2013–14 North West Counties Football League
# 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

The Premier Division featured two new teams:

* 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.

### 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 |

**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:

* A.F.C. Liverpool
* Bootle
* Congleton
* Glossop North End
* Maine Road
* Norton United
* Runcorn Linnets
* Runcorn Town

### Results

| Home \ Away | ABH | BLK | LVP | ALS | ASH | BAC | BWT | BTL | CLN | CNG | GNE | MNR | NOR | RNL | RNT | SIL | SQG | STH | STS | WDC | WRP | WNS |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Abbey Hey | | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| A.F.C. Blackpool | 3–3 | | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 2–6 |
| A.F.C. Liverpool | 4–0 | 2–4 | | 5–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 1–2 |
| Alsager Town | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Ashton Athletic | 3–1 | 6–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 6–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–2 |
| Bacup & Rossendale Borough | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Barnoldswick Town | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Bootle | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 0–1 |
| Colne | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–6 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 5–1 |
| Congleton Town | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Glossop North End | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 5–0 |
| Maine Road | 3–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 7–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Norton United | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2–1 |
| Runcorn Linnets | 7–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–5 | | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Runcorn Town | 1–3 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Silsden | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | | 5–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Squires Gate | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–2 | | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 |
| St Helens Town | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 5–0 | | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| Stockport Sports | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 5–5 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Wigan Robin Park | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–8 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 3–4 | | 1–3 |
| Winsford United | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–5 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | |

* ↑ Runcorn Town v Stockport Sports: Match abandoned after 83 minutes. Score at time of abandonment stands.
* ↑ St Helens Town v Silsden: Match abandoned after 86 minutes. Score at time of abandonment stands.

## Division One

Division One featured three new teams:

* 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 | |
| 10 | Irlam | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 50 | |
| 11 | Cheadle Town | 36 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 65 | 74 | −9 | 46 | |
| 12 | Ashton Town | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 57 | 61 | −4 | 44 | |
| 13 | Chadderton | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 58 | 71 | −13 | 41 | |
| 14 | Widnes Vikings | 36 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 58 | 84 | −26 | 35 | |
| 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 | |

* ↑ 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

| Home \ Away | 18N | DAR | AST | ACO | ALR | CHA | CHT | DSH | ECC | FOR | HAN | HOB | IRL | LCS | NEL | NFV | OLD | RCH | WDV |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1874 Northwich | | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 |
| A.F.C. Darwen | 1–4 | | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–5 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Ashton Town | 0–5 | 0–1 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Atherton Collieries | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 5–0 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–6 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 2–0 |
| Chadderton | 1–3 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–7 | 6–3 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 |
| Cheadle Town | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 5–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–2 |
| Daisy Hill | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–7 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 4–1 | 3–5 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Eccleshall | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–6 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Formby | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 7–1 | 4–0 | | 2–1 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 7–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Hanley Town | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 5–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 2–3 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 |
| Holker Old Boys | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 6–3 | 3–1 |
| Irlam | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | | 0–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 |
| Leek County School Old Boys | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–6 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | | 0–4 | 6–1 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Nelson | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 8–0 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–2 | 2–5 | 7–0 | | 2–2 | 8–4 | 6–1 | 8–1 |
| Northwich Flixton Villa | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–6 | 5–1 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–3 | | 0–1 | 3–4 | 1–5 |
| Oldham Boro | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–6 | 2–2 | | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Rochdale Town | 4–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 8–6 | 1–2 | 6–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–5 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 7–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 7–2 | 4–1 | | 2–2 |
| Widnes Vikings | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–6 | 3–0 | 5–2 | 3–1 | |

## League Challenge Cup

### First round

Each Premier Division club, together with Ashton Town of Division One, received a bye to the second round.

| Home team | Score | Away team |
| - | - | - |
| 1874 Northwich | 3–2 aet | Hanley Town |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 1–2 | A.F.C. Darwen |
| Daisy Hill | 0–4 | Irlam |
| Formby | 4–0 | Nelson |
| Holker Old Boys | 2–0 | Leek CSOB |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Northwich Flixton Villa | 4–5 aet | Eccleshall |
| Oldham Boro | 1–2 | Chadderton |
| Rochdale Town | 3–0 | Widnes Vikings |
| Atherton Collieries | 4–0 | Cheadle Town |

### Second round

| Home team | Score | Away team |
| - | - | - |
| Abbey Hey | 4–0 | Eccleshall |
| A.F.C. Darwen | 4–2 aet | Colne |
| Atherton Collieries | 6–0 | Bacup & Rossendale Borough |
| Bootle | 3–0 | Norton United |
| Chadderton | 0–1 | Ashton Athletic |
| Congleton Town | 2–0 | Ashton Town |
| Glossop North End | 0–2 | Maine Road |
| Irlam | 1–5 | Runcorn Town |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Rochdale Town | 3–2 | Holker Old Boys |
| Runcorn Linnets | 1–0 | Barnoldswick Town |
| Silsden | 1–4 aet | Formby |
| Squires Gate | 1–5 | 1874 Northwich |
| St Helens Town | 1–2 | Alsager Town |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | 1–5 | A.F.C. Liverpool |
| Wigan Robin Park | 2–3 | A.F.C. Blackpool |
| Winsford United | 3–1 | Stockport Sports |

### Third round

| Home team | Score | Away team |
| - | - | - |
| 1874 Northwich | 1–0 | Formby |
| A.F.C. Blackpool | 1–0 | A.F.C. Liverpool |
| Alsager Town | 0–1 | Runcorn Linnets |
| Bootle | 0–1 | Abbey Hey |
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Congleton Town | 1–1 aet | Ashton Athletic |
| Maine Road | 3–0 | Winsford United |
| Rochdale Town | 3–0 | Atherton Collieries |
| Runcorn Town | 5–0 | A.F.C. Darwen |

Replay

| Home team | Score | Away team |
| - | - | - |
| Ashton Athletic | 2–1 | Congleton Town |
