The 2015–16 North West Counties Football League season was the 34th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised two divisions, the Premier Division and the First Division (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: the League Challenge Cup (known as the Men United Cup for sponsorship reasons) knockout competition open to all the league's clubs; and the First Division Trophy (known as the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
Premier Division
The constitution of the Premier Division was advised to member clubs on 27 May 2015; it featured 22 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus four additions:
Three promoted from the First Division Atherton Collieries, promoted as champions Cammell Laird 1907, promoted as runners-up AFC Darwen, promoted as promotion play-off winners and, additionally Padiham, relegated from Northern Premier League Division One North
As in the previous four seasons clubs wishing to be promoted from the Premier Division had to meet the National League System promotion criteria. Five clubs applied for promotion: 1874 Northwich; Atherton Collieries; Colne; Runcorn Linnets; Runcorn Town.
At the end of the season the champions Colne were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North. The clubs finishing in the bottom three places in the table, Alsager Town, Silsden and A.F.C. Blackpool, were relegated to the First Division. Over the season the average goals scored per divisional match increased to a new high for the Premier Division (formerly Division One) of 3.65 goals per match (an increase over the 3.52 during the 2010–11 season).
League table
Results
Stadia and Locations Sources for this subsection: NWCFL web site and the websites of the participating clubs
Team Stadium Capacity AFC Darwen The Anchor Ground 4,000 A.F.C. Liverpool Marine Travel Arena, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) 3,185 1874 Northwich Barton Stadium (groundshare with Winsford United) 3,000 Winsford United Barton Stadium 3,000 Atherton Collieries Alder Street 2,500 Bootle Delta Taxis Stadium 2,500 Silsden The Asda Foundation Stadium 2,300 Cammell Laird 1907 North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead 2,000 Maine Road Brantingham Road, Chorlton 2,000 Nelson Little Wembley 2,000 Colne XLCR Stadium 1,800 Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground 1,688 Runcorn Linnets Millbank Linnets Stadium 1,600 Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex 1,530 A.F.C. Blackpool The Mechanics 1,500 Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium 1,500 Congleton Town Richborough Estates Stadium 1,450 Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton 1,000 Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park 1,000 Squires Gate School Road 1,000 Barnoldswick Town Silentnight Beds Stadium West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton
First Division
A provisional constitution of the First Division was advised to member clubs on 27 May 2015; this included Oldham Boro and Wigan Robin Park (who subsequently resigned), and newly allocated club Stockport Town – but not Whitchurch Alport whose initial application was refused but who were successful after appealing the decision. The First Division featured 18 clubs, 14 remaining from the previous season plus four additions:
Bacup Borough, relegated from Premier Division, who reverted from Bacup & Rossendale Borough to their former name St Helens Town, relegated from Premier Division Stockport Town a recently formed club allocated to the division by the FA Leagues Committee Whitchurch Alport, joined from Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division
Northwich Flixton Villa changed their name to Northwich Manchester Villa
At the end of the season the champions Hanley Town, runners-up Irlam and promotion play-off winners Barnton (who had finished third in the table) were promoted to the Premier Division. Also leaving the division were Rochdale Town who were relegated over ground grading considerations to the Manchester League but folded shortly after the start of the following season and Northwich Manchester Villa who resigned shortly after the end of the season.
League table
Results
Promotion play-offs The 2015–16 First Division promotion play-offs between the clubs that finished 3rd to 6th in the league table were won by Barnton who had finished in third position.
