The 1968–69 Northern Premier League was the inaugural 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 10 August 1968 and concluded on 10 May 1969.
Overview The League featured twenty teams transferred from the Cheshire County League, the Lancashire Combination, the Midland League, the North Regional League and the West Midlands (Regional) League.
Founding teams Cheshire County League
Altrincham Bangor City Hyde United Macclesfield Town Northwich Victoria Runcorn Wigan Athletic
Lancashire Combination
Chorley Fleetwood Morecambe Netherfield South Liverpool
Midland League
Gainsborough Trinity Goole Town Scarborough Worksop Town
North Regional League
Ashington Gateshead South Shields
West Midlands (Regional) League
Boston United
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Altrincham Moss Lane Ashington Portland Park Boston United York Street Bangor City Farrar Road Chorley Victory Park Fleetwood Highbury Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme Gateshead Redheugh Park Goole Town Victoria Pleasure Ground Hyde United Ewen Fields Macclesfield Town Moss Rose Morecambe Christie Park Netherfield Parkside Northwich Victoria Drill Field Runcorn Canal Street Scarborough Athletic Ground South Liverpool Holly Park South Shields Simonside Hall Wigan Athletic Springfield Park Worksop Town Central Avenue
Cup results Challenge Cup
Stage Home team Score Away team Attendance 1st Leg Bangor City 3–1 Runcorn 2nd Leg Runcorn 1–2 Bangor City 2260 Aggregate Bangor City 5–2 Runcorn
FA Cup
Out of the twenty clubs from the Northern Premier League only Morecambe reached for the second round:
Second Round Home team Score Away team York City 2–0 Morecambe
End of the season At the end of the first season of the Northern Premier League none of the clubs decided to put their teams forward to be promoted to the Football League. Chorley and Worksop Town were both relegated. Ashington resigned the League, due to financial difficulties.
Football League elections Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of ten non-League teams applied for election, none of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
TeamLeagueVotesGrimsby TownFootball League47York CityFootball League45Bradford Park AvenueFootball League38Newport CountyFootball League27Cambridge UnitedSouthern League16Kettering TownSouthern League3Cambridge CitySouthern League2Hereford UnitedSouthern League2RomfordSouthern League2Bedford TownSouthern League1Chelmsford CitySouthern League1Worcester CitySouthern League1Nuneaton BoroughSouthern League0WimbledonSouthern League0
Promotion and relegation The following three clubs left the League at the end of the season: Ashington resigned, demoted to Northern Alliance Chorley relegated to Lancashire Combination Worksop Town relegated to Midland League (1889)
The following three clubs joined the League the following season: Stafford Rangers promoted from Cheshire County League Great Harwood promoted from Lancashire Combination Matlock Town promoted from Midland League (1889)
References
External links Northern Premier League official website Northern Premier League tables at RSSSF Football Club History Database