1976–77 Northern Premier League


The 1976–77 Northern Premier League was the ninth 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 21 August 1976 and concluded on 20 May 1977.

Overview

The League featured twenty-three teams for the first time. The systems of goal average was replaced by goal difference.

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
BuxtonThe Silverlands
Frickley AthleticWestfield Lane
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
Gateshead UnitedGateshead Youth Stadium
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
South LiverpoolHolly Park
Stafford RangersMarston Road
Wigan AthleticSpringfield Park
Worksop TownCentral Avenue

Cup results

Challenge Cup

Home TeamScoreAway Team
Scarborough1–0Runcorn

Northern Premier League Shield

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

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
Mansfield Town2–5Matlock Town
Northwich Victoria4–0Peterborough United
Wrexham1–1Goole Town
Goole Town0–1WrexhamReplay

Third Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Carlisle United5–1Matlock Town
Northwich Victoria3–2Watford


Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Carlisle United5–1Matlock Town
Northwich Victoria1–3Oldham Athletic

FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, three teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Scarborough1-1Nuneaton Borough
Nuneaton Borough0-1ScarboroughReplay
Slough Town2-0Morecambe
Weymouth0-0Altrincham
Altrincham2-1WeymouthReplay

Semi-finals
StageHome TeamScoreAway Team
1st LegScarborough2-0Altrincham
2nd LegAltrincham2-0Scarborough
AggregateScarborough2-2Altrincham
ReplayScarborough0-0Altrincham
2nd ReplayScarborough2-1Altrincham

Final
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Scarborough3-2Dagenham

End of the season

At the end of the ninth season of the Northern Premier League, Altrincham who put forward for election did not received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League.

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, two non-League teams, one from the Northern Premier League and the other from the Southern League. Applied to be elected. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Wimbledon from the Southern League replaced Workington from the Football League as they didn't receive enough votes. Workington was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.
ClubLeagueVotes
Halifax TownFootball League Division Four44
HartlepoolFootball League Division Four42
SouthportFootball League Division Four37
WimbledonSouthern League Premier Division27
WorkingtonFootball League Division Four21
AltrinchamNorthern Premier League12

Promotion and relegation

No Clubs left the league this season.
The following club joined the league the following season: