1973–74 Northern Premier League


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.

Overview

Team changes

The following club left the League at the end of the previous season:
The following club joined the League at the start of the season:

Results

Stadia and locations

TeamStadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
Bangor CityFarrar Road
BarrowHolker Street
Boston UnitedYork Street
Bradford Park AvenuePark Avenue
BuxtonThe Silverlands
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 LegBoston United?–?Altrincham
2nd LegAltrincham?–?Boston United
AggregateBoston United4–3Altrincham

Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Wigan AthleticbeatBoston United

FA Cup

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached for the second round:
Second Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Blackburn Rovers0–0Altrincham
Altrincham0–2Blackburn RoversReplay
Boston United1–0Hitchin Town
Port Vale2–1Scarborough

Third Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Derby County0–0Boston United
Boston United1–6Derby CountyReplay

FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, four teams reached for the fourth round:
Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Bedford Town0–1Morecambe
Stafford Rangers0–0Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town2–0Stafford RangersReplay
South Shields0–0Worcester City
Worcester City0–2South ShieldsReplay

Semi-finals
StageHome TeamScoreAway Team
1st LegMacclesfield Town0–0Dartford
2nd LegDartford2–1Macclesfield Town
AggregateDartford2–1Macclesfield Town
1st LegSouth Shields0–1Morecambe
2nd LegMorecambe2–0South Shields
AggregateMorecambe3–0South Shields

Final
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Morecambe2–1Dartford

End of the season

At the end of the sixth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes the 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.
ClubLeagueVotes
Doncaster RoversFootball League46
Stockport CountyFootball League38
Crewe AlexandraFootball League37
WorkingtonFootball League21
Kettering TownSouthern League16
Yeovil TownSouthern League14
Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League10
Chelmsford CitySouthern League8
Nuneaton BoroughSouthern League1
Telford UnitedSouthern League1
Cambridge CitySouthern 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: