The 2014–15 North West Counties Football League season was the 33rd in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised two divisions, the Premier Division and the First Division (at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system, Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System respectively). Additionally there were two cup competitions: the League Challenge Cup (known as the Men United Cup for sponsorship reasons) knockout competition open to all the league's clubs; and the First Division Trophy (known as the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
This season in addition to the clubs finishing in the first two places in the table being promoted from the First Division to the Premier Division a third promotion place was instigated with the winner of a play-off between the clubs finishing third to sixth in the table also to be promoted (and a third club to be relegated in the opposite direction).
Premier Division
At the commencement of the season the Premier Division featured 22 teams, 20 remaining from the previous season plus 2 additions (both promoted from the First Division:
Nelson, promoted as champions 1874 Northwich promoted from third place
During the season in March 2015 the number of clubs in the division was reduced to 21 when Stockport Sports were expelled from the league and their playing record expunged (P:27, W:3, D:5, L:19, GF:34, GA 98).
As in the previous season clubs wishing to be promoted from the Premier Division had to meet the National League System promotion criteria; five clubs applied for promotion: 1874 Northwich; A.F.C. Liverpool; Colne; Glossop North End; Runcorn Linnets.
At the end of the season the champions Glossop North End (who achieved a league and cup double) were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North. The clubs finishing in the bottom two places in the table (excluding the now expelled Stockport Sports), St Helens Town and Bacup & Rossendale Borough were relegated to the First Division. For league founder member club St Helens Town it was the last of 33 continuous seasons that they had been ever-present members of the league's top division.
League table
Results
Stadia and Locations
Team Stadium Capacity A.F.C. Liverpool Arriva Stadium, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) 3,185 1874 Northwich Barton Stadium (groundshare with Winsford United) 3,000 Bacup & Rossendale Borough West View 3,000 Winsford United Barton Stadium 3,000 Bootle Delta Taxis Stadium 2,500 Stockport Sports The Neil Rourke Memorial Stadium 2,384 Glossop North End The Arthur Goldthorpe Stadium 2,374 Silsden The Asda Foundation Stadium 2,300 Maine Road Brantingham Road, Chorlton 2,000 Nelson Little Wembley 2,000 Colne XLCR Vehicle Management Stadium 1,800 Runcorn Linnets Millbank Linnets Stadium 1,600 Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex 1,530 A.F.C. Blackpool The Mechanics 1,500 Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium 1,500 Congleton Town Booth Street 1,450 Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton 1,000 Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park 1,000 Squires Gate School Road 1,000 St Helens Town Brockstedes Park (groundshare with Ashton Athletic) 1,000 Barnoldswick Town Silentnight Stadium West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton
First Division
The First Division featured 19 teams, 15 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additions (with those from outside the league allocated by the FA Leagues Committee):
Barnton, promoted from Cheshire Association Football League Division One Litherland REMYCA, promoted from Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division Wigan Robin Park, relegated from the Premier Division Cammell Laird 1907, resigned from Northern Premier League Division One North
From this season a third promotion place to the Premier Division was available with a play-off between the clubs finishing third to sixth in the table.
At the end of the season the champions Atherton Collieries, runners-up Cammell Laird 1907 and promotion play-off winners AFC Darwen (who had finished third in the division) were promoted to the Premier Division. The two clubs who finished in the last two places in the table resigned from the league: league founder member club Oldham Boro (who had joined as Oldham Dew in Division Three) and Wigan Robin Park.
League table
Results
Promotion play-offs The 2014–15 First Division promotion play-offs contested by the clubs finishing 3rd to 6th in the division were won by AFC Darwen, who had finished third in the table.
Source: First Division Play Off Results: 2014/15 Season
Semi-finals
Final
Locations
Team Stadium Capacity Widnes Select Security Stadium 13,350 AFC Darwen The Anchor Ground 4,000 Oldham Boro Seel Park (groundshare with Mossley A.F.C.) 4,000 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park 3,000 Atherton Collieries Alder Street 2,500 Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness 2,500 Ashton Town Edge Green Street 2,000 Cammell Laird 1907 MBS Stadium, Birkenhead 2,000 Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium 2,000 Daisy Hill New Sirs Westhoughton 2,000 Northwich Flixton Villa Valley Road, Flixton (groundshare with Northwich Victoria) 2,000 Chadderton Andrew Street 1,500 Rochdale Town Castleton Sports Centre 1,500 Wigan Robin Park Robin Park Arena 1,200 Eccleshall Pershall Park 1,000 Irlam Silver Street 1,000 Hanley Town Abbey Lane 750 Barnton Townfield Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park
League Challenge Cup The 2014–15 League Challenge Cup (known as the Men United Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's 41 clubs. The final, played at Curzon Ashton F.C., was won 2–0 as part of a league and cup double by Premier Division club Glossop North End who defeated Atherton Collieries of the First Division. Atherton had previously lost in the final of the First Division Trophy competition.
