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2025–26 Northern Counties East Football League

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The 2025–26 Northern Counties East Football League season is the 44th in the history of the Northern Counties East Football League, a football competition in England.

Quick facts Season ...
Northern Counties East
Football League
Season2025–26
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The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by The Football Association on 15 May 2025.[1]

Premier Division

Quick facts Champions, Promoted ...
Northern Counties East League Premier Division
ChampionsLiversedge
PromotedLiversedge
RelegatedAlbion Sports
Wombwell Town
Matches380
Goals1,256 (3.31 per match)
Top goalscorerIvory Coast Souleymane Coulibaly
(Pickering Town)
(31 goals)
Biggest home winSheffield F.C. 10–2 Albion Sports
(20 December 2025)
Biggest away winThackley 0–7 Frickley Athletic
(6 December 2025)
Thackley 0–7 Handsworth
(21 March 2026)
Highest scoringSheffield 10–2 Albion Sports
(20 December 2025)
Longest winning runTadcaster Albion
(6 games)
Longest unbeaten runLiversedge
(12 games)
Longest losing runWombwell Town
(8 games)
Highest attendance1172
(Sheffield 0–4 Tadcaster Albion, 28 March 2026)
Lowest attendance36
(Eccleshill United 3–1 Penistone Church, 29 November 2025)
Average attendance210
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The Premier Division consists of 21 clubs.

The following four teams left the division at the end of the 2024–25 season:

The following five teams joined the division ahead of the 2025–26 season:

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Liversedge (C, P) 38 27 8 3 85 29 +56 89 Promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One East
2 Beverley Town (O, P) 38 23 6 9 78 47 +31 75 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Sheffield 38 21 9 8 88 43 +45 72 Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to the United Counties League
4 Tadcaster Albion 38 21 8 9 72 46 +26 71 Qualified for the play-offs
5 Barton Town 38 21 7 10 70 44 +26 70
6 Campion 38 18 11 9 80 52 +28 65
7 Handsworth 38 20 4 14 68 58 +10 64
8 Pickering Town 38 17 7 14 66 61 +5 58
9 Knaresborough Town 38 13 12 13 70 59 +11 51
10 Golcar United 38 13 11 14 73 59 +14 50
11 Parkgate 38 11 14 13 57 75 −18 47
12 Eccleshill United 38 12 7 19 40 61 −21 43
13 Penistone Church 38 10 13 15 53 77 −24 43
14 Rossington Main 38 11 9 18 60 64 −4 42
15 Frickley Athletic 38 12 6 20 45 75 −30 42
16 Horbury Town 38 9 12 17 57 61 −4 39
17 Bottesford Town 38 11 6 21 56 81 −25 39
18 Thackley 38 10 9 19 40 71 −31 39
19 Albion Sports 38 11 5 22 67 100 −33 38 Reprieved from relegation
20 Wombwell Town (R) 38 3 8 27 31 93 −62 17 Relegated to Division One
21 Farsley Celtic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Resigned from the league[a]
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Source: Northern Counties East Football League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[3]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. [a]
    On 30 June 2025, Farsley Celtic resigned from the NECL, prior to the season's start.[2]

Results table

More information Home \ Away, ALB ...
Home \ Away ALB BAR BEV BOT CAM ECC FRI GCR HAN HOR KNA LIV PAR PEC PIC ROM SHE TAD THA WOM
Albion Sports — 3–4 1–4 0–3 2–1 1–4 1–4 3–4 2–5 2–3 0–2 1–6 4–2 3–3 3–2 5–5 2–2 4–2 3–0 2–1
Barton Town 3–1 — 0–1 2–0 1–2 3–1 1–0 3–0 1–2 0–4 1–1 0–0 4–1 3–2 0–3 1–1 4–0 0–0 2–0 3–1
Beverley Town 5–1 1–0 — 2–0 2–1 3–1 1–4 3–2 1–3 1–0 3–1 0–2 1–1 2–3 1–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 5–1 6–1
Bottesford Town 1–4 1–3 2–0 — 0–3 0–1 1–0 2–2 1–2 1–0 2–6 0–3 6–3 3–3 5–1 0–4 0–1 1–3 2–2 2–0
Campion 2–0 1–3 0–5 1–1 — 4–1 4–0 0–0 2–2 3–2 2–1 0–0 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 3–0 5–0
Eccleshill United 1–0 2–2 0–1 0–1 0–1 — 1–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–3 2–1 0–3 1–2 0–2 2–2
Frickley Athletic 2–1 0–1 1–3 2–1 0–4 3–1 — 1–6 0–3 1–1 0–3 0–0 0–2 2–3 1–1 4–1 1–3 0–3 1–0 2–0
Golcar United 3–0 0–3 1–1 4–1 1–2 4–0 6–0 — 0–1 2–1 2–2 1–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–0 0–4 1–1 0–0 3–1
Handsworth 2–1 0–2 0–4 2–0 1–7 2–0 1–2 2–1 — 3–1 4–0 2–1 1–1 4–0 1–4 3–1 0–1 3–1 1–2 3–2
Horbury Town 2–0 2–2 2–3 2–3 0–1 4–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 — 3–1 3–4 0–0 2–4 1–2 0–2 1–0 3–1 4–2 2–1
Knaresborough Town 2–1 0–1 0–2 2–2 3–1 2–1 6–0 4–1 2–0 0–0 — 2–1 1–1 4–2 1–1 1–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1
Liversedge 3–0 2–1 2–0 4–3 4–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 3–1 — 5–0 4–1 2–0 2–1 2–2 3–0 1–1 4–0
Parkgate 2–2 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–0 2–2 5–4 2–0 1–1 4–3 0–3 — 6–1 1–1 2–5 0–6 0–3 1–1 3–0
Penistone Church 0–3 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–3 0–0 0–2 2–2 1–0 2–2 3–3 0–1 3–2 — 0–2 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1
Pickering Town 0–3 2–1 2–0 3–0 0–4 2–0 2–0 3–2 4–1 4–4 3–3 1–3 1–2 1–1 — 3–1 2–0 0–3 2–3 2–1
Rossington Main 0–1 1–3 1–3 1–2 1–1 0–0 4–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–2 3–4 1–2 4–2 2–1 — 1–0 0–1 0–1 3–0
Sheffield 10–2 4–2 6–0 4–1 2–2 2–0 5–0 3–1 1–1 3–2 0–0 1–1 3–2 3–0 3–2 2–1 — 0–4 2–1 7–1
Tadcaster Albion 2–2 1–3 3–2 2–1 1–6 2–3 1–1 2–0 4–2 3–0 2–1 0–1 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 1–0 — 1–1 3–0
Thackley 3–1 1–1 0–1 2–4 4–1 3–3 0–7 2–5 0–7 0–0 0–3 1–0 0–1 0–1 0–1 1–3 0–1 0–0 — 1–0
Wombwell Town 0–2 1–3 0–4 4–2 2–1 0–1 0–2 1–1 1–2 2–2 0–3 0–2 2–1 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–0 1–3 1–2 —
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Source: Northern Counties East Football League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Beverley Town 1
5 Barton Town 0
2 Beverley Town 2
4 Tadcaster Albion 1
3 Sheffield 2(3)
4 Tadcaster Albion 2(4)

Semifinals

11 April Beverley Town 1–0Barton TownBeverley
15:00
  • Snelgrove 71' (pen.)
 Stadium: Norwood Park
Attendance: 999
11 April Sheffield2–2 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 p)		 Tadcaster Albion Dronfield
15:00
  • Hardwick 19'
  • Greenhouse 34'
  • Cassama 78', 90'
 Stadium: Home of Football Stadium
Attendance: 902

Final

18 April Beverley Town 2–1Tadcaster AlbionBeverley
15:00
  • Sani 60'
  • Šuluburić 82'
  • Kiwomya 88'
 Stadium: Norwood Park
Attendance: 999

Stadia and locations

Location of the clubs in the 2025–26 NCEL Premier Division on a map of Yorkshire and the Humber
More information Club, Stadium ...
Club Stadium Location Capacity
Albion SportsMyra ShayBradford500
Barton TownEuronics GroundBarton on Humber3,000
Beverley TownNorwood Recreation GroundBeverley1,500
Bottesford TownBirch ParkScunthorpe1,000
CampionScotchman RoadBradford1,000
Eccleshill UnitedCougar Park[a]Keighley2,225
Frickley AthleticWestfield LaneSouth Elmsall2,087
Golcar UnitedLongfield AvenueHuddersfield (Golcar)1,200
HandsworthOliver's MountSheffield (Darnall)2,500
Horbury TownSlazengers Sports ComplexWakefield (Horbury)800
Knaresborough TownManse LaneKnaresborough1,000
LiversedgeClaybornLiversedge2,000
ParkgateRoundwood Sports ComplexRotherham (Rawmarsh)1,000
Penistone ChurchChurch View RoadPenistone1,000
Pickering TownMill LanePickering2,000
Rossington MainWelfare GroundDoncaster (New Rossington)2,000
SheffieldHome of Football GroundDronfield2,089
Tadcaster AlbionIngs LaneTadcaster2,000
ThackleyDennyfieldBradford3,000
Wombwell TownRecreation GroundBarnsley (Wombwell)500
  1. [a]
    home of Keighley Cougars (groundshare)
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Division One

