2017–18 North West Counties Football League
The 2017–18 North West Counties Football League season was the 36th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. It was also the last season to have a single [|Division One]. Teams were divided into two divisions: [|Premier Division] and Division One.
The constitution for Step 5 and Step 6 divisions for 2017–18 was announced by the FA on 26 May 2017, and ratified by the league at its AGM on 17 June.
Premier Division
At the end of season 2016–17, the following four teams left the division:- Atherton Collieries, promoted to NPL Division One North
- Cammell Laird 1907, relegated to Division One
- Nelson, relegated to Division One
- New Mills, relegated to Division One
- Burscough, relegated from NPL Division One North
- Charnock Richard, promoted from the First Division
- City of Liverpool, promoted from the First Division
- Northwich Victoria, relegated from NPL Division One South
- Widnes, promoted from the First Division
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Widnes | Select Security Stadium | 13,350 |
| AFC Darwen | The Anchor Ground | 4,000 |
| AFC Liverpool | Marine Travel Arena, Crosby | 3,185 |
| Burscough | Victoria Park | 3,054 |
| 1874 Northwich * | Barton Stadium | 3,000 |
| Winsford United | Barton Stadium | 3,000 |
| Bootle | Delta Taxis Stadium | 2,500 |
| City of Liverpool | Delta Taxis Stadium | 2,500 |
| Maine Road | Brantingham Road, Chorlton | 2,000 |
| Padiham | Arbories Memorial Sports Ground | 1,688 |
| Runcorn Linnets | Millbank Linnets Stadium | 1,600 |
| Runcorn Town | Pavilions Sports Complex | 1,530 |
| Congleton Town | Richborough Estates Stadium | 1,450 |
| Abbey Hey | The Abbey Stadium, Gorton | 1,000 |
| Ashton Athletic | Brockstedes Park | 1,000 |
| Irlam | Silver Street | 1,000 |
| Squires Gate | School Road | 1,000 |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | Brookburn Road, Chorlton | 1,000 |
| Hanley Town | Abbey Lane | 750 |
| Barnoldswick Town | Silentnight Beds Stadium | |
| Barnton | Townfield | |
| Charnock Richard | Mossie Park | |
| Northwich Victoria | Townfield |
- Due to ground conditions and acute fixture congestion, 1874 Northwich played some home matches, notably in the latter stages of the FA Vase and the league programme, at Wincham Park, Northwich, home of Witton Albion.
Division One
- Ashton Town, relegated to the Cheshire Association Football League Premier Division.
- Charnock Richard, promoted to the Premier Division
- City of Liverpool, promoted to the Premier Division
- Widnes, promoted to the Premier Division
- Abbey Hulton United, promoted from Staffordshire County Senior League
- Cammell Laird 1907, relegated from the Premier Division
- Nelson, relegated from the Premier Division
- New Mills, relegated from the Premier Division
League table
Results
- Bacup Borough v FC Oswestry Town: visitors failed to fulfil fixture on 5 May, result declared a 3–0 home win
- St Helens Town v Abbey Hulton United: result declared a draw following investigation
Playoffs
Stadia and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Carlisle City | Gillford Park Stadium | 4,000 |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Crilly Park | 3,000 |
| Bacup Borough | West View | 3,000 |
| Holker Old Boys | Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness | 2,500 |
| Stockport Town | Stockport Sports Village | 2,384 |
| FC Oswestry Town | Park Hall Stadium | 2,034 |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead | 2,000 |
| Cheadle Town | Park Road Stadium | 2,000 |
| Daisy Hill | New Sirs Westhoughton | 2,000 |
| Eccleshall | Pershall Park | 2,000 |
| Nelson | Victoria Park | 2,000 |
| AFC Blackpool | The Mechanics | 1,500 |
| Alsager Town | Wood Park Stadium | 1,500 |
| Chadderton | MCA Stadium | 1,500 |
| Silsden | Keighley Road Stadium | 1,500 |
| New Mills | Church Lane | 1,400 |
| Abbey Hulton United | Birches Head Road | |
| Litherland REMYCA | Litherland Sports Park | |
| Prestwich Heys | Aide Moran Park | |
| Sandbach United | Sandbach Community Football Centre | |
| St Helens Town | Ruskin Drive Sportsground | |
| Whitchurch Alport | Yockings Park |
League Challenge Cup
Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons.Source for this section:
First Round
Northern Section| Home team | Score | Away team |
| AFC Blackpool | 0–0 | Nelson |
| AFC Darwen | 1–0 | City of Liverpool |
| Ashton Athletic | 6–3 | Daisy Hill |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 0–4 | Carlisle City |
| Prestwich Heys | 4–0 | St. Helens Town |
| Silsden | 0–3 | Burscough |
Southern Section
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | 2–1 | Congleton Town |
| FC Oswestry Town | 2–1 | Chadderton |
| Runcorn Town | 3–3 | Alsager Town |
| Sandbach United | 2–3 | Irlam |
| Stockport Town | 7–1 | Maine Road |
| Whitchurch Alport | 1–1 | Northwich Victoria |
| Winsford United | 4–3 | Barnton |
All remaining teams received byes to the second round.
