1972–73 Northern Premier League


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.

Overview

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

Results

Stadia and locations

ClubStadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
Bangor CityFarrar Road
BarrowHolker Street
Boston UnitedYork Street
Bradford Park AvenuePark Avenue
Ellesmere Port TownEllesmere Port
FleetwoodHighbury
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
Goole TownVictoria Pleasure Ground
Great HarwoodThe Showground
Lancaster CityGreat Axe
Macclesfield TownMoss Rose
Matlock TownCauseway Lane
MorecambeChristie Park
MossleySeel 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 LegNorthwich Victoria?–?Wigan Athletic
2nd LegWigan Athletic?–?Northwich Victoria
AggregateNorthwich Victoria3–2Wigan Athletic

Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Boston UnitedbeatNorthwich Victoria

FA Cup

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached the second round:
Second Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Bangor City2–3York City
Notts County2–1Lancaster City
Scarborough1–2Doncaster Rovers

FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, five teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Bangor City2–3Ashford Town
Morecambe1–1Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic0–0MorecambeReplay
Wigan Athletic1–0Morecambe2nd Replay
Scarborough2–0Chelmsford City
Stafford Rangers4–1Bedford Town

Semi-finals
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Ashford Town 0–1Scarborough
Wigan Athletic0–0Stafford Rangers
Wigan Athletic1–0Stafford RangersReplay

Final
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Scarborough2–1Wigan Athletic

End of the season

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.
ClubLeagueVotes
Colchester UnitedFootball League48
Northampton TownFootball League43
Crewe AlexandraFootball League36
DarlingtonFootball League26
Yeovil TownSouthern League14
Kettering TownSouthern League12
Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League10
Chelmsford CitySouthern League4
Cambridge CitySouthern League1
Nuneaton BoroughSouthern League1
Telford UnitedSouthern League1
Bedford TownSouthern League0
Boston UnitedNorthern Premier League0
WimbledonSouthern League0

Promotion and relegation

The following club left the league at the end of the season:
The following club joined the league the following season: