2015–16 North West Counties Football League

The 2015–16 North West Counties Football League season is the 34th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams are divided into two divisions: Premier Division and Division One.

Premier Division

North West Counties
Football League
Premier Division

Season	2015–16
← 2014–15 2016–17 →

The Premier Division features four new teams:^[1]

• Atherton Collieries – promoted from Division One
• Cammell Laird 1907 – promoted from Division One
• A.F.C. Darwen – promoted from Division One
• Padiham – relegated from Northern Premier League Division One North

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Colne	41	30	7	4	104	41	+63	97	Promotion to NPL Division One North / South (see criteria below)
2	Runcorn Linnets	41	31	2	8	93	35	+58	95
3	Atherton Collieries	41	25	9	7	112	61	+51	84
4	1874 Northwich	41	24	6	11	89	61	+28	78
5	Congleton Town	41	19	9	13	79	65	+14	66
6	West Didsbury & Chorlton	41	20	5	16	76	62	+14	65
7	Ashton Athletic	41	17	10	14	73	66	+7	61
8	Bootle	41	17	9	15	74	74	0	60
9	Padiham	41	16	9	16	84	86	−2	57
10	Barnoldswick Town	41	16	8	17	72	68	+4	56
11	Abbey Hey	41	15	11	15	65	66	−1	56
12	Maine Road	41	16	6	19	70	74	−4	54
13	Runcorn Town	41	15	7	19	70	74	−4	52
14	Winsford United	42	14	10	18	66	93	−27	52
15	Cammell Laird 1907	41	14	8	19	70	79	−9	50
16	Nelson	42	13	9	20	69	70	−1	48
17	A.F.C. Liverpool	41	11	14	16	86	92	−6	47
18	A.F.C. Darwen	41	11	7	23	78	110	−32	40
19	Squires Gate	41	10	8	23	51	91	−40	38
20	Alsager Town	41	11	5	25	54	99	−45	38	Relegation to Division One
21	Silsden	41	9	10	22	56	87	−31	37
22	A.F.C. Blackpool	41	9	9	23	62	99	−37	36

Updated to games played on 5 May 2016.
Source: NWCFL League Tables
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Promotion criteria

To be promoted at the end of the season a team must:

1. Have applied to be considered for promotion by 30 November 2015
2. Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2016
3. Finish the season in a position higher than that of any other team also achieving criteria 1 and 2
4. Finish the season in one of the top three positions^[2]

The following five clubs achieved criterion 1:^[3]

