# 1995–96 Northern Premier League

The 1995–96 Northern Premier League season was the 28th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First. It was known as the Unibond League for sponsorship reasons.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division featured three new teams:
* Bamber Bridge promoted as runners up from Division One
* Blyth Spartans promoted as champions from Division One
* Leek Town transferred from the Southern League Premier Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Bamber Bridge (C) | 42 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 81 | 49 | +32 | 76 | |
| 2 | Boston United | 42 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 86 | 59 | +27 | 75 | |
| 3 | Hyde United | 42 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 86 | 51 | +35 | 74 | |
| 4 | Barrow | 42 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 69 | 42 | +27 | 73 | |
| 5 | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 73 | |
| 6 | Blyth Spartans | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 75 | 61 | +14 | 64 | |
| 7 | Accrington Stanley | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 62 | 54 | +8 | 62 | |
| 8 | Emley | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 61 | |
| 9 | Spennymoor United | 42 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 60 | |
| 10 | Bishop Auckland | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 60 | 55 | +5 | 59 | |
| 11 | Guiseley | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 59 | |
| 12 | Marine | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 59 | |
| 13 | Witton Albion | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 60 | 62 | −2 | 59 | |
| 14 | Chorley | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 67 | 74 | −7 | 51 | |
| 15 | Knowsley United | 42 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 61 | 89 | −28 | 48 | |
| 16 | Winsford United | 42 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 56 | 79 | −23 | 46 | |
| 17 | Leek Town | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 45 | |
| 18 | Colwyn Bay | 42 | 8 | 21 | 13 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 45 | |
| 19 | Frickley Athletic | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 63 | 87 | −24 | 44 | |
| 20 | Buxton | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 43 | 72 | −29 | 38 | |
| 21 | Droylsden (R) | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 58 | 100 | −42 | 38 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
| 22 | Matlock Town (R) | 42 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 71 | 86 | −15 | 35 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
* ↑ Bamber bridge were not promoted due to ground standards.
* 1 2 Accrington Stanley and Frickley Athletic were docked 3 points.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | BAM | BRW | BIS | BLY | BOS | BUX | CHO | COL | DRO | EML | FRK | GAI | GUI | HYD | KNO | LEE | MAR | MAT | SPU | WNS | WTN |
| Accrington Stanley | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 7–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Bamber Bridge | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 4–4 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Barrow | 0–3 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 6–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 7–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Bishop Auckland | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Blyth Spartans | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 6–0 | | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Boston United | 4–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 9–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 4–3 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Buxton | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | | 5–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 |
| Chorley | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Colwyn Bay | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Droylsden | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Emley | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | | 5–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Frickley Athletic | 4–1 | 0–5 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–5 | 2–1 | | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 7–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Guiseley | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Hyde United | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 7–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| Knowsley United | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 |
| Leek Town | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–1 |
| Marine | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Matlock Town | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 8–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–2 |
| Spennymoor United | 3–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 3–3 | 3–1 |
| Winsford United | 2–2 | 1–4 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 2–1 |
| Witton Albion | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | |

## Division One

Division One featured four new teams:
* Bradford Park Avenue promoted as champions from the NWCFL Division One
* Leigh RMI relegated from the Premier Division
* Lincoln United promoted as champions from the NCEFL Premier Division
* Whitley Bay relegated from the Premier Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Lancaster City (C, P) | 40 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 79 | 38 | +41 | 83 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Alfreton Town (P) | 40 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 79 | 47 | +32 | 78 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Lincoln United | 40 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 80 | 56 | +24 | 73 | |
| 4 | Curzon Ashton | 40 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 73 | 53 | +20 | 67 | |
| 5 | Farsley Celtic | 40 | 19 | 9 | 12 | 66 | 61 | +5 | 66 | |
| 6 | Radcliffe Borough | 40 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 70 | 48 | +22 | 64 | |
| 7 | Eastwood Town | 40 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 63 | |
| 8 | Whitley Bay | 40 | 18 | 8 | 14 | 72 | 62 | +10 | 62 | |
| 9 | Ashton United | 40 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 73 | 65 | +8 | 60 | |
| 10 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | 40 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 57 | |
| 11 | Worksop Town | 40 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 84 | 90 | −6 | 56 | |
| 12 | Gretna | 40 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 75 | 65 | +10 | 52 | |
| 13 | Warrington Town | 40 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 75 | 72 | +3 | 49 | |
| 14 | Leigh RMI | 40 | 14 | 7 | 19 | 53 | 59 | −6 | 49 | |
| 15 | Netherfield | 40 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 64 | 73 | −9 | 49 | |
| 16 | Workington | 40 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 50 | 62 | −12 | 45 | |
| 17 | Bradford Park Avenue | 40 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 41 | |
| 18 | Congleton Town | 40 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 36 | 59 | −23 | 41 | |
| 19 | Great Harwood Town | 40 | 9 | 7 | 24 | 44 | 78 | −34 | 33 | |
| 20 | Fleetwood | 40 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 41 | 81 | −40 | 31 | Club folded at the end of the season |
| 21 | Harrogate Town | 40 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 54 | 96 | −42 | 31 | |
* ↑ Ashton United were docked 4 points.
* ↑ From this season onwards Horwich RMI were known as Leigh RMI.
* ↑ Congleton Town were docked 3 points.
* ↑ Great Harwood Town were docked 1 point.

## Promotion and relegation

In the twenty-eighth season of the Northern Premier League Bamber Bridge should have been (as champions) automatically promoted to the Football Conference, but were not as they did not meet the Conference's requirements. Droylsden and Matlock Town were relegated to the First Division; these two clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Runcorn, First Division winners Lancaster City and second placed Alfreton Town. In the First Division Fleetwood folded at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Stocksbridge Park Steels and Flixton.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.
* Hyde United bt. Leek Town
President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Worksop Town bt. Guiseley
Northern Premier League Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Hyde United bt. Bamber Bridge