2015–16 North West Counties Football League


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. Teams were divided into two divisions: Premier Division and Division One.

Premier Division

The Premier Division featured four new teams:

Promotion criteria

To be promoted at the end of the season a team must:
  1. Have applied to be considered for promotion by 30 November 2015
  2. Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2016
  3. Finish the season in a position higher than that of any other team also achieving criteria 1 and 2
  4. Finish the season in one of the top three positions
The following five clubs achieved criterion 1:

Stadia and Locations

Sources for this subsection: and the websites of the participating clubs
TeamStadiumCapacity
A.F.C. DarwenThe Anchor Ground4,000
A.F.C. LiverpoolMarine Travel Arena, Crosby 3,185
1874 NorthwichBarton Stadium 3,000
Winsford UnitedBarton Stadium3,000
Atherton CollieriesAlder Street2,500
BootleDelta Taxis Stadium2,500
SilsdenThe Asda Foundation Stadium2,300
Cammell Laird 1907North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead2,000
Maine RoadBrantingham Road, Chorlton2,000
NelsonLittle Wembley2,000
ColneXLCR Stadium1,800
PadihamArbories Memorial Sports Ground1,688
Runcorn LinnetsMillbank Linnets Stadium1,600
Runcorn TownPavilions Sports Complex1,530
A.F.C. BlackpoolThe Mechanics1,500
Alsager TownWood Park Stadium1,500
Congleton TownRichborough Estates Stadium1,450
Abbey HeyThe Abbey Stadium, Gorton1,000
Ashton AthleticBrockstedes Park1,000
Squires GateSchool Road1,000
Barnoldswick TownSilentnight Beds Stadium
West Didsbury & ChorltonBrookburn Road, Chorlton

Division One

Division One featured four new teams:
One further club had changed its name since the previous season:

Playoffs

Source for this subsection:

Results

Stadia & Locations

Sources for this section: and the websites of the participating clubs
TeamStadiumCapacity
WidnesSelect Security Stadium13,350
Northwich Manchester VillaManchester Regional Arena6,500
Atherton Laburnum RoversCrilly Park3,000
Bacup BoroughWest View3,000
Holker Old BoysRakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness2,500
Stockport TownThe Neil Rourke Memorial Stadium2,384
Ashton TownEdge Green Street2,000
Cheadle TownPark Road Stadium2,000
Daisy HillNew Sirs Westhoughton2,000
ChaddertonMCA Stadium1,500
Rochdale TownMayfield Sports Centre1,500
EccleshallPershall Park1,000
IrlamSilver Street1,000
St Helens TownBrockstedes Park 1,000
Hanley TownAbbey Lane750
BarntonTownfield
Litherland REMYCALitherland Sports Park
Whitchurch AlportYockings Park

League Challenge Cup

Also called the Cup for sponsorship reasons.
Sources for this section:

First Round

and Rochdale Town received byes to the second round.
Premier Division teams exempt to the second round.
Played Saturday 26 September.
Home teamScoreAway team
Atherton Laburnun Rovers1–2Daisy Hill
Barnton2–0Northwich Manchester Villa
Cheadle Town1–2Stockport Town
Eccleshall3–3 aet, pens 4–3Chadderton

Home teamScoreAway team
Hanley Town4–1St Helens Town
Irlam2–1Widnes
Litherland REMYCA3–1Holker Old Boys
Whitchurch Alport1–5Ashton Town

Second Round

Ties played 23 and 24 October.
Home teamScoreAway team
1874 Northwich4–0Winsford United
Abbey Hey0–1Silsden
AFC Darwen1–3AFC Blackpool
AFC Liverpool2–3Padiham
Alsager Town0–3Stockport Town
Ashton Town1–2Runcorn Town
Atherton Collieries2–0Litherland REMYCA
Barnoldswick Town1–3Ashton Athletic

Home teamScoreAway team
Barnton1–1 aet, pens 4–3Bootle
Daisy Hill0–4Cammell Laird 1907
Hanley Town2–4Bacup Borough
Irlam2–0Runcorn Linnets
Maine Road1–5Squires Gate
Nelson4–3 aetCongleton Town
Rochdale Town1–2Colne
West Didsbury & Chorlton1–2Eccleshall

Third Round

Ties played 28 November, with four delayed by bad weather.
Home teamScoreAway team
1874 Northwich2–2 aet, pens 7–8*Ashton Athletic
Bacup Borough1–5**Atherton Collieries
Eccleshall2–0Irlam
Nelson2–4Cammell Laird 1907

* played at Ashton
** played at Atherton
Home teamScoreAway team
Padiham2–2 aet, pens 4–5Runcorn Town
Silsden0–1AFC Blackpool
Squires Gate2–5 aetColne
Stockport Town1–3Barnton

Quarter Finals

Ties played on Saturday 27 February.
Home teamScoreAway team
Barnton3–1Ashton Athletic
Cammell Laird 19070–2AFC Blackpool

Home teamScoreAway team
Colne2–0Eccleshall
Runcorn Town0–3Atherton Collieries

Semi Finals

Home teamScoreAway team
Colne2–0AFC Blackpool

Home teamScoreAway team
Atherton Collieries1–0Barnton

Final

Played 10 May at Fleetwood Town's Highbury Stadium
Score
Atherton Collieries5–1Colne

First Division Trophy

Also called the First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons.
Source for this section:

First Round

Each of the remaining Division One clubs received a bye to the second round.
Ties played Saturday 17 October.
Home teamScoreAway team
Barnton3–2Eccleshall

Home teamScoreAway team
Chadderton2–0Bacup Borough

Second Round

Ties played 6 and 7 November, with two delayed due to bad weather
Home teamScoreAway team
Daisy Hill1–2Litherland REMYCA
Hanley Town2–1Widnes
Holker Old Boys2–0Ashton Town
Irlam3–2Cheadle Town

Home teamScoreAway team
Northwich Manchester Villa1–4Barnton
Rochdale Town3–1Atherton Laburnum Rovers
St Helens Town3–6 *Chadderton
Whitchurch Alport0–4Stockport Town

*played at Chadderton, following two postponements

Quarter Finals

One tie played 20 February, with three delayed due to bad weather
Home teamScoreAway team
Hanley Town2–1Chadderton
Holker Old Boys1–2*Barnton

* Played at Barnton
Home teamScoreAway team
Litherland REMYCA*3–2Irlam**
Rochdale Town1–4***Stockport Town

* Litherland REMYCA disqualified for fielding an ineligible player
** Irlam disqualified for fielding an ineligible player
*** Played at Stockport

Semi Finals

Played on 19 March.
Home teamScoreAway team
disqualifiedW/OHanley Town

Hanley Town awarded walkover to final
Home teamScoreAway team
Stockport Town0–0 aet, pens 4–5Barnton

Final

Played on 19 April at Congleton Town's ground
Score
Hanley Town1–1 aet, pens 4–5Barnton