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 edit

Northern Premier League Premier Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsBarrow
PromotedBarrow
RelegatedAlfreton Town
Radcliffe Borough
Matches played462
Goals scored1,270 (2.75 per match)

The Premier League featured three new teams:

League table edit

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Barrow (C, P)4225896129+3283Promotion to Football Conference
2Boston United42221285540+1578Transferred to the Southern League Premier Division
3Leigh RMI42211386341+2276
4Runcorn42229118050+3075
5Gainsborough Trinity42229116039+2175
6Emley42228128161+2074
7Winsford United421912115443+1169
8Altrincham421811137644+3265
9Guiseley421616106153+864
10Bishop Auckland421712137860+1863
11Marine421511165659−356
12Hyde United421316136055+555
13Colwyn Bay42159185357−454
14Spennymoor United421411175872−1452[a]
15Chorley42147215170−1949
16Frickley Athletic421212184562−1748
17Lancaster City42138215574−1947
18Blyth Spartans421213175263−1139[b]
19Bamber Bridge42912215174−2339
20Accrington Stanley42814204968−1938
21Radcliffe Borough (R)42612243970−3130Relegation to NPL Division One
22Alfreton Town (R)42313263286−5422
Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 1998. Source: [1].
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Spennymoor United were docked 1 point.
  2. ^ Blyth Spartans were docked 10 points.

Results edit

Home \ AwayACCALFALTBAMBRWBISBLYBOSCHOCOLEMLFRKGAIGUIHYDLNCLEIMARRADRUNSPUWNS
Accrington Stanley1–11–11–10–11–12–01–10–31–24–23–00–22–31–11–11–31–12–20–33–02–1
Alfreton Town0–10–31–20–32–60–31–21–11–11–12–12–31–10–11–13–20–00–21–32–30–1
Altrincham1–05–05–02–21–13–01–23–03–07–12–10–02–01–31–02–23–13–02–14–00–1
Bamber Bridge2–14–10–32–22–11–42–24–00–22–33–00–21–21–10–11–11–21–01–32–22–3
Barrow2–02–00–02–03–13–11–01–01–11–02–12–00–12–21–00–10–13–01–01–21–2
Bishop Auckland2–21–15–21–10–21–10–25–20–24–34–11–31–12–13–13–22–43–01–21–16–0
Blyth Spartans2–24–23–31–12–11–40–12–13–10–22–30–01–11–10–10–11–01–00–42–30–1
Boston United1–32–01–01–10–21–02–21–11–03–23–01–02–11–12–01–01–12–20–31–32–1
Chorley1–12–01–02–10–21–01–30–22–01–20–01–11–01–52–30–10–31–14–24–12–0
Colwyn Bay2–13–00–03–11–10–12–00–33–31–31–11–10–13–15–22–34–12–12–12–00–3
Emley5–32–02–10–03–01–21–10–03–11–01–01–03–32–15–32–22–02–06–23–00–2
Frickley Athletic2–12–12–11–00–12–30–01–02–01–32–11–10–12–12–10–01–11–01–32–33–0
Gainsborough Trinity0–04–02–13–20–31–00–00–12–11–02–13–10–13–12–13–02–03–01–00–10–2
Guiseley1–01–22–21–11–13–31–31–12–13–10–24–01–31–12–12–12–24–12–21–10–2
Hyde United1–14–10–11–10–31–21–00–20–22–01–01–14–11–14–13–31–10–10–23–24–3
Lancaster City3–21–12–21–00–21–03–13–14–10–12–22–20–13–20–10–13–20–13–03–21–1
Leigh RMI1–01–02–24–00–11–31–10–12–03–02–11–11–00–02–12–01–00–02–24–22–0
Marine3–12–01–03–11–00–01–21–21–21–03–51–12–20–10–22–01–11–23–20–40–0
Radcliffe Borough1–21–10–13–01–21–21–21–11–21–11–21–11–30–20–06–20–10–30–00–20–2
Runcorn3–03–11–04–20–12–11–13–02–30–01–02–12–01–10–13–02–23–06–32–02–2
Spennymoor United2–01–12–10–33–21–12–11–22–02–12–20–01–41–22–21–10–31–21–10–11–1
Winsford United3–00–02–10–10–00–03–00–01–02–00–12–11–12–11–13–00–12–42–21–11–0
Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 1998. Source: Northern Premier Division results grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Division One edit

