Nelson Receive First Division North Trophy
Mon 20th April 2026 | Nelson | By Martin Fallon
Nelson were presented with the First Division North Championship Trophy on Saturday after their home victory against Ashton Athletic.
League Secretary John Deal and Vice Chairman Geoff Wilkinson headed to Little Wembley for the game in case Nelson got the result they needed to secure the title, and after a 5-0 victory in the game, were awarded the trophy after the game.
It is a return to Step 5 for Nelson after they were relegated from the NWCFL Premier Division at the end of the 2016/17 season. Last season they finished as runners up, heartbreakingly losing to Euxton Villa 10-9 on penalties in the Semi Final, and have been involved in what has been a tremendous title race in the North this season.
They started the season poorly, with two losses in their opening three games. However a 4-1 win over Alnwick Town in the FA Vase kick started their season and they went on to win their next 15 games in all competitions.
By the end of July/August, they were down in 11th position, but September saw them win all six games, three of which were in the league which saw them climb up to the play-off positions in 3rd, three points behind Droylsden. They also progressed in the FA Vase, Macron Cup and Lancashire Challenge Trophy.
October saw them continue progress in the FA Vase and Macron Cup, and despite playing just two league games, they climbed to the top of the league moving two points ahead of Droylsden with two games in hand.
The cups were proving fruitful for Nelson, with November seeing them win games in the FA Vase, Macron Cup, Edward Case Cup and Lancashire Challenge Trophy. However this success came at a cost with just one league game played, and by the end of the month they had dropped to fifth in the league table.
December saw them win again in the FA Vase, but they lost in the Edward Case Cup to Daisy Hill. An ineligible player later saw them reinstated. In the league they won two and drew at home to Droylsden, those results seeing them climb back up to top in a division where most teams were beating each other!
The start of 2026 saw them eventually bow out of the FA Vase at West Didsbury & Chorlton. This was in the Fourth Round which was the furthest that they had ever got in the competition. They lost in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy against Fulwood Amateurs, but progressed in the Edward Case Cup. Their unbeaten league run ended with a loss at home to Squires Gate, with the month seeing the bad weather catch up with Nelson with three postponements. By the end of January they had fallen to sixth.
February brought a 10-1 victory over Telford Town in the Macron Cup, but despite beating Fulwood in the league, losses against Droylsden and Bacup Borough saw them face an uphill battle.Trailing 3-2 at Squires Gate in the last game of the month, they rallied to win 5-3, a result that moved them up one place to fifth.
All the postponements meant a busy March, with Nelson playing ten games in the month. They lost in the Edward Case Cup Semi Finals to Runcorn Town, but were unbeaten in the nine league games that they played, winning six games and drawing the other three. This 21 point haul in the month moved them back to the top of the table, one point ahead of Droylsden.
They opened April with a win over Maine Road, with Good Friday seeing them bow out of the Macron Cup at the Semi Final stage to AFC Liverpool. It did prove a good weekend though with Droylsden losing at home to Ashton Town. A win on Easter Monday against Darwen meant that Nelson needed one win from their remaining two games to secure the title, and that came on Saturday with the victory over Ashton Athletic.
Nelson conclude their league season on Saturday at home to MSB Woolton, and it promises to be a great final day for them.
They've had an exceptional season, with a record run in the FA Vase and the Semi Finals in both league cups, but the league win is the one that matters and a return to Step 5 after nine seasons. Given their geographic location, that will surely be the NWCFL Premier Division, but again that decision will be made by the Footbal Association in May.
They do have one cup game remaining, as they face Runcorn Town in the NWCFL Champions Cup Final a week on Saturday.
Nelson Receive First Division North Trophy
Mon 20th April 2026 | Nelson
By Martin Fallon
Nelson were presented with the First Division North Championship Trophy on Saturday after their home victory against Ashton Athletic.
League Secretary John Deal and Vice Chairman Geoff Wilkinson headed to Little Wembley for the game in case Nelson got the result they needed to secure the title, and after a 5-0 victory in the game, were awarded the trophy after the game.
It is a return to Step 5 for Nelson after they were relegated from the NWCFL Premier Division at the end of the 2016/17 season. Last season they finished as runners up, heartbreakingly losing to Euxton Villa 10-9 on penalties in the Semi Final, and have been involved in what has been a tremendous title race in the North this season.
They started the season poorly, with two losses in their opening three games. However a 4-1 win over Alnwick Town in the FA Vase kick started their season and they went on to win their next 15 games in all competitions.
By the end of July/August, they were down in 11th position, but September saw them win all six games, three of which were in the league which saw them climb up to the play-off positions in 3rd, three points behind Droylsden. They also progressed in the FA Vase, Macron Cup and Lancashire Challenge Trophy.
October saw them continue progress in the FA Vase and Macron Cup, and despite playing just two league games, they climbed to the top of the league moving two points ahead of Droylsden with two games in hand.
The cups were proving fruitful for Nelson, with November seeing them win games in the FA Vase, Macron Cup, Edward Case Cup and Lancashire Challenge Trophy. However this success came at a cost with just one league game played, and by the end of the month they had dropped to fifth in the league table.
December saw them win again in the FA Vase, but they lost in the Edward Case Cup to Daisy Hill. An ineligible player later saw them reinstated. In the league they won two and drew at home to Droylsden, those results seeing them climb back up to top in a division where most teams were beating each other!
The start of 2026 saw them eventually bow out of the FA Vase at West Didsbury & Chorlton. This was in the Fourth Round which was the furthest that they had ever got in the competition. They lost in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy against Fulwood Amateurs, but progressed in the Edward Case Cup. Their unbeaten league run ended with a loss at home to Squires Gate, with the month seeing the bad weather catch up with Nelson with three postponements. By the end of January they had fallen to sixth.
February brought a 10-1 victory over Telford Town in the Macron Cup, but despite beating Fulwood in the league, losses against Droylsden and Bacup Borough saw them face an uphill battle.Trailing 3-2 at Squires Gate in the last game of the month, they rallied to win 5-3, a result that moved them up one place to fifth.
All the postponements meant a busy March, with Nelson playing ten games in the month. They lost in the Edward Case Cup Semi Finals to Runcorn Town, but were unbeaten in the nine league games that they played, winning six games and drawing the other three. This 21 point haul in the month moved them back to the top of the table, one point ahead of Droylsden.
They opened April with a win over Maine Road, with Good Friday seeing them bow out of the Macron Cup at the Semi Final stage to AFC Liverpool. It did prove a good weekend though with Droylsden losing at home to Ashton Town. A win on Easter Monday against Darwen meant that Nelson needed one win from their remaining two games to secure the title, and that came on Saturday with the victory over Ashton Athletic.
Nelson conclude their league season on Saturday at home to MSB Woolton, and it promises to be a great final day for them.
They've had an exceptional season, with a record run in the FA Vase and the Semi Finals in both league cups, but the league win is the one that matters and a return to Step 5 after nine seasons. Given their geographic location, that will surely be the NWCFL Premier Division, but again that decision will be made by the Footbal Association in May.
They do have one cup game remaining, as they face Runcorn Town in the NWCFL Champions Cup Final a week on Saturday.
