1997–98 North West Counties Football League

April 2026 April 2026 The 1997–98 North West Counties Football League season was the 16th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. The league comprised two divisions, Division One and Division Two (at levels 8 and 9 respectively of the English football league system), and there were additionally three cup competitions: the League Challenge Cup knockout competition, open to all the league's clubs; the Second Division Trophy, a knockout trophy competition for Division Two clubs only; and the Floodlit Trophy competition for all the league's clubs with floodlights. The league also had a reserves team section. Division One North West CountiesFootball LeagueDivision One 1997–98 22 Kidsgrove Athletic Burscough ChaddertonDarwenWarrington Town 462 1529 1996–97 1998–99 Division One featured featured 22 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additions: Atherton Laburnum Rovers, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One Haslingden, promoted as runners-up of Division Two Ramsbottom United, promoted as champions of Division Two Warrington Town, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One Over the season the champions Kidsgrove Athletic broke the league record for league goals scored in a season by a single club with 127 goals scored in 42 matches (previously held since the 1993–94 season by Haslingden with 117 goals from 34 matches); however, they were not promoted as their ground failed the grading requirement of the higher league. Instead runners-up Burscough took the automatic promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One. Five more clubs also left the division: Blackpool Rovers resigned voluntarily mid-summer prior to the start of the following season to the West Lancashire League;Mike Young 13 July 1998 They think it's all Rover 24 The Evening Gazette Blackpool Haslingden quit when they folded; and three clubs, Chadderton, Darwen and Warrington Town were relegated to Division Two on ground grading shortcomings.Justin Connolly 21 May 1998 Encouraging end for Blues to build upon 38 The Clitheroe Advertiser and Times Clitheroe Owing to Haslingden's resignation Atherton Collieries were repreived from relegation.Richard Frost 23 May 1998 Clubs must make grade 20 Manchester Evening News: Pink Final Manchester League table main WDL Season End Notes 5 KID Kidsgrove Athletic BUR Burscough NEW Newcastle Town VAU Vauxhall GM STH St Helens Town CLT Clitheroe PRC Prescot Cables GNE Glossop North End MOS Mossley NAN Nantwich Town MNR Maine Road CHA Chadderton ROS Rossendale United BWR Blackpool Rovers ALR Atherton Laburnum Rovers HAS Haslingden RAM Ramsbottom United SLC Salford City WAR Warrington Town HOB Holker Old Boys DAR Darwen ACO Atherton Collieries 32 3 7 127 50 C 29 7 6 101 30 P 23 16 3 82 32 24 9 9 91 52 22 12 8 91 59 21 10 11 72 51 19 11 12 72 57 19 7 16 78 69 16 14 12 67 52 17 6 19 71 79 15 10 17 56 70 15 8 19 63 59 R 15 6 21 61 80 13 9 20 67 84 12 11 19 54 73 12 10 20 68 95 12 9 21 58 84 13 4 25 64 92 10 10 22 56 72 R 7 12 23 46 96 6 13 23 42 93 R 7 9 26 42 100 #ACE1AF Promoted to Northern PremierLeagueDivision One P #FFCCCC Relegated (ground grading) to Division Two R R R #FFCCCC Resigned to the West Lancashire League RES #CCCCCC Club folded FLD Reprieved from relegation REP 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. complete NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1997/98 Division Two North West CountiesFootball LeagueDivision Two 1997–98 21 Oldham Town BootleCheadle TownLeek CSOBSkelmersdale United None 420 1638 1996–97 1998–99 Division Two featured featured 21 clubs, 18 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions: Bootle, relegated (ground grading) from Division OneDennis Wall 18 June 1997 Friendlies kick-off in Vauxhall campaign 48 Ellesmere Port Pioneer Chester Fleetwood Freeport, a re-formed club (renamed from Fleetwood Wanderers)Richard Frost 16 August 1997 Fleetwood new boys land big cash tonic 14 Manchester Evening News: Pink Final Manchester Woodley Sports, joined from the Manchester League At the end of the season the champions Oldham Town were refused promotion on ground grading considerations; runners-up Skelmersdale United and third placed Leek County School Old Boys were promoted to Division One as the two highest ranked candidates from the division; also promoted (to rebuild Division One) were two clubs with ground facilities acceptable for the higher division, Cheadle Town (from fourth place in the division) and Bootle (from seventh) who had improved their ground after being demoted last season. Clubs leaving owing to negative events were two recent additions, Garswood United (joined 1996) and Middlewich Athletic (joined 1995) both expelled as their grounds were judged