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1971–72 Northern Premier League

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1971–72 Northern Premier League was the fourth season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 14 August 1971 and concluded on 5 May 1972.[1]

Season1971–72
ChampionsStafford Rangers
PromotedNone
RelegatedChorley
Kirkby Town
Quick facts Season, Champions ...
Northern Premier League
Season1971–72
ChampionsStafford Rangers
PromotedNone
RelegatedChorley
Kirkby Town
Matches552
Goals1,585 (2.87 per match)
Biggest home winChorley 8–0 Matlock Town[1]
(14 August 1971)
Biggest away winEllesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1]
(26 March 1972)
Highest scoringEllesmere Port Town 1–8 Scarborough[1]
(26 March 1972)
Longest winning run6 matches
Boston United
(29 January 1972 – 5 March 1972)
Wigan Athletic
(4 March 1972 – 31 March 1972)
Longest unbeaten run19 matches
Boston United
(29 January 1972 – 4 May 1972)
Longest winless run19 matches
Kirkby Town
(27 December 1971 – 17 April 1972)
Longest losing run9 matches
South Liverpool
(6 October 1971 – 30 November 1971)
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Overview

The League was expanded, for the second consecutive season, from twenty-two teams to twenty-four teams.

Team changes

The following two clubs joined the League at the start of the season:

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Stafford Rangers (C) 46 30 11 5 91 32 2.844 71
2 Boston United 46 28 13 5 87 37 2.351 69
3 Wigan Athletic 46 27 10 9 70 43 1.628 64
4 Scarborough 46 21 15 10 75 46 1.630 57
5 Northwich Victoria 46 20 14 12 65 59 1.102 54
6 Macclesfield Town 46 18 15 13 61 50 1.220 51
7 Gainsborough Trinity 46 21 9 16 93 79 1.177 51
8 South Shields 46 18 14 14 75 57 1.316 50
9 Bangor City 46 20 8 18 93 74 1.257 48
10 Altrincham 46 18 11 17 72 58 1.241 47
11 Skelmersdale United 46 19 9 18 61 58 1.052 47
12 Matlock Town 46 20 7 19 67 75 0.893 47
13 Chorley (R) 46 17 12 17 66 59 1.119 46 Relegated to Cheshire County League
14 Lancaster City 46 15 14 17 85 84 1.012 44
15 Great Harwood 46 15 14 17 60 74 0.811 44
16 Ellesmere Port Town 46 17 9 20 67 71 0.944 43
17 Morecambe 46 15 10 21 51 64 0.797 40
18 Bradford Park Avenue 46 13 13 20 54 71 0.761 39
19 Netherfield 46 16 5 25 51 73 0.699 37
20 Fleetwood 46 11 15 20 43 67 0.642 37
21 South Liverpool 46 12 12 22 61 73 0.836 36
22 Runcorn 46 8 14 24 48 80 0.600 30
23 Goole Town 46 9 10 27 51 97 0.526 28
24 Kirkby Town (R) 46 6 12 28 38 104 0.365 24 Relegated to Lancashire Combination
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Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 1972. Source: The Football Archives
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.

The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

The points system up until the 1982–83 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results

