# 1972–73 Northern Premier League

The 1972–73 Northern Premier League was the fifth season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 12 August 1972 and concluded on 4 May 1973.

## Overview

The League featured twenty-four teams for the second consecutive season.

### Team changes

The following two clubs left the League at the end of the previous season:
* Chorley resigned, demoted to Cheshire County League
* Kirkby Town relegated to Lancashire Combination
The following two clubs joined the League at the start of the season:
* Mossley promoted from Cheshire County League
* Barrow not re-elected to Football League Fourth Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Boston United (C) | 46 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 88 | 34 | 2.588 | 70 | |
| 2 | Scarborough | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 72 | 39 | 1.846 | 61 | |
| 3 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 69 | 38 | 1.816 | 60 | |
| 4 | Altrincham | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 75 | 55 | 1.364 | 60 | |
| 5 | Bradford Park Avenue | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 63 | 50 | 1.260 | 55 | |
| 6 | Stafford Rangers | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 63 | 46 | 1.370 | 51 | |
| 7 | Gainsborough Trinity | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 49 | |
| 8 | Northwich Victoria | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 74 | 62 | 1.194 | 49 | |
| 9 | Netherfield | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 68 | 65 | 1.046 | 49 | |
| 10 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 58 | 47 | 1.234 | 48 | |
| 11 | Ellesmere Port Town (R) | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 52 | 56 | 0.929 | 47 | Relegated to Lancashire Combination |
| 12 | Skelmersdale United | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 58 | 59 | 0.983 | 46 | |
| 13 | Bangor City | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 70 | 60 | 1.167 | 45 | |
| 14 | Mossley | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 70 | 73 | 0.959 | 45 | |
| 15 | Morecambe | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 62 | 70 | 0.886 | 45 | |
| 16 | Great Harwood | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 63 | 74 | 0.851 | 43 | |
| 17 | South Liverpool | 46 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 47 | 57 | 0.825 | 43 | |
| 18 | Runcorn | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 75 | 78 | 0.962 | 42 | |
| 19 | Goole Town | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 64 | 73 | 0.877 | 39 | |
| 20 | South Shields | 46 | 17 | 4 | 25 | 64 | 81 | 0.790 | 38 | |
| 21 | Matlock Town | 46 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 42 | 80 | 0.525 | 33 | |
| 22 | Lancaster City | 46 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 53 | 78 | 0.679 | 31 | |
| 23 | Barrow | 46 | 12 | 6 | 28 | 52 | 101 | 0.515 | 30 | |
| 24 | Fleetwood | 46 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 31 | 77 | 0.403 | 25 | |
The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ALT | BAN | BRW | BