1998–99 North West Counties Football League

May 2026 May 2026 The 1998–99 North West Counties Football League season (known as the North Western Trains Football League for sponsorship reasons 21 May 1998 Full steam ahead for league 87 Formby Times Southport) was the 17th 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 (known as the North Western Trains League Cup for sponsorship reasons), 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 1998–99 21 Workington Workington Holker Old Boys 420 1350 1997–98 1999–2000 Owing to the late withdrawal of Blackpool Rovers in JulyMike Young 13 July 1998 They think it's all Rover 24 The Evening Gazette Blackpool Division One featured only 21 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 5 additions (4 of whom had been promoted from Division Two as Division One was intended to be rebuilt back to 22 clubs): Bootle, promoted as seventh place in Division Two Cheadle Town, promoted as fourth place in Division Two Leek CSOB, promoted as third place in Division Two Skelmersdale United, promoted as runners-up of Division Two Workington, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One At the end of the season the champions Workington who had been relegated the previous season bounced back to the Northern Premier League Division One; in their final home match of the season, a championship decider versus Mossley, a new league single match attendance record of 2,281 was established (exceeding the then record of 1,353 set sixteen seasons previously at the Division Two Radcliffe Borough versus Caernarfon Town match from the 1982–83 season).http://www.nwcfl.com/index.php?page=league-history League History nwcfl.co.uk 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110816121533/http://www.nwcfl.com/index.php?page=league-history 16 August 2011 28 April 2026 dead The bottom club Holker Old Boys were relegated to Division Two – the only club relegated from the division. League table main WDL Season End Notes 5 WRK Workington MOS Mossley VAU Vauxhall GM NEW Newcastle Town KID Kidsgrove Athletic PRC Prescot Cables SKU Skelmersdale United STH St Helens Town LCS Leek County School Old Boys SLC Salford City RAM Ramsbottom United CLT Clitheroe MNR Maine Road ROS Rossendale United NAN Nantwich Town GNE Glossop North End CHT Cheadle Town ALR Atherton Laburnum Rovers ACO Atherton Collieries BTL Bootle HOB Holker Old Boys 27 9 4 86 28 C,P 27 7 6 91 38 26 7 7 92 40 25 9 6 86 33 24 7 9 90 47 21 9 10 78 44 21 8 11 82 50 22 5 13 77 58 14 11 15 52 58 15 7 18 63 73 14 8 18 54 64 14 6 20 68 58 14 6 20 50 71 14 5 21 59 81 12 6 22 56 68 12 6 22 53 81 12 6 22 56 97 10 9 21 45 73 9 7 24 50 88 9 7 24 41 84 4 3 33 21 116 R #ACE1AF Promoted to Northern PremierLeague Division One P #FFCCCC Relegated to Division Two R 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. complete NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1998/99 Division Two North West CountiesFootball LeagueDivision Two 1998–99 19 Fleetwood Freeport Abbey HeyFleetwood Freeport None 342 1105 1997–98 1999–2000 Division Two featured 19 clubs, 14 remaining from the previous season plus 5 additions: Abbey Hey, joined from the Manchester League Chadderton, relegated from Division One Curzon Ashton, transferred from the Northern Counties East Football League Darwen, relegated from Division One Warrington Town, relegated from Division One At the end of the season champions (and League and Cup double winners) Fleetwood Freeport and runners-up and league newcomers Abbey Hey were promoted to Division One. Also leaving the division were league founder members Maghull who, unable to finance ground improvements required by the league, resigned to the West Cheshire League.Hyder Jawad 12 May 1999 Founder members Maghull quit league 35 Liverpool Echo Liverpool League table main WDL Season End Notes 5 FLE Fleetwood Freeport ABH Abbey Hey SQG Squires Gate WAR Warrington Town WDL Woodley Sports RCH Castleton Gabriels FOR Formby DAR Darwen CHA Chadderton TET Tetley Walker BAC Bacup Borough DSH Daisy Hill NEL Nelson CZA Curzon Ashton MAG