| Pixels: | 160px |
| Country: | England |
| Other Countries: | Isle of Man |
| Founded: | 1982 |
| Divisions: | Premier Division Division One North Division One South |
| Teams: | 60 24 (Premier Division) 18 (Division One North) 18 (Division One South) |
| Feeds: | Northern Premier League Division One West |
| Levels: | 9–10 (Steps 5 & 6 in the National League System) |
| Domest Cup: | League Challenge Cup First Division Challenge Cup First Division Champions Cup FA Cup FA Vase |
| Champions: | Wythenshawe (Premier Division) FC St Helens (Division One North) Brocton (Division One South) |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Current: | 2024–25 season |
The North West Counties Football League is a football league in the North West of England. Since 2019–20, the league has covered the Isle of Man, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria, northern Staffordshire, northern Shropshire, the far west of West Yorkshire, and the High Peak area of Derbyshire. In the past, the league has also hosted clubs from North Wales such as Caernarfon Town, Colwyn Bay, and Rhyl. From season 2018–19 the league increased to three divisions: the Premier Division, at level nine (Step 5 in the NLS) in the English football league system, and two geographically separate Division Ones, North and South, at level ten (Step 6 in the NLS). The league is a member of the Joint Liaison Council which administers the Northern arm of the National Football System in England.[1]
The league was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination. Originally consisting of three divisions, this was reduced to two in 1987 due to the creation of an extra division in the Northern Premier League (NPL). At the same time, promotion and relegation between the two leagues was introduced, with either the first- or second-placed club in the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) being entitled to a place in the NPL, subject to their ground meeting that league's requirements.[2]
The NWCFL has six feeder leagues of its own with eligibility for promotion to the First Division being accorded to champions of the Cheshire Association Football League, Liverpool County Premier League, West Cheshire Amateur Football League, Staffordshire County Senior League, West Lancashire Football League, and Manchester Football League, subject to ground grading requirements.[3]
The league's first title sponsor was Bass Brewery, who remained sponsors until 1995. In 1998, the train operating company First North Western became the new sponsor in a two-year deal. Hallmark Security were title sponsors between 2015 and 2018.[4]
In 2008, Division One and Two were renamed the Premier and First divisions respectively. As part of the Football Association's ongoing restructure of the National League System,[5] the First Division was regionalised in 2018.[6] The vacant positions in the new North and South divisions were filled by 15 clubs from feeder leagues.[7]
Four clubs have won a Premier Division/Division One and League Challenge Cup double,[8] Ashton United in 1992, Kidsgrove Athletic in 1998, F.C. United of Manchester in 2007 and Glossop North End in 2015. Atherton Laburnum Rovers are the only club to have won the same division consecutively, winning Division One in 1993 and 1994. Clitheroe have won three different divisions consecutively, winning Division Three in 1984, Division Two in 1985 and Division One in 1986.
Two former Football League clubs, Northwich Victoria and Nelson, are currently members of the league, as well as Darwen F.C., a continuation of Darwen. Former members Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town and Salford City currently play in the English Football League, being promoted from the league in 1987, 2005 and 2008 respectively.[9]
For sixteen years the league's record attendance was 1,353 for a Division One championship decider between Radcliffe Borough and Caernarfon Town in 1983.[10] In 1999, a crowd of 2,281 saw Workington's championship-deciding match with Mossley at Borough Park. In 2006, a new record was set, with 6,023 at Gigg Lane for a Division Two match between FC United of Manchester and Great Harwood Town on 23 April.[11] The following season saw a record 4,058 for an evening match, at Salford City's Division One home game against FC United of Manchester.[12]
The league has two cup competitions – the League Challenge Cup, which is open to all clubs and is sponsored by Macron,[13] and the First Division Challenge Cup called the Edward Case Cup. A tertiary competition, the Floodlit Trophy, operated on weeknights from 1990 to 2000, as well a reserve league and cup which were disbanded in 2014.[14]
| Club | Location | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Blackpool | Squires Gate, Blackpool | The Mechanics |
| Ashton Athletic | Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan | Brocstedes Park |
| Ashton Town | Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan | Edge Green Street |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Atherton | Crilly Park |
| Bacup Borough | Bacup | West View |
| Daisy Hill | Westhoughton, Bolton | New Sirs |
| Darwen | Darwen | WEC Group Anchor Ground |
| Droylsden | Droylsden | Butcher's Arms Ground |
| Euxton Villa | Euxton | Jim Fowler Memorial Ground |
| Garstang | Garstang | The Riverside |
| Holker Old Boys | Barrow-in-Furness | Rakesmoor |
| Maghull | Maghull | Old Hall Field |
| Maine Road | Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester | Brantingham Road |
| Nelson | Nelson | Victoria Park |
| Route One Rovers | Keighley | Marley Stadium |
| Skelmersdale United | Skelmersdale | Community Stadium (Groundshare with Burscough) |
| Steeton | Keighley | Marley Stadium |
| Thornton Cleveleys | Thornton-Cleveleys | Gamble Road |
| Club | Location | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Abbey Hulton United | Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent | Birches Head Road |
| Allscott Heath | Allscott | Allscott Sports & Social Club |
| Alsager Town | Alsager | Wood Park Stadium |
| Ashville | Wallasey | Ray Parker Stadium |
| Barnton | Barnton | Creative Hut Stadium |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | Birkenhead | Kirklands |
| Cheadle Heath Nomads | Cheadle Heath, Stockport | The Heath |
| Eccleshall | Eccleshall | Pershall Park |
| Foley Meir | Stoke-on-Trent | Whitcombe Road |
| Market Drayton Town | Market Drayton | Greenfields Sports Ground |
| New Mills | New Mills | Church Lane |
| Runcorn Town | Runcorn | Viridor Community Stadium |
| Sandbach United | Sandbach | Sandbach Community Football Centre |
| Shawbury United | Shawbury | New Meadow (Groundshare with Shrewsbury Town) |
| Stafford Town | Stafford | Evans Park |
| Stockport Georgians | Stockport | Cromley Road |
| Winsford United | Winsford | Barton Stadium |
| Wolverhampton Sporting | Wolverhampton | Pride Park |
The league was formed with three divisions.
Due to the expansion of the Northern Premier League, and the withdrawal of clubs who could no longer meet the ground requirements, the third division was disbanded and a two division format was instigated, a format that stayed in place until 2018.
In the 2008–09 season, the league renamed their divisions to the Premier Division and First Division.
As from the 2018–19 the league has operated three divisions, the Premier Division at Step 5 and Division one - the Step 6 division being split geographically into North and South components both with promotional slots to Step 5. This was retained for the 2019-20 season.
| Season | Premier Division | Division One North | Division One South | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | City of Liverpool | Longridge Town | Rylands | |
| 2019–20 | Season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic | |||
| 2020–21 | Season curtailed due to lockdown regulations | |||
| 2021–22 | Macclesfield | Bury AFC | West Didsbury & Chorlton | |
| 2022–23 | Vauxhall Motors | Pilkington | Wythenshawe Amateurs | |
| 2023–24 | Wythenshawe | FC St Helens | Brocton | |
The NWCFL Challenge Cup is for all members of the league.Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.
Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence, teams in bold are members of the NWCFL as of 2023–24.
| Club | Wins | Last final won | Runners-up | Last final lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrington Town | 2 | 1988 | 2 | 1990 |
| Burscough | 1996 | 2018 | ||
| Vauxhall Motors | 1999 | 1 | 1998 | |
| Bacup Borough | 2012 | 2023 | ||
| 1874 Northwich | 2020 | – | – | |
| Newcastle Town | 1 | 1997 | 2 | 2004 |
| Skelmersdale United | 2000 | 2005 | ||
| Maine Road | 2008 | 2014 | ||
| Atherton Collieries | 2016 | 2015 | ||
| Darwen | 1983 | 1 | 1991 | |
| Colwyn Bay | 1989 | 1988 | ||
| Nantwich Town | 1995 | 1993 | ||
| Formby | 2001 | 2013 | ||
| Prescot Cables | 2002 | 1999 | ||
| Cammell Laird | 2005 | 2006 | ||
| New Mills | 2009 | 2011 | ||
| Winsford United | 2011 | 2010 | ||
| Runcorn Linnets | 2013 | 2009 | ||
| City of Liverpool | 2017 | 2019 | ||
| Ellesmere Port & Neston | 1984 | – | – | |
| Leek Town | 1985 | – | – | |
| Colne Dynamoes | 1987 | – | – | |
| Knowsley United | 1990 | – | – | |
| Ashton United | 1992 | – | – | |
| Rossendale United | 1994 | – | – | |
| Kidsgrove Athletic | 1998 | – | – | |
| Mossley | 2003 | – | – | |
| Salford City | 2006 | – | – | |
| F.C. United of Manchester | 2007 | – | – | |
| Abbey Hey | 2010 | – | – | |
| Ashton Athletic | 2014 | – | – | |
| Glossop North End | 2015 | – | – | |
| Widnes | 2018 | – | – | |
| Charnock Richard | 2022 | – | – | |
| Congleton Town | 2023 | – | – | |
| Barnoldswick Town | 2024 | – | – | |
The First Division Challenge Cup is for all members of the First Division. It was known as the Second Division Trophy from 1989 to 2008.
The First Division Champions Cup is for the winners of the two geographical divisions within Division One. Its inaugural season was 2018–19.
The NWCFL Floodlit Trophy was for all members of the Premier and First divisions.