Second Round
Northern Section| Home team | Score | Away team |
| AFC Darwen | 1–2 * † | Padiham |
| Bacup Borough | 1–6 ** | Ashton Athletic |
| Barnoldswick Town | 0–4 | Charnock Richard |
| Bootle | 4–2 | Litherland REMYCA |
| Holker Old Boys | 2–7 *** | AFC Liverpool |
| Nelson | 1–1 **** † | Prestwich Heys |
| Squires Gate | 1–2 | Burscough |
| Widnes | 1–1 | Carlisle City |
- Played at Padiham, following two postponements
- * Played at Ashton, following two postponements
- ** Played at Crosby, following two postponements
- *** Played at Prestwich, following two postponements
Southern Section
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| 1874 Northwich | 4–1 * | Abbey Hulton United |
| Abbey Hey | 5–3 | New Mills |
| Cheadle Town | 2–1 | Alsager Town |
| Eccleshall | 0–3 | FC Oswestry Town |
| Hanley Town | 3–5 | Northwich Victoria |
| Irlam | 1–1 ** | Cammell Laird 1907 |
| Stockport Town | 2–1 | Runcorn Linnets |
| Winsford United | 5–1 | West Didsbury & Chorlton |
- Played at Abbey Hulton, following two postponements
- * Played at Birkenhead, following two postponements
Third Round
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Bootle | 1–3 | Charnock Richard |
| Burscough | 1–1 | Prestwich Heys |
| AFC Liverpool | 1–4 | Ashton Athletic |
| Widnes | 2–1 | AFC Darwen |
Southern Section
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Cheadle Town | 1–1 | Northwich Victoria |
| Irlam | 3–1 | FC Oswestry Town |
| Stockport Town | 2–1 | Abbey Hey |
| Winsford United | 3–1 | 1874 Northwich |
Quarter Finals
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Ashton Athletic | 0–2 | Widnes |
| Burscough | 2–1 | Northwich Victoria |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Stockport Town | 0–4 | Irlam |
| Winsford United | 1–1 | Charnock Richard |
Semi Finals
First Leg
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Irlam | 0–0 | Burscough |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Widnes | 5–0 | Winsford United |
Second Leg
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Burscough | 3–0 | Irlam |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Winsford United | 2–2 | Widnes |
Final
Played at Highbury Stadium, home of Fleetwood Town.| Score | ||
| Widnes | 2–1 | Burscough |
Division One Trophy
Also called the First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons.Source for this section:
First Round
Northern Section| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 2–1 * | Carlisle City |
| Daisy Hill | 0–0 | Litherland REMYCA |
| Holker Old Boys | 1–2 | St. Helens Town |
* Played at Carlisle following two postponements
Southern Section
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Chadderton | 0–1 | Cheadle Town |
| New Mills | 2–2 | Alsager Town |
| Sandbach United | 6–1 | FC Oswestry Town |
All the remaining First Division teams received a bye to the second round.
Second Round
Northern Section| Home team | Score | Away team |
| AFC Blackpool | 4–0 | Silsden |
| Nelson | 0–1 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers |
| Prestwich Heys | 3–1 | Bacup Borough |
| St. Helens Town | 3–3 | Daisy Hill |
Southern Section
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | 2–0 | Stockport Town |
| Cheadle Town | 3–1 | Abbey Hulton United |
| Sandbach United | 4–2 | Eccleshall |
| Whitchurch Alport | 0–3 | Alsager Town |
Quarter Finals
Northern Section| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Daisy Hill | 0–1 * | Atherton Laburnum Rovers |
| Prestwich Heys | 3–1 | AFC Blackpool |
- Atherton LR disqualified for fielding an ineligible player
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Alsager Town | 0–4 | Cammell Laird 1907 |
| Sandbach United | 4–1 | Cheadle Town |
Semi Finals
First leg
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | 3–1 | Daisy Hill |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Sandbach United | 1–2 | Prestwich Heys |
Second leg
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Daisy Hill | 1–2 | Cammell Laird 1907 |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Prestwich Heys | 3–2 | Sandbach United |
Final
Played at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, home of Runcorn Linnets.| Score | ||
| Cammell Laird 1907 | 1–2 | Prestwich Heys |