The 2016–17 North West Counties Football League season (known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons) was the 35th 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 Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons), a 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 2016–17 Premier Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 12 May 2016 and its constitution presented at the league's AGM on 11 June 2016. The division comprised 22 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additions:
Barnton, promoted as First Division promotion play-off winners Hanley Town, promoted as champions from the First Division Irlam, promoted as runners-up from the First Division New Mills, relegated from the Northern Premier League First Division North
Clubs wishing to be promoted from the Premier Division had to meet the National League System promotion criteria: seven clubs applied for promotion prior to the 30 November 2016 deadline: 1874 Northwich, AFC Liverpool, Atherton Collieries, Bootle, Padiham, Runcorn Linnets and Runcorn Town.
At the end of the season the champions Atherton Collieries were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North. The clubs finishing in the bottom three places in the table, Cammell Laird 1907, New Mills and Nelson, 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 3.76 goals per match (a slight increase over the 3.65 of the previous season).
League table
Results
Stadia and Locations
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 Cammell Laird 1907 North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead 2,000 Maine Road Brantingham Road, Chorlton 2,000 Nelson Victoria Park 2,000 Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground 1,688 Runcorn Linnets Millbank Linnets Stadium 1,600 Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex 1,530 Congleton Town Richborough Estates Stadium 1,450 New Mills Church Lane 1,400 Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton 1,000 Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park 1,000 Irlam Silver Street 1,000 Squires Gate School Road 1,000 West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton 1,000 Hanley Town Abbey Lane 750 Barnoldswick Town Silentnight Beds Stadium Barnton Townfield
First Division
The 2016–17 First Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 12 May 2016. Just prior to the announcement Northwich Manchester Villa resigned from the league which allowed City of Liverpool to successfully appeal against their original allocation to the Step 7 Liverpool County Premier League and take the vacancy that had arisen in the First Division North. The division was expanded from 18 clubs last season to 22 clubs, comprising 13 remaining from the previous season plus 9 additions:
Three clubs relegated from the Premier Division AFC Blackpool Alsager Town Silsden and six allocated to the division by the FA Leagues Committee Carlisle City, promoted from the Northern Football Alliance Charnock Richard, promoted from the West Lancashire League City of Liverpool, a newly formed club FC Oswestry Town, promoted from the Mercian Regional League Prestwich Heys, promoted from the Manchester League – a league founder member club returning after a twenty-year absence having been expelled over ground grading issues in 1986 Sandbach United, promoted from the Cheshire League
The average goals scored per game in the division this season, 3.92, was the best for the First Division (formerly Division Two) for 22 seasons (since 1994–95 when 4.02 per match were scored).
At the end of the season the champions Widnes, runners-up Charnock Richard and promotion play-off winners City of Liverpool (who had finished fourth in the division) were promoted to the Premier Division. Also leaving the division were Ashton Town who were relegated to the Cheshire Association League.
League table
Results
Promotion play-offs The 2016–17 First Division promotion play-offs contested by the clubs that finished third to sixth in the league table were won by league newcomers City of Liverpool who had been fourth-placed in the division.
Source: NWCFL First Division Play Off Results: 2016/17 Season
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia & Locations
Team Stadium Capacity Widnes Select Security Stadium(groundshare with Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club) 13,350 Carlisle City Gillford Park Stadium 4,000 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park 3,000 Bacup Borough West View 3,000 City of Liverpool Delta Taxis Stadium(groundshare with Bootle) 2,500 Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness 2,500 Stockport Town Stockport Sports Village 2,384 F.C. Oswestry Town Park Hall Stadium 2,034 Ashton Town Edge Green Street 2,000 Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium 2,000 Daisy Hill New Sirs Westhoughton 2,000 Eccleshall Pershall Park 2,000 A.F.C. Blackpool The Mechanics 1,500 Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium 1,500 Chadderton MCA Stadium 1,500 Silsden Keighley Road Stadium 1,500 Charnock Richard Mossie Park Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park Prestwich Heys Aide Moran Park Sandbach United Sandbach Community Football Centre * St Helens Town Ruskin Drive Sportsground * Whitchurch Alport Yockings Park As their ground was not ready, St Helens Town played the majority of their home matches in 2016–17 at Volair Park, home of Prescot Cables, with the remainder being played at Edge Green Street, home of Ashton Town. Until their floodlight system was ready, Sandbach United played home evening matches at Alsager Town's ground. Owing to fixture congestion at their home ground, Widnes played some of their home games at Townfield, home of Barnton.
League Challenge Cup The 2016–17 League Challenge Cup (known as the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's 44 clubs. The final, played at Fleetwood Town F.C., was won by First Division club City of Liverpool who defeated Premier Division club Barnoldswick Town 3–2 on penalties after the match finished 1–1 after extra time (score at 90 minutes: 1–1). League newcomers City of Liverpool were the first First Division (formerly Division Two) club for sixteen seasons to win the League Challenge Cup (since Formby in 2001 ) and they completed a League Challenge Cup and First Division Trophy double (only previously achieved by Cammell Laird in 2005) and also won the First Division promotion play-off final.
