The 2023–24 North West Counties Football League season was the 42nd in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised three divisions: the Premier Division (at level 9 of the English football league system, Step 5 National League System) and two regional divisions at level 10 or Step 6. The latter were designated the First Division North and First Division South, with the champions of each division competing in a single match for the First Division Champions Cup. 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 Edward Case Cup, named after the trophy), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
Premier Division
Six clubs had left the division after the previous season: Ashton Athletic, relegated to First Division North Avro, promoted as an inter-step promotion/relegation play-off winner to the Northern Premier League Division One West Congleton Town, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division Northwich Victoria, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division Vauxhall Motors, promoted as champions to the Northern Premier League Division One West Winsford United, voluntarily relegated to First Division South rather than be subject to a lateral transfer to the Midland League Premier Division.
The 2023–24 Premier Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2023 and the constitution of the division was adopted at the league's AGM on 17 June 2023. The division comprised 24 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 8 additions: Chadderton, promoted as promotion play-off winners from the First Division North Cheadle Town, promoted as promotion play-off winners from the First Division South Colne, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West Glossop North End, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West Pilkington, promoted as champions from the First Division North Ramsbottom United, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West Skelmersdale United, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West Wythenshawe, promoted as champions from the First Division South and changed their name from Wythenshawe Amateurs
Included in the division were Bury F.C.: they had directly replaced Bury AFC who had merged with Bury FC Supporters' Society (who owned the Bury FC name and Gigg Lane ground) to form the newly constituted club, bringing together the two separate groups of fans of the former Bury FC club (who had been expelled from the Football League in 2019). The inclusion of Bury F.C. (and also relatively well-supported FC Isle of Man and West Didsbury & Chorlton) had a significant effect on attendances in the division: the average per match across the division was a league record 408 (from 341 of the 2021–22 Premier Division) and at their home match versus Prestwich Heys on 26 December 2023 Bury recorded a new Premier Division recognised single match attendance record of 4,833 (previously 4,720 at Macclesfield v AFC Liverpool on 2 April 2022) – Bury had recorded an attendance of 5,451 v. Glossop North End on 29 July 22 but the match was declared void as Bury used an ineligible player.
The FA council announced that, with effect from this season across the National League System, the previously used inter-step play-off system for the second promotion place would be replaced with each Step 5 division (including the NWCFL Premier Division) holding a divisional four-team promotion play-off to determine the second club to be promoted to Step 4. Also from next season four clubs were to be relegated from Step 4 into Step 5 feeder league divisions (for this transitional season there was only one club to be relegated from Step 5 divisions). Accordingly champions (and divisional newcomers) Wythenshawe and promotion play-off winners Wythenshawe Town (who had finished as runners-up of the division) were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One West, and bottom-placed club Skelmersdale United (who had been relegated into the division this season) were relegated to First Division North. Also leaving the division were Kendal Town who were transferred laterally following a failed appeal against the move to the Northern League Division One.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2023–24 Premier Division promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Wythenshawe Town who had been runners-up of the division.
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Semi-finals
Final
Stadiums and locations
Team Stadium AFC Liverpool Rossett Park, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) Barnoldswick Town Greenberfield Lane Burscough Victoria Park Bury Gigg Lane Chadderton MCA Stadium Charnock Richard Mossie Park Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium Colne Holt House Glossop North End Surrey Street FC Isle of Man The Bowl, Douglas Irlam Silver Street Kendal Town Parkside Road Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park Longridge Town Mike Riding Ground Lower Breck Anfield Sports and Community Centre Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground Pilkington Ruskin Drive Sportsground Prestwich Heys Adie Moran Park Ramsbottom United Harry Williams Riverside Stadium Skelmersdale United The Community Ground, Burscough Squires Gate School Road West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton Wythenshawe Hollyhedge Park Wythenshawe Town Ericstan Stadium
First Division North
Three clubs had left the division after the previous season: Chadderton – promoted as promotion play-off winners to the Premier Division Cleator Moor Celtic – relegated to the West Lancashire League Pilkington – promoted as champions to the Premier Division
The 2023–24 First Division North club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2023; subsequently Shelley were also allocated to the division. The constitution of the division comprising 19 clubs was adopted at the league's AGM on 17 June 2023. However, included club Droylsden were belatedly re-allocated to the First Division South owing to the late withdrawal of Ellesmere Rangers from that division. The final iteration of the First Division North comprised 18 clubs, 15 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions: Ashton Athletic, relegated from the Premier Division Route One Rovers, promoted as champions of the Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division Shelley, former members of the league who had resigned in 2021, promoted as fifth from the West Yorkshire League Premier Division
At the end of the season five clubs left the division: champions FC St Helens and promotion play-off winners South Liverpool (who had finished fifth in the division) were promoted to the Premier Division; in the allocations for the following season Runcorn Town were transferred laterally within the league to the First Division South and both Ilkley Town and Shelley had their requests for a lateral transfer to the Northern Counties East League Division One granted. The latter team together with Garstang in common with all Step 6 second and third from bottom clubs were reprieved from relegation as were Nelson who survived as they had one of the better points per game ratio of the Step 6 bottom clubs.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2023–24 First Division North promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by South Liverpool who had been fifth-placed in the division.
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Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium AFC Blackpool The Mechanics Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park Ashton Town Edge Green Street Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park Bacup Borough West View Daisy Hill New Sirs, Westhoughton Darwen The Anchor Ground Euxton Villa Jim Fowler Memorial Ground FC St Helens Windleshaw Sports Garstang The Riverside Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane, Barrow-in-Furness Ilkley Town MPM Lane Nelson Victoria Park Route One Rovers Marley Stadium Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex Shelley Storthes Hall Park South Liverpool Jericho Lane Steeton Marley Stadium
First Division South
Five clubs had left the division after the previous season: Cheadle Town, promoted as promotion play-off winners to the Premier Division Ellesmere Rangers, resigned Foley Meir, relegated to the Staffordshire County Senior League Rocester, relegated to the Staffordshire County Senior League Wythenshawe, promoted as champions to the Premier Division
The 2023–24 First Division South club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2023; Further to this, Winsford United, rather than be subject to a lateral transfer to the Midland League Premier Division took voluntary relegation to this division. Consequently, Uttoxeter Town, who had been transferred to this division, were reprieved from relegation and remained in the Midland League Premier Division. The constitution of the division comprising 18 clubs was adopted at the league's AGM on 17 June 2023. However, owing to the subsequent withdrawal of Ellesmere Rangers from the division Droylsden were re-allocated from the North to South division. The final iteration of the First Division South comprised 18 clubs, 15 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions: Droylsden, returned to the National League System three seasons after withdrawal from the Step 4 Northern Premier League Division One North West Market Drayton Town, transferred laterally following relegation from the Midland League Premier Division Winsford United, voluntarily relegated from the Premier Division
At the end of the season five clubs left the division. Three were promoted: champions Brocton were transferred laterally in the FA league allocations to the Step 5 Midland League Premier Division; and promotion play-off winners Abbey Hey (who had finished fourth in the division) to the Premier Division where they were joined by the losing promotion play-off finalists Stockport Town (who had been runners-up of the division), who owing to a shortfall of clubs in the Premier Division were awarded a place as a First Division club with the best points per game ratio. In the FA Leagues Committee club allocation for the following season the other two leavers, Droylsden and Maine Road, were transferred laterally to the First Division North. No clubs were relegated with both Winsford United and Market Drayton Town being reprieved.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2023–24 First Division South promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Abbey Hey who had been fourth-placed in the division.
Source=
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton Abbey Hulton United Birches Head Road Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium Ashville Villa Park, Wallasey Barnton Townfield Brocton Silkmore Lane Cammell Laird 1907 Kirklands, Birkenhead Cheadle Heath Nomads The Heath Droylsden Butcher's Arms Ground Eccleshall Pershall Park Maine Road Brantingham Road, ChorltonMarket Drayton Town Greenfields Sports Ground New Mills Church Lane Sandbach United Sandbach Community Football Centre Stafford Town Evans Park Stockport Georgians Cromley Road Stockport Town Stockport Sports Village Winsford United Barton Stadium
League Challenge Cup