Northern Counties East Football League

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Northern Counties East Football League
Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division
Domestic cup(s)National
FA Cup
FA Vase
League
League Cup
Current championsNorth Ferriby (Premier Division)
Campion (Division One)
(2022-23)
Websitencefl.org.uk
Current: 2023–24 season

The Northern Counties East Football League is a semi-professional English football league. It has two divisions – Premier Division and Division One – which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the English football pyramid respectively.

History

The league was formed in 1982 following the merger of the Yorkshire League and Midland League.[1] For its inaugural season, the league consisted of five divisions. Since then, the league has undergone several changes to the point where since 2018 it has two divisions of 20 teams.

The league has maintained promotion and relegation between its divisions since its beginning. In 2015 a series of play-offs were introduced for the first time to determine a third promotee from Division One.[2]

The competition has several feeder leagues at level 11 of the pyramid, which may provide new member clubs each year:

  • Central Midlands League
    North Division
  • Humber Premier League Premier Division
  • Lincolnshire League
  • Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League
    Premier Division
  • West Yorkshire League
    Premier Division
  • York League
    Premier Division
  • Yorkshire Amateur League
    Supreme Division

Clubs are also liable to be transferred to other leagues if the FA deems it geographically suitable to do so.

Current clubs (2023–24)

Premier Division

Division One

Club Location Home ground
Armthorpe Welfare Armthorpe Welfare Ground, Armthorpe
Athersley Recreation Athersley Sheerien Park
Beverley Town Beverley Norwood Recreation Ground
Brigg Town Brigg The EC Surfacing Stadium
Clay Cross Town Clay Cross The We Do More Than Print Ground
Dronfield Town Dronfield Stonelow Playing Fields
Glasshoughton Welfare Castleford Leeds Road, Castleford
Harrogate Railway Athletic Harrogate Station View
Horbury Town Horbury Slazengers Sports Complex
Louth Town Louth Marshlands, Saltfleetby
Nostell Miners Welfare Crofton Welfare Ground, Crofton
Ollerton Town Ollerton Walesby Lane Sports Ground
Parkgate Rotherham Roundwood Sports Complex
Retford Retford The Rail
Retford United Retford Cannon Park
Selby Town Selby Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium
Shirebrook Town Shirebrook Langwith Road
Staveley Miners Welfare Staveley Inkersall Road
Swallownest Swallownest Miners Welfare Ground
Wakefield Wakefield
Be Well Support Stadium
Wombwell Town Wombwell Recreation Ground
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic Worsbrough The Totally Training Stadium
Yorkshire Amateur Leeds Bracken Edge

Honours

Champions

Season Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three
1982–83
Shepshed Charterhouse
North
Lincoln United
North
Rowntree Mackintosh
South Woolley Miners Welfare
1983–84 Spalding United North
Pontefract Collieries
South Borrowash Victoria
North
Harrogate Railway Athletic
South Retford Town
1984–85 Belper Town Central
Long Eaton United
1985–86 Arnold
North Ferriby United
Lincoln United Collingham
1986–87 Alfreton Town
Ossett Albion
Frecheville Community Association
1987–88
Emley
York Railway Institute
Pickering Town
1988–89
Emley
Sheffield
Ossett Town
1989–90
Bridlington Town
Rowntree Mackintosh
Winterton Rangers
1990–91
Guiseley
Sheffield
Hall Road Rangers
1991–92 North Shields
Stocksbridge Park Steels
1992–93
Spennymoor United
Lincoln United
1993–94 Stocksbridge Park Steels
Arnold Town
1994–95 Lincoln United
Hatfield Main
1995–96 Hatfield Main
Selby Town
1996–97 Denaby United
Eccleshill United
1997–98 Hucknall Town
Garforth Town
1998–99
Ossett Albion
Harrogate Railway
1999–2000
North Ferriby United
Goole
2000–01 Brigg Town Borrowash Victoria
2001–02 Alfreton Town
Gedling Town
2002–03
Bridlington Town
Mickleover Sports
2003–04
Ossett Albion
Shirebrook Town
2004–05
Goole
Sutton Town
2005–06 Buxton Carlton Town
2006–07 Retford United Parkgate
2007–08 Winterton Rangers Dinnington Town
2008–09
Mickleover Sports
Scarborough Athletic
2009–10
Bridlington Town
Tadcaster Albion
2010–11 Farsley Staveley Miners Welfare
2011–12 Retford United Handsworth
2012–13
Scarborough Athletic
Albion Sports
2013–14 Brighouse Town Cleethorpes Town
2014–15
Shaw Lane Aquaforce
Clipstone
2015–16
Tadcaster Albion
Hemsworth Miners Welfare
2016–17 Cleethorpes Town Hall Road Rangers
2017–18 Pontefract Collieries
Knaresborough Town
2018–19 Worksop Town Grimsby Borough
2019–20 Season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic
2020–21 Season curtailed due to local lockdown regulations
2021–22 Grimsby Borough Hallam
2022-23 North Ferriby Campion

