The 1986–87 North West Counties Football League (known as the Bass North West Counties League for sponsorship reasons for the first of seven seasons) was the fifth in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised three divisions and there was additionally the League Challenge Cup knockout competition open to all the league's clubs and also a reserves team section. At the end of the season owing to the expansion of the Northern Premier League to two divisions 14 clubs left the league and subsequently the third division was discontinued.
Division One
Division One featured 20 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus 2 additional both promoted from Division Two:
Kirkby Town, promoted as champions Rossendale United, promoted as runners-up
At the end of the season 12 clubs with suitable ground grading left Division One to join the newly formed Northern Premier League Division One.
League table
Division Two
Division Two featured 20 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additional:
Prescot Cables, relegated from Division One Formby, relegated from Division One Blackpool Mechanics, promoted as champions from Division Three Oldham Town, promoted as runners-up from Division Three
At the end of the season 2 clubs, the champions Droylsden and Lancaster City, left the league to join the newly formed Northern Premier League Division One. Warrington Town who occupied the runners-up promotion position and a further 9 clubs, selected not solely on the basis of their position in the final table but also having the necessary ground grading, were advanced to Division One to replace the clubs that had left that division to join the Northern Premier League. Bottom club Salford recorded only one win and scored 17 goals over the season, creating lows for both measures by any club to date in the top two divisions of the league.
League table
Division Three
Division Three featured 13 clubs, 9 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additional:
Ford Motors, relegated from Division Two Nantwich Town, relegated from Division Two Flixton, joined from the Manchester League Ashton Town, joined from the Manchester League
At the end of the season to rebuild Division Two following the movement of its clubs to Division One (to replace the clubs that had left the league to join the expanded Northern Premier League) all this division's clubs were advanced to Division Two and subsequently Division Three was discontinued.
League table
Divisional Cup Owing to the low number of clubs in Division Three a subsidiary cup competition was organised for its members. In the final Ford Motors beat Maghull 4–2 in a deciding penalty shoot-out after the match, played at Burscough F.C., finished 0–0 after extra time.
League Challenge Cup The 1986–87 League Challenge Cup was a knockout competition open all the league's clubs. The winners were Colne Dynamoes of Division Two who defeated Division One club Leyland Motors in the final, played at Bury F.C., 6–5 on penalties after the match finished 1–1 after extra time (1–1 at 90 minutes).
Semi-finals and Final
The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played
Club's division appended to team name: (D1)=Division One; (D2)=Division Two sources: Semi-finals: Final:
Reserves Section Main honours for the 1986–87 season: Reserves Division Winners: Radcliffe Borough Reserves Runners-up: Warrington Town Reserves
Reserves Division Cup Winners: Salford Reserves Runners-up: Maghull Reserves
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Tables at RSSSF