Northern Football League

The Northern League is a men's football league in north east England. Having been founded in 1889, it is the second-oldest football league in the world still in existence after the English Football League.

Northern League
Founded1889; 135 years ago (1889)
CountryEngland
DivisionsDivision One
Division Two
Number of teams42
Level on pyramidLevels 9 and 10
Promotion toNorthern Premier League
Division One East or West
Relegation toNorthern Football Alliance Premier Division
Wearside League First Division
North Riding League Premier Division
Domestic cup(s)Northern League Challenge Cup
Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup
J. R. Cleator Cup
Current championsNewton Aycliffe (Division One)
Boro Rangers (Division Two)
(2022–23)
WebsiteEbac Northern League
Current: 2023–24

It contains two divisions; Division One and Division Two. Division One sits on the ninth tier of the English football league system, five divisions below the Football League. These leagues cover the historic counties of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire's North Riding. The champion club of Division One is promoted to the lower division of the Northern Premier League.

History edit

The Northern league was one of many leagues formed the year after the Football League. In its first season, it consisted of ten clubs that were a mixture of professional and amateur organisations. During its early years, the competition included clubs such as Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Darlington that would go on to play in the Football League. In 1905, the league split into two divisions, one professional and one amateur. The next year, however, the Northern League made the decision to abolish the professional division and restrict itself to amateur clubs, or at least clubs that claimed to be amateur.

 
The area covered by the Northern League is coloured in red.

Between the World Wars and in the early years following World War II, the Northern League's amateur status meant that they and their equivalent in the London area, the Isthmian League, dominated the old FA Amateur Cup. The two Leagues continued to be separate from the professional game which was dominated by the Football League, Southern League and, from 1968, the Northern Premier League.

The Northern League and Isthmian League (with its feeder leagues) continued to claim amateur status right up until, following pressure, amateur status was abandoned by the Football Association in 1974. This left amateur leagues like the Northern to find a place in the overall structure of non-League football. Unlike its southern equivalent, the Isthmian League, who became a feeder to the Alliance Premier League in 1982, the Northern League rejected repeated invitations. Ultimately, the Northern League remained out of the football pyramid until 1991. The league declined throughout the 1980s as its leading clubs defected to other leagues within the football pyramid, such as the Northern Counties East Football League. When the Northern League finally joined the pyramid, it was as a feeder league to the lower division of the Northern Premier League (Level 9).

Since 1995, Northern League clubs have competed for the FA Vase, with some success, having won 11 finals, losing 4 finals. There were two all Northern League finals in 2012 (Dunston UTS beat West Auckland Town) and 2020 (Hebburn Town beat Consett).

The League had an unusual sponsorship deal put in place by Brooks Mileson, owner of the Albany Group, who were its sponsors in 2003. In that year, Mileson announced that he had created a trust which would continue to sponsor the league throughout his lifetime and that of his sons. In 2008, however, the league announced that this sponsorship had come to an end, and it held a raffle to determine its next sponsor. Interested parties were invited to buy a stake in the raffle for £250. The winning stake was held by a local training company and the league was known as the skilltrainingltd Northern League from the 2008–09 season until the 2011–12 season.[1] The league is currently sponsored by dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac.[2]

Level 11 clubs from the North Riding Football League, Northern Football Alliance and Wearside Football League may apply for promotion into the Northern League's Second Division (level 10).

Current members edit

 
 
Bishop Auckland
 
Crook Town
 
Heaton Stannington
 
Newcastle Benfield
 
North Shields
 
Seaham Red Star
 
Shildon
 
Sunderland Ryhope Community Association
 
Tow Law Town
 
West Allotment Celtic
 
West Auckland Town
 
Whickham
 
Whitley Bay
 
Bedlington Terriers
 
Billingham Synthonia
 
Billingham Town
 
Birtley Town
 
Blyth Town
 
Boldon Community Association
 
Brandon United
 
Chester-le-Street Town
 
Chester-le-Street United
 
Durham City
 
Easington Colliery
 
Esh Winning
 
FC Hartlepool
 
Horden CW
 
Jarrow
 
Newcastle Blue Star
 
Newcastle University and Prudhoe Youth Club
 
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
 
Sunderland West End
 
Washington
Location of the Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne & Wear clubs in the Northern League by division
  – First Division   – Second Division
 
 
Boro Rangers
 
Guisborough Town
 
Northallerton Town
 
Redcar Athletic
 
Redcar Town
 
Thornaby
 
Yarm & Eaglescliffe
Location of the North Yorkshire clubs in the Northern League
 
 
Penrith
 
Carlisle City
Location of the Cumbria clubs in the Northern League

Division One edit

Club Home ground
Birtley Town Birtley Sports Complex
Bishop Auckland Heritage Park
Boro Rangers Trinity College, Middlesbrough
Carlisle City Gillford Park
Crook Town The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground
Guisborough Town King George V Ground
Heaton Stannington Grounsell Park
Newcastle Benfield Sam Smith's Park
North Shields Daren Persson Stadium
Northallerton Town Calvert Stadium
Penrith Frenchfields Stadium
Redcar Athletic Green Lane
Seaham Red Star Seaham Town Park
Shildon Dean Street
Sunderland RCA Meadow Park
Tow Law Town Ironworks Road
West Allotment Celtic East Palmersville Sports Pavillion
West Auckland Town The Wanted Metal Stadium
Whickham The Glebe Sports Ground
Whitley Bay Hillheads Park

Division Two edit

Club Home ground
Bedlington Terriers Dr Pit Welfare Park
Billingham Synthonia Broughton Road
Billingham Town Bedford Terrace
Blyth Town Gateway Park
Boldon CA Boldon Colliery Welfare
Brandon United Welfare Ground (Brandon)
Chester-le-Street Town Moor Park
Chester-le-Street United Riverside Sports Complex
Easington Colliery Welfare Ground (Easington)
Esh Winning West Terrace
FC Hartlepool Grayfields Enclosure
Horden CW Horden Recreation Ground
Jarrow Perth Green CA
Newcastle Blue Star Scotswood Sports Centre
Newcastle University Kimberley Park (Prudhoe)+
Prudhoe Youth Club Kimberley Park
Redcar Town The Vibrant Doors Stadium
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion Kingsley Park
Sunderland West End Ford Quarry
Thornaby Teesdale Park
Washington Northern Area Football Fields
Yarm & Eaglescliffe Bedford Terrace (Billingham)+

+ indicates ground share

Champions edit