1968–69 Northern Premier League


The 1968–69 Northern Premier League was the inaugural season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 10 August 1968 and concluded on 10 May 1969.

Overview

The League featured twenty teams transferred from the Cheshire County League, the Lancashire Combination, the Midland League, the North Regional League and the West Midlands League.

Founding teams

Cheshire County League
Lancashire Combination
Midland League
North Regional League
West Midlands League

Results

Stadia and locations

TeamStadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
AshingtonPortland Park
Boston UnitedYork Street
Bangor CityFarrar Road
ChorleyVictory Park
FleetwoodHighbury
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
GatesheadRedheugh Park
Goole TownVictoria Pleasure Ground
Hyde UnitedEwen Fields
Macclesfield TownMoss Rose
MorecambeChristie Park
NetherfieldParkside
Northwich VictoriaDrill Field
RuncornCanal Street
ScarboroughAthletic Ground
South LiverpoolHolly Park
South ShieldsSimonside Hall
Wigan AthleticSpringfield Park
Worksop TownCentral Avenue

Cup results

Challenge Cup

StageHome TeamScoreAway TeamAttendance
1st LegBangor City3–1Runcorn
2nd LegRuncorn1–2Bangor City2260
AggregateBangor City5–2Runcorn-

FA Cup

Out of the twenty clubs from the Northern Premier League only Morecambe reached for the second round:
Second Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
York City2–0Morecambe

End of the season

At the end of the first season of the Northern Premier League none of the clubs decided to put their teams forward to be promoted to the Football League. Chorley and Worksop Town were both relegated. Ashington resigned the League, due to financial difficulties.

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of ten non-League teams applied for election, none of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
TeamLeagueVotes
Grimsby TownFootball League47
York CityFootball League45
Bradford Park AvenueFootball League38
Newport CountyFootball League27
Cambridge UnitedSouthern League16
Kettering TownSouthern League3
Cambridge CitySouthern League2
Hereford UnitedSouthern League2
RomfordSouthern League2
Bedford TownSouthern League1
Chelmsford CitySouthern League1
Worcester CitySouthern League1
Nuneaton BoroughSouthern League0
WimbledonSouthern League0

Promotion and relegation

The following three clubs left the league at the end of the season:
The following three clubs joined the league the following season: