1997–98 Northern Premier League

The 1997–98 Northern Premier League season was the 30th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First. It was known as the Unibond League for sponsorship reasons.[1]

Premier Division

Northern Premier League Premier Division
Season 1997–98
Champions Barrow
Promoted Barrow
Relegated Alfreton Town
Radcliffe Borough
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,270 (2.75 per match)

The Premier League featured three new teams:

League Table

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Barrow (C) (P) 42 25 8 9 61 29 +32 83 Promotion to Conference
2 Boston United 42 22 12 8 55 40 +15 78 Transferred to the Southern League
3 Leigh RMI 42 21 13 8 63 41 +22 76
4 Runcorn 42 22 9 11 80 50 +30 75
5 Gainsborough Trinity 42 22 9 11 60 39 +21 75
6 Emley 42 22 8 12 81 61 +20 74
7 Winsford United 42 19 12 11 54 43 +11 69
8 Altrincham 42 18 11 13 76 44 +32 65
9 Guiseley 42 16 16 10 61 53 +8 64
10 Bishop Auckland 42 17 12 13 78 60 +18 63
11 Marine 42 15 11 16 56 59 3 56
12 Hyde United 42 13 16 13 60 55 +5 55
13 Colwyn Bay 42 15 9 18 53 57 4 54
14 Spennymoor United 42 14 11 17 58 72 14 052*
15 Chorley 42 14 7 21 51 70 19 49
16 Frickley Athletic 42 12 12 18 45 62 17 48
17 Lancaster City 42 13 8 21 55 74 19 47
18 Blyth Spartans 42 12 13 17 52 63 11 039#
19 Bamber Bridge 42 9 12 21 51 74 23 39
20 Accrington Stanley 42 8 14 20 49 68 19 38
21 Radcliffe Borough (R) 42 6 12 24 39 70 31 30 Relegation to NPL Division One
22 Alfreton Town (R) 42 3 13 26 32 86 54 22

Updated to games played on 2 May 1998.
Source: .
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
* Spennymoor United were docked 1 point.
#Blyth Spartans were docked 10 points.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home \ Away[1] ACC ALF ALTBAMBRWBISBLYBOSCHOCOLEmleyFRKGAIGUIHYDLNCLEIMARRADRUNSPUWNS
Accrington Stanley 11 11 11 01 11 20 11 03 12 42 30 02 23 11 11 13 11 22 03 30 21
Alfreton Town 01 03 12 03 26 03 12 11 11 11 21 23 11 01 11 32 00 02 13 23 01
Altrincham 10 50 50 22 11 30 12 30 30 71 21 00 20 13 10 22 31 30 21 40 01
Bamber Bridge 21 41 03 22 21 14 22 40 02 23 30 02 12 11 01 11 12 10 13 22 23
Barrow 20 20 00 20 31 31 10 10 11 10 21 20 01 22 10 01 01 30 10 12 12
Bishop Auckland 22 11 52 11 02 11 02 52 02 43 41 13 11 21 31 32 24 30 12 11 60
Blyth Spartans 22 42 33 11 21 14 01 21 31 02 23 00 11 11 01 01 10 10 04 23 01
Boston United 13 20 10 11 02 10 22 11 10 32 30 10 21 11 20 10 11 22 03 13 21
Chorley 11 20 10 21 02 10 13 02 20 12 00 11 10 15 23 01 03 11 42 41 20
Colwyn Bay 21 30 00 31 11 01 20 03 33 13 11 11 01 31 52 23 41 21 21 20 03
Emley 53 20 21 00 30 12 11 00 31 10 10 10 33 21 53 22 20 20 62 30 02
Frickley Athletic 21 21 21 10 01 23 00 10 20 13 21 11 01 21 21 00 11 10 13 23 30
Gainsborough Trinity 00 40 21 32 03 10 00 01 21 10 21 31 01 31 21 30 20 30 10 01 02
Guiseley 10 12 22 11 11 33 13 11 21 31 02 40 13 11 21 21 22 41 22 11 02
Hyde United 11 41 01 11 03 12 10 02 02 20 10 11 41 11 41 33 11 01 02 32 43
Lancaster City 32 11 22 10 02 10 31 31 41 01 22 22 01 32 01 01 32 01 30 32 11
Leigh RMI 10 10 22 40 01 13 11 01 20 30 21 11 10 00 21 20 10 00 22 42 20
Marine 31 20 10 31 10 00 12 12 12 10 35 11 22 01 02 20 11 12 32 04 00
Radcliffe Borough 12 11 01 30 12 12 12 11 12 11 12 11 13 02 00 62 01 03 00 02 02
Runcorn 30 31 10 42 01 21 11 30 23 00 10 21 20 11 01 30 22 30 63 20 22
Spennymoor United 20 11 21 03 32 11 21 12 20 21 22 00 14 12 22 11 03 12 11 01 11
Winsford United 30 00 21 01 00 00 30 00 10 20 01 21 11 21 11 30 01 24 22 11 10

Updated to games played on 2 May 1998.
Source: Northern Premier Division results grid
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Division One

Northern Premier League Division One
Season 1997–98
Champions Whitby Town
Promoted Whitby Town
Worksop Town
Relegated Buxton
Workington
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,431 (3.1 per match)

Division One featured five new teams:

League Table

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Whitby Town (C) (P) 42 30 8 4 99 48 +51 98 Promotion to Premier Division
2 Worksop Town (P) 42 28 7 7 93 44 +49 91
3 Ashton United 42 26 9 7 93 43 +50 87
4 Droylsden 42 24 8 10 70 49 +21 80
5 Lincoln United 42 20 11 11 76 62 +14 71
6 Farsley Celtic 42 20 10 12 72 66 +6 70
7 Witton Albion 42 19 9 14 77 55 +22 66
8 Eastwood Town 42 18 12 12 68 51 +17 66
9 Bradford Park Avenue 42 18 11 13 62 46 +16 65
10 Belper Town 42 18 7 17 68 66 +2 61
11 Stocksbridge Park Steels 42 17 7 18 75 77 2 58
12 Trafford 42 17 9 16 68 63 +5 60
13 Whitley Bay 42 14 12 16 60 63 3 54
14 Matlock Town 42 14 11 17 50 58 8 53
15 Gretna 42 13 9 20 58 64 6 48
16 Netherfield 42 12 11 19 55 75 20 47
17 Flixton 42 10 12 20 45 73 28 42
18 Congleton Town 42 11 8 23 65 101 36 41
19 Harrogate Town 42 8 14 20 57 80 23 38
20 Great Harwood Town 42 8 12 22 41 88 47 36
21 Workington (R) 42 8 7 27 38 84 46 31 Relegation to NWCFL Division One
22 Buxton (R) 42 7 3 32 41 87 46 24 Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division

Updated to games played on 22 February 2011.
Source: .
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home \ Away[1] ASH BLP BPABUXCNGDROEASFARFLXGHTGRTHARKENLINMATSTOTRAWTBWHIWTNWRKWKS
Ashton United 34 01 10 32 42 10 31 21 30 11 30 41 20 51 33 31 20 14 31 10 21
Belper Town 07 01 21 40 03 13 23 40 12 43 21 10 13 11 21 31 01 11 32 50 04
Bradford Park Avenue 00 00 41 10 10 01 52 10 12 40 31 31 11 12 23 01 11 30 12 33 23
Buxton 14 02 01 41 01 20 13 22 12 13 20 10 13 13 11 02 12 23 13 23 01
Congleton Town 03 04 21 31 22 10 13 13 11 10 24 20 33 31 22 14 12 21 33 13 01
Droylsden 21 20 22 10 31 02 30 12 20 41 20 00 23 21 21 31 23 10 04 30 10
Eastwood Town 10 01 11 20 50 22 33 11 11 31 10 44 03 00 31 21 00 23 11 20 22
Farsley Celtic 21 52 11 21 11 01 22 10 61 32 33 10 21 11 02 52 12 20 02 21 11
Flixton 22 11 13 12 02 01 11 10 10 20 03 00 00 10 04 01 14 01 31 60 11
Great Harwood Town 01 31 02 00 25 33 15 11 11 01 11 00 12 31 22 22 07 11 12 03 23
Gretna 11 43 10 40 40 32 02 23 11 12 22 00 21 00 21 01 12 01 11 10 23
Harrogate Town 11 20 24 20 03 00 02 01 13 12 11 24 23 22 21 41 11 22 00 11 02
Kendal Town 13 02 11 21 32 01 13 12 51 40 03 14 03 11 03 21 01 43 31 10 26
Lincoln United 02 10 00 01 33 12 30 20 41 11 21 21 22 43 30 12 25 30 10 11 10
Matlock Town 14 03 20 30 30 23 10 40 11 12 11 60 23 23 10 21 33 11 41 30 13
Stocksbridge Park Steels 14 20 01 21 21 12 03 22 11 41 30 42 01 51 22 21 14 22 30 00 10
Trafford 21 11 11 40 13 20 10 01 31 10 10 24 41 11 01 12 13 01 01 21 12
Whitby Town 11 22 52 43 21 10 20 21 61 30 20 10 11 35 10 30 21 32 41 23 23
Whitley Bay 11 02 10 31 44 12 02 12 12 20 20 11 22 22 10 50 00 13 03 30 13
Witton Albion 11 20 12 40 53 22 51 11 41 50 02 40 02 30 01 10 20 11 00 21 12
Workington 03 02 01 02 40 01 14 12 20 10 04 11 00 11 42 01 15 01 12 14 04
Worksop Town 12 00 10 32 51 22 31 20 30 30 32 41 41 30 31 12 11 13 20 20 30

Updated to games played on 2 May 1998.
Source: Northern Premier League First Division results grid
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion and relegation

In the thirtieth season of the Northern Premier League Barrow (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Radcliffe Borough and Alfreton Town were relegated to the First Division; these two clubs were replaced by relegated Conference sides Gateshead and Stalybridge Celtic, First Division winners Whitby Town and second placed Worksop Town. In the First Division Workington and Buxton left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Hucknall Town and Burscough.

Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.

  • Altrincham bt. Gainsborough Trinity

President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.

  • Runcorn bt. Guiseley

Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.

  • Altrincham bt. Barrow

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.