• 1874 Northwich
• Atherton Collieries
• Colne
• Runcorn Linnets
• Runcorn Town

Results

Home ╲ Away

18N

ABH

BLK

DAR

LVP

ALS

ASH

ACO

BWT

BTL

CAM

CLN

CNG

MNR

NEL

PAD

RNL

RNT

SIL

SQG

WDC

WNS

1874 Northwich

2–1

3–0

2–3

1–0

1–1

3–1

1–3

2–1

3–3

2–0

1–0

1–2

4–2

5–4

0–1

2–1

2–1

2–0

1–0

2–2

Abbey Hey

0–1

1–1

2–1

2–3

3–1

0–2

2–1

0–2

4–1

4–2

1–3

4–1

3–0

3–0

3–0

0–4

2–0

1–3

3–1

1–5

2–4

A.F.C. Blackpool

3–4

1–3

2–3

1–5

0–1

2–3

1–3

0–3

1–1

1–2

0–4

5–2

2–0

1–0

2–2

0–2

1–2

5–0

3–1

2–2

A.F.C. Darwen

3–1

2–2

2–2

3–3

3–0

2–3

3–7

3–1

0–1

0–4

1–3

7–4

1–3

1–2

0–2

1–5

2–2

1–1

2–2

1–2

A.F.C. Liverpool

3–3

1–1

7–1

6–1

4–0

1–4

0–0

3–6

2–1

2–2

1–1

0–1

2–2

1–1

2–2

2–1

1–4

2–3

1–0

2–6

4–2

Alsager Town

0–5

2–0

1–2

1–4

2–2

3–3

3–2

3–2

1–0

1–0

1–2

1–4

0–1

2–4

0–2

3–1

0–1

1–2

3–3

1–2

3–4

Ashton Athletic

4–0

1–2

0–1

1–0

4–2

1–1

2–0

4–2

2–3

2–1

1–3

1–4

0–2

2–1

2–4

0–3

1–1

2–2

3–0

2–2

Atherton Collieries

1–3

0–0

2–2

6–1

5–1

4–2

1–0

1–1

0–1

3–1

3–0

2–1

4–3

3–3

2–4

0–2

4–0

7–2

5–2

2–0

4–1

Barnoldswick Town

2–1

0–0

4–1

5–1

1–1

1–4

2–2

1–1

2–2

1–2

1–1

4–2

3–1

2–1

1–2

1–4

0–0

3–0

0–3

5–2

Bootle

2–3

2–2

6–0

3–2

3–3

4–1

3–2

2–5

0–2

3–2

3–2

1–0

2–1

1–2

1–3

1–0

0–1

4–0

5–1

1–2

2–2

Cammell Laird 1907

0–1

2–3

2–1

4–2

4–4

3–1

2–2

3–4

2–0

3–1

4–0

1–3

1–1

3–0

0–3

0–3

2–2

2–0

2–0

0–1

1–4

Colne

1–1

1–1

2–1

6–1

4–1

5–0

6–2

1–1

4–0

1–0

3–0

4–2

2–0

2–1

0–0

2–0

2–2

2–1

0–0

3–0

6–2

Congleton Town

4–4

1–1

3–3

2–0

3–0

0–2

1–2

4–3

3–0

2–1

0–2

2–0

1–0

4–2

2–0

4–1

1–0

1–1

2–2

1–0

Maine Road

4–2

2–0

0–2

5–3

4–3

0–1

2–2

2–0

2–2

2–4

1–3

0–0

2–1

0–3

0–2

3–2

3–1

3–1

0–1

5–0

Nelson

0–2

2–3

3–1

0–0

1–2

3–0

0–0

3–4

1–0

2–2

3–1

0–1

0–1

1–1

4–0

1–1

3–2

2–1

1–3

4–2

5–1

Padiham

0–7

2–1

3–3

0–2

1–1

6–3

2–1

1–1

0–2

1–1

2–1

1–3

4–3

3–1

4–4

1–1

5–1

0–1

1–3

5–1

Runcorn Linnets

2–1

3–0

5–1

3–1

2–1

4–0

0–1

1–4

0–1

7–1

4–0

4–0

2–1

2–1

1–0

3–1

2–1

2–1

2–0

0–0

5–1

Runcorn Town

0–2

4–2

2–5

5–2

0–1

1–4

0–4

3–2

1–2

0–1

1–2

4–2

1–0

0–4

2–0

1–3

2–2

5–0

0–0

1–0

Silsden

2–1

2–2

3–0

0–2

2–0

0–1

2–2

0–3

3–1

1–2

1–3

2–2

2–3

1–0

3–2

1–3

2–2

1–2

1–1

2–3

Squires Gate

2–1

0–0

0–1

6–3

3–1

1–2

0–0

3–4

2–1

0–3

2–2

1–4

1–2

0–5

2–2

3–2

2–3

2–1

3–1

0–4

1–3

West Didsbury & Chorlton

2–3

3–1

2–1

4–2

0–3

4–3

0–3

1–2

0–1

4–0

2–3

1–3

4–3

0–1

3–0

5–1

0–3

0–3

2–1

3–0

2–0

Winsford United

0–3

1–1

3–3

0–3

2–1

2–0

2–0

1–1

0–1

0–1

2–2

0–5

2–2

2–0

2–0

1–4

2–3

2–1

1–1

2–0

1–0

Updated to games played on 5 May 2016.
Source: NWCFL Premier Division results
1 ^{^} The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Stadia and Locations

Sources for this subsection: NWCFL web site and the websites of the participating clubs

1874 Northwich

Abbey Hey

AFC Blackpool

AFC  Darwen

AFC Liverpool

Alsager Tn

Ashton Ath

Ath C

Barnoldswick Tn

Bootle

Cammell Laird

Colne

Congleton Tn

Maine Rd

Nelson

Padiham

Runcorn Lin

Runcorn Tn

Silsden

Squires Gate

WD&C

Winsford Utd

Locations of the 2015–16 North West Counties Football League Premier Division teams

