The 1970–71 Northern Premier League was the third season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 15 August 1970 and concluded on 8 May 1971.
Overview The League was expanded this season, for the first time, from twenty teams to twenty-two teams.
Team changes The following two clubs left the League at the end of the previous season: Hyde United resigned, demoted to Cheshire County League Gateshead relegated to Wearside Football League
The following four clubs joined the League at the start of the season: Bradford Park Avenue relegated from Football League Fourth Division. Chorley promoted from Lancashire Combination (returning after a year's absence) Kirkby Town promoted from Lancashire Combination Lancaster City promoted from Lancashire Combination
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Altrincham Moss Lane Bangor City Farrar Road Boston United York Street Bradford Park Avenue Park Avenue Chorley Victory Park Fleetwood Highbury Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme Goole Town Victoria Pleasure Ground Great Harwood The Showground Kirkby Town Simonswood Lane Lancaster City Great Axe Macclesfield Town Moss Rose Matlock Town Causeway Lane Morecambe Christie Park Netherfield Parkside Northwich Victoria Drill Field Runcorn Canal Street Scarborough Athletic Ground South Liverpool Holly Park South Shields Simonside Hall Stafford Rangers Marston Road Wigan Athletic Springfield Park
Cup results Challenge Cup
Stage Home team Score Away team Venue Notes 1st Leg Fleetwood Town 2-2 Macclesfield Town Highbury scorers for Fleetwood Armstrong and Morley 2nd Leg Macclesfield Town 0-0 Fleetwood Town Moss Rose Replay Fleetwood Town 1–0 Macclesfield Town Springfield Park (Wigan Athletic) scorer Tony Hallam assist Derek Armstrong
FA Cup
Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only Wigan Athletic reached for the second round:
Second Round Home team Score Away team Wigan Athletic 2–1 Peterborough United
Third Round Home team Score Away team Manchester City 1–0 Wigan Athletic
FA Trophy
Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only Macclesfield Town reached for the fourth round:
Fourth Round Home team Score Away team Hereford United 2–0 Macclesfield Town
End of the season At the end of the third season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward, for election, received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Conversely, none of the sides were relegated.
Football League elections Alongside the four Football League clubs facing re-election, a total of twelve non-League clubs applied for election, three of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
ClubLeagueVotesLincoln CityFootball League47BarrowFootball League38HartlepoolFootball League33Newport CountyFootball League33Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League14Cambridge CitySouthern League2Telford UnitedSouthern League2Yeovil TownSouthern League2Boston UnitedNorthern Premier League1RomfordSouthern League1Bradford Park AvenueNorthern Premier League1GatesheadWearside League1Bedford TownSouthern League0Chelmsford CitySouthern League0Hillingdon BoroughSouthern League0Kettering TownSouthern League0
Promotion and relegation The League expanding from twenty-two clubs to twenty-four clubs for the following season.
The following two clubs joined the League the following season: Skelmersdale United promoted from Cheshire County League Ellesmere Port Town promoted from Cheshire County League.
References
External links Northern Premier League official website Northern Premier League tables at RSSSF Football Club History Database