1973–74_Northern_Premier_League
1973–74 Northern Premier League
Football league season
The 1973–74 Northern Premier League was the sixth 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 11 August 1973 and concluded on 9 May 1974.[1]
Quick Facts Season, Champions ...
| Season | 1973–74 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Boston United |
| Promoted | None |
| Relegated | none |
| Matches played | 552 |
| Goals scored | 1,479 (2.68 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Wigan Athletic 7–0 Matlock Town[1] (8 September 1973) Wigan Athletic 7–0 Great Harwood[1] (26 April 1974) |
| Biggest away win | Bradford Park Avenue 1–7 Stafford Rangers[1] (8 September 1973) Bradford Park Avenue 0–6 South Shields[1] (2 May 1974) |
| Highest scoring | Bradford Park Avenue 1–7 Stafford Rangers[1] (8 September 1973) Runcorn 6–2 Mossley[1] (20 April 1974) |
| Longest winning run | 10 matches Stafford Rangers (24 November 1973 – 9 February 1974) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 17 matches Scarborough (21 August 1973 – 20 October 1973) |
| Longest winless run | 17 matches Bradford Park Avenue (11 August 1973 – 27 October 1973) Mossley (8 October 1973 – 26 January 1974) |
| Longest losing run | 7 matches Netherfield (9 February 1974 – 16 March 1974) |
← 1972–73 1974–75 → | |
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Team changes
The following club left the League at the end of the previous season:
- Ellesmere Port Town resigned, demoted to Lancashire Combination
The following club joined the League at the start of the season:
- Buxton promoted from Cheshire County League
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 | 11 | 8 | 69 | 32 | 2.156 | 65 | |
| 2 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 28 | 8 | 10 | 96 | 39 | 2.462 | 64 | |
| 3 | Altrincham | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 77 | 34 | 2.265 | 63 | |
| 4 | Stafford Rangers | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 101 | 45 | 2.244 | 63 | |
| 5 | Scarborough | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 62 | 43 | 1.442 | 58 | |
| 6 | South Shields | 46 | 25 | 6 | 15 | 87 | 48 | 1.813 | 56 | |
| 7 | Runcorn | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 72 | 47 | 1.532 | 56 | |
| 8 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 48 | 47 | 1.021 | 51 | |
| 9 | Bangor City | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 65 | 56 | 1.161 | 49 | |
| 10 | Gainsborough Trinity | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 77 | 64 | 1.203 | 47 | |
| 11 | South Liverpool | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 55 | 47 | 1.170 | 47 | |
| 12 | Skelmersdale United | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 59 | 0.847 | 45 | |
| 13 | Goole Town | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 60 | 69 | 0.870 | 43 | |
| 14 | Fleetwood | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 48 | 68 | 0.706 | 43 | |
| 15 | Northwich Victoria | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 68 | 75 | 0.907 | 41 | |
| 16 | Mossley | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 53 | 65 | 0.815 | 41 | |
| 17 | Morecambe | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 62 | 84 | 0.738 | 39 | |
| 18 | Buxton | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 45 | 71 | 0.634 | 38 | |
| 19 | Matlock Town | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 50 | 79 | 0.633 | 36 | |
| 20 | Great Harwood | 46 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 52 | 74 | 0.703 | 34 | |
| 21 | Bradford Park Avenue | 46 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 42 | 84 | 0.500 | 33 | Club Folded |
| 22 | Barrow | 46 | 13 | 7 | 26 | 46 | 94 | 0.489 | 33 | |
| 23 | Lancaster City | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 52 | 67 | 0.776 | 32 | |
| 24 | Netherfield | 46 | 11 | 5 | 30 | 42 | 88 | 0.477 | 27 |
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Updated to match(es) played on 9 May 1974. Source: The Football Archives
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
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
Results
More information Home \ Away, ALT ...
| Home \ Away | ALT | BAN | BRW | BOS | BPA | BUX | FLE | GAI | GOO | GHA | LNC | MAC | MAT | MOR | MOS | NET | NOR | RUN | SCA | SKU | SLI | SSH | STA | WIG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altrincham | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
| Bangor City | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | |
| Barrow | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | |
| Boston United | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–7 | 0–0 | |
| Buxton | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | |
| Fleetwood Town | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | |
| Goole Town | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 7–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–1 | |
| Great Harwood | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Lancaster City | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 7–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | |
| Macclesfield Town | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | |
| Matlock Town | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | |
| Morecambe | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–2 | |
| Mossley | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 0–3 | 0–3 | |
| Netherfield | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–5 | 1–0 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 1–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | |
| Runcorn | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 6–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | |
| Scarborough | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | |
| Skelmersdale United | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| South Liverpool | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | |
| South Shields | 0–0 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 7–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 7–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 5–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
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Updated to match(es) played on 9 May 1974. 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 1973–74 Northern Premier League teams
More information Team, Stadium ...
| Team | Stadium |
|---|---|
| Altrincham | Moss Lane |
| Bangor City | Farrar Road |
| Barrow | Holker Street |
| Boston United | York Street |
| Bradford Park Avenue | Park Avenue |
| Buxton | The Silverlands |
| 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 | Boston United | ?–? | Altrincham |
| 2nd Leg | Altrincham | ?–? | Boston United |
| Aggregate | Boston United | 4–3 | Altrincham |
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wigan Athletic | beat | Boston United |
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FA Cup
Main article: 1973–74 FA Cup
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached for the second round:
Second Round
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn Rovers | 0–0 | Altrincham | |
| Altrincham | 0–2 | Blackburn Rovers | Replay |
| Boston United | 1–0 | Hitchin Town | |
| Port Vale | 2–1 | Scarborough |
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Third Round
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby County | 0–0 | Boston United | |
| Boston United | 1–6 | Derby County | Replay |
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FA Trophy
Main article: 1973–74 FA Trophy
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, four teams reached for the fourth round:
Fourth Round
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Town | 0–1 | Morecambe | |
| Stafford Rangers | 0–0 | Macclesfield Town | |
| Macclesfield Town | 2–0 | Stafford Rangers | Replay |
| South Shields | 0–0 | Worcester City | |
| Worcester City | 0–2 | South Shields | Replay |
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Semi-finals
More information Stage, Home Team ...
| Stage | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Leg | Macclesfield Town | 0–0 | Dartford |
| 2nd Leg | Dartford | 2–1 | Macclesfield Town |
| Aggregate | Dartford | 2–1 | Macclesfield Town |
| 1st Leg | South Shields | 0–1 | Morecambe |
| 2nd Leg | Morecambe | 2–0 | South Shields |
| Aggregate | Morecambe | 3–0 | South Shields |
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Final
More information Home Team, Score ...
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Morecambe | 2–1 | Dartford |
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At the end of the sixth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Bradford Park Avenue folded.
Football League elections
Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of seven non-League teams applied for election, one 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:
- Bradford Park Avenue folded
The following club joined the League the following season:
- Worksop Town promoted from Midland League (1889) (returning after a five year's absence)
- "The Football Archives 73–74". The Football Archives.