	Lytham	32	14	4	14	58	52	32
13	Glossop	32	10	2	20	49	80	22
14	Fleetwood**	32	5	2	25	42	121	12
15	Lancaster City**	32	5	2	25	33	102	12
16	Padiham	32	3	2	27	30	122	8
17	Accrington Stanley**	32	2	2	28	30	142	6
		544	232	80	232	1126	1126	544

 

Guinness Exports and St. Helens Town were promoted to Division 1.  Accrington Stanley Reserves were withdrawn from the competition, leaving Division 2 with 15 clubs.

 

1965-1966

 

Division 1

 

1	South Liverpool	42	29	6	7	128	56	64
2	Chorley	42	24	12	6	121	56	60
3	Skelmersdale United	42	28	4	10	120	62	60
4	Marine	42	27	4	11	129	66	58
5	Horwich RMI	42	26	3	13	100	58	55
6	Netherfield	42	20	13	9	104	70	53
7	Morecambe	42	19	12	11	105	65	50
8	Lancaster City	42	19	10	13	77	59	48
9	Clitheroe	42	20	8	14	77	73	48
10	Great Harwood	42	18	10	14	81	73	46
11	Barrow*	42	19	8	15	88	85	46
12	Droylsden	42	15	12	15	80	78	42
13	Fleetwood	42	18	5	19	95	101	41
14	Guinness Exports	42	14	5	23	74	103	33
15	Leyland Motors	42	14	5	23	52	99	33
16	Burscough	42	13	6	23	76	89	32
17	St. Helens Town	42	11	5	26	65	125	27
18	Rossendale United	42	9	9	24	48	97	27
19	Bacup Borough	42	11	5	26	57	126	27
20	Southport*	42	9	7	26	65	98	25
21	Nelson	42	10	5	27	56	121	25
22	Prescot Town	42	8	8	26	66	104	24
		924	381	162	381	1864	1864	924

 

Nelson and Prescot Town were relegated to Division 2.

 

Division 2

 

1	Wigan Rovers	26	20	5	1	91	22	45
2	Chorley**	26	17	4	5	60	31	38
3	Darwen	26	15	2	9	52	33	32
4	Glossop	26	12	5	9	42	40	29
5	Radcliffe Borough	26	11	7	8	54	54	29
6	Netherfield**	26	10	6	10	51	45	26
7	Kirkby Town	26	8	10	8	36	35	26
8	Horwich RMI**	26	11	2	13	53	53	24
9	Morecambe**	26	9	5	12	52	54	23
10	Fleetwood**	26	8	6	12	53	65	22
11	Blackpool Mechanics	26	6	8	12	33	48	20
12	Lytham	26	7	6	13	35	54	20
13	Lancaster City**	26	5	6	15	42	70	16
14	Padiham	26	5	4	17	34	84	14
		364	144	76	144	688	688	364

 

Accrington Stanley folded during the season and the club’s record was deleted.

 

Darwen and Wigan Rovers were promoted to Division 1.  Glossop left the competition at the end of the season, but the size of the section was increased to 16 clubs by the admission of Ashton United, Dukinfield Town and Oldham Athletic Reserves.

 

1966-1967

 

Division 1

 

1	Morecambe	41	30	9	2	90	24	69
2	Horwich RMI	42	27	9	6	88	37	63
3	Netherfield	42	27	8	7	122	54	62
4	Chorley	42	23	9	10	97	59	55
5	Fleetwood	42	22	10	10	103	62	54
6	South Liverpool	42	24	6	12	94	61	54
7	Marine	42	20	9	13	84	69	49
8	Wigan Rovers	42	16	15	11	78	64	47
9	Skelmersdale United	41	20	5	16	99	77	45
10	Lancaster City	42	18	6	18	66	72	42
11	Southport*	42	16	8	18	72	77	40
12	Bacup Borough	42	15	9	18	53	57	39
13	Droylsden	42	14	9	19	59	68	37
14	Burscough	42	16	5	21	55	85	37
15	St. Helens Town	42	13	9	20	66	76	35
16	Guinness Exports	42	12	11	19	62	87	35
17	Barrow*	42	13	8	21	80	84	34
18	Rossendale United	42	12	8	22	64	90	32
19	Clitheroe	42	10	10	22	56	93	30
20	Great Harwood	42	11	5	26	56	101	27
21	Darwen	42	6	12	24	56	102	24
22	Leyland Motors	42	4	4	34	28	129	12
		922	369	184	369	1628	1628	922

 

Skelmersdale United’s success in the F.A. Amateur Cup created problems for the club with regard to league fixtures.  In the end one fixture (v. Morecambe) remained unplayed.

