The North West Counties Football League was founded in 1982 following the amalgamation of two of the most historic leagues in the North West, the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination, whose own history stretched back to 1919 and 1891 respectively. This coming season will be the 44th in the league’s history.
Initially the North West Counties League operated with three divisions and 58 clubs, but at the end of 1986-87 season, this was reduced to two as a result of ongoing ground grading and the formation of a First Division of the Northern Premier League. The League continued with two divisions until 2018, when it expanded to three divisions consisting of 60 clubs. The 2025-26 season sees 61 clubs in our system – 24 in the Premier Division, 18 in the First Division North and 19 in the First Division South.
The NWCFL covers a geographical area stretching from Cumbria in the North, through Lancashire, Cheshire, Liverpool, Manchester, Shropshire and parts of Derbyshire, down to Staffordshire and Shropshire in the South, and goes East into West Yorkshire. The League also see representation from the Isle of Man. Previously the League has also welcomed clubs from North Wales prior to the formation of the Welsh Premier League in 1991 (now the Cymru Premier). Altogether, 164 clubs have enjoyed membership of the NWCFL, with 16 of our current constitution being founder members. Of these, only four founder members have continuous membership of the competition, namely, AFC Blackpool, Bacup Borough, Chadderton and Daisy Hill.
The League is at Steps 5 & 6 of the National League System and operates one of the 16 divisions at Step 5 and two of the 17 divisions at Step 6 across England. The League operates a Premier, First Division North and First Division South division plus the League Challenge Cup (The Macron Cup) open to all clubs and a First Division Challenge Cup (The Edward Case Cup), which is open to the 37 sides playing at Step 6.
The League is a Limited Company (The North West Counties League Limited) although administered by a Board of Directors and a Management Committee of unpaid officers, drawing on a wealth of experience and skills.
Many of our clubs have excelled in our own, and national, competitions, particularly the FA Vase where we have provided a host of finalists and five winners; St Helens Town, Colne Dynamoes, Nantwich Town, Kirkham & Wesham and Warrington Rylands claiming the prestigious silverware. Fleetwood Town was our first finalist in 1985, losing to Halesowen Town, before the all-North West Counties Final between St Helens Town and Warrington Town in 1987. Next were Colne Dynamoes who beat Emley in 1988 and then Clitheroe, who were beaten by Brigg Town in 1996. The league waited ten years before producing their next winner in 2006, when Nantwich Town lifted the trophy after beating Hillingdon Borough 3-1 in the final at Birmingham City's St Andrews ground.
The league has continued to deliver a steady stream of teams in the final rounds of the Vase competition over recent years, with member clubs reaching the final in 2008, 2009, 2015 and 2021. Kirkham & Wesham (now AFC Fylde) became the first of our clubs to grace the hallowed turf at the New Wembley when they defeated Lowestoft Town 2-1 in front of 19,537 spectators. In 2009 Glossop North End reached the final only to lose 2-0 against Northern League opponents Whitley Bay in front of a crowd of 12,212, and they returned to Wembley in 2015, only to lose 2-1 after extra time against North Shields in front of 9,674 spectators.
In 2021, Warrington Rylands became the first NWCFL side since Kirkham & Wesham to lift the FA Vase when they defeated Binfield 3-2 at Wembley Stadium.
In the FA Cup, the League is regularly represented in the latter qualifying rounds, and in 2020, Skelmersdale United became the first side since 1997 to reach the First Round Proper, bowing out to Harrogate Town at Wetherby Road in front of a national TV audience, but ex-member clubs Horwich RMI, Penrith, Colwyn Bay, Newcastle Town and Stalybridge Celtic have also reached this stage.
In county cup competitions, our clubs figure prominently in the various county cups across the whole region, regularly getting the better of clubs from higher leagues.
In domestic action, the fiercely competitive nature of the League is reflected in the fact that only four clubs have ever completed a League Championship and Challenge Cup double, Ashton United in 1992, Kidsgrove Athletic in 1998, FC United of Manchester in 2007, and Glossop North End in 2015. Atherton LR are the only club to claim consecutive Championships, in 1992 and 1993, whilst Workington became the first club to regain NPL status at the first attempt in 1999.
The outstanding achievement of Clitheroe in the 1980's when they collected each divisional Championship in successive seasons between 1984 and 1986 was matched by FC United of Manchester in 2006 and 2007.
The record attendance for a North West Counties League fixture stood at 1,353 for sixteen years, Radcliffe Borough's First Division Championship decider with Caernarfon Town attracting this gate in 1982-83 season. Workington's pulling power saw them exceed this in their 1998-99 Championship season, the deciding fixture with Mossley seeing 2,281 spectators through the turnstiles at Borough Park.
However in season 2005-06 the phenomenal popularity of new club FC United of Manchester's Division Two championship winning team set a new record with 6,023 spectators attending Gigg Lane for their last home game of the season versus Great Harwood Town. Ironically, Great Harwood won 1-0 on the day and it turned out to be the Lancashire club's last ever game in the league, as they folded a few weeks later.
This record stood for just shy of nineteen years before it was finally broken, at the very same stadium too as 8,719 spectators were inside Gigg Lane, this time for Bury FC’s 4-0 victory over Burscough as they clinched the Premier Division title on the final day of the season.
Bury had already broken the Premier Division attendance record on more than one occasion during their time in the League, 4,833 attending their clash with Prestwich Heys on Boxing Day 2023 before 5,834 were at the 2-2 draw with Ramsbottom United in a top-of-the-table clash exactly twelve months later.
The presence of Bury in the League, and Macclesfield FC before them, meant that attendances of over 3,000 were a regular occurrence in the years immediately following the pandemic, with no fewer than 63 games in the League’s history recording attendances over 3,000, an amazing achievement for a Step 5/6 League.
Another side who experienced considerable trophy success in their short stay with the League is City of Liverpool FC. Having won a ‘treble’ in their inaugural season, lifting the League Challenge Cup, the First Division Cup and the First Division Play Off trophy, they went on to lift the Champions Cup (League Champions v Cup Winners Cup) in 2017-18, the Premier Division Championship the year after and the Champions Cup for a second time in 2021, in a match delayed by over a year due to the pandemic.
Newcastle Town's record breaking Premier Division championship campaign of 2009-10 still remains one of the best ever in League history. The records they achieved were:
Even with the increase in the number of clubs in our Premier Division, it seems almost inconceivable that these records will be broken any time soon.
The League has consistently provided the launch pad for new clubs looking to enter the National League System, with many going on to grace the higher echelons of football. Three former clubs have achieved Football League status, with Accrington Stanley (members between 1982 and 1987), Fleetwood Town (1997-2005) and Salford City (1982-2008). No fewer than 36 former member clubs are currently playing in the top eight levels of the English football pyramid.
Season 2018-19 was historic for the League as we were given the green light to expand the competition back to three divisions, initially consisting of 60 clubs.
Season 2019/20 was also historic, but this time for the wrong reasons as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed the season in the March, leaving the competition unfinished. The Football Association declared the season null & void as a result, much to the disappointment of everyone concerned. The following season was little better with the start of the season being delayed due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, and then an early curtailment in November meant that only a handful of games were played by most clubs. Despite the lack of football, The FA pressed ahead with the restructure of the NLS which created the 'perfect' pyramid.
Despite the ongoing threat from COVID-19, the 2021-22 season turned into a successful one as we managed to complete the full campaign for the first time in three years. In the Premier Division, Macclesfield FC won the Championship title by 15 points to gain promotion to the Northern Premier League after a one season stay in our League. They were joined by runners-up Skelmersdale United who gained promotion thanks to victory in the newly introduced Inter League Step 4/5 Play-offs. In the First Division North, another reformed club, Bury AFC won the Championship title, with Golcar United winning the second promotion spot courtesy of the play-offs. In the First Division South, West Didsbury & Chorlton finished as Champions with FC Isle of Man taking their place in Step 5 through the Play Offs.
2023-24 saw the end of the inter-step play-off and the introduction of the standard four-team play-off system in the Premier Division. Wythenshawe Town were the first winners of this format after they beat Bury FC on penalties in the final, joining cross-town rivals Wythenshawe in Step 4 after a thrilling three-way battle for the championship.
Bury FC went one better in 2024-25 and secured the title with a whopping 109 points, the third highest total in League history. Lower Breck pushed them all the way but fell short on 106, a points total never before seen without winning the league. They did join Bury in promotion after beating Padiham 2-0 in the play-off final.
We will welcome seven new clubs for the 2025-26 season; City of Liverpool and Wythenshawe return to the fold after a six- and one-year absence respectively while five clubs join the First Divisions for the first time. MSB Woolton and Fulwood Amateurs have been promoted from Regional Feeder Leagues into the First Division North while Haughmond and Telford Town make the step up to the First Division South – Wolverhampton Casuals also joining following relegation from the Midland League Premier Division.
Despite many changes in clubs and personnel over the years, and on-going challenges presented by the economic climate the League's competitions continue to thrive and attract interest both locally and further afield.
Most important of all, the League's competitions continue to provide excellent entertainment on the field, and foster friendship and camaraderie between clubs and their supporters off the field and long may that continue.