Quick facts Champions, Promoted ...
Northern Counties East League Division One
ChampionsDearne & District
PromotedDearne & District
Matches462
Goals1,708 (3.7 per match)
Top goalscorerEngland Zak Khan
(Route One Rovers)
(52 goals)
Biggest home winHarrogate Railway Athletic 10–0 Glasshoughton Welfare
(3 March 2026)
Biggest away winGlasshoughton Welfare 1–8 Armthorpe Welfare
(4 October 2025)
Highest scoringRoute One Rovers 9–1 Winterton Rangers
(15 October 2025)
South Leeds 6–4 Louth Town
(21 February 2026)
Harrogate Railway Athletic 10–0 Glasshoughton Welfare
(3 March 2026)
Longest winning runDearne & District
(17 games)
Longest unbeaten runDearne & District
(18 games)
Longest losing runGlasshoughton Welfare
(11 games)
Highest attendance565
(Selby Town 1–1 Goole, 16 September 2025)
Lowest attendance23
(Leeds UFCA 2–2 Louth Town, 13 December 2025)
Average attendance149
All statistics correct as of 11 April 2026.
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Division One consists of 22 clubs.

The following six clubs left Division One before the season:

The following six clubs joined Division One before the season:

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Dearne & District (C, P) 42 36 2 4 128 32 +96 110 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic (O, P) 42 30 5 7 101 48 +53 95 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Wakefield 42 29 6 7 110 41 +69 93
4 Harrogate Railway Athletic 42 28 7 7 108 46 +62 91
5 Leeds UFCA 42 26 5 11 90 54 +36 83
6 Brigg Town 42 24 6 12 89 58 +31 78
7 Armthorpe Welfare 42 22 7 13 99 76 +23 73
8 Route One Rovers 42 23 2 17 118 69 +49 71
9 Club Thorne Colliery 42 20 10 12 73 51 +22 70
10 Crowle Colts 42 18 5 19 67 75 −8 59
11 South Leeds 42 16 8 18 79 89 −10 56
12 Selby Town 42 16 7 19 75 69 +6 55
13 Goole 42 16 4 22 86 93 −7 52
14 Maltby Main 42 15 4 23 69 89 −20 49 Transferred to the United Counties League
15 Appleby Frodingham 42 15 2 25 64 103 −39 47
16 Doncaster City 42 12 9 21 59 88 −29 45
17 Louth Town 42 12 7 23 59 88 −29 43 Transferred to the United Counties League
18 Ilkley Town 42 10 11 21 59 90 −31 41
19 Athersley Recreation 42 11 7 24 57 96 −39 40
20 Winterton Rangers 42 10 4 28 49 93 −44 34 Reprieved from relegation
21 Nostell Miners Welfare (R) 42 7 6 29 35 102 −67 27 Relegated to feeder leagues
22 Glasshoughton Welfare (R) 42 2 4 36 34 158 −124 10
Close
Source: Northern Counties East Football League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[3]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 3
5 Leeds UFCA 0
2 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 2
3 Wakefield 0
3 Wakefield 2 (4)
4 Harrogate Railway Athletic 2 (1)

Semifinals

18 April 2026 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 3–0Leeds UFCAWorsbrough
15:00
  • Squires 19'
  • Skelton 52'
  • Holdsworth 82'
 Stadium: The Totally Training Stadium
Attendance: 460
18 April 2026 Wakefield 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(4–1 p)		Harrogate Railway AthleticPontefract
15:00
  • Salt 69'
  • Greaves 90'
  • Ingham 54', 73'
 Stadium: Hunters Stadium
Attendance: 586

Final

25 April 2026 Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 2–0WakefieldWorsbrough
15:00 GMT
  • Grist 16'
  • Lasalire 62'
 Report Stadium: The Totally Training Stadium
Attendance: 1,617

Results table

More information Home \ Away, APF ...
Home \ Away APF ARW ATH BRG CTC CWC D&D DON GHW GOO HRA ILK LUA LOU MAM NMW ROR SLB SLE WAK WIN WBA
Appleby Frodingham — 0–1 0–1 1–0
Armthorpe Welfare — 3–2 4–1 0–2 2–3
Athersley Recreation — 0–1 1–2 1–2 3–1 2–1 0–3
Brigg Town — 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–1
Club Thorne Colliery — 0–1 1–0
Crowle Colts 0–2 3–2 — 0–0 4–1
Dearne & District 2–0 — 2–0 3–1 2–1 1–3 4–0
Doncaster City 2–2 1–1 — 0–3 1–2 2–0
Glasshoughton Welfare 2–2 0–0 — 0–5 3–4 0–4
Goole 0–4 2–3 — 6–0
Harrogate Railway Athletic — 3–0 2–2 3–0 3–0
Ilkley Town 0–1 0–3 — 1–1 3–2
Leeds UFCA 5–1 1–2 2–0 — 1–0
Louth Town 3–2 0–1 2–2 — 1–0 1–2
Maltby Main 2–1 2–1 5–1 0–0 — 2–0
Nostell Miners Welfare 1–2 0–2 — 0–1 1–2
Route One Rovers 0–1 1–2 5–3 3–0 4–1 —
Selby Town 3–1 0–4 1–0 1–1 —
South Leeds 2–1 2–0 3–2 — 4–3
Wakefield 5–1 3–3 2–4 3–0 —
Winterton Rangers 2–3 3–4 1–4 0–1 —
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 2–1 4–2 0–2 3–2 —
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Updated to match(es) played on 6 September 2025. Source: Northern Counties East Football League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Stadia and locations

