The 1987–88 North West Counties Football League (known as the Bass North West Counties League for sponsorship reasons) was the sixth in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised two divisions (at levels 8 and 9 of the English football league system), reduced from three of the previous season owing to the movement of clubs to the expanded Northern Premier League. There was additionally the League Challenge Cup knockout competition (known as the Raab Karcher Cup for sponsorship reasons for the first occasion this season) open to all the league's clubs and also a reserves team section.
Division One
Division One, reconstituted after the loss of 12 clubs to the Northern Premier League, featured 18 clubs: 8 remaining from the previous season plus 10 from Division Two: the additional clubs comprised the runners-up Warrington Town who occupied a promotion position and a further 9 who were selected not solely on the basis of their position in the final table but also having the necessary ground grading. The 10 additional clubs were:
Warrington Town, promoted as runners-up Atherton Laburnum Rovers Colne Dynamoes Colwyn Bay Darwen Ellesmere Port & Neston Formby Prescot Cables Salford Skelmersdale United
At the end of the season the champions Colne Dynamoes (new to Division One this season), who created a league record for the least goals conceded over a season (14 goals from 34 matches), were elected to the Northern Premier League Division One. Only one club, Glossop, were relegated to Division Two.
League table
Division Two
Division Two featured 22 clubs: 6 remaining from the previous season plus 16 additional: 13 from the now discontinued Division Three plus 3 clubs new to the league.
The 13 clubs from the previous season's Division Three were: Atherton Collieries, promoted as champions Flixton, promoted as runners-up Ashton Town Bacup Borough Cheadle Town Daisy Hill Ford Motors Maghull Nantwich Town Nelson Newton Padiham Whitworth Valley The 3 clubs new to the league were: Newcastle Town, joined from the Mid-Cheshire League Maine Road, joined from the Manchester League Vauxhall GM, joined from the West Cheshire League (where they had been known as Vauxhall Motors)
At the end of the season two clubs were promoted to Division One: the champions Ashton United and runners-up Flixton (taking that position in their division for a second successive season). Ashton United who scored 107 goals from 42 matches became the second Division Two club to score in excess of 100 goals in a season (the first being Radcliffe Borough scoring 110 from 38 matches over the 1982–83 season). The league continued to enforce minimum standards for members grounds and consequently three clubs, Whitworth Valley, Nelson and Ford Motors were expelled.
League table
League Challenge Cup The 1987–88 League Challenge Cup (known as the Raab Karcher Cup for sponsorship reasons for the first occasion this season) was a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs. The winner from the final contested by Division One clubs played at Bury F.C. were Warrington Town who defeated Colwyn Bay 3–1. Warrington Town were the first two time winners of the cup having triumphed two years previously.
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 1987–88 season: Reserves Division Winners: Maghull Reserves Runners-up: Rossendale United Reserves
Reserves Division Cup Winners: Flixton Reserves Runners-up: Clitheroe Reserves
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Tables at RSSSF