Source: NWCFL First Division Play Off Results: 2015/16 Season
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia & Locations Sources for this section: NWCFL web site and the websites of the participating clubs
Team Stadium Capacity Widnes Select Security Stadium 13,350 Northwich Manchester Villa Manchester Regional Arena 6,500 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park 3,000 Bacup Borough West View 3,000 Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness 2,500 Stockport Town The Neil Rourke Memorial Stadium 2,384 Ashton Town Edge Green Street 2,000 Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium 2,000 Daisy Hill New Sirs Westhoughton 2,000 Chadderton MCA Stadium 1,500 Rochdale Town Mayfield Sports Centre 1,500 Eccleshall Pershall Park 1,000 Irlam Silver Street 1,000 St Helens Town Brockstedes Park (groundshare with Ashton Athletic) 1,000 Hanley Town Abbey Lane 750 Barnton Townfield Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park Whitchurch Alport Yockings Park
League Challenge Cup The 2015–16 League Challenge Cup (known as the Men United Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's 40 clubs. The final, played at Fleetwood Town F.C., between Premier Division clubs was won 5–1 by the previous seasons losing finalist Atherton Collieries who defeated Colne thus denying them a league and cup double.
First round All the 22 Premier Division clubs together with Bacup Borough and Rochdale Town of the First Division received byes to the second round.
(Appended to club names in the results listings below: =Premier Division club; =First Division club) Home team ScoreAway team Atherton Laburnun Rovers 1–2Daisy Hill Barnton 2–0Northwich Manchester Villa Cheadle Town 1–2Stockport Town Eccleshall 3–3 Chadderton Hanley Town 4–1St Helens Town Irlam 2–1Widnes Litherland REMYCA 3–1Holker Old Boys Whitchurch Alport 1–5Ashton Town
Second round Home team ScoreAway team 1874 Northwich 4–0Winsford United Abbey Hey 0–1Silsden AFC Darwen 1–3AFC Blackpool AFC Liverpool 2–3Padiham Alsager Town 0–3Stockport Town Ashton Town 1–2Runcorn Town Atherton Collieries 2–0Litherland REMYCA Barnoldswick Town 1–3Barnton 1–1 Bootle Daisy Hill 0–4Cammell Laird 1907 Hanley Town 2–4Bacup Borough Irlam 2–0Runcorn Linnets Maine Road 1–5Squires Gate Nelson 4–3 Congleton Town Rochdale Town 1–2Colne West Didsbury & Chorlton 1–2Eccleshall
Third round
Home team ScoreAway team 1874 Northwich 2–2 Ashton Athletic Bacup Borough 1–5Atherton Collieries Eccleshall 2–0Irlam Nelson 2–4Cammell Laird 1907 Padiham 2–2 Runcorn Town Silsden 0–1AFC Blackpool Squires Gate 2–5 Colne Stockport Town 1–3Barnton
Quarter-finals
Home team ScoreAway team Barnton 3–1Ashton Athletic Cammell Laird 1907 0–2AFC Blackpool Colne 2–0Eccleshall Runcorn Town 0–3Atherton Collieries
Semi-finals
Home team ScoreAway team Colne 2–0AFC Blackpool Atherton Collieries 1–0Barnton
Final Team ScoreTeam Played 10 May 2016 at Fleetwood Town F.C., Highbury StadiumAtherton Collieries 5–1Colne source:
First Division Trophy The 2015–16 First Division Trophy (known as the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition for the 18 First Division clubs only. The final, held at Congleton Town F.C., was won 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw after extra time (1–1 at 90 minutes) by Barnton who defeated Hanley Town, who were thus denied a First Division league and cup double.
First round Four clubs played in the first round, the remaining 14 received a bye to the second round. Home teamScoreAway teamBarnton3–2EccleshallChadderton2–0Bacup Borough
Second round Home teamScoreAway teamDaisy Hill1–2Litherland REMYCAHanley Town2–1Widnes Holker Old Boys2–0Ashton TownIrlam3–2Cheadle TownNorthwich Manchester Villa1–4BarntonRochdale Town3–1Atherton Laburnum RoversSt Helens Town3–6 Chadderton Whitchurch Alport0–4Stockport Town
Quarter-finals Home teamScoreAway teamHanley Town2–1Chadderton Holker Old Boys1–2BarntonLitherland REMYCAx–xIrlamRochdale Town1–4Stockport Town
Semi-finals
Home teamScoreAway team(disqualified)W/OHanley TownStockport Town0–0Barnton
Final Team ScoreTeam Played on 19 April at Congleton Town F.C. Richborough Estates StadiumBarnton1–1 Hanley Town source:
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League