First round The cup holders Atherton Collieries were exempt from the first round which therefore included 43 clubs from which 12 first round ties drawn, with the remaining clubs receiving byes to the next round.
(Appended to club names in the results listings below: =Premier Division club; =First Division club)
Home team ScoreAway team Barnton 1–2Nelson Carlisle City 0–2Ashton Athletic Congleton Town 3–4 Prestwich Heys FC Oswestry Town 1–1 Irlam Padiham 2–31874 Northwich Runcorn Linnets 4–2Daisy Hill Sandbach United 4–2Stockport Town Squires Gate 0–1New Mills St Helens Town 4–2AFC Darwen West Didsbury & Chorlton 1–3Barnoldswick Town Widnes 5–3Alsager Town Winsford United 4–0Atherton Laburnum Rovers The remaining 20 clubs received byes to the second round
Second round Home team ScoreAway team 1874 Northwich 2–1AFC Blackpool Ashton Town 1–3Abbey Hey Barnoldswick Town 2–1Cammell Laird 1907 Bootle 3–0AFC Liverpool Eccleshall 3–5St Helens Town Hanley Town 2–1 Charnock Richard Holker Old Boys 3–6Chadderton Nelson 1–0FC Oswestry Town New Mills 2–8Silsden Prestwich Heys 1–3City of Liverpool Runcorn Linnets 2–3Ashton Athletic Runcorn Town 3–2Bacup Borough Sandbach United 1–2Atherton Collieries Whitchurch Alport 1–2Maine Road Widnes 3–0Cheadle Town Winsford United 1–0Litherland REMYCA
Third round Home team ScoreAway team Abbey Hey 1–1 Barnoldswick Town Ashton Athletic 2–0Runcorn Town City of Liverpool 2–0Hanley Town Maine Road 1–3Chadderton Nelson 3–0Atherton Collieries Silsden 1–0 1874 Northwich St Helens Town 1–5Bootle Winsford United 1–2 Widnes
Quarter-finals Home team ScoreAway team Ashton Athletic 2–5 Bootle Nelson 1–3Chadderton Silsden 0–2City of Liverpool Widnes 0–1Barnoldswick Town
Semi–Finals The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played TieHome team ScoreAway team 1City of Liverpool 0–2Chadderton Chadderton 0–2 City of Liverpool City of Liverpool won 3–4 on penalties following a 2–2 aggregate draw2Barnoldswick Town 1–0Bootle Bootle 2–3Barnoldswick Town Barnoldswick Town won 4–2 on aggregate
Final Team ScoreTeam Played 16 May 2017 at Fleetwood Town F.C., Highbury StadiumBarnoldswick Town 1–1 City of Liverpool source:
First Division Trophy The 2016–17 First Division Trophy (known as the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition for the 22 First Division clubs only. The final, held at Runcorn Linnets F.C., was won 1–0 as part of a League Challenge Cup and First Division Trophy double by league newcomers City of Liverpool who defeated Sandbach United.
First round For the first two rounds the competition was split into North and South groups. Six clubs from each group were drawn into first round matches, the remaining 10 clubs each received a bye to the second round.
Home teamScoreAway teamNorth SectionAFC Blackpool2–3Carlisle City Bacup Borough1–2 ChaddertonHolker Old Boys4–1Ashton Town South SectionEccleshall1–7Stockport Town Prestwich Heys2–1Litherland REMYCAWidnes4–1FC Oswestry Town The remaining 10 clubs received byes to the second round
Second round Home teamScoreAway teamNorth SectionCarlisle City3–2Atherton Laburnum Rovers Charnock Richard2–0ChaddertonHolker Old Boys3–1Silsden St Helens Town2–0Daisy HillSouth SectionCity of Liverpool2–1Cheadle Town Sandbach United5–0Stockport TownWhitchurch Alport4–0Alsager Town Widnes4–0Prestwich Heys
Quarter-finals Home teamScoreAway teamCarlisle City0–1Sandbach UnitedCharnock Richard1–4WidnesHolker Old Boys3–2 Whitchurch AlportSt Helens Town0–3City of Liverpool
Semi–Finals The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played TieHome teamScoreAway team1Holker Old Boys1–3Sandbach UnitedSandbach United2–3Holker Old BoysSandbach United won 5–4 on aggregate2Widnes0–1City of LiverpoolCity of Liverpool3–0WidnesCity of Liverpool won 4–0 on aggregate
Final TeamScoreTeamPlayed 1 May 2017 at Runcorn Linnets F.C., Millbank Linnets StadiumCity of Liverpool1–0Sandbach United source:
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League