# 2022–23 Northern Football League

The 2022–23 season was the 125th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by the Football Association on 12 May 2022, and were subject to appeals.

## Division One

Division One featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs.
* Promoted from Division Two:
** Carlisle City
** Heaton Stannington
** Tow Law Town
* Plus:
** Pickering Town, relegated from the Northern Premier League

### Division One table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Newton Aycliffe | 38 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 102 | 48 | +54 | 85 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Ashington | 38 | 25 | 5 | 8 | 79 | 35 | +44 | 80 | Qualified for an inter-step play-off, promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 3 | Bishop Auckland | 38 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 99 | 48 | +51 | 78 | |
| 4 | Whitley Bay | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 68 | 55 | +13 | 73 | |
| 5 | West Allotment Celtic | 38 | 21 | 4 | 13 | 74 | 55 | +19 | 67 | |
| 6 | Redcar Athletic | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 83 | 70 | +13 | 61 | |
| 7 | Whickham | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 56 | 49 | +7 | 61 | |
| 8 | Heaton Stannington | 38 | 18 | 5 | 15 | 81 | 62 | +19 | 59 | |
| 9 | Guisborough Town | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 69 | 54 | +15 | 57 | |
| 10 | Newcastle Benfield | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 67 | 57 | +10 | 53 | |
| 11 | West Auckland Town | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 65 | 65 | 0 | 47 | |
| 12 | Tow Law Town | 38 | 14 | 4 | 20 | 59 | 84 | −25 | 46 | |
| 13 | Crook Town | 38 | 14 | 2 | 22 | 52 | 77 | −25 | 44 | |
| 14 | Penrith | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 45 | 64 | −19 | 41 | |
| 15 | Carlisle City | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 68 | −11 | 37 | |
| 16 | Seaham Red Star | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 46 | 61 | −15 | 36 | |
| 17 | Pickering Town | 38 | 11 | 3 | 24 | 45 | 94 | −49 | 36 | Transferred to the Northern Counties East League |
| 18 | Northallerton Town | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 53 | 73 | −20 | 35 | |
| 19 | Sunderland RCA | 38 | 11 | 5 | 22 | 43 | 94 | −51 | 35 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 20 | Thornaby | 38 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 42 | 72 | −30 | 31 | Relegated to Division Two |
* ↑ Carlisle City were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.
* ↑ Northallerton Town were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.
* ↑ Sunderland RCA were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.
* ↑ Thornaby were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
| Ashington | Woodhorn Lane | |
| Bishop Auckland | Heritage Park | 1,950 |
| Carlisle City | Gillford Park | |
| Crook Town | The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground | 1,500 |
| Guisborough Town | King George V Ground | |
| Heaton Stannington | Grounsell Park | |
| Newcastle Benfield | Sam Smith’s Park | 2,000 |
| Newton Aycliffe | Moore Lane Park | |
| Northallerton Town | Calvert Stadium | |
| Penrith | Frenchfield Stadium | 1,500 |
| Pickering Town | Mill Lane | 2,000 |
| Redcar Athletic | Green Lane | |
| Seaham Red Star | Seaham Town Park | |
| Sunderland RCA | Meadow Park | 1,500 |
| Thornaby | Teesdale Park | 5,000 |
| Tow Law Town | Ironworks Road | 3,000 |
| West Allotment Celtic | East Palmersville Sports Pavilion | 1,500 |
| West Auckland Town | Darlington Road | 2,000 |
| Whickham | Glebe Sports Ground | 4,000 |
| Whitley Bay | Hillheads Park | 4,500 |

## Division Two

Division Two featured 17 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:
* Billingham Town, relegated from Division One
* Boro Rangers, promoted from the North Riding League
* Chester-le-Street United, promoted from the Wearside League
* Prudhoe Youth Club, promoted from the Northern Alliance

### Division Two table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Boro Rangers | 40 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 97 | 34 | +63 | 93 | Promoted to Division One |
| 2 | Horden Community Welfare | 40 | 29 | 3 | 8 | 95 | 44 | +51 | 90 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Bedlington Terriers | 40 | 28 | 5 | 7 | 120 | 58 | +62 | 89 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 4 | Billingham Town | 40 | 27 | 5 | 8 | 114 | 59 | +55 | 86 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Birtley Town | 40 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 130 | 55 | +75 | 80 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to Division One |
| 6 | Blyth Town | 40 | 21 | 4 | 15 | 83 | 54 | +29 | 67 | |
| 7 | Redcar Town | 40 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 70 | 51 | +19 | 64 | |
| 8 | Prudhoe Youth Club | 40 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 63 | |
| 9 | Boldon Community Association | 40 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 83 | 83 | 0 | 56 | |
| 10 | Brandon United | 40 | 16 | 6 | 18 | 61 | 71 | −10 | 54 | |
| 11 | Easington Colliery | 40 | 15 | 8 | 17 | 70 | 77 | −7 | 53 | |
| 12 | Chester-le-Street United | 40 | 16 | 4 | 20 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 52 | |
| 13 | Esh Winning | 40 | 14 | 8 | 18 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 50 | |
| 14 | Chester-le-Street Town | 40 | 15 | 4 | 21 | 50 | 74 | −24 | 49 | |
| 15 | Newcastle University | 40 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 71 | 80 | −9 | 48 | |
| 16 | Billingham Synthonia | 40 | 12 | 6 | 22 | 71 | 82 | −11 | 42 | |
| 17 | Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | 40 | 11 | 8 | 21 | 56 | 91 | −35 | 41 | |
| 18 | Jarrow | 40 | 11 | 7 | 22 | 54 | 82 | −28 | 40 | |
| 19 | Washington | 40 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 44 | 80 | −36 | 37 | |
| 20 | Sunderland West End | 40 | 11 | 3 | 26 | 51 | 88 | −37 | 36 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 21 | Willington | 40 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 22 | 169 | −147 | 3 | Relegated to the Wearside League |
* ↑ Willington were deducted six points for playing ineligible players in two games.

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Horden Community Welfare | 2 (4) | | | |
| 5 | Birtley Town | 2 (5) | | | |
| 5 | Birtley Town | 2 (5) | 5 | Birtley Town | 2 (5) |
| | | | 4 | Billingham Town | 2 (4) |
| 3 | Bedlington Terriers | 2 (2) | 4 | Billingham Town | 2 (4) |
| 4 | Billingham Town | 2 (3) | | | |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
| Bedlington Terriers | Welfare Park | 3,000 |
| Billingham Synthonia | Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) | 2,000 |
| Billingham Town | Bedford Terrace | 3,000 |
| Birtley Town | Birtley Sports Complex | |
| Blyth Town | South Newsham Playing Fields | |
| Boldon Comm Assn | Boldon Colliery Welfare | |
| Boro Rangers | Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) | 2,000 |
| Brandon United | Welfare Ground | |
| Chester-le-Street Town | Moor Park | |
| Chester-le-Street United | Riverside | |
| Easington Colliery | Welfare Park | |
| Esh Winning | West Terrace | 3,500 |
| Horden Community Welfare | Welfare Park | |
| Jarrow | Perth Green | |
| Newcastle University | Kimberley Park | |
| Redcar Town | Mo Mowlam Memorial Park | |
| Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | Kingsley Park | 1,500 |
| Sunderland West End | Nissan Sports Complex | 1,000 |
| Washington | New Ferens Park | |
| Willington | Hall Lane | |