First round All the Premier Division 22 clubs together with Oldham Boro of the First Division received byes to the second round.
(Appended to club names in the results listings below: =Premier Division club; =First Division club) Home team ScoreAway team Ashton Town 6–2Chadderton Atherton Collieries 4–2 Cheadle Town Barnton 0–1Widnes Cammell Laird 1907 4–1Northwich Flixton Villa Daisy Hill 2–1 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Eccleshall 1–3Rochdale Town Holker Old Boys 0–3AFC Darwen Irlam 4–1Litherland REMYCA Wigan Robin Park 2–3Hanley Town
Second round Home team ScoreAway team Abbey Hey 2–0Maine Road A.F.C. Liverpool 3–2Bacup & Rossendale Borough Ashton Athletic 0–3Atherton Collieries Ashton Town 3–3 West Didsbury & Chorlton Barnoldswick Town 2–31874 Northwich Cammell Laird 1907 1–0Runcorn Linnets Congleton Town 1–4Runcorn Town Daisy Hill 2–3Alsager Town Glossop North End 1–1 A.F.C. Blackpool Hanley Town 1–1 Rochdale Town Nelson 1–3Squires Gate Oldham Boro 0–1Bootle Silsden 0–1Colne Stockport Sports x–WAFC Darwen Widnes 4–4 St Helens Town Winsford United 2–1Irlam
Third round Home team ScoreAway team 1874 Northwich 2–3Colne Abbey Hey 2–4Atherton Collieries Alsager Town x–WA.F.C. Liverpool Bootle 2–1 AFC Darwen Glossop North End 8–0Widnes Runcorn Town W–xCammell Laird 1907 Squires Gate 1–1 Winsford United West Didsbury & Chorlton 2–0Rochdale Town
Quarter-finals Home team ScoreAway team A.F.C. Liverpool0–2 Runcorn Town Colne 0–2Atherton Collieries Glossop North End 3–0Squires Gate West Didsbury & Chorlton 0–3Bootle
Semi-finals Home team ScoreAway team Runcorn Town 0–1Atherton Collieries Glossop North End 2–1Bootle
Final Team ScoreTeam Played at Curzon Ashton F.C., Tameside StadiumAtherton Collieries 0–2Glossop North End source:
First Division Trophy The 2014–15 First Division Trophy (known as the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition for the 19 First Division clubs only. The final, held at Bootle F.C., was won 3–1 by AFC Darwen who defeated Atherton Collieries who were thus denied a First Division league and cup double.
For the preliminary and first rounds the clubs were divided into north and south sections.
Preliminary round Six clubs (4 in the North Section and 2 in the South Section) were drawn into preliminary round ties; the remaining 13 clubs received byes to the first round. Home teamScoreAway teamNorth SectionAFC Darwen4–3Wigan Robin ParkAshton Town3–1Chadderton South SectionEccleshall0–3Northwich Flixton Villa
First round Home teamScoreAway teamNorth SectionAtherton Collieries4–2 Atherton Laburnum RoversHolker Old Boys1–2AFC DarwenDaisy Hill0–3Ashton TownOldham Boro3–2Rochdale TownSouth SectionCheadle Town1–1 Hanley TownIrlam 0–1Litherland REMYCANorthwich Flixton Villa4–2Cammell Laird 1907Widnes1–2Barnton
Quarter-finals Home teamScoreAway teamAshton Town1–0Oldham BoroBarnton0–2Atherton CollieriesAFC Darwen4–1Hanley TownNorthwich Flixton Villa0–1Litherland REMYCA
Semi-finals Home teamScoreAway teamAFC Darwen5–4 Ashton TownAtherton Collieries4–0Litherland REMYCA
Final TeamScoreTeamPlayed at Bootle F.C., Delta Taxi StadiumAFC Darwen3–1Atherton Collieries source:
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League