Team	Stadium	Capacity
A.F.C. Darwen	The Anchor Ground	4,000
A.F.C. Liverpool	Arriva Stadium, Crosby (groundshare with Marine)	3,185
1874 Northwich	Barton Stadium (groundshare with Winsford United)	3,000
Winsford United	Barton Stadium	3,000
Atherton Collieries	Alder Street	2,500
Bootle	Delta Taxis Stadium	2,500
Silsden	The Asda Foundation Stadium	2,300
Cammell Laird 1907	North West Construction Stadium, Birkenhead	2,000
Maine Road	Brantingham Road, Chorlton	2,000
Nelson	Little Wembley	2,000
Colne	XLCR Stadium	1,800
Padiham	Arbories Memorial Sports Ground	1,688
Runcorn Linnets	Millbank Linnets Stadium	1,600
Runcorn Town	Pavilions Sports Complex	1,530
A.F.C. Blackpool	The Mechanics	1,500
Alsager Town	Wood Park Stadium	1,500
Congleton Town	Richborough Estates Stadium	1,450
Abbey Hey	The Abbey Stadium, Gorton	1,000
Ashton Athletic	Brockstedes Park	1,000
Squires Gate	School Road	1,000
Barnoldswick Town	Silentnight Beds Stadium
West Didsbury & Chorlton	Brookburn Road, Chorlton

Division One

North West Counties
Football League
Division One

Season	2015–16
Champions	Hanely Town
Promoted	Hanely Town Irlam
← 2014–15 2016–17 →

Division One features four new teams:^[1][4]

• Bacup Borough – relegated from Premier Division, and a name change from Bacup & Rossendale Borough
• St Helens Town – relegated from Premier Division
• Stockport Town – new club
• Whitchurch Alport – joined from Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division

One further club has changed its name since last season:

• Northwich Manchester Villa – previously known as Northwich Flixton Villa

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Hanley Town (C) (P)	33	25	3	5	67	29	+38	78	Promotion to Premier Division
2	Irlam (P)	34	24	5	5	73	27	+46	77
3	Barnton (Q)	34	19	9	6	94	36	+58	66	Qualification for Playoffs
4	Stockport Town (Q)	34	19	6	9	68	44	+24	63
5	Cheadle Town (Q)	34	16	8	10	89	59	+30	56
6	Bacup Borough (Q)	33	17	5	11	79	52	+27	56
7	St Helens Town	34	17	4	13	84	61	+23	55
8	Litherland REMYCA	34	16	6	12	63	51	+12	54
9	Holker Old Boys	33	15	7	11	70	61	+9	52
10	Rochdale Town	34	14	5	15	66	77	−11	47
11	Ashton Town	33	12	7	14	57	51	+6	43
12	Daisy Hill	33	12	5	16	54	70	−16	41
13	Widnes	34	10	5	19	67	77	−10	35
14	Northwich Manchester Villa	34	10	4	20	48	77	−29	34
15	Chadderton	33	8	8	17	37	53	−16	32
16	Eccleshall	34	9	5	20	53	77	−24	32
17	Atherton Laburnum Rovers	34	4	6	24	32	103	−71	18
18	Whitchurch Alport	34	2	10	22	31	127	−96	16

Updated to games played on 5 May 2016.
Source: NWCFL League Tables
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Playoffs