Since the league's formation in 1982, the following clubs have won promotion to higher levels of the English football league system – normally to the Northern Premier League –

Season Club Position Promoted to
1982–83
Shepshed Charterhouse
1st Southern League Midland Division
1986–87
Harrogate Town
Eastwood Town
1st
2nd
5th
9th
13th
Northern Premier League Division One
Northern Premier League Division One
Northern Premier League Division One
Northern Premier League Division One
Northern Premier League Division One
1988–89
Emley
1st Northern Premier League Division One
1989–90
Bridlington Town
1st Northern Premier League Division One
1990–91
Guiseley
1st Northern Premier League Division One
1992–93
Spennymoor United
1st Northern Premier League Division One
1994–95 Lincoln United 1st Northern Premier League Division One
1995–96
Stocksbridge Park Steels
2nd Northern Premier League Division One
1996–97 Belper Town 2nd Northern Premier League Division One
1997–98 Hucknall Town 1st Northern Premier League Division One
1998–99
Ossett Town
2nd Northern Premier League Division One
1999–2000
North Ferriby United
1st Northern Premier League Division One
2000–01
Ossett Albion
2nd Northern Premier League Division One
2001–02 Alfreton Town 1st Northern Premier League Division One
2003–04
Ossett Albion
1st Northern Premier League Division One
2004–05
Goole
1st Northern Premier League Division One
2005–06 Buxton
Harrogate Railway Athletic
1st
3rd
Northern Premier League Division One
Northern Premier League Division One
2006–07
Garforth Town
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Northern Premier League Division One South
Northern Premier League Division One South
Northern Premier League Division One South
Northern Premier League Division One North
2007–08 Glapwell 2nd Northern Premier League Division One South
2008–09
Mickleover Sports
1st Northern Premier League Division One South
2009–10 Rainworth Miners Welfare 2nd Northern Premier League Division One South
2010–11 Farsley 1st Northern Premier League Division One North
2012–13
Scarborough Athletic
1st Northern Premier League Division One South
2013–14 Brighouse Town 1st Northern Premier League Division One North
2014–15
Shaw Lane Aquaforce
1st Northern Premier League Division One South
2015–16
Tadcaster Albion
1st Northern Premier League Division One North
2016–17 Cleethorpes Town 1st Northern Premier League Division One South
2017–18
AFC Mansfield
1st
2nd
3rd
Northern Premier League Division One East
Northern Premier League Division One East
Northern Premier League Division One East
2018–19 Worksop Town 1st Northern Premier League Division One South-East
2019–20 No promotions
2020–21 Bridlington Town
Liversedge
Yorkshire Amateur
Top 3
[a]
Northern Premier League Division One East
2021–22 Grimsby Borough 1st Northern Premier League Division One East
2022–23 North Ferriby
Winterton Rangers
1st
2nd
Northern Premier League Division One East
Northern Premier League Division One East
  1. ^ Ranked according to total points per game between 2019 and 2021.

Cup competitions

League Cup

The league currently has just one cup competition, the League Cup, which is contested by every club in the league.

