1971–72 Northern Premier League


The 1971–72 Northern Premier League was the fourth 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 14 August 1971 and concluded on 5 May 1972.

Overview

The League was expanded, for the second consecutive season, from twenty-two teams to twenty-four teams.

Team changes

The following two clubs joined the League at the start of the season:

Results

Stadia and locations

TeamStadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
Bangor CityFarrar Road
Boston UnitedYork Street
Bradford Park AvenuePark Avenue
ChorleyVictory Park
Ellesmere Port TownEllesmere Port
FleetwoodHighbury
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
Goole TownVictoria Pleasure Ground
Great HarwoodThe Showground
Kirkby TownSimonswood Lane
Lancaster CityGreat Axe
Macclesfield TownMoss Rose
Matlock TownCauseway Lane
MorecambeChristie Park
NetherfieldParkside
Northwich VictoriaDrill Field
RuncornCanal Street
ScarboroughAthletic Ground
Skelmersdale UnitedWhite Moss Park
South LiverpoolHolly Park
South ShieldsSimonside Hall
Stafford RangersMarston Road
Wigan AthleticSpringfield Park

Cup results

Challenge Cup

StageHome TeamScoreAway Team
1st LegWigan Athletic?–?Gainsborough Trinity
2nd LegGainsborough Trinity?–?Wigan Athletic
AggregateWigan Athletic4–2Gainsborough Trinity

Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Wigan AthleticbeatStafford Rangers

FA Cup

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached for the second round:
Second Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Boston United2–1Hartlepool
South Shields1–3Notts County
Wrexham4–0Wigan Athletic

Third Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Boston United0–1Portsmouth

FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-two clubs from the Northern Premier League, only Stafford Rangers and Macclesfield Town reached for the fourth round:
Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Stafford Rangers1–1Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town0–3Stafford Rangersreplay

Semi-finals
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Stafford Rangers4–0Yeovil Town

Final
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Stafford Rangers3–0Barnet

End of the season

At the end of the fourth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes the be promoted to the Football League. Chorley resigned the league and Kirkby Town was relegated.

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of twelve non-League teams applied for election, four of which were from the Northern Premier League. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Hereford United from the Southern League replaced Barrow from the Football League as they didn't receive enough votes. Barrow was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.
ClubLeagueVotes
Northampton TownFootball League49
Crewe AlexandraFootball League46
Stockport CountyFootball League46
Hereford UnitedSouthern League26
BarrowFootball League26
Bradford Park AvenueNorthern Premier League1
Cambridge CitySouthern League1
WimbledonSouthern League1
Bangor CityNorthern Premier League0
Bedford TownSouthern League0
Boston UnitedNorthern Premier League0
Hillingdon BoroughSouthern League0
RomfordSouthern League0
Telford UnitedSouthern League0
Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League0
Yeovil TownSouthern League0

Promotion and relegation

The following two clubs left the league at the end of the season:
The following two clubs joined the league the following season: