2013–14 North West Counties Football League
The 2013–14 North West Counties Football League season was the 32nd in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions: the Premier Division and Division One.
Premier Division
| Season | 2013–14 | 
|---|---|
| Champions | Norton United | 
| Promoted | Norton United | 
| Relegated | Wigan Robin Park | 
| Matches played | 462 | 
| Goals scored | 1,476 (3.19 per match) | 
← 2012–13  2014–15 →   | |
The Premier Division featured two new teams:[1]
- Abbey Hey promoted as runners-up of Division One
 - West Didsbury & Chorlton promoted from Division One
 
Bacup & Rossendale Borough, who finished the season in one of the relegation positions, were reprieved.[2]
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norton United (C, P) | 42 | 32 | 4 | 6 | 101 | 38 | +63 | 100 | Promotion to Northern Premier League Division One South | 
| 2 | Runcorn Linnets | 42 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 103 | 39 | +64 | 95 | |
| 3 | Glossop North End | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 73 | 33 | +40 | 83 | |
| 4 | Maine Road | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 85 | 42 | +43 | 81 | |
| 5 | Runcorn Town | 42 | 25 | 4 | 13 | 87 | 45 | +42 | 79 | |
| 6 | Ashton Athletic | 42 | 23 | 5 | 14 | 78 | 50 | +28 | 74 | |
| 7 | A.F.C. Liverpool | 42 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 88 | 54 | +34 | 70 | |
| 8 | Bootle | 42 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 87 | 57 | +30 | 70 | |
| 9 | Colne | 42 | 20 | 4 | 18 | 71 | 67 | +4 | 64 | |
| 10 | Congleton Town | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 60 | |
| 11 | Stockport Sports | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 64 | 69 | −5 | 57 | |
| 12 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 53 | |
| 13 | A.F.C. Blackpool | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 60 | 87 | −27 | 49 | |
| 14 | Winsford United | 42 | 15 | 3 | 24 | 57 | 83 | −26 | 48 | |
| 15 | Silsden | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 52 | 70 | −18 | 47 | |
| 16 | Barnoldswick Town | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 59 | 89 | −30 | 43 | |
| 17 | St Helens Town | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 55 | 89 | −34 | 43 | |
| 18 | Alsager Town | 42 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 57 | 85 | −28 | 40 | |
| 19 | Squires Gate | 42 | 12 | 4 | 26 | 51 | 89 | −38 | 40 | |
| 20 | Abbey Hey | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 47 | 86 | −39 | 40 | |
| 21 | Bacup & Rossendale Borough | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 38 | 68 | −30 | 39 | |
| 22 | Wigan Robin Park (R) | 42 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 53 | 112 | −59 | 29 | Relegation to Division One | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Promotion criteria
To be promoted at the end of the season a team must:
- Have applied to be considered for promotion by 30 November 2013
 - Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2014
 - Finish the season in a position higher than that of any other team also achieving criteria 1 and 2
 - Finish the season in one of the top three positions
 
The following eight teams have achieved criterion 1:[3]
- A.F.C. Liverpool
 - Bootle
 - Congleton
 - Glossop North End
 - Maine Road
 - Norton United
 - Runcorn Linnets
 - Runcorn Town
 
Results
Locations

Division One
| Season | 2013–14 | 
|---|---|
| Champions | Nelson | 
| Promoted | Nelson 1874 Northwich  | 
| Matches played | 342 | 
| Goals scored | 1,327 (3.88 per match) | 
← 2012–13  2014–15 →   | |
Division One featured three new teams:[1]
- Hanley Town promoted as champions of the Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division
 - 1874 Northwich accepted as a newly formed club.
 - Widnes Vikings accepted from the West Cheshire League Third Division, where they played as Widnes Town.
 
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson (C, P) | 36 | 29 | 2 | 5 | 135 | 51 | +84 | 89 | Promotion to Premier Division | 
| 2 | Formby | 36 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 97 | 37 | +60 | 84 | Club folded at end of season | 
| 3 | 1874 Northwich (P) | 36 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 79 | 28 | +51 | 84 | Promotion to Premier Division | 
| 4 | Hanley Town | 36 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 86 | 55 | +31 | 73 | |
| 5 | Atherton Collieries | 36 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 100 | 62 | +38 | 66 | |
| 6 | Holker Old Boys | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 60 | +20 | 60 | |
| 7 | Rochdale Town | 36 | 17 | 4 | 15 | 95 | 78 | +17 | 55 | |
| 8 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 36 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 66 | 66 | 0 | 54 | |
| 9 | A.F.C. Darwen | 36 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 51[a] | |
| 10 | Irlam | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 50 | |
| 11 | Cheadle Town | 36 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 65 | 74 | −9 | 46[b] | |
| 12 | Ashton Town | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 44 | |
| 13 | Chadderton | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 58 | 71 | −13 | 41[c] | |
| 14 | Widnes Vikings | 36 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 58 | 84 | −26 | 35[d] | |
| 15 | Leek County School Old Boys | 36 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 55 | 93 | −38 | 29 | Resigned from league at the end of the season and placed in SCSL | 
| 16 | Oldham Boro | 36 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 45 | 90 | −45 | 28 | |
| 17 | Eccleshall | 36 | 7 | 5 | 24 | 43 | 78 | −35 | 26 | |
| 18 | Daisy Hill | 36 | 6 | 4 | 26 | 43 | 103 | −60 | 22 | |
| 19 | Northwich Flixton Villa | 36 | 6 | 4 | 26 | 48 | 108 | −60 | 19[e] | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Notes:
- ^ AFC Darwen were deducted 1 point for a breach of league rules.
 - ^ Cheadle Town were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.
 - ^ Chadderton were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.
 - ^ Widnes Vikings were deducted 1 point for a breach of league rules.
 - ^ Northwich Flixton Villa were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.
 
Results
Locations

League Challenge Cup
First round
Each Premier Division club, together with Ashton Town of Division One, received a bye to the second round.
 
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Second round
 
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Third round
 
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Replay
| Home team | Score | Away team | 
|---|---|---|
| Ashton Athletic | 2–1 | Congleton Town | 
Fourth round
 
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Semi–Finals
Played over two legs
 Maine Road win 6–1 on aggregate 
  | 
 Ashton Athletic win 6–2 on aggregate  | 
Final
Played at Curzon Ashton's Tameside Stadium
| Score | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ashton Athletic | 1–0 | Maine Road | 
First Division Trophy
First round
Each of the remaining thirteen Division One clubs received a bye to the second round.
 
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Second round
 
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Third round
 
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Semi-finals
Played over two legs
 Hanley Town win 5–4 on aggregate  | 
 Formby win 6–4 on aggregate  | 
Final
Played at Runcorn Linnets' Millbank Linnets Stadium
| Score | ||
|---|---|---|
| Formby | 3–3 aet | Hanley Town | 
Formby win on penalties, 5–3
References
- ^ a b "NWCFL team changes 2013". NWCFL. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
 - ^ "League Constitution - further update". NWCFL. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
 - ^ "Applications for promotion". NWCFL. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
 - ^ "Runcorn Town V Stockport Sports". NWCFL. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
 - ^ "St Helens Town V Silsden". NWCFL. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.