Source for this subsection: NWCFL web site

	Semifinals (11 May)					Final (14 May)
	3	Barnton
	6
	4	Stockport Town
	5

Results

Home ╲ Away

AST

ALR

BAC

BAR

CHA

CHT

DSH

ECC

HAN

HOB

IRL

LIT

NMV

RCH

STH

SPT

WHI

WID

Ashton Town

0–0

1–2

2–3

4–0

3–2

0–0

4–3

0–1

2–2

0–1

1–4

5–1

3–2

4–4

0–1

5–0

1–2

Atherton Laburnum Rovers

1–1

0–4

0–6

3–1

1–4

0–3

1–1

1–3

3–2

1–1

0–2

0–3

2–1

1–4

0–0

0–1

2–3

Bacup Borough

2–0

2–3

1–1

0–1

5–5

3–1

2–1

4–1

0–1

2–1

4–2

9–2

3–3

1–1

7–0

6–0

Barnton

3–0

3–0

2–0

2–0

1–2

0–0

1–1

0–1

4–1

1–0

1–2

2–1

7–1

2–3

4–1

11–1

0–1

Chadderton

6–0

0–0

0–0

0–1

5–1

3–0

0–1

1–1

1–1

1–1

1–4

2–1

1–3

0–1

2–0

4–3

Cheadle Town

1–2

10–1

3–0

2–2

1–1

4–0

4–2

1–2

2–2

1–2

2–4

1–1

0–3

1–2

0–1

5–3

2–0

Daisy Hill

0–4

4–2

3–0

1–6

3–0

0–1

0–3

1–3

0–3

0–4

1–3

2–3

2–4

1–2

2–1

4–3

4–2

Eccleshall

2–2

3–2

0–1

1–1

1–1

3–6

1–3

1–2

1–2

0–3

2–1

1–2

1–2

0–3

4–3

3–1

0–5

Hanley Town

2–1

3–0

1–0

1–0

2–0

2–2

2–3

2–0

5–1

0–0

3–2

2–0

3–1

2–1

2–3

0–0

4–3

Holker Old Boys

2–2

2–0

5–2

1–4

2–1

1–3

4–1

3–0

1–1

1–4

6–0

1–0

0–5

0–0

8–0

3–1

Irlam

3–1

3–0

1–4

1–2

2–0

4–1

0–2

1–0

2–1

3–1

3–1

3–0

4–0

2–0

2–1

5–1

4–1

Litherland REMYCA

0–2

6–1

0–1

2–2

2–1

2–1

0–2

0–5

0–2

2–0

1–1

4–1

2–2

3–1

1–2

1–0

1–0

Northwich Manchester Villa

0–2

3–0

0–2

3–3

2–0

0–3

2–2

4–3

1–3

1–2

1–3

2–1

0–5

0–1

0–2

1–1

2–3

Rochdale Town

2–0

4–3

0–3

1–6

5–0

2–6

1–1

2–0

1–3

4–3

0–3

2–1

3–0

3–1

0–0

5–1

1–3

St Helens Town

0–1

4–1

4–0

3–3

3–1

2–2

2–6

2–3

0–2

1–3

3–1

2–3

3–0

2–3

0–3

10–0

3–2

Stockport Town

2–1

4–0

3–2

0–2

2–0

3–5

2–0

6–0

1–0

1–2

0–3

2–2

2–1

3–1

3–0

4–1

2–2

Whitchurch Alport

1–0

2–2

1–5

1–6

1–1

1–4

1–1

0–5

0–3

2–2

0–3

1–1

0–4

1–1

0–5

0–7

3–3

Widnes

2–3

4–1

5–2

1–3

0–2

1–1

2–1

1–2

1–3

1–2

1–2

1–3

2–3

1–1

1–2

6–1

3–3

Updated to games played on 5 May 2016.
Source: NWCFL Division One results
1 ^{^} The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Stadia & Locations

Sources for this section: NWCFL web site and the websites of the particiating clubs

Ashton Tn

Ath LR

Bacup B

Barnton

Chadderton

Cheadle Tn

Daisy Hill

Eccleshall

Hanley Tn

Holker OB

Irlam

Litherland REMYCA

Northwich MV

Rochdale Tn

St Helens

Stockport
Tn

Whitchurch A

Widnes

Locations of the 2015–16 North West Counties Football League Division One teams

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Widnes	Select Security Stadium	13,350
Northwich Manchester Villa	Manchester Regional Arena	6,500
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	The Neil Rourke Memorial Stadium	2,384
Ashton Town	Edge Green Street	2,000
Cheadle Town	Park Road Stadium	2,000
Daisy Hill	New Sirs Westhoughton	2,000
Chadderton	MCA Stadium	1,500
Rochdale Town	Mayfield Sports Centre	1,500
Eccleshall	Pershall Park	1,000
Irlam	Silver Street	1,000
St Helens Town	Brockstedes Park (groundshare with Ashton Athletic)	1,000
Hanley Town	Abbey Lane	750
Barnton	Townfield
Litherland REMYCA	Litherland Sports Park
Whitchurch Alport	Yockings Park

League Challenge Cup

Also called the MEN United Cup for sponsorship reasons.^[5] Sources for this section: NWCFL web site - results and fixtures

First Round

Bacup Borough and Rochdale Town received byes to the second round. Premier Division teams exempt to the second round.

Played Saturday 26 September.

Home team Score Away team Atherton Laburnun Rovers 1–2 Daisy Hill Barnton 2–0 Northwich Manchester Villa Cheadle Town 1–2 Stockport Town Eccleshall 3–3 aet, pens 4–3 Chadderton

Home team Score Away team Hanley Town 4–1 St Helens Town Irlam 2–1 Widnes Litherland REMYCA 3–1 Holker Old Boys Whitchurch Alport 1–5 Ashton Town

Second Round

Ties played 23 and 24 October.

