2016–17 North West Counties Football League


The 2016–17 North West Counties Football League season was the 35th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions: Premier Division and First Division.

Premier Division

The Premier Division consisted of 22 clubs.
The following four clubs joined the division at the start of the season:

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 2016
  2. Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2017
  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 seven clubs achieved criterion 1:

Stadia and Locations

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
Cammell Laird 1907North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead2,000
Maine RoadBrantingham Road, Chorlton2,000
NelsonVictoria Park2,000
PadihamArbories Memorial Sports Ground1,688
Runcorn LinnetsMillbank Linnets Stadium1,600
Runcorn TownPavilions Sports Complex1,530
Congleton TownRichborough Estates Stadium1,450
New MillsChurch Lane1,400
Abbey HeyThe Abbey Stadium, Gorton1,000
Ashton AthleticBrockstedes Park1,000
IrlamSilver Street1,000
Squires GateSchool Road1,000
West Didsbury & ChorltonBrookburn Road, Chorlton1,000
Hanley TownAbbey Lane750
Barnoldswick TownSilentnight Beds Stadium
BarntonTownfield

First Division

The First Division consisted of 22 teams.
The following nine clubs joined the division at the start of the season:

Results

Playoffs

Source for this subsection:

Stadia & Locations

TeamStadiumCapacity
WidnesSelect Security Stadium
13,350
Carlisle CityGillford Park Stadium4,000
Atherton Laburnum RoversCrilly Park3,000
Bacup BoroughWest View3,000
City of LiverpoolDelta Taxis Stadium
2,500
Holker Old BoysRakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness2,500
Stockport TownStockport Sports Village2,384
F.C. Oswestry TownPark Hall Stadium2,034
Ashton TownEdge Green Street2,000
Cheadle TownPark Road Stadium2,000
Daisy HillNew Sirs Westhoughton2,000
EccleshallPershall Park2,000
A.F.C. BlackpoolThe Mechanics1,500
Alsager TownWood Park Stadium1,500
ChaddertonMCA Stadium1,500
SilsdenKeighley Road Stadium1,500
Charnock RichardMossie Park
Litherland REMYCALitherland Sports Park
Prestwich HeysAide Moran Park
Sandbach UnitedSandbach Community Football Centre *
St Helens TownRuskin Drive Sportsground *
Whitchurch AlportYockings Park

Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons.
Source for this section:

First Round

are exempt until the second round, as holders.
Home teamScoreAway team
Barnton1–2Nelson
Carlisle City0–2Ashton Athletic
Congleton Town3–4 aetPrestwich Heys
FC Oswestry Town1–1 aet Irlam
Padiham2–31874 Northwich
Runcorn Linnets4–2Daisy Hill

Home teamScoreAway team
Sandbach United4–2Stockport Town
Squires Gate0–1New Mills
St Helens Town4–2AFC Darwen
West Didsbury & Chorlton1–3Barnoldswick Town
Widnes5–3 *Alsager Town
Winsford United4–0Atherton LR

* Played at Alsager
All remaining teams received byes.

Second Round

Home teamScoreAway team
1874 Northwich2–1AFC Blackpool
Ashton Town1–3Abbey Hey
Barnoldswick Town2–1Cammell Laird 1907
Bootle3–0AFC Liverpool
Eccleshall3–5St Helens Town
Hanley Town2–1 aetCharnock Richard
Holker Old Boys3–6Chadderton
Nelson1–0FC Oswestry Town

Home teamScoreAway team
New Mills2–8Silsden
Prestwich Heys1–3City of Liverpool
Runcorn Linnets2–3Ashton Athletic
Runcorn Town3–2Bacup Borough
Sandbach United1–2Atherton Collieries
Whitchurch Alport1–2Maine Road
Widnes3–0 *Cheadle Town
Winsford United1–0Litherland REMYCA

* Played at Barnton

Third Round

Home teamScoreAway team
Abbey Hey1–1 aet *Barnoldswick Town
Ashton Athletic2–0Runcorn Town
City of Liverpool2–0Hanley Town
Maine Road1–3Chadderton

* Played at Barnoldswick
Home teamScoreAway team
Nelson3–0Atherton Collieries
Silsden1–0 aet1874 Northwich
St Helens Town1–5 *Bootle
Winsford United1–2 aetWidnes

* Played at Bootle

Quarter Finals

Home teamScoreAway team
Ashton Athletic2–5 aetBootle
Nelson1–3Chadderton

Home teamScoreAway team
Silsden0–2City of Liverpool
Widnes0–1Barnoldswick Town

Semi Finals

First Leg

Home teamScoreAway team
City of Liverpool0–2Chadderton

Home teamScoreAway team
Barnoldswick Town1–0Bootle

Second Leg

Home teamScoreAway team
Chadderton0–2 City of Liverpool

City of Liverpool won on penalties following a 2–2 aggregate draw
Home teamScoreAway team
Bootle2–3Barnoldswick Town

Barnoldswick Town won 4–2 on aggregate

Final

Played at Highbury Stadium, home of Fleetwood Town
Score
Barnoldswick Town1–1 aet City of Liverpool

First Division Trophy

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

First Round

All the remaining First Division teams received a bye to the second round.
Northern Section
Home teamScoreAway team
AFC Blackpool2–3Carlisle City
Bacup Borough1–2 aetChadderton
Holker Old Boys4–1Ashton Town

Southern Section
Home teamScoreAway team
Eccleshall1–7Stockport Town
Prestwich Heys2–1Litherland REMYCA
Widnes4–1FC Oswestry Town

Second Round

Northern Section
Home teamScoreAway team
Carlisle City3–2Atherton LR
Charnock Richard2–0Chadderton
Holker Old Boys3–1Silsden
St Helens Town2–0Daisy Hill

Southern Section
Home teamScoreAway team
City of Liverpool2–1Cheadle Town
Sandbach United5–0Stockport Town
Whitchurch Alport4–0Alsager Town
Widnes4–0Prestwich Heys

Quarter Finals

Home teamScoreAway team
Carlisle City0–1Sandbach United
Charnock Richard1–4Widnes

Home teamScoreAway team
Holker Old Boys3–2 aetWhitchurch Alport
St Helens Town0–3City of Liverpool

Semi Finals

First leg

Home teamScoreAway team
Holker Old Boys1–3Sandbach United

Home teamScoreAway team
Widnes0–1City of Liverpool

Second leg

Home teamScoreAway team
Sandbach United2–3Holker Old Boys

Sandbach United won 5–4 on aggregate
Home teamScoreAway team
City of Liverpool3–0Widnes

City of Liverpool won 4–0 on aggregate

Final

Score
City of Liverpool1–0Sandbach United

Played at Runcorn Linnets' stadium