Northern Premier League Division One
Season1997–98
ChampionsWhitby Town
PromotedWhitby Town
Worksop Town
RelegatedBuxton
Workington
Matches played462
Goals scored1,433 (3.1 per match)

Division One featured five new teams:

League table edit

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Whitby Town (C, P)4230849948+5198Promotion to Premier Division
2Worksop Town (P)4228779344+4991
3Ashton United4226979343+5087
4Droylsden42248107049+2180
5Lincoln United422011117662+1471
6Farsley Celtic422010127266+670
7Witton Albion42199147755+2266
8Eastwood Town421812126851+1766
9Bradford Park Avenue421811136246+1665
10Belper Town42187176866+261
11Stocksbridge Park Steels42179166863+560
12Trafford42166205961−254
13Whitley Bay421412166063−354
14Matlock Town421411176854+1453
15Gretna42139205864−648
16Netherfield[a]421211195575−2047
17Flixton421012204573−2842
18Congleton Town421182365101−3641
19Harrogate Town42814205780−2338
20Great Harwood Town42812224188−4736
21Workington (R)4287273884−4631Relegation to NWCFL Division One
22Buxton (R)4273324187−4624Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division
Updated to match(es) played on 22 February 2011. Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ From the next season Netherfield were renamed as Netherfield Kendal.

Results edit

Home \ AwayASHBLPBPABUXCNGDROEASFARFLXGHTGRTHARKENLINMATSTOTRAWTBWHIWTNWRKWKS
Ashton United3–40–11–03–24–21–03–12–13–01–13–04–12–05–13–33–12–01–43–11–02–1
Belper Town0–70–12–14–00–31–32–34–01–24–32–11–01–31–12–13–10–11–13–25–00–4
Bradford Park Avenue0–00–04–11–01–00–15–21–01–24–03–13–11–11–22–30–11–13–01–23–32–3
Buxton1–40–20–14–10–12–01–32–21–21–32–01–01–31–31–10–21–22–31–32–30–1
Congleton Town0–30–42–13–12–21–01–31–31–11–02–42–03–33–12–21–41–22–13–31–30–1
Droylsden2–12–02–21–03–10–23–01–22–04–12–00–02–32–12–13–12–31–00–43–01–0
Eastwood Town1–00–11–12–05–02–23–31–11–13–11–04–40–30–03–12–10–02–31–12–02–2
Farsley Celtic2–15–21–12–11–10–12–21–06–13–23–31–02–11–10–25–21–22–00–22–11–1
Flixton2–21–11–31–20–20–11–11–01–02–00–30–00–01–00–40–11–40–13–16–01–1
Great Harwood Town0–13–10–20–02–53–31–51–11–10–11–10–01–23–12–22–20–71–11–20–32–3
Gretna1–14–31–04–04–03–20–22–31–11–22–20–02–10–02–10–11–20–11–11–02–3
Harrogate Town1–12–02–42–00–30–00–20–11–31–21–12–42–32–22–14–11–12–20–01–10–2
Kendal Town1–30–21–12–13–20–11–31–25–14–00–31–40–31–10–32–10–14–33–11–02–6
Lincoln United0–21–00–00–13–31–23–02–04–11–12–12–12–24–33–01–22–53–01–01–11–0
Matlock Town1–40–32–03–03–02–31–04–01–11–21–16–02–32–31–02–13–31–14–13–01–3
Stocksbridge Park Steels1–42–00–12–12–11–20–32–21–14–13–04–20–15–12–22–11–42–23–00–01–0
Trafford2–11–11–14–01–32–01–00–13–11–01–02–44–11–10–11–21–30–10–12–11–2
Whitby Town1–12–25–24–32–11–02–02–16–13–02–01–01–13–51–03–02–13–24–12–32–3
Whitley Bay1–10–21–03–14–41–20–21–21–22–02–01–12–22–21–05–00–01–30–33–01–3
Witton Albion1–12–01–24–05–32–25–11–14–15–00–24–00–23–00–11–02–01–10–02–11–2
Workington0–30–20–10–24–00–11–41–22–01–00–41–10–01–14–20–11–50–11–21–40–4
Worksop Town1–20–01–03–25–12–23–12–03–03–03–24–14–13–03–11–21–11–32–02–03–0
Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 1998. Source: Northern Premier League First Division results grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion and relegation edit

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 edit

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 edit

External links edit