The 2021–22 season was the 54th season of the Northern Premier League. The league consists of four divisions, the Premier Division at Step 3 of the National League System, and the West, East and Midlands divisions at Step 4. The NPL continued this season with main sponsors Entain's Pitching In.
As the previous season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all results finalised, the Trident Leagues along with The Football Association decided to make the realignment to leagues at Steps 4, 5 and 6.
Premier Division
The Premier Division comprised the same set of 22 teams which competed in the aborted competition the previous season.
League table
Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jacob HazelWhitby Town262 Diego De GirolamoBuxton203 Andrew JohnsonMorpeth Town18 Callum SaundersWitton Albion5 Jordan BuckleyWarrington Town17 Jamie WardBuxton7 Bobby GrantRadcliffe168 Paul DawsonBamber BridgeLancaster City (6)14 Regan LinneyF.C. United of Manchester10 Joshua AmisWarrington Town12 Liam HendersonMorpeth Town JJ HooperSouth Shields Luca NavarroRadcliffeStafford Rangers (3)
Results table
Play-offs
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
ClubLocationGroundCapacity Ashton United Ashton-under-Lyne Hurst Cross 4,500 Atherton Collieries Atherton Alder Street 2,500 Bamber Bridge Bamber Bridge Irongate 2,264 Basford United Nottingham (Basford) Greenwich Avenue 2,200 Buxton Buxton The Silverlands 5,200 FC United of Manchester Manchester (Moston) Broadhurst Park 4,400 Gainsborough Trinity Gainsborough The Northolme 4,304 Grantham Town Grantham South Kesteven Sports Stadium 7,500 Hyde United Hyde Ewen Fields 4,250 Lancaster City Lancaster Giant Axe 3,500 Matlock Town Matlock Causeway Lane 2,214 Mickleover Derby (Mickleover) Station Road 1,500 Morpeth Town Morpeth Craik Park 1,500 Nantwich Town Nantwich The Weaver Stadium 3,500 Radcliffe Radcliffe Stainton Park 3,500 Scarborough Athletic Scarborough Flamingo Land Stadium 2,833 South Shields South Shields Mariners Park 3,500 Stafford Rangers Stafford Marston Road 4,000 Stalybridge Celtic Stalybridge Bower Fold 6,500 Warrington Town Warrington Cantilever Park3,500 Whitby Town Whitby Turnbull Ground 3,500 Witton Albion Northwich Wincham Park 4,813
Division One East
When the divisions were realigned this became Division One East instead of Division One South East from the previous season. Division One East comprised 19 teams, with a vacancy left due to the withdrawal of Droylsden in the previous campaign.
Team changes The following six clubs were promoted from Step 5 divisions: Bridlington Town – promoted from Northern Counties East League Premier Division Hebburn Town – promoted from Northern League Division One Liversedge – promoted from Northern Counties East League Premier Division Shildon – promoted from Northern League Division One Stockton Town – promoted from Northern League Division One Yorkshire Amateur – promoted from Northern Counties East League Premier Division
The following seven clubs transferred from the Division One North West: Dunston Marske United Tadcaster Albion Pickering Town Brighouse Town Pontefract Collieries Ossett United
League table
Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Adam BoyesMarske United282 Laurence SorhaindoBrighouse Town233 Matthew CottonLincoln United214 Benjamin AtkinsonLiversedge18 Luke ManghamStocksbridge Park Steels Michael RobertsStockton Town Nicholas WalkerLiversedge8 Kevin HayesStockton Town16 Dean ThextonShildon9 Marc NewshamSheffield16 Brody RobertsonCleethorpes Town
Results table
Play-offs
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bridlington Town Bridlington Queensgate 3,000 Brighouse Town Brighouse St Giles Road 1,000 Cleethorpes Town Grimsby Bradley Football Centre 1,000 Dunston Dunston Wellington Road 2,500 Frickley Athletic South Elmsall Westfield Lane 2,087 Hebburn Town Hebburn The Green Energy Sports Ground – Lincoln United Lincoln Ashby Avenue 2,200 Liversedge Cleckheaton Clayborn 2,000 Marske United Marske-by-the-Sea Mount Pleasant 2,500 Ossett United Ossett Ingfield 1,950 Pickering Town Pickering Mill Lane 2,000 Pontefract Collieries Pontefract Harratt Nissan Stadium 1,200 Sheffield Dronfield Coach and Horses Ground 2,089 Shildon Shildon Dean Street 4,700 Stocksbridge Park Steels Stocksbridge Bracken Moor 3,500 Stockton Town Stockton Bishopton Road West 1,800 Tadcaster Albion Tadcaster Ings Lane 2,000 Worksop Town Worksop Sandy Lane 2,500 Yorkshire Amateur Leeds Bracken Edge 1,550
Division One Midlands
As part of the realignment, the delayed formation of a third Northern Premier League First Division saw the creation of a new Midlands Division, in which it covers the Birmingham area, Nottinghamshire, western Northamptonshire and northern Cambridgeshire regions. The division consists of 20 sides for its inaugural season.