below the required standard and who joined the Mid Cheshire League, and also leaving were Stantondale who folded. Both the champions Oldham Town and fifth placed Woodley Sports scored 118 goals from 40 matches played and exceeded the Division Two single season total goals scored record of Haslingden (117 goals from 34 matches over the 1993–94 season); also scoring in excess of 100 goals were Skelmersdale United (111 goals) and Cheadle Town (108 goals). With regard to goals conceded, the three bottom clubs Blackpool Mechanics (165 conceded from 40 matches), Stantondale (146) and Ashton Town (137) all conceded league highs – the latter equal to and the others higher than the previous high which was set in the 1992–93 season by one of the three, Blackpool Mechanics who had conceded 137 goals in 42 matches that season; this season's Blackpool Mechanics team also extended the highest negative goal difference record established by their forerunners from 110 that season to 132 this season. League table main WDL Season End Notes 5 OLD Oldham Town SKU Skelmersdale United LCS Leek County School Old Boys CHT Cheadle Town WDL Woodley Sports FOR Formby BTL Bootle GAR Garswood United TET Tetley Walker RCH Castleton Gabriels MAG Maghull FLE Fleetwood Freeport NEL Nelson BAC Bacup Borough SQG Squires Gate DSH Daisy Hill MDW Middlewich Athletic CLN Colne AST Ashton Town STA Stantondale BLK Blackpool Mechanics 27 8 5 118 49 C 26 7 7 111 50 P 26 7 7 77 39 P 24 9 7 108 58 P 22 7 11 118 56 22 7 11 90 63 19 15 6 82 60 P 19 10 11 98 62 19 9 12 98 62 18 7 15 86 59 16 10 14 68 63 15 11 14 73 55 17 5 18 69 76 13 8 19 58 83 11 9 20 72 88 11 9 20 60 86 11 8 21 48 90 8 7 25 48 91 6 6 28 73 137 4 4 32 50 146 2 5 33 33 165 #ACE1AF Promoted to Division One P P P P #FFCCCC Expelled (ground grading); EXP EXP #CCCCCC Club folded FLD 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. complete NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1997/98 League Challenge Cup The 1997–98 League Challenge Cup was a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs. The all Division One club final, played at Bury F.C., was won as part of a league and cup double by Kidsgrove Athletic who defeated Vauxhall GM 1–0. 1 May 1988 Misery in the mud 32 The Chronicle (Chester edition) Chester Semi-finals and Final The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played n 2 n 3 score 1 Semi-finals Nantwich Town grey (D1) 1 0 RD1-score1-agg Kidsgrove Athletic grey (D1) 2 6 RD1-score2-agg Glossop North End grey (D1) 1 0 RD1-score3-agg Vauxhall GM grey (D1) 0 3 RD1-score4-agg Finalf1 Played at Bury F.C. Kidsgrove Athletic grey (D1) 1 Vauxhall GM grey (D1) 0 Club's division appended to team name: (D1)=Division One sources: Semi-finals: 6 April 1998 Semi-pro Results, Scorers and Tables: NWC league Cup: Semi Final 2nd Leg 13 Manchester Evening News; Super Sport Manchester; 8 April 1998 North West Counties: Results: Friday April 3. League Challenge Cup s/f 2nd leg 55 Leek Post & Times Leek Final: 1 May 1988 Misery in the mud 32 The Chronicle (Chester edition) Chester Second Division Trophy The 1997–98 Second Division Trophy was a knockout competition for Division Two clubs only. The winners were Tetley Walker who defeated Squires Gate 3–0 in the final played at Skelmersdale United F.C.Mike Young 10 April 1998 Double leaves Gate nursing hangover 33 The Evening Gazette Blackpool Semi-finals and Final The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played n 2 n 3 score 1 Semi-finals Formby 0 1 RD1-score1-agg Squires Gate 3 1 RD1-score2-agg Garswood United 1 1sf2 After extra time, score at 90 minutes: 1–2 RD1-score3-agg Tetley Walker 0 3sf2 RD1-score4-agg Finalf1 Played at Skelmersdale United F.C. Squires Gate 0 Tetley Walker 3 sources: Semi-finals: 16 March 1998 Tetley Walker 3 Garswood United 1 24 Daily Post Liverpool; 23 March 1998 Gate go through to league cup final 17 The Evening Gazette Blackpool Final: Mike Young 10 April 1998 Double leaves Gate nursing hangover 33 The Evening Gazette Blackpool Floodlit Trophy The 1997–98 Floodlit Trophy was a competition open to all the league's clubs with floodlights. In the all Division One club final Burscough defeated St Helens Town 2–1 after extra time (score at 90 minutes: 1–1) in the match played at Skelmersdale United F.C. 25 March 1998 Burscough 2 St Helens Town 1 27 Daily Post Liverpool Reserves Section Main honours for the 1997–98 season:https://www.nwcfl.com/league-honours.php League Honours The NWCFL 8 April 2026 Reserves Division Winners: Maine Road Reserves Runners-up: Clitheroe Reserves Reserves Division Cup Winners: Ramsbottom United Reserves Runners-up: Maine Road Reserves References External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Tables at RSSSF Category:North West Counties Football League seasons 8