Location of the clubs in the 2025–26 NCEL Division One on a map of Yorkshire and the Humber
More information Club, Stadium ...
Club Stadium Location Capacity
Appleby FrodinghamBrumby Hall Sports GroundScunthorpe1,100
Armthorpe WelfareWelfare GroundDoncaster (Armthorpe)2,500
Athersley RecreationSheerien ParkBarnsley (Athersley North)2,000
Brigg TownThe HawthornsBrigg2,500
Club Thorne CollieryChesterfield Poultry StadiumDoncaster (Moorends)1,200
Crowle ColtsWindsor ParkCrowle500
Dearne & DistrictWelfare Ground, GoldthorpeGoldthorpe1,000
Doncaster CityWelfare Ground, Armthorpe [a]Doncaster (Armthorpe)2,500
Glasshoughton WelfareGlasshoughton CentreCastleford (Glasshoughton)2,000
GooleVictoria Pleasure GroundsGoole3,000
Harrogate Railway AthleticStation ViewHarrogate3,500
Ilkley TownBen Rhydding Sports clubIlkley700
Leeds UCFACrofton Community Centre
[b]		Wakefield (Crofton)1,500
Louth TownMarshlandsSaltfleetby500
Maltby MainMuglet LaneRotherham (Maltby)2,000
Nostell Miners WelfareCrofton Community Centre
Crofton, West Yorkshire		Wakefield (Crofton)1,500
Route One RoversMyra ShayBradford500
Selby TownRichard StreetSelby5,000
South LeedsSouth Leeds StadiumLeeds (Belle Isle)3,450
WakefieldPost Office RoadFeatherstone6,954
Winterton RangersThe MKM Stadium, WintertonWinterton3,000
Worsbrough Bridge AthleticPark RoadBarnsley (Worsbrough)2,000
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  1. [a]
    home of Armthorpe Welfare (groundshare)
  2. [b]
    home of Nostell MW (groundshare)

League Cup

Quick facts Tournament details, Country ...
2025–26 Northern Counties East Football League League Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Teams42
Final positions
ChampionsLiversedge (2nd title)
Runners-upRossington Main
Close

The 2025–26 Northern Counties East Football League League Cup is the 43rd season of the league cup competition of the Northern Counties East Football League.

Quarter-finals

14 January 2026 Route One Rovers (D1) 2–0Handsworth (PD)Bradford
19:45
  • Khan 10' (pen.), 78'
 Stadium: Myra Shay
Attendance: 57
3 February 2026 Frickley Athletic (PD)0–3 Liversedge (PD) Pontefract
19:45
  • Walton 24'
  • Swales 31'
  • Brown 72'
 Stadium: Westfield Lane
Attendance: 114
3 February 2026 Horbury Town (PD)3–4 Campion (PD) Horbury
19:45
  • Jagger 38'
  • Roberts 70'
  • Kyeremeh 88'
  • Sykes 21', 45'
  • Billy 27'
  • Dickinson 72'
 Stadium: Pulse Hire Ltd Stadium
Attendance: 58
4 February 2026 Doncaster City (D1)1–5 Rossington Main (PD) Armthorpe
19:45
  • Jones 37'
  • Gibbons 9', 36', 53'
  • Howarth 54'
  • Mantle 73'
 Stadium: Marra Falcons Stadium
Attendance: 109

Semi-finals

7 April 2026 Liversedge (PD) 3–0Campion (PD)Liversedge
19:45
  • Dean 35', 90'
  • Donovan 50'
 Stadium: Clayborn Ground
Attendance: 274
14 April 2026 Rossington Main (PD) 4–1Route One Rovers (D1)Rossington
19:45
  • Watson 20', 41'
  • Hannah 24', 85'
Stadium: Kalkut's Community Stadium
Attendance: 118

Final

More information Liversedge (PD), 7–1 ...
Liversedge (PD)7–1Rossington Main (PD)
  • Swales 15', 68'
  • Atkinson 25', 45', 81' (pen.)
  • Stockdill 29'
  • Barlow 67'
Close
Attendance: 412

References

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