The 2021–22 North West Counties Football League season was the 40th 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 two regional divisions at level 10 or Step 6. The latter were designated 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 as the Edward Case Cup, named after the trophy), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
Premier Division
The following 5 clubs had left the division after the previous season: 1874 Northwich, promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One West Bootle, promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One West Hanley Town, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division Warrington Rylands, promoted to the Northern Premier League Whitchurch Alport, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division
The 2021–22 Premier Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 18 May 2021 and its constitution was adopted at the league's AGM on 12 June. Subsequent to the announcement Congleton Town, who were selected to transfer laterally to the Midland League Premier Division, successfully appealed their allocation and remained in the division. The division comprised 21 teams, 15 of which competed in the previous season's aborted competition plus 6 additions: AFC Liverpool, promoted from the First Division North Lower Breck, promoted from the First Division North Macclesfield, a newly formed phoenix club Prestwich Heys, promoted from the First Division North Vauxhall Motors, promoted from the First Division South Wythenshawe Town, promoted from the First Division South
The inclusion of Macclesfield had a significant effect on attendances in the division: the average per match across the division was a league record 341 (greater than the previous high of 333 from the 2005–06 Division Two). Macclesfield recorded a record Premier Division average home attendance of 3,390 and at their home match versus AFC Liverpool on 2 April 2022 a single match Premier Division (formerly Division One) attendance record of 4,720 was recorded (the previous highest was 3,847 at F.C. United of Manchester v Formby on 28 April 2007).
At the end of the season 2 clubs were promoted from the division to the Northern Premier League Division One West: league newcomers Macclesfield as champions; and Skelmersdale United via an inter-step promotion/relegation play-off in which they defeated Cinderford Town of the Step 4 Southern League Division One South.
Only one club, Runcorn Town were relegated to the First Division North: second to bottom Litherland REMYCA were one of twelve (from 16) Step 5 clubs ranked on a PPG basis who were reprieved from relegation.
League table
Results Table
Inter-step promotion/relegation play-offs For this season six runners-up from Step 5 (ranked on a points per game basis (PPG)) who had not qualified for automatic promotion played an inter-step promotion/relegation match against a third-from-bottom club from Step 4 (from those ranked with the fewest PPG), with the winners to play next season at Step 4 and the losers to play at Step 5. In their match Skelmersdale United defeated Cinderford Town of the Southern League Division One South 5–1 and won promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One West – Cinderford Town were subsequently reprieved from relegation.
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium AFC Liverpool Crosby Rossett Park Ashton Athletic Ashton-in-Makerfield Brockstedes Park Avro Oldham Whitebank Stadium Barnoldswick Town Barnoldswick Greenberfield Lane Burscough Burscough Victoria Park Charnock Richard Charnock Richard Mossie Park Congleton Town Congleton Ivy Gardens Irlam Irlam Silver Street Litherland REMYCA Litherland Litherland Sports Park Longridge Town Longridge Mike Riding Ground Lower Breck Liverpool Anfield Sports and Community Centre Macclesfield Macclesfield Moss Rose Northwich Victoria Wincham Wincham Park Padiham Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground Prestwich Heys Prestwich Adie Moran Park Runcorn Town Runcorn Pavilions Sports Complex Skelmersdale United Skelmersdale Valerie Park Squires Gate Squires Gate School Road Vauxhall Motors Ellesmere Port Rivacre Park Winsford United Winsford St Luke's Barton Stadium Wythenshawe Town Wythenshawe Ericstan Stadium
First Division North
The following 4 clubs had left the division following the previous season:
Three were promoted to the Premier Division: AFC Liverpool Lower Breck Prestwich Heys and additionally FC Isle of Man were transferred for logistical reasons to the First Division South following a successful appeal against their original divisional allocation.
The 2021–22 First Division North club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 18 May 2021 and its constitution was adopted at league's AGM on 12 June. The division comprised 19 teams, 16 of which competed in the previous season's aborted competition plus 3 additions all allocated into the division by the FA Leagues Committee: Campion, transferred from the Northern Counties East League Division One Ilkley Town, promoted from the West Yorkshire League South Liverpool, promoted from the West Cheshire League
Bury AFC, who suffered only one defeat over the season, equalled the league record with two clubs for the fewest defeats in a full season (both dating back to the 1980s: Radcliffe Borough in Division Two in 1982–83 and Vauxhall GM also in Division Two in 1988–89). Their average home attendance was 1,327 and with better than average attendances at their away matches they were responsible for the increase of average attendance at First Division North league matches to 225 (from 88 in the previous uninterrupted season of 2018–19).
At the end of the season Bury AFC were automatically promoted as champions to the Premier Division. Third-placed Golcar United who won the divisional promotion play-offs for promotion to Step 5 were transferred by the FA Leagues Committee to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. Only one club were relegated: St Helens Town, a founding member club of the league who had played continuously in the league for 40 seasons, were relegated to the Liverpool County League. Both AFC Darwen and Atherton Laburnum Rovers were reprieved from relegation (as were all third-from-bottom and the best PPG rated 15 second-from-bottom Step 6 clubs respectively). Also leaving the division were Campion who were transferred laterally after one season back to the Northern Counties East League Division One.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2021–22 First Division North promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Golcar United who had been third-placed in the division.
Source= Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium AFC Blackpool Blackpool The Mechanics AFC Darwen Darwen The Anchor Ground Ashton Town Ashton-in-Makerfield Edge Green Street Atherton Laburnum Rovers Atherton Crilly Park Bacup Borough Bacup West View Bury AFC Radcliffe Stainton Park (groundshare with Radcliffe) Campion Bradford Scotchman Road Chadderton Chadderton MCA Stadium Cleator Moor Celtic Cleator Moor McGrath Park Daisy Hill Westhoughton New Sirs Garstang Garstang The Riverside Golcar United Golcar Longfield Avenue Holker Old Boys Barrow-in-Furness Rakesmoor Lane Ilkley Town Ilkley MPM Lane Nelson Nelson Victoria Park Pilkington St Helens Ruskin Drive Sportsground South Liverpool Liverpool Jericho Lane St Helens Town St Helens Ruskin Drive Sportsground Steeton Steeton Marley Stadium
First Division South
The following three clubs had left the division following the previous season: Stone Old Alleynians, promoted to the Midland League Premier Division Vauxhall Motors, promoted to the Premier Division Wythenshawe Town, promoted to the Premier Division
The 2021–22 First Division South club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 18 May 2021; shortly thereafter Wem Town who were included in the allocation withdrew. The division constitution was adopted on 12 June at the league's AGM and comprised 20 clubs, 16 of which were in the division the previous season plus 4 additions:
Three were allocated into the division by the FA Leagues Committee, all transferred from the Midland League Division One: Brocton Rocester Stafford Town and additionally FC Isle of Man, who returned from a suspension agreed for the previous season, transferred for logistical reasons following a successful appeal against their original allocation to the First Division North.
Over the course of this season FC Isle of Man's average home attendance of 1,612 was responsible for the increase of average attendance for the First Division South league matches to 213 (from 79 in the previous uninterrupted season of 2018–19).
At the end of the season West Didsbury & Chorlton were promoted as champions to the Premier Division. FC Isle of Man playing their first season in the league were also promoted, as divisional promotion play-off winners (they had finished as runners-up of the division). Only one club, St Martins, was relegated (to the Shropshire County League Premier Division); both Alsager Town and Rocester were reprieved from relegation (as were all third-from-bottom and the best PPG rated 15 second-from-bottom Step 6 clubs respectively).
Bottom club St Martins created many unfavourable league records: the first club to record no wins over a full season; the club with the fewest points from matches played (before points deductions), 2 points from 2 drawn matches; the highest proportion of losses to matches played (94.7%); the highest average goals conceded per match (6.4 per match, previously the highest was 4.1 by Blackpool Mechanics from the 1997–98 Division Two); the highest number of goals conceded (244 – exceeding the previous highest of 171 by Barnton from the 2017–18 Premier Division), St Martins scored 21 goals and therefore recorded the highest negative goal difference (−223, previously −135 by Stone Dominoes from the 2012–13 Premier Division); and were involved in setting a new league match single team and match aggregate goal record of 18 on 12 March 2022 when they were defeated 18–0 at West Didsbury & Chorlton.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2021–22 First Division South promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth in the league table, were won by FC Isle of Man who had been runners-up of the division.
Source=
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Abbey Hey Gorton The Abbey Stadium Abbey Hulton United Abbey Hulton Birches Head Road Alsager Town Alsager Wood Park Stadium Barnton Barnton Townfield Brocton Brocton Silkmore Lane Cammell Laird 1907 Birkenhead Kirklands Cheadle Heath Nomads Stockport The Heath Cheadle Town Cheadle Park Road Stadium Eccleshall Eccleshall Pershall Park Ellesmere Rangers Ellesmere Beech Grove FC Isle of Man Douglas The Bowl Maine Road Chorlton-cum-Hardy Brantingham Road New Mills New Mills Church Lane Rocester Rocester Hillsfield Sandbach United Sandbach Sandbach Community Football Centre St Martins Oswestry Park Hall Stafford Town Stafford Evans Park Stockport Town Stockport Stockport Sports Village West Didsbury & Chorlton Chorlton-cum-Hardy Brookburn Road Wythenshawe Amateurs Wythenshawe Hollyhedge Park