Team changes The following 2 clubs were promoted from Step 5 divisions: Shepshed Dynamo – promoted from United Counties League Sporting Khalsa – promoted from Midland League
The following 9 clubs transferred from the NPL Division One South East: Belper Town Carlton Town Chasetown Ilkeston Town Loughborough Dynamo Stamford Sutton Coldfield Town Spalding United Wisbech Town
The following 9 clubs also transferred from other Step 4 Trident Alliance divisions: Bedworth United – transferred from Southern League Division Division One Central Cambridge City – transferred from Isthmian League North Division Coleshill Town – transferred from Southern League Division One Central Corby Town – transferred from Southern League Division One Central Daventry Town – transferred from Southern League Division One Central Halesowen Town – transferred from Southern League Division One Central Histon – transferred from Isthmian League North Division Soham Town Rangers – transferred from Isthmian League North Division Yaxley – transferred from Southern League Division One Central
League table
Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jonathon MargettsStamford Belper Town (18)312 Jack LangstonChasetown273 Kai TongeColeshill Town244 Zak GoodsonIlkeston Town215 Richard GregoryHalesowen Town20 Remaye CampbellIlkeston Town7 Joey ButlinChasetown198 Kevin BastosLoughborough Dynamo169 Jack BowenDaventry Town15 Daniel CottonYaxley Jack DuffyStamford Kyle FinnHalesowen Town
Results table
Play-off
Semi-finals
Final
Inter-step play-off
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bedworth United Bedworth The Oval 3,000 Belper Town Belper Christchurch Meadow 2,650 Cambridge City Impington Bridge Road (groundshare with Histon) 4,300 Carlton Town Carlton Bill Stokeld Stadium 1,500 Chasetown Burntwood The Scholars Ground 2,000 Coleshill Town Coleshill Pack Meadow 2,000 Corby Town Corby Steel Park 3,893 Daventry Town Daventry Elderstubbs 1,855 Halesowen Town Halesowen The Grove 3,150 Histon Impington Bridge Road 4,300 Ilkeston Town Ilkeston New Manor Ground 3,029 Loughborough Dynamo Loughborough Nanpantan Sports Ground 1,500 Shepshed Dynamo Shepshed The Dovecote Stadium 2,500 Soham Town Rangers Soham Julius Martin Lane 2,000 Spalding United Spalding Sir Halley Stewart Field 3,500 Sporting Khalsa Willenhall Guardian Warehousing Arena – Stamford Stamford Borderville Sports Centre 2,000 Sutton Coldfield Town Sutton Coldfield Central Ground 2,000 Wisbech Town Wisbech Fenland Stadium 1,118 Yaxley Yaxley Leading Drove 1,000
Division One West
When the divisions were realigned this became Division One West instead of Division One North West from the previous season. Division One West comprised 20 teams.