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 4–0 Winsford United Abbey Hey 0–1 Silsden AFC Darwen 1–3 AFC Blackpool AFC Liverpool 2–3 Padiham Alsager Town 0–3 Stockport Town Ashton Town 1–2 Runcorn Town Atherton Collieries 2–0 Litherland REMYCA Barnoldswick Town 1–3 Ashton Athletic

Home team Score Away team Barnton 1–1 aet, pens 4–3 Bootle Daisy Hill 0–4 Cammell Laird 1907 Hanley Town 2–4 Bacup Borough Irlam 2–0 Runcorn Linnets Maine Road 1–5 Squires Gate Nelson 4–3 aet Congleton Town Rochdale Town 1–2 Colne West Didsbury & Chorlton 1–2 Eccleshall

Third Round

Ties played 28 November, with four delayed by bad weather.

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 2–2 aet, pens 7–8^* Ashton Athletic Bacup Borough 1–5^** Atherton Collieries Eccleshall 2–0 Irlam Nelson 2–4 Cammell Laird 1907 ^* played at Ashton ^** played at Atherton

Home team Score Away team Padiham 2–2 aet, pens 4–5 Runcorn Town Silsden 0–1 AFC Blackpool Squires Gate 2–5 aet Colne Stockport Town 1–3 Barnton

Quarter Finals

Ties played on Saturday 27 February.

Home team Score Away team Barnton 3–1 Ashton Athletic Cammell Laird 1907 0–2 AFC Blackpool

Home team Score Away team Colne 2–0 Eccleshall Runcorn Town 0–3 Atherton Collieries

Semi Finals

Home team Score Away team Colne 2–0 AFC Blackpool

Home team Score Away team Atherton Collieries 1–0 Barnton

Final

To be played 10 May at Fleetwood Town's Highbury Stadium

Score Colne Atherton Collieries First Division Trophy Also called the Reusch First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons.[6] Source for this section: NWCFL web site First Round Each of the remaining Division One clubs received a bye to the second round. Ties played Saturday 17 October. Home team Score Away team Barnton 3–2 Eccleshall Home team Score Away team Chadderton 2–0 Bacup Borough Second Round Ties played 6 and 7 November, with two delayed due to bad weather Home team Score Away team Daisy Hill 1–2 Litherland REMYCA Hanley Town 2–1 Widnes Holker Old Boys 2–0 Ashton Town Irlam 3–2 Cheadle Town Home team Score Away team Northwich Manchester Villa 1–4 Barnton Rochdale Town 3–1 Atherton Laburnum Rovers St Helens Town 3–6 (aet)^* Chadderton Whitchurch Alport 0–4 Stockport Town ^*played at Chadderton, following two postponements Quarter Finals One tie played 20 February, with three delayed due to bad weather Home team Score Away team Hanley Town 2–1 Chadderton Holker Old Boys 1–2^* Barnton ^* Played at Barnton Home team Score Away team Litherland REMYCA^* 3–2 Irlam^** Rochdale Town 1–4^*** Stockport Town ^* Litherland REMYCA disqualified for fielding an ineligible player ^** Irlam disqualified for fielding an ineligible player ^*** Played at Stockport Semi Finals Played on 19 March. Home team Score Away team disqualified W/O Hanley Town Hanley Town awarded walkover to final Home team Score Away team Stockport Town 0–0 aet, pens 4–5 Barnton Final Played on 19 April at Congleton Town's ground Score Hanley Town 1–1 aet, pens 4–5 Barnton References "News from the AGM". NWCFL. 13 Jun 2015. Retrieved 13 Jun 2015. "Promotion criteria for Step 5 to Step 4 for 2016-17 season". FA. 26 Oct 2015. "Promotion applications for clubs aiming for Step 4". FA. 10 Dec 2015. "Whitchurch Alport join the NWCFL". NWCFL. 26 Jun 2015. Retrieved 26 Jun 2015. "Introducing The Men United Cup". NWCFL. 12 Sep 2014. "Introducing The Reusch First Division Cup". NWCFL. 10 Nov 2014. External links nwcfl.com (The Official Website of The North West Counties Football League)