The 2006–07 North West Counties Football League season was the 25th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised two divisions, Division One and Division Two (at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system, Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System respectively). Additionally there were two cup competitions (both sponsored by d-zine (Contractors) Ltd): the League Challenge Cup knockout competition open to all the league's clubs and the Second Division Trophy, a knockout trophy competition for Division Two clubs only. The league also had a reserves team section.
Division One
Division One featured 22 clubs, 19 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions (all promoted from Division Two):
F.C. United of Manchester, promoted as champions Flixton, promoted as runners up Nelson, promoted as third
Although not as significant as the previous season F.C. United of Manchester were responsible for the uplift in average attendance of the division to 268 from the previous season's 102: the combined home and away attendance at their matches of 85,809 represented 65% of the total league attendance of 132,547. They established a single match attendance record for Division One of 3,847 (on 28 April 2007 v. Formby).
Over their 42 league matches played F.C. United of Manchester created four records: a new league high of 36 wins in the season (exceeding the 35 by Cammell Laird in the previous season); a new league high of 157 league goals scored; a new league highest positive goal difference of 121 (surpassing in the latter two the records of Cammell Laird in Division Two in the 2004–05 season who from their 36 matches scored 142 goals with a 108 goal difference); and a new league record for points over the season with 112 (beating the previous of best, 106 from 42 matches, established by Atherton Laburnum Rovers in the 1992–93 season). Additionally they equalled the latter's Division One record of being defeated only twice in a 42 match league season. The average goals scored per match for all Division One matches increased to a new high of 3.50 (a marginal increase over the 3.48 of the 2001–02 season).
At the end of the season, owing to the additional clubs needed for the creation of North and South sections at Division One level of the Northern Premier League three clubs were promoted: the champions (as part of a league and cup double) F.C. United of Manchester and runners-up Curzon Ashton were both promoted to Northern Premier League Division One North; and third-placed Nantwich Town to Northern Premier League Division One South. Only one club was relegated to Division Two, Stone Dominoes who for the second successive season increased the record for the highest number of goals conceded in a season by a Division One club held by them to 147 from 146 the previous season, and this season exceeded the record for highest negative goal difference to 111 (from 110) and equalled the record for the least league wins in a season from 42 matches of 2 (both the latter previously established by Blackpool Mechanics in the 1992–93 season).
League table
Division Two
Division Two featured 18 clubs, 15 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions:
Ashton Athletic promoted as 4th in the Manchester League Bootle promoted from the Liverpool County Football Combination Runcorn Linnets a newly formed club
At the end of the season two clubs were promoted to Division One: the champions Winsford United and runners-up and league newcomers Runcorn Linnets. No other clubs left the division.
League table
League Challenge Cup The 2006–07 League Challenge Cup (sponsored by d-zine (Contractors) Ltd) was a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs. The final featuring two Division One clubs, played at Curzon Ashton F.C., was won as part of a league and cup double by F.C. United of Manchester who defeated Curzon Ashton 2–1.
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:
Second Division Trophy The 2006–07 Second Division Trophy (sponsored by d-zine (Contractors) Ltd) was a knockout competition for Division Two clubs only. The winners were New Mills who defeated Oldham Town in the final.
Reserves Section Main honours for the 2006–07 season: Reserves Division Winners: F.C. United of Manchester Reserves Runners-up: New Mills Reserves
Reserves Division Cup Winners: F.C. United of Manchester Reserves Runners-up: Padiham Reserves
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League Tony's English Football Site: Fixtures, Results, Tables, Attendances, Maps & Mileages, 2006/07