The 2019–20 North West Counties Football League season was the 38th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised three divisions, the Premier Division (at level 9 of the English football league system, Step 5 National League System) and for the second season two regional divisions at level 10 or Step 6: the First Division North and First Division South with the champions of each Division competing in a single match for the First Division Champions Cup. Additionally there were two cup competitions: the League Challenge Cup (known as the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons), a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs; and the First Division Trophy (known for sponsorship reasons as the PlayerMatch.com Cup), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
Prior to the season the FA outlined plans to continue restructuring the National League System which would create one new division at Step 4 and two at Step 5. This entailed three teams to be promoted from the Premier Division to Step 4 and four from each of the First Divisions North and South to geographically suitable Step 5 divisions.
As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic the season's competition, with most of the fixtures completed, was suspended after matches played on 14 March and subsequently formally abandoned on 26 March 2020; all results from the season were expunged with no promotion or relegation to take place to, from, or within the league. The decision stood despite sixty-six non-league clubs sending an open letter to the Football Association on 30 March 2020, requesting that they reconsider their decision. The planned changes to the football pyramid were also abandoned and not implemented until the 2021–22 season.
Premier Division
At the end of the previous season 4 clubs had left the division: Abbey Hey, relegated to First Division South City of Liverpool, promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North West Silsden, transferred to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division West Didsbury & Chorlton, relegated to First Division South
The 2019–20 Premier Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 19 May 2019: and its constitution ratified at the league's AGM on 15 June 2019. The division comprised 20 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additions: Avro, promoted as champions from First Division North Longridge Town, promoted as best First Division runner-up (from First Division North) Rylands, promoted as champions from First Division South Skelmersdale United, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West
League table (at abandonment)
Results (up to abandonment)
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium 1874 Northwich Townfield (groundshare with Barnton) Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park Avro Whitebank Stadium, Oldham Barnoldswick Town Greenberfield Lane Bootle New Bucks Park Burscough Victoria Park Charnock Richard Mossie Park Congleton Town Ivy Gardens Hanley Town Abbey Lane Irlam Silver Street Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park Longridge Town Mike Riding Ground Northwich Victoria Wincham Park (groundshare with Witton Albion) Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground Runcorn Town Pavilions Sports Complex Rylands Gorsey Lane Skelmersdale United Valerie Park Squires Gate School Road Whitchurch Alport Yockings Park Winsford United Barton Stadium
First Division North
At the end of the previous season 3 clubs had left the division: Avro, promoted to the Premier Division Carlisle City, transferred to the Northern League Division Two Longridge Town, promoted to the Premier Division
The 2019–20 First Division North club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 19 May 2019: and its constitution only provisionally ratified at the league's AGM on 15 June 2019 as a delayed appeal hearing, by Carlisle City who were objecting to their lateral movement to the Northern League, was outstanding. The appeal was rejected and the previously ratified provisional league constitution adopted. The division comprised 20 clubs, 17 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions: Emley, transferred from the Northern Counties East League Division One Golcar United, promoted from the West Riding Amateur League Pilkington, promoted from the Cheshire League
After the season Emley AFC were transferred back at their request to the Northern Counties East League, having spent one season in this league.
League table (at abandonment)
Results (up to abandonment)
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium AFC Blackpool The Mechanics AFC Darwen The Anchor Ground AFC Liverpool Rossett Park, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) Ashton Town Edge Green Street Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park Bacup Borough West View Chadderton MCA Stadium Cleator Moor Celtic McGrath Park Daisy Hill New Sirs, Westhoughton Emley Welfare Ground Garstang The Riverside Golcar United Longfield Avenue Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane, Barrow-in-Furness Lower Breck Anfield Sports and Community Centre Nelson Victoria Park Pilkington Ruskin Drive Sportsground Prestwich Heys Adie Moran Park Shelley Community Storthes Hall Park St Helens Town Ruskin Drive Sportsground Steeton Cougar Park
First Division South
At the end of the previous season 2 clubs had left the division: Rylands, promoted to the Premier Division Stone Dominoes, relegated to the Staffordshire County Senior League
The 2019–20 First Division South club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 19 May 2019 and the constitution ratified at the league's AGM on 15 June 2019. The division comprised 20 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus 2 additions (both relegated from the Premier Division): Abbey Hey West Didsbury & Chorlton
Prior to the announcement of the allocations for the following season FC Oswestry Town folded and resigned from the league.
League table (at abandonment)
Results (up to abandonment)
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium, Gorton Abbey Hulton United Birches Head Road Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium Barnton Townfield Cammell Laird 1907 Kirklands, Birkenhead Cheadle Heath Nomads The Heath Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium Eccleshall Pershall Park Ellesmere Rangers Beech Grove FC Oswestry Town Park Hall Stadium Maine Road Brantingham Road, Chorlton New Mills Church Lane Sandbach United Sandbach Community Football Centre St Martins The Venue, Oswestry Stockport Town Stockport Sports Village Stone Alleynians Yarnfield Lane Vauxhall Motors Rivacre Park, Ellesmere Port West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road, Chorlton Wythenshawe Amateurs Hollyhedge Park Wythenshawe Town Ericstan Stadium
League Challenge Cup The 2019–20 League Challenge Cup (known as the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's 60 clubs. The twice delayed final (unusually played at the home of one of the participants, Runcorn Town, on 24 July 2021), contested by Premier Division clubs, was won 6–3 by 1874 Northwich who defeated Runcorn Town. It was 1874 Northwich's second successive win and the first occasion that the trophy had been retained.
First round From the 60 clubs in the open draw 28 first round ties featuring 56 clubs were drawn. Four clubs, Alsager Town , Cheadle Town , Longridge Town and Whitchurch Alport received byes to the second round.
