1972–73_Northern_Premier_League
1972–73 Northern Premier League
Football league season
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.[1]
Quick Facts Season, Champions ...
| Season | 1972–73 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Boston United |
| Promoted | None |
| Relegated | Ellesmere Port Town |
| Matches played | 552 |
| Goals scored | 1,503 (2.72 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Stafford Rangers 7–0 Barrow[1] (16 September 1972) |
| Biggest away win | South Shields (2) 1–5 Lancaster City[1] (30 December 1972) Barrow 0–4 Bradford Park Avenue (17 March 1973) |
| Highest scoring | Great Harwood 6–3 Fleetwood[1] (9 October 1972) |
| Longest winning run | 7 matches Boston United (27 September 1972 – 21 October 1972) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 32 matches Boston United (12 August 1972 – 24 February 1973) |
| Longest winless run | 13 matches Lancaster City (27 December 1971 – 25 September 1972) Fleetwood (10 February 1973 – 4 May 1973) |
| Longest losing run | 8 matches Matlock Town (2 September 1972 – 7 October 1972) |
← 1971–72 1973–74 → | |
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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
More information Pos, Team ...
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston United (C) | 46 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 88 | 34 | 2.588 | 70 | |
| 2 | Scarborough | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 72 | 39 | 1.846 | 61 | |
| 3 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 69 | 38 | 1.816 | 60 | |
| 4 | Altrincham | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 75 | 55 | 1.364 | 60 | |
| 5 | Bradford Park Avenue | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 63 | 50 | 1.260 | 55 | |
| 6 | Stafford Rangers | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 63 | 46 | 1.370 | 51 | |
| 7 | Gainsborough Trinity | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 49 | |
| 8 | Northwich Victoria | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 74 | 62 | 1.194 | 49 | |
| 9 | Netherfield | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 68 | 65 | 1.046 | 49 | |
| 10 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 58 | 47 | 1.234 | 48 | |
| 11 | Ellesmere Port Town (R) | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 52 | 56 | 0.929 | 47 | Relegated to Lancashire Combination |
| 12 | Skelmersdale United | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 58 | 59 | 0.983 | 46 | |
| 13 | Bangor City | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 70 | 60 | 1.167 | 45 | |
| 14 | Mossley | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 70 | 73 | 0.959 | 45 | |
| 15 | Morecambe | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 62 | 70 | 0.886 | 45 | |
| 16 | Great Harwood | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 63 | 74 | 0.851 | 43 | |
| 17 | South Liverpool | 46 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 47 | 57 | 0.825 | 43 | |
| 18 | Runcorn | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 75 | 78 | 0.962 | 42 | |
| 19 | Goole Town | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 64 | 73 | 0.877 | 39 | |
| 20 | South Shields | 46 | 17 | 4 | 25 | 64 | 81 | 0.790 | 38 | |
| 21 | Matlock Town | 46 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 42 | 80 | 0.525 | 33 | |
| 22 | Lancaster City | 46 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 53 | 78 | 0.679 | 31 | |
| 23 | Barrow | 46 | 12 | 6 | 28 | 52 | 101 | 0.515 | 30 | |
| 24 | Fleetwood | 46 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 31 | 77 | 0.403 | 25 |
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Updated to match(es) played on 4 May 1973. Source: The Football Archives
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.
The points system up until the 1982–83 season: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Results
More information Home \ Away, ALT ...
| Home \ Away | ALT | BAN | BRW | BOS | BPA | EPT | FLE | GAI | GOO | GHA | LNC | MAC | MAT | MOR | MOS | NET | NOR | RUN | SCA | SKU | SLI | SSH | STA | WIG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altrincham | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | |
| Bangor City | 4–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | |
| Barrow | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | |
| Boston United | 4–1 | 4–3 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 2–3 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| Ellesmere Port Town | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | |
| Fleetwood Town | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | |
| Goole Town | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | |
| Great Harwood | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 6–3 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | |
| Lancaster City | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | |
| Macclesfield Town | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | |
| Matlock Town | 0–1 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 1–4 | |
| Morecambe | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | |
| Mossley | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | |
| Netherfield | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 6–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| Runcorn | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| Scarborough | 0–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
| Skelmersdale United | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | |
| South Liverpool | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |
| South Shields | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2–1 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 |
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Updated to match(es) played on 4 May 1973. Source: The Football Archives
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Stadia and locations
Locations of the 1972–73 Northern Premier League teams
More information Club, Stadium ...
| 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 |
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Challenge Cup
Main article: Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
More information Stage, Home Team ...
| 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 |
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Northern Premier League Shield
Main article: Northern Premier League Shield
Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Boston United | beat | Northwich Victoria |
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FA Cup
Main article: 1972–73 FA Cup
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached the second round:
Second Round
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor City | 2–3 | York City |
| Notts County | 2–1 | Lancaster City |
| Scarborough | 1–2 | Doncaster Rovers |
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FA Trophy
Main article: 1972–73 FA Trophy
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, five teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round
More information Home Team, Score ...
| 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 |
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Semi-finals
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Town (Kent) | 0–1 | Scarborough | |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | Stafford Rangers | |
| Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Stafford Rangers | Replay |
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Final
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Scarborough | 2–1 | Wigan Athletic |
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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.[2]
More information Club, League ...
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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
- "The Football Archives 72–73". The Football Archives.