More information Home \ Away, ALT ...
Home \ Away ALT BAN BOS BPA CHO EPT FLE GAI GOO GHA KIR LNC MAC MAT MOR NET NOR RUN SCA SKU SLI SSH STA WIG
Altrincham 2–0 1–3 2–1 4–1 4–2 2–0 0–1 1–3 4–5 0–0 5–2 1–1 3–0 3–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 4–0 1–0 2–1 4–1 0–0 1–3
Bangor City 1–0 1–3 3–1 0–1 5–0 5–1 0–2 4–1 1–1 4–0 3–3 6–2 2–0 3–2 4–1 0–0 4–2 2–3 2–2 3–2 2–3 1–5 1–0
Boston United 2–1 4–3 5–1 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 3–0 4–0 4–1 1–1 5–3 0–0 1–0 5–0 0–0 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 1–0
Bradford Park Avenue 2–1 0–2 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 4–2 5–2 0–1 1–0 3–3 1–0 2–4 0–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–2 0–0
Chorley 1–1 3–1 0–1 4–1 2–3 0–0 1–1 1–3 1–2 2–0 3–2 2–2 8–0 1–0 3–1 0–0 3–1 0–1 1–2 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–0
Ellesmere Port Town 1–0 2–1 0–1 3–3 1–2 1–0 0–1 5–2 1–1 4–1 3–2 2–2 5–1 2–1 3–0 0–2 4–1 1–8 2–0 2–1 3–1 0–2 0–1
Fleetwood Town 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–4 2–0 0–3 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 1–3 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1
Gainsborough Trinity 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–2 4–1 1–1 3–2 2–2 3–2 6–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–1 4–2 3–2 4–2 3–0 2–3 0–3 0–1
Goole Town 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–3 0–1 2–1 1–1 2–4 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–3 0–1 2–2 3–0 1–1 2–2 0–0 2–1 0–4 0–2 3–4 0–3
Great Harwood 2–1 4–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 2–2 2–4 2–0 1–5 3–3 2–1 1–0 3–1 3–2 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–3
Kirkby Town 2–3 1–3 1–5 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–2 3–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 0–5 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–3 1–1 0–2 0–0 0–3 0–0 1–1 1–3
Lancaster City 2–0 3–0 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 5–5 4–0 1–1 5–0 2–0 2–1 3–2 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–5
Macclesfield Town 0–3 0–0 0–0 3–1 4–0 0–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 1–1 1–3 1–0
Matlock Town 2–3 3–2 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 1–0 4–2 2–1 5–1 1–0 3–1 0–1 1–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 3–0 1–2 2–0 0–3 1–3
Morecambe 2–3 1–0 1–2 1–1 3–0 2–0 1–4 2–2 1–3 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 3–2 0–2 1–0 0–1 0–3 4–2 0–2 1–0 2–3
Netherfield 2–0 1–3 0–6 1–0 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–2 3–1 3–0 5–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 4–3 1–0 3–0 1–2 0–1 0–3
Northwich Victoria 3–2 0–5 1–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–0 1–0 3–2 2–3 3–1 0–1 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–2
Runcorn 4–4 0–2 0–1 2–2 1–3 1–2 1–0 3–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 2–1 1–2 1–2 3–3 1–2
Scarborough 1–1 3–2 2–0 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 3–1 3–0 1–1 3–0 1–1 0–0 1–3 0–1 3–0 3–1 5–0 1–1 4–2 1–0 1–2 2–2
Skelmersdale United 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 2–0 2–3 3–0 2–4 0–2 2–0 1–1 4–0 0–1 2–2 2–0 0–1 4–1
South Liverpool 1–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 3–1 1–2 1–2 1–1 4–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 3–1 1–2 3–0 0–1 2–3 1–4 2–0 1–3
South Shields 0–1 4–2 1–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 4–2 0–3 0–0 1–1 7–1 3–1 0–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–1 5–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–1 0–1
Stafford Rangers 1–1 3–1 4–0 3–2 4–1 1–0 5–0 3–0 2–0 3–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–1 3–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 3–0 4–2 3–0
Wigan Athletic 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–0 0–0 4–3 2–0 2–1 4–1 1–1 1–0 2–3 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 0–1 2–2 1–0
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Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 1972. Source: The Football Archives
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Stadia and locations

Locations of the 1971–72 Northern Premier League teams
More information Team, Stadium ...
Team Stadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
Bangor CityFarrar Road
Boston UnitedYork Street
Bradford Park AvenuePark Avenue
ChorleyVictory Park
Ellesmere Port TownEllesmere Port
FleetwoodHighbury
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
Goole TownVictoria Pleasure Ground
Great HarwoodThe Showground
Kirkby TownSimonswood Lane
Lancaster CityGreat Axe
Macclesfield TownMoss Rose
Matlock TownCauseway Lane
MorecambeChristie Park
NetherfieldParkside
Northwich VictoriaDrill Field
RuncornCanal Street
ScarboroughAthletic Ground
Skelmersdale UnitedWhite Moss Park
South LiverpoolHolly Park
South ShieldsSimonside Hall
Stafford RangersMarston Road
Wigan AthleticSpringfield Park
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Cup results

Challenge Cup

Main article: Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
More information Stage, Home team ...
StageHome teamScoreAway team
1st LegWigan Athletic?–?Gainsborough Trinity
2nd LegGainsborough Trinity?–?Wigan Athletic
AggregateWigan Athletic4–2Gainsborough Trinity
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Northern Premier League Shield

Main article: Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Wigan AthleticbeatStafford Rangers
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FA Cup

Main article: 1971–72 FA Cup

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached for the second round:

Second Round

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Boston United2–1Hartlepool
South Shields1–3Notts County
Wrexham4–0Wigan Athletic
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Third Round

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Boston United0–1Portsmouth
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FA Trophy

Main article: 1971–72 FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only Stafford Rangers and Macclesfield Town reached for the fourth round:

Fourth Round

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Stafford Rangers1–1Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town0–3Stafford Rangersreplay
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Semi-finals

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Stafford Rangers4–0Yeovil Town
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Final

More information Home team, Score ...
Home teamScoreAway team
Stafford Rangers3–0Barnet
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End of the season

At the end of the fourth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Chorley resigned the league and Kirkby Town was relegated.

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of twelve non-League teams applied for election, four of which were from the Northern Premier League. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Hereford United from the Southern League replaced Barrow from the Football League as they didn't receive enough votes. Barrow was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.[2]

More information Club, League ...
Club League Votes
Northampton TownFootball League49
Crewe AlexandraFootball League46
Stockport CountyFootball League46
Hereford UnitedSouthern League26 (29)
BarrowFootball League26 (20)
Bradford Park AvenueNorthern Premier League1
Cambridge CitySouthern League1
WimbledonSouthern League1
Bangor CityNorthern Premier League0
Bedford TownSouthern League0
Boston UnitedNorthern Premier League0
Hillingdon BoroughSouthern League0
RomfordSouthern League0
Telford UnitedSouthern League0
Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League0
Yeovil TownSouthern League0
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Promotion and relegation

The following two clubs left the League at the end of the season:

The following two clubs joined the League the following season:

References

External links

Related Articles

Timelines

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