(Appended to club names in the results listings below: =Premier Division club; =First Division North club; =First Division South club) Home team ScoreAway team Abbey Hey 2–1 Holker Old Boys Ashton Town 5–1 Golcar United Avro 0–6 Vauxhall Motors Bacup Borough 1–1 Charnock Richard Bootle 3–2 Eccleshall Burscough 0–5 Ashton Athletic Cheadle Heath Nomads 1–5 1874 Northwich Congleton Town 2–3 AFC Darwen Daisy Hill 3–6 AFC Blackpool Ellesmere Rangers 3–2 Cleator Moor Celtic Emley AFC 2–1 Squires Gate Garstang 1–1 Stockport Town Hanley Town 1–2 Abbey Hulton United Lower Breck 2–1 Cammell Laird 1907 Maine Road 3–0 FC Oswestry Town Northwich Victoria 3–1 Barnoldswick Town Padiham 9–1 St Martins Pilkington 1–3 Steeton Prestwich Heys 1–0 Winsford United Runcorn Town 5–0 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Rylands 5–0 Barnton Sandbach United 2–4 AFC Liverpool Shelley 3–2 Wythenshawe Town Skelmersdale United 1–3 Irlam St Helens Town2–1 Nelson Stone Old Alleynians 1–2 Litherland REMYCA West Didsbury & Chorlton 3–1 New Mills Wythenshawe Amateurs 2–1 Chadderton The remaining 4 clubs received byes to the second round
Second round Home team ScoreAway team Abbey Hey 2–1 Bacup Borough Abbey Hulton United 0–2 AFC Liverpool Ashton Athletic 4–2 Ashton Town Emley AFC 1–2 Ellesmere Rangers Garstang 4–2 Steeton Irlam 0–4 1874 Northwich Litherland REMYCA 2–0 Bootle Longridge Town 0–3 Vauxhall Motors Lower Breck2–4 Maine Road Northwich Victoria 0–2 Runcorn Town Prestwich Heys 2–1 AFC Darwen Rylands 4–3 Padiham St Helens Town 0–1 AFC Blackpool West Didsbury & Chorlton 6–1 Alsager Town Whitchurch Alport 2–3 Shelley Wythenshawe Amateurs 3–2 Cheadle Town
Third round Home team ScoreAway team AFC Blackpool 1–2 Ellesmere Rangers Ashton Athletic 6–0 Wythenshawe Amateurs Garstang 0–2 Maine Road Prestwich Heys 0–2 AFC Liverpool Rylands 1–1 1874 Northwich Shelley 3–2 Abbey Hey Vauxhall Motors 1–2 Litherland REMYCA West Didsbury & Chorlton 1–4 Runcorn Town
Quarter-finals Home team ScoreAway team Ashton Athletic 2–2 Runcorn Town Litherland REMYCA 1–5 AFC Liverpool Maine Road 0–4 1874 Northwich Shelley 3–2 Ellesmere Rangers
Semi-finals The semi-finals matches were delayed and played as a single ties in September 2020, at the start of the 2020–21 season. Home team ScoreAway team AFC Liverpool 3–3 Runcorn Town Shelley 1–6 1874 Northwich
Final The delayed final was played prior to the start of the 2021–22 season. Team ScoreTeam Played on 24 July 2021 at Runcorn Town F.C. Runcorn Town 3–6 1874 Northwich
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First Division Trophy The 2019–20 First Division Trophy (known as the PlayerMatch.com Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition for the 40 First Division clubs only. The delayed final, unusually played at the home of one of the participants Sandbach United, was won by Sandbach United who defeated AFC Liverpool 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out after the match had finished 2–2. It was Sandbach United's second successive win and the second occasion that the trophy had been retained (the first had been by their opponents AFC Liverpool in 2010).
First round (Appended to club names in the results listings below: =First Division North club; =First Division South club)
Home teamScoreAway team Abbey Hey 3–2 Bacup Borough Abbey Hulton United 4–1 Ellesmere Rangers AFC Liverpool 3–1 Shelley Cleator Moor Celtic 1–2 Cheadle Town Holker Old Boys 0–3 AFC Blackpool Lower Breck 6–2 Vauxhall Motors New Mills 3–3 Eccleshall Steeton 0–0 FC Oswestry Town The remaining 24 clubs received byes to the second round
Second round Home teamScoreAway team Abbey Hulton United 1–2 Cheadle Heath Nomads Alsager Town 2–5 Cheadle Town Ashton Town 9–2 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Barnton 0–4 Abbey Hey Cammell Laird 1907 0–0 Sandbach United Chadderton 0–1 Pilkington Daisy Hill 5–3 Maine Road Emley AFC 4–0 AFC Blackpool Garstang 2–3 FC Oswestry Town Golcar United 4–4 Wythenshawe Town Lower Breck 6–0 Eccleshall St Helens Town 8–3 AFC Darwen St Martins 0–5 AFC Liverpool Stone Old Alleynians 2–1 Prestwich Heys West Didsbury & Chorlton 4–0 Nelson Wythenshawe Amateurs 3–2 Stockport Town
Third round Home teamScoreAway team AFC Liverpool 2–1 Pilkington Ashton Town 2–2 Abbey Hey Cheadle Town 4–2 Wythenshawe Amateurs Emley AFC 6–1 Daisy Hill FC Oswestry Town W–x Lower Breck Sandbach United 2–1 Stone Old Alleynians St Helens Town 1–2 West Didsbury & Chorlton Wythenshawe Town 4–1 Cheadle Heath Nomads
Quarter-finals