Finals

Season Winner Result Runner-up Venue Attendance
1982–83
Shepshed Charterhouse
1–0 Sutton Town
1983–84
Ossett Albion
2–1 Ilkeston Town Eastwood
1984–85 Alfreton Town 2–1 Long Eaton United Eastwood
1985–86 Sutton Town 1–0 Bradley Rangers Denaby
1986–87 Harrogate Railway Athletic 5–0 Woolley Miners Welfare Pontfract
1987–88 York Railway Institute 2–1
Rowntree Mackintosh
Bootham Crescent
1988–89
Bridlington Town
3–1
Emley
Pontefract
1989–90
Ossett Town
1–0
Bridlington Town
North Ferriby
1990–91
Guiseley
1–0
North Ferriby United
Ossett - Ingfield
1991–92 North Shields 5–0 Armthorpe Welfare
Ossett - Queen's Terrace
1992–93
Spennymoor United
2–1
Thackley
Ossett - Ingfield
1993–94 Hucknall Town 4–1
Thackley
Ossett - Ingfield
1994–95 Stocksbridge Park Steels 3–0
North Ferriby United
Ossett - Queen's Terrace
1995–96 Ashfield United 8–2
Ossett Albion
Belper
1996–97 Hucknall Town 3–1
Pontefract Collieries
Millmoor
1997–98 Hucknall Town 1–0
North Ferriby United
Hatfield
1998–99 Denaby United 1–0 Selby Town
Garforth
1999–00
Garforth Town
3–1 Glapwell
Ossett - Queen's Terrace
2000–01 Sheffield 2–1 Gedling Town Alfreton
2001–02 Alfreton Town 4–0 Armthorpe Welfare
Worksop
2002–03
Ossett Albion
3–0 Sheffield Brigg
2003–04 Hallam 1–0
Mickleover Sports
Buxton
2004–05 Sheffield 2–1 Harrogate Railway Athletic
Ossett - Queen's Terrace
250
2005–06 Liversedge 5–1(agg) Sheffield 1L: Sheffield
2L: Liversedge
1L:
2L:
2006–07
Mickleover Sports
1–1(
p
)
Garforth Town
Sheffield 243
2007–08 Winterton Rangers 3–1 Parkgate Staveley 213
2008–09 Long Eaton United 4–0 Selby Town Staveley 260
2009–10 Dinnington Town 5–2 Armthorpe Welfare Staveley 195
2010–11 Farsley 3–0 Winterton Rangers Staveley 235
2011–12
Thackley
3–2 Shirebrook Town Parkgate 272
2012–13
Thackley
3–1 Louth Town Staveley 225
2013–14
Knaresborough Town
2–2(
p
)
Eccleshill United Valley Parade 390
2014–15
Handsworth Parramore
4–3 Cleethorpes Town Staveley 376
2015–16 Cleethorpes Town 3–2
Tadcaster Albion
Garforth 423
2016–17 Penistone Church 4–1
Bridlington Town
Bramall Lane 485
2017–18 Cup withdrawn; final abandoned[3]
2018–19 Worksop Town 3–1 Liversedge
Doncaster
1,075
2019–20 Final not played
2020–21 Cancelled
2021–22 Barton Town 3–2
Garforth Town
Doncaster
718
2022–23 Winterton Rangers 1–1 Golcar United
Doncaster
810

President's Cup and Trophy

In the past the league has had additional cup competitions. The Trophy was contested by the Division One clubs and the President's Cup which featured the top eight teams in each division from the previous season, provided they remain in the league.

Winners

Season President's Cup Trophy
1990–91
North Ferriby United
1991–92 North Shields
1992–93 Maltby Miners Welfare
1993–94 Lincoln United
1994–95 Arnold Town
1995–96 Belper Town
Pontefract Collieries
1996–97 Hucknall Town
Garforth Town
1997–98
Glasshoughton Welfare
Staveley Miners Welfare
1998–99
North Ferriby United
Yorkshire Amateur
1999–00
North Ferriby United
Goole
2000–01 Selby Town
Pickering Town
2001–02 Alfreton Town
Bridlington Town
2002–03 Harrogate Railway Athletic
Mickleover Sports
2003–04 Eastwood Town
Hall Road Rangers
2004–05 Buxton
Lincoln Moorlands
2005–06 Buxton
Retford United
2006–07 Retford United Parkgate
2007–08 Liversedge
Hall Road Rangers
2008–09 Nostell Staveley Miners Welfare
2009–10 Winterton Rangers Staveley Miners Welfare
2010–11
Tadcaster Albion
Glasshoughton Welfare
2011–12 Handsworth Grimsby Borough

Member clubs in national competitions

FA Cup first round

The following NCEL clubs have reached the First Round proper of the FA Cup

Season NCEL Club Round Venue Result Opponents
1982–83
Shepshed Charterhouse
1st Away Lost 1–5 Preston North End
1990–91
Spennymoor United
1st Away Lost 2–3 Chesterfield
2001–02 Brigg Town 1st Away Lost 1–4 Tranmere Rovers
2002–03 Harrogate Railway Athletic 1st
2nd
Away
Home
Won 2–1
Lost 1–3
Slough Town
Bristol City

FA Vase finalists

The following NCEL clubs have reached the Final of the FA Vase

Season NCEL Club Result Opponents
1987–88
Emley
Lost 0–1 Colne Dynamoes
1989–90
Bridlington Town
Lost 0–1 Yeading
1990–91 Guiseley Won 3–1 Gresley Rovers
1995–96 Brigg Town Won 3–0 Clitheroe
1996–97
North Ferriby United
Lost 0–3 Whitby Town
2002–03 Brigg Town Won 2–1
AFC Sudbury
2016–17 Cleethorpes Town Lost 0–4 South Shields

References

  1. ^ "Northern Counties (East) League". Nozdrul. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Division One Play-off Details Announced". Northern Counties East Football League. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  3. ^ "BREAKING NEWS! NCEL Release Statement Regarding League Cup!". The Bootiful Game. 14 July 2018.

External links