The 1972–73 Northern Premier League was the fifth 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 12 August 1972 and concluded on 4 May 1973.
Overview The League featured twenty-four teams for the second consecutive season.
Team changes The following two clubs left the League at the end of the previous season: Chorley resigned, demoted to Cheshire County League Kirkby Town relegated to Lancashire Combination
The following two clubs joined the League at the start of the season: Mossley promoted from Cheshire County League Barrow not re-elected to Football League Fourth Division
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Club Stadium Altrincham Moss Lane Bangor City Farrar Road Barrow Holker Street Boston United York Street Bradford Park Avenue Park Avenue Ellesmere Port Town Ellesmere Port Fleetwood Highbury Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme Goole Town Victoria Pleasure Ground Great Harwood The Showground Lancaster City Great Axe Macclesfield Town Moss Rose Matlock Town Causeway Lane Morecambe Christie Park Mossley Seel Park Netherfield Parkside Northwich Victoria Drill Field Runcorn Canal Street Scarborough Athletic Ground Skelmersdale United White Moss Park 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 1st Leg Northwich Victoria ?–? Wigan Athletic 2nd Leg Wigan Athletic ?–? Northwich Victoria Aggregate Northwich Victoria 3–2 Wigan Athletic
Northern Premier League Shield
Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup. Home team Score Away team Boston United beat Northwich Victoria
FA Cup
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached the second round:
Second Round Home team Score Away team Bangor City 2–3 York City Notts County 2–1 Lancaster City Scarborough 1–2 Doncaster Rovers
FA Trophy
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, five teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round Home team Score Away team Bangor City 2–3 Ashford Town (Kent) Morecambe 1–1 Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic 0–0 Morecambe Replay Wigan Athletic 1–0 Morecambe 2nd Replay Scarborough 2–0 Chelmsford City Stafford Rangers 4–1 Bedford Town
Semi-finals Home team Score Away team Ashford Town (Kent) 0–1 Scarborough Wigan Athletic 0–0 Stafford Rangers Wigan Athletic 1–0 Stafford Rangers Replay
Final Home team Score Away team Scarborough 2–1 Wigan Athletic
End of the season At the end of the fifth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Ellesmere Port Town resigned the league.
Football League elections Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of ten non-League teams applied for election, two of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
ClubLeagueVotesColchester UnitedFootball League48Northampton TownFootball League43Crewe AlexandraFootball League36DarlingtonFootball League26Yeovil TownSouthern League14Kettering TownSouthern League12Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League10Chelmsford CitySouthern League4Cambridge CitySouthern League1Nuneaton BoroughSouthern League1Telford UnitedSouthern League1Bedford TownSouthern League0Boston UnitedNorthern Premier League0WimbledonSouthern League0
Promotion and relegation The following club left the League at the end of the season: Ellesmere Port Town resigned, demoted to Lancashire Combination
The following club joined the League the following season: Buxton promoted from Cheshire County League
References
External links Northern Premier League official website Northern Premier League tables at RSSSF Football Club History Database