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The 2020–21 North West Counties Football League season was the 39th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England, and the third season following the split of the lower level into two geographically separated divisions. Teams are divided into three divisions: Premier Division, at Step 5, and Divisions One North and South, at Step 6.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 for season 2020–21 were announced by the Football Association on 21 July,[1] and were subject to appeal. On 6 August, it was announced by the League that the season would start no earlier than Saturday 3 October.[2] The season was later suspended in December as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. It was subsequently abandoned on 24 February 2021.[3]
The Premier Division comprised 20 teams, the same set of teams which competed in the previous season's aborted competition.
Rylands changed its name to Warrington Rylands 1906.[4]
Premier Division table
Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphanumeric sequence of teams rather than league position.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avro | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 9 | +14 | 16 | |
| 2 | Warrington Rylands (P) | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 4 | +11 | 13 | Promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One West |
| 3 | Northwich Victoria | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 13 | |
| 4 | Irlam | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 12 | |
| 5 | Runcorn Town | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | +7 | 11 | |
| 6 | Hanley Town | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 11 | Transfer to the Midland League |
| 7 | Winsford United | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 10 | |
| 8 | Congleton Town | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 10 | |
| 9 | Bootle (P) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 9 | Promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One West |
| 10 | 1874 Northwich (P) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 9 | |
| 11 | Burscough | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | |
| 12 | Padiham | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 7 | |
| 13 | Longridge Town | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 6 | |
| 14 | Ashton Athletic | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 6 | |
| 15 | Whitchurch Alport | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 19 | −9 | 6 | Transfer to the Midland League |
| 16 | Barnoldswick Town | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 26 | −15 | 6 | |
| 17 | Charnock Richard | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 4 | |
| 18 | Skelmersdale United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 3 | |
| 19 | Squires Gate | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 29 | −14 | 3 | |
| 20 | Litherland REMYCA | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 16 | −9 | 1 |
Source: NWCFL, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Premier Division results
| Home \ Away | 18N | ASH | AVR | BWT | BTL | BUR | CHR | CON | HAN | IRL | LIT | LON | NWV | PAD | RNT | SKE | SQG | WRY | WHI | WIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1874 Northwich | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | — |
| Ashton Athletic | — | — | 1–5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–2 | 4–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Avro | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 1–1 | 5–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | 3–1 | — |
| Barnoldswick Town | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | 1–2 | — | — | 2–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | — | — |
| Bootle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | — | 7–2 | — | — | — |
| Burscough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charnock Richard | — | — | — | — | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — |
| Congleton Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | 3–2 | 0–3 | — | — |
| Hanley Town | — | 2–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | — |
| Irlam | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | 5–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–2 |
| Litherland REMYCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Longridge Town | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Northwich Victoria | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | — |
| Padiham | 0–2 | — | 1–6 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–4 | — |
| Runcorn Town | — | 7–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | — | — | — |
| Skelmersdale United | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Squires Gate | 4–2 | — | — | — | — | 2–4 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Warrington Rylands | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7–1 | — | — | — |
| Whitchurch Alport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — |
| Winsford United | — | — | — | 10–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–2 | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | — |
Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2020–21 North West Counties Football League Premier Division teams
| Team | Stadium |
|---|---|
| 1874 Northwich | Townfield (groundshare with Barnton) |
| Ashton Athletic | Brockstedes Park |
| Avro | Whitebank Stadium, Oldham |
| Barnoldswick Town | Greenberfield Lane |
| Bootle | New Bucks Park |
| Burscough | Victoria Park |
| Charnock Richard | Mossie Park |
| Congleton Town | Ivy Gardens |
| Hanley Town | Abbey Lane |
| Irlam | Silver Street |
| Litherland REMYCA | Litherland Sports Park |
| Longridge Town | Mike Riding Ground |
| Northwich Victoria | Wincham Park (groundshare with Witton Albion) |
| Padiham | Arbories Memorial Sports Ground |
| Runcorn Town | Pavilions Sports Complex |
| Skelmersdale United | Valerie Park |
| Squires Gate | School Road |
| Warrington Rylands | Gorsey Lane |
| Whitchurch Alport | Yockings Park |
| Winsford United | Barton Stadium |
Division One North comprised 19 clubs, 18 of which were in the division the previous season.
- Shelley resigned shortly before the season began[6]
- Emley AFC was transferred back to the Northern Counties East League, having spent just one season in this league
- Bury AFC
Division One North table
Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphabetic sequence of teams rather than league position.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bury AFC | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 11 | +11 | 16 | |
| 2 | Lower Breck (P) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | +12 | 12 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 3 | AFC Darwen | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 12 | |
| 4 | Cleator Moor Celtic | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 12 | |
| 5 | AFC Liverpool (P) | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 10 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 6 | Prestwich Heys (P) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 10 | |
| 7 | Steeton | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 10 | |
| 8 | Golcar United | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 10 | |
| 9 | Ashton Town | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 18 | −4 | 10 | |
| 10 | Bacup Borough | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 9 | |
| 11 | Garstang | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 9 | |
| 12 | Pilkington | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 8 | |
| 13 | AFC Blackpool | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 6 | |
| 14 | Chadderton | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 19 | −7 | 5 | |
| 15 | Holker Old Boys | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 3 | |
| 16 | Atherton LR | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 | |
| 17 | Nelson | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 3 | |
| 18 | Daisy Hill | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 18 | −11 | 3 | |
| 19 | St Helens Town | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 1 |
Source: NWCFL, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Division One North results
| Home \ Away | BLP | DAR | LVP | ASH | ALR | BAC | BUY | CHA | CLE | DSH | GAR | GOL | HOL | LOW | NEL | PIL | PRE | STH | STE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Blackpool | — | 2–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AFC Darwen | 7–1 | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AFC Liverpool | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | 5–2 | 5–1 |
| Ashton Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–2 | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | — |
| Atherton LR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bacup Borough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 |
| Bury AFC | — | 6–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | 1–2 | — | 3–2 |
| Chadderton | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | — |
| Cleator Moor Celtic | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | 1–2 | 4–2 | — | 4–3 | 2–2 | — | — | 2–2 |
| Daisy Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–5 | — | — |
| Garstang | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | 1–5 | — | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Golcar United | — | — | 2–3 | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–4 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 |
| Holker Old Boys | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–4 | 3–2 | — | — |
| Lower Breck | — | — | — | 5–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nelson | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | 5–0 | 3–4 | — | — | 0–5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pilkington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 |
| Prestwich Heys | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| St Helens Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Steeton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — |
Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2020–21 North West Counties Football League Division One North teams
| Team | Stadium |
|---|---|
| AFC Blackpool | The Mechanics |
| AFC Darwen | The Anchor Ground |
| AFC Liverpool | Rossett Park, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) |
| Ashton Town | Edge Green Street |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Crilly Park |
| Bacup Borough | West View |
| Chadderton | MCA Stadium |
| Cleator Moor Celtic | McGrath Park |
| Daisy Hill | New Sirs, Westhoughton |
| Emley | Welfare Ground |
| Garstang | The Riverside |
| Golcar United | Longfield Avenue |
| Holker Old Boys | Rakesmoor Lane, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Lower Breck | Anfield Sports and Community Centre |
| Nelson | Victoria Park |
| Pilkington | Ruskin Drive Sportsground |
| Prestwich Heys | Adie Moran Park |
| St Helens Town | Ruskin Drive Sportsground |
| Steeton | Cougar Park |
Division One South comprised 20 clubs, 19 of which were in the division the previous season.
- FC Oswestry Town resigned before the start of this season, and subsequently folded.[7]
- FC Isle of Man's application to join the English football league system was successful, and the team was placed in this division. However, the club agreed to have its playing membership in the league suspended by mutual consent for the rest of this season because of COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions on the Isle of Man.[8]
Division One South table
Prior to the first match(es) being played the Pos column shows alphabetic sequence of teams rather than league position.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vauxhall Motors (P) | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 6 | +13 | 22 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Wythenshawe Town (P) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 | +26 | 21 | |
| 3 | Sandbach United | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 16 | |
| 4 | Stockport Town | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 6 | +14 | 14 | |
| 5 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 13 | |
| 6 | Cheadle Heath Nomads | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 12 | |
| 7 | New Mills | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 11 | |
| 8 | Stone Old Alleynians (P) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 10 | Promotion to the Midland League |
| 9 | Barnton | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 10 | |
| 10 | Abbey Hey | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 10 | |
| 11 | Cheadle Town | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 8 | |
| 12 | Alsager Town | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 14 | −6 | 7 | |
| 13 | Cammell Laird | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 6 | |
| 14 | Maine Road | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 16 | −7 | 6 | |
| 15 | St Martins | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 29 | −20 | 5 | |
| 16 | Ellesmere Rangers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 12 | −8 | 3 | |
| 17 | Abbey Hulton United | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 22 | −13 | 3 | |
| 18 | Wythenshawe Amateurs | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 2 | |
| 19 | Eccleshall | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 24 | −20 | 1 | |
| 20 | FC Isle of Man | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Suspension from the league[8] |
Source: NWCFL Tables, Non League Matters
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[5]
(P) Promoted
Division One South results
| Home \ Away | AHY | AHU | ALS | BNT | CAM | CHN | CHT | ECC | ELL | IOM | MNR | NWM | SAN | STM | STK | SOA | VAU | WDC | WYA | WYT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Hey | — | 4–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — |
| Abbey Hulton United | — | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–5 |
| Alsager Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — |
| Barnton | 0–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cammell Laird | — | 3–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cheadle Heath Nomads | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–4 | — | 1–4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cheadle Town | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — |
| Eccleshall | — | — | — | — | — | 1–8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ellesmere Rangers | — | — | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FC Isle of Man | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Maine Road | — | — | 1–0 | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | 4–2 | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — |
| New Mills | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–3 |
| Sandbach United | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| St Martins | — | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | 2–3 | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | 0–8 |
| Stockport Town | — | 1–1 | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stone Old Alleynians | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 5–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — |
| Vauxhall Motors | — | 4–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | 2–1 | — | — | 4–1 | — | — | — | — |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | — | 3–1 | 7–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–4 | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wythenshawe Amateurs | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | 1–2 |
| Wythenshawe Town | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–1 | — | — |
Stadia and locations
Greater Manchester
Locations of the 2020–21 North West Counties Football League Division One South teams
 Locations of 2020–21 North West Counties Division One South teams (Greater Manchester) Locations of 2020–21 North West Counties Division One South teams (Isle of Man)
|
| Team | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Abbey Hey | The Abbey Stadium, Gorton |
| Abbey Hulton United | Birches Head Road |
| Alsager Town | Wood Park Stadium |
| Barnton | Townfield |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | Kirklands, Birkenhead |
| Cheadle Heath Nomads | The Heath |
| Cheadle Town | Park Road Stadium |
| Eccleshall | Pershall Park |
| Ellesmere Rangers | Beech Grove |
| FC Isle of Man | The Bowl, Douglas |
| Maine Road | Brantingham Road, Chorlton |
| New Mills | Church Lane |
| Sandbach United | Sandbach Community Football Centre |
| St Martins | The Venue, Oswestry |
| Stockport Town | Stockport Sports Village |
| Stone Alleynians | Yarnfield Lane |
| Vauxhall Motors | Rivacre Park, Ellesmere Port |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | Brookburn Road, Chorlton |
| Wythenshawe Amateurs | Hollyhedge Park |
| Wythenshawe Town | Ericstan Stadium |
Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons.[9]
Sources for this section: fixtures and results
This competition is open to all teams in the league. However, due to irregularities in the previous season, AFC Darwen forfeited a place in the competition this season[10]
The competition was suspended for this season and eventually cancelled in February 2021.[3][11]
The competition was also suspended for this season and later cancelled in February 2021.[3][11]
This would have been played at the end of the season between the winners of Division One North and Division One South. It too was cancelled in February 2021.[3]
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