Team changes The following 3 clubs were promoted from the North West Counties League: 1874 Northwich Bootle Warrington Rylands 1906
The following 5 clubs transferred from Division One South East: Leek Town Newcastle Town Kidsgrove Athletic Glossop North End Market Drayton Town
League table
Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Ryan BrookeRuncorn Linnets252 Ben HodkinsonBootle203 Kane DrummondWarrington Rylands19 Daniel Trickett-SmithLeek Town5 Jamie RainfordGlossop North End Ramsbottom United (4)186 Max CaneClitheroe167 Timothy GriceLeek Town15 Jack McGowanBootle9 Sefton GonzalesClitheroe14 Jack HazlehurstCity of Liverpool David SymingtonWorkington
Results table
Play-offs
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity 1874 Northwich Barnton The Offside Trust Stadium (groundshare with Barnton) 3,000 Bootle Bootle New Bucks Park 3,750 City of Liverpool Ellesmere Port Rivacre Park (groundshare with Vauxhall Motors) 3,300 Clitheroe Clitheroe Shawbridge 2,000 Colne Colne Holt House 1,800 Glossop North End Glossop The Amdec Forklift Stadium 1,301 Kendal Town Kendal Parkside Road 2,400 Kidsgrove Athletic Kidsgrove The Autonet Insurance Stadium 2,000 Leek Town Leek Harrison Park 3,600 Marine Crosby Rossett Park 3,185 Market Drayton Town Market Drayton Greenfields Sports Ground 1,000 Mossley Mossley Seel Park 4,000 Newcastle Town Newcastle-under-Lyme Lyme Valley Stadium 4,000 Prescot Cables Prescot IP Truck Parts Stadium 3,200 Ramsbottom United Ramsbottom The Harry Williams Riverside 2,000 Runcorn Linnets Runcorn APEC Taxis Stadium 1,600 Trafford Flixton Shawe lane 2,500 Warrington Rylands 1906 Warrington Gorsey Lane 1,345 Widnes Widnes Halton Stadium 13,350 Workington Workington Borough Park 3,101
Relegation reprieves Step 3 Seven clubs at Step 3, all four fourth-from-bottom teams and those placed third-from-bottom that are the top three on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from relegation. The remaining team was relegated to Step 4.
The final points-per-game ranking of the third-from-bottom placed teams in Step 3 divisions was as follows: PosTeamLeaguePldPtsPPGQualification5Basford UnitedNorthern Premier League Premier Division42451.071Retention at Step 36BarwellSouthern League Premier Division Central40411.0257Kings LangleySouthern League Premier Division South42370.8818LeatherheadIsthmian League Premier Division42360.857Relegation to Step 4 Source:
Step 4 Ten of the 16 clubs at Step 4, all eight fourth-from-bottom teams and two sides placed third-from-bottom, one at the top and the other in third place on a points per game (PPG) basis, were reprieved from contesting relegation play-offs. The FA granted third-placed Sheffield a reprieve after Yorkshire Amateur's demotion. The remaining six teams contested one-off matches with six runners-up from Step 5 that had the fewest PPG at the end of the 2021–22 season. Three winners of their matches stayed at Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while three others lost theirs and were relegated to Step 5.
The final points-per-game ranking of the 3rd-from-bottom-placed teams in Step 4 divisions was also as follows: PosTeamLeaguePldPtsPPGQualification9Prescot CablesNorthern Premier League Division One West38391.026Retention at Step 410LancingIsthmian League South East Division38360.947Relegation match with a Step 5 team11SheffieldNorthern Premier League Division One East36330.917Retention at Step 412Witham TownIsthmian League North Division38330.863Relegation match with a Step 5 team13Cinderford TownSouthern League Division One South36310.86114Kempston RoversSouthern League Division One Central38290.76315HistonNorthern Premier League Division One Midlands38240.63216Chalfont St PeterIsthmian League South Central Division36210.583 Source:
Challenge Cup For the second successive season, it was announced to member clubs that the League Challenge Cup was cancelled due to any further fixture disruptions that might have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also Northern Premier League 2021–22 Isthmian League 2021–22 Southern League
Notes
References
External links Official website