Maghull CLN Colne AST Ashton Town OLD Oldham Town BLK Blackpool Mechanics 21 8 7 102 34 C,P 20 6 10 70 35 P 17 14 5 53 31 18 9 9 82 46 17 10 9 60 38 17 10 9 72 57 17 7 12 81 59 13 12 11 64 53 11 17 8 42 38 14 8 14 62 64 11 14 11 47 61 12 9 15 51 62 11 11 14 51 49 12 7 17 56 58 11 10 15 50 70 11 7 18 54 71 11 6 19 35 59 5 7 24 34 99 4 6 26 39 121 #ACE1AF Promoted to Division One P P #FFCCCC Resigned to the West Cheshire League RES 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. complete NWCFL: Final Tables, Season 1998/99 League Challenge Cup The 1998–99 League Challenge Cup (known as the North Western Trains League Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs. The all Division One club final, played at Skelmersdale United F.C., was won 1–0 in a replay by Vauxhall GM who defeated Prescot Cables. 17 May 1999 Blundell cup hero 23 Liverpool Daily Post Liverpool The original tie held at Bury F.C. was abandoned owing to floodlight failure prior to deciding penalties being taken with the score 1–1 after extra time (1–1 at 90 minutes).Hyder Jawad 30 April 1999 Final halted by lights failure 74 Liverpool Echo Liverpool Vauxhall GM were the third club to win the trophy twice (emulating Warrington Town and Burscough). Semi-finals and Final The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played n 2 n 3 score 1 Semi-finals Prescot Cables grey (D1) 2 0 RD1-score1-agg Newcastle Town grey (D1) 0 0 RD1-score2-agg St Helens Town grey (D1) 1 2sf1 After extra time, score at 90 minutes: 2–1 1psf2 Penalties Vauxhall GM grey (D1) 2 1sf1 3psf2 Final Prescot Cables grey (D1) 1f1 Played at Bury F.C. Abandoned after extra time, score at 90 minutes: 1–1 0f2 Played at Skelmersdale United F.C. Vauxhall GM grey (D1) 1f1 1f2 Club's division appended to team name: (D1)=Division One sources: Semi-finals: Andy Hunter 8 March 1999 Vauxhall motor to final after penalty drama 46 Liverpool Echo Liverpool; 15 March 1999 Semi-Pro Statistics: NWT Lge Cup semi 2nd leg 10 Manchester Evening News; Super Sport Manchester Final: 17 May 1999 Blundell cup hero 23 Liverpool Daily Post Liverpool; Hyder Jawad 30 April 1999 Final halted by lights failure 74 Liverpool Echo Liverpool Second Division Trophy The 1998–99 Second Division Trophy was a knockout competition for Division Two clubs only. The winners, as part of a League and Cup double, were Fleetwood Freeport who defeated Warrington Town 2–1 in the final played at Darwen F.C.Peter Jose 15 April 1999 Fleetwood Go for Double: 2nd Division Cup Final Fleetwood Freeport 2 Warrington Town 1 27 Fleetwood Weekly News Fleetwood Semi-finals and Final The semi-finals were decided on aggregate score from two legs played n 2 n 3 score 1 Semi-finals Abbey Hey 2 0 RD1-score1-agg Fleetwood Freeport 1 2 RD1-score2-agg Warrington Town 3 4 RD1-score3-agg Curzon Ashton 2 3 RD1-score4-agg Finalf1 Played at Darwen F.C. Fleetwood Freeport 2 Warrington Town 1 sources: Semi-finals: 15 March 1999 Semi-Pro Statistics: NWT Div 2 Trophy semi 2nd leg 10 Manchester Evening News; Super Sport Manchester; 22 March 1999 Semi-Pro Statistics: NWT Div 2 Trophy Semi Final 2nd leg 4 Manchester Evening News; Super Sport Manchester Final: Peter Jose 15 April 1999 Fleetwood Go for Double: 2nd Division Cup Final Fleetwood Freeport 2 Warrington Town 1 27 Fleetwood Weekly News Fleetwood Floodlit Trophy The 1998–99 Floodlit Trophy was a competition open to all the league's clubs with floodlights. In the all Division One club final Clitheroe defeated Kidsgrove Athletic 2–1 in the match played at Maine Road F.C. 29 April 1999 Blues long wait for silverware is over! 34 The Clitheroe Advertiser and Times Clitheroe Reserves Section Main honours for the 1998–99 season:https://www.nwcfl.com/league-honours.php League Honours The NWCFL 28 April 2026 Reserves Division (regionalised competition) North Division Winners: Ramsbottom United Reserves Runners-up: Clitheroe Reserves South Division Winners: Glossop North End Reserves Runners-up: Ashton Town Reserves Reserves Division Cup Winners: Clitheroe 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