The 1988–89 North West Counties Football League (known as the Bass North West Counties League for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh 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) and there was additionally the League Challenge Cup knockout competition (known as the Raab Karcher Cup for sponsorship reasons) open to all the league's clubs and also a reserves team section. From this season onwards an automatic promotion/relegation agreement was in place for the top club from each of this league and the Northern Counties East League to be automatically promoted to the Northern Premier League (subject to their ground meeting the required standard) with relegated clubs to move in the opposite direction.
Division One
Division One featured 18 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 2 additional (both promoted from Division Two): Ashton United, promoted as champions Flixton, promoted as runners-up
Kirkby Town changed their name to Knowsley United
Clubs leaving the division at the end of the season were: Rossendale United, the first club to take automatic promotion to the Northern Premier League; Ellesmere Port & Neston who folded and left the league; and Formby who were relegated – they were demoted as their ground was ruled of insufficient standard for Division One.
League table
Division Two
Division Two featured 18 clubs, 17 remaining from the previous season plus one additional: Glossop, relegated from Division One
At the end of the season in order to maintain 18 clubs in Division One 3 clubs were promoted: the champions Vauxhall GM, Chadderton and Nantwich Town – the latter two, who finished third and fifth in the table, were accepted as their grounds were of sufficient standard for Division One unlike those of the clubs that had finished second and fourth. The champions Vauxhall GM created a Division Two record for fewest goals conceded (17) over the season and with only one league defeat (from 34 matches) equalled the league record of fewest defeats over the season established by Radcliffe Borough (of 1 defeat from 38 matches) in the league's inaugural 1982–83 season).
The bottom two clubs both remained in the division: of those Newton equalled the league record of only one league victory over a season and additionally in conceding 111 goals in 34 matches became the first Division Two club to concede in excess of 100 goals in a season and equalled the league record of Darwen from Division One in 1983–84.
League table
League Challenge Cup The 1988–89 League Challenge Cup (known as the Raab Karcher Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open all the league's clubs. The all Division One club final featured the same clubs as the previous season but with a different outcome as Colwyn Bay defeated Warrington Town 3–0 in the match played at Bury F.C.
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 sources: Semi-finals: & Final:
Reserves Section Main honours for the 1988–89 season: Reserves Division (regionalised competition) East Division Winners: Flixton Reserves Runners-up: Maine Road Reserves West Division Winners: Maghull Reserves Runners-up: Skelmersdale United Reserves
Reserves Division Cup Winners: Rossendale United Reserves Runners-up: Flixton Reserves
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Tables at RSSSF