# 2002–03 Northern Premier League

The 2002–03 Northern Premier League season was the 35th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First.

## Premier Division

The Premier League featured three new teams:
* Stalybridge Celtic relegated from the Football Conference
* Harrogate Town promoted as champions of Division One
* Ashton United promoted via 3° play-offs from Division One

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Accrington Stanley (C, P) | 44 | 30 | 10 | 4 | 97 | 44 | +53 | 100 | Promotion to Football Conference |
| 2 | Barrow | 44 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 84 | 52 | +32 | 84 | |
| 3 | Vauxhall Motors | 44 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 81 | 46 | +35 | 76 | |
| 4 | Stalybridge Celtic | 44 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 77 | 51 | +26 | 76 | |
| 5 | Worksop Town | 44 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 82 | 67 | +15 | 72 | |
| 6 | Harrogate Town | 44 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 75 | 63 | +12 | 71 | |
| 7 | Bradford Park Avenue | 44 | 20 | 10 | 14 | 73 | 70 | +3 | 70 | |
| 8 | Hucknall Town | 44 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 72 | 62 | +10 | 66 | |
| 9 | Droylsden | 44 | 18 | 10 | 16 | 62 | 52 | +10 | 64 | |
| 10 | Whitby Town | 44 | 17 | 12 | 15 | 80 | 69 | +11 | 63 | |
| 11 | Marine | 44 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 63 | 60 | +3 | 61 | |
| 12 | Wakefield & Emley | 44 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 46 | 49 | −3 | 60 | |
| 13 | Runcorn F.C. Halton | 44 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 69 | 74 | −5 | 60 | |
| 14 | Altrincham | 44 | 17 | 9 | 18 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 60 | |
| 15 | Gainsborough Trinity | 44 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 67 | 66 | +1 | 59 | |
| 16 | Ashton United | 44 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 71 | 79 | −8 | 58 | |
| 17 | Lancaster City | 44 | 16 | 9 | 19 | 71 | 75 | −4 | 57 | |
| 18 | Burscough | 44 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 44 | 51 | −7 | 51 | |
| 19 | Blyth Spartans | 44 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 67 | 87 | −20 | 51 | |
| 20 | Frickley Athletic | 44 | 13 | 8 | 23 | 45 | 78 | −33 | 47 | |
| 21 | Gateshead (R) | 44 | 10 | 11 | 23 | 60 | 81 | −21 | 41 | Qualification for Division One Play-offs |
| 22 | Colwyn Bay (R) | 44 | 5 | 9 | 30 | 52 | 99 | −47 | 24 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
| 23 | Hyde United (R) | 44 | 5 | 8 | 31 | 40 | 98 | −58 | 23 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
* ↑ From this season onwards Emley were known as Wakefield & Emley.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | ALT | ASH | BRW | BLY | BPA | BUR | COL | DRO | FRK | GAI | GAT | HAR | HUC | HYD | LNC | MAR | RUN | STL | VAU | W&E | WTB | WKS |
| Accrington Stanley | | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Altrincham | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–4 |
| Ashton United | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Barrow | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–3 | | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 |
| Blyth Spartans | 0–3 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–5 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 |
| Burscough | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–4 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Colwyn Bay | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–6 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Droylsden | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 7–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Frickley Athletic | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–7 | 1–3 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 1–5 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 |
| Gateshead | 5–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 |
| Harrogate Town | 0–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Hucknall Town | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Hyde United | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 |
| Lancaster City | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 0–1 | 1–4 |
| Marine | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 5–5 | 1–2 |
| Runcorn | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 6–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Stalybridge Celtic | 1–4 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–4 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| Vauxhall Motors | 0–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 6–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 |
| Wakefield & Emley | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Whitby Town | 0–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–4 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 0–1 |
| Worksop Town | 1–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 7–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 5–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | |

## Division One

Division One featured four new teams:
* Bamber Bridge relegated via play-offs from Premier Division
* Bishop Auckland relegated from Premier Division
* Alfreton Town promoted as champions of the Northern Counties East League Premier Division
* Kidsgrove Athletic promoted as champions of the North West Counties League Division One

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Alfreton Town (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 106 | 59 | +47 | 87 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Spennymoor United (P) | 42 | 27 | 6 | 9 | 81 | 42 | +39 | 87 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Radcliffe Borough (P) | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 90 | 46 | +44 | 85 | Qualification for Play-offs |
| 4 | North Ferriby United | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 78 | 45 | +33 | 78 | Qualification for Play-offs |
| 5 | Chorley | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 80 | 51 | +29 | 73 | Qualification for Play-offs |
| 6 | Belper Town | 42 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 53 | 42 | +11 | 73 | |
| 7 | Witton Albion | 42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 67 | 50 | +17 | 72 | |
| 8 | Matlock Town | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 67 | 48 | +19 | 70 | |
| 9 | Leek Town | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 63 | 46 | +17 | 69 | |
| 10 | Workington | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 73 | 60 | +13 | 67 | |
| 11 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 66 | 67 | −1 | 62 | |
| 12 | Kendal Town | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 68 | 58 | +10 | 61 | |
| 13 | Bamber Bridge | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 54 | |
| 14 | Guiseley | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 68 | 63 | +5 | 53 | |
| 15 | Bishop Auckland | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 58 | 83 | −25 | 49 | |
| 16 | Lincoln United | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 67 | 77 | −10 | 45 | |
| 17 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 54 | 81 | −27 | 42 | |
| 18 | Rossendale United | 42 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 58 | 88 | −30 | 41 | |
| 19 | Kidsgrove Athletic | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 49 | 71 | −22 | 38 | |
| 20 | Ossett Town | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 39 | 80 | −41 | 33 | |
| 21 | Eastwood Town (R) | 42 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 33 | 92 | −59 | 23 | Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division |
| 22 | Trafford (R) | 42 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 34 | 99 | −65 | 21 | Relegation to NWCFL Division One |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ALF | BAM | BLP | BIS | CHO | EAS | FAR | GUI | KEN | KID | LEE | LIN | MAT | NFU | OST | RAD | ROS | SPU | STO | TRA | WTN | WRK |
| Alfreton Town | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Bamber Bridge | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Belper Town | 2–5 | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Bishop Auckland | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 5–3 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 |
| Chorley | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Eastwood Town | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| Farsley Celtic | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 5–4 | 4–3 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| Guiseley | 2–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 7–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–6 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Kendal Town | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 |
| Kidsgrove Athletic | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | | 0–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Leek Town | 3–2 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Lincoln United | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | | 1–5 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Matlock Town | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| North Ferriby United | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 7–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Ossett Town | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–4 | | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Radcliffe Borough | 2–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 7–1 | | 2–1 | 7–4 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Rossendale United | 3–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 4–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | | 1–2 | 6–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 |
| Spennymoor United | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | | 6–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Stocksbridge Park Steels | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–3 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Trafford | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | | 2–3 | 3–2 |
| Witton Albion | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 5–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | | 2–1 |
| Workington | 0–3 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 7–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–3 | |

### Play-offs

The Division One play-offs saw the third to fifth placed sides in the Division and the team that finished 21st in the Premier Division compete for one place in the Premier Division.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 3°D1 | Radcliffe Borough | 1 | | | |
| 4°D1 | North Ferriby United | 0 | | | |
| 4°D1 | North Ferriby United | 0 | 3°D1 | Radcliffe Borough | 2(4) |
| | | | 5°D1 | Chorley | 2(2) |
| 5°D1 | Chorley | 5 | 5°D1 | Chorley | 2(2) |
| 21°PD | Gateshead | 2 | | | |

## Promotion and relegation

In the thirty-fifth season of the Northern Premier League Accrington Stanley (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Gateshead, Colwyn Bay and Hyde United were relegated to the First Division; these three clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Southport, First Division winners Alfreton Town, second placed Spennymoor United and third placed Radcliffe Borough (via a Playoff). In the First Division Eastwood Town and Trafford left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Bridlington Town and Prescot Cables.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.
* Marine bt. Gateshead 3–0 on aggregate
President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Stalybridge Celtic bt. Ashton United
Chairman's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Hucknall Town bt. Droylsden
Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Accrington Stanley bt. Marine