 

Darwen and Leyland Motors were relegated to Division 2.

 

Division 2

 

1	Kirkby Town	30	22	7	1	84	26	51
2	Prescot Town	30	20	4	6	67	35	44
3	Ashton United	30	17	4	9	74	61	38
4	Netherfield**	30	15	7	8	74	55	37
5	Radcliffe Borough	30	14	8	8	77	65	36
6	Morecambe**	30	16	2	12	56	48	34
7	Oldham Athletic*	30	12	8	10	68	40	32
8	Horwich RMI**	30	13	5	12	52	52	31
9	Chorley**	30	11	6	13	52	55	28
10	Blackpool Mechanics	30	11	4	15	42	61	26
11	Dukinfield Town	30	10	5	15	56	69	25
12	Lancaster City**	30	6	10	14	48	73	22
13	Nelson	30	8	5	17	44	73	21
14	Lytham	30	8	3	19	36	58	19
15	Fleetwood**	30	8	3	19	38	66	19
16	Padiham	30	6	5	19	52	83	17
		480	197	86	197	920	920	480

 

Kirkby Town and Prescot Town were promoted to Division 1.  Wigan Athletic Reserves rejoined Division 2.

 

1967-1968

 

Division 1

 

1	Morecambe	42	28	9	5	112	41	65
2	Guinness Exports	42	29	6	7	85	37	64
3	Skelmersdale United	42	23	10	9	94	49	56
4	Fleetwood	42	22	10	10	72	43	54
5	Marine	42	21	10	11	78	60	52
6	Great Harwood	42	20	11	11	71	50	51
7	South Liverpool	42	21	7	14	76	53	49
8	Netherfield	42	20	9	13	103	88	49
9	Horwich RMI	42	19	9	14	79	52	47
10	Lancaster City	42	18	11	13	72	67	47
11	Chorley	42	17	9	16	72	65	43
12	St. Helens Town	42	16	8	18	68	65	40
13	Kirkby Town	42	13	13	16	54	60	39
14	Burscough	42	13	10	19	53	64	36
15	Droylsden	42	13	10	19	52	84	36
16	Wigan Rovers	42	14	6	22	56	69	34
17	Clitheroe	42	14	6	22	58	86	34
18	Southport*	42	12	9	21	59	66	33
19	Barrow*	42	13	4	25	55	78	30
20	Prescot Town	42	12	1	29	53	109	25
21	Bacup Borough	42	8	6	28	34	105	22
22	Rossendale United	42	6	6	30	50	115	18
		924	372	180	372	1506	1506	924

 

At the end of the season the Lancashire Combination was reorganised into a single division.  Details are given after the 2^nd Division Final Table.

 

Division 2

 

1	Oldham Athletic*	32	23	7	2	102	21	53
2	Darwen	32	21	6	5	72	35	48
3	Morecambe**	32	17	7	8	77	50	41
4	Ashton United	32	17	5	10	67	52	39
5	Radcliffe Borough	32	17	4	11	62	52	38
6	Leyland Motors	32	15	5	12	55	66	35
7	Dukinfield Town	32	14	5	13	69	54	33
8	Chorley**	32	13	7	12	68	55	33
9	Fleetwood**	32	13	7	12	71	71	33
10	Blackpool Mechanics	32	11	8	13	62	58	30
11	Wigan Athletic**	32	13	3	16	67	66	29
12	Nelson	32	12	5	15	63	67	29
13	Netherfield**	32	8	6	18	63	92	22
14	Lancaster City**	32	8	6	18	45	85	22
15	Lytham	32	7	7	18	42	82	21
16	Horwich RMI**	32	5	9	18	50	82	19
17	Padiham	32	7	5	20	43	90	19
		544	221	102	221	1078	1078	544

 

In 1968, 20 of the stronger non-league sides in the North of England set up the Northern Premier League in an attempt to give the game in the region, outside the Football League, something similar to what the top clubs in the South already had.

 

Chorley, Fleetwood, Morecambe, Netherfield and South Liverpool became part of the new competition.  Four other Division 1 clubs joined the Cheshire League – Ashton United, Droylsden, Guinness Exports, Horwich RMI and Skelmersdale United – as it was reputed to be a stronger competition than the Lancashire Combination.  2^nd Division Ashton United also made this move, while Oldham Athletic Reserves, Padiham (both Division 2) and Southport Reserves (Division 1) left the competition as well.

 

This left 12 Division 1 clubs and 14 Division 2 teams, six of which were reserve sides of Lancashire Combination top flight clubs during the 1967-1968 season.  These six therefore withdrew, leaving 20 clubs to set up a single division competition, in which they were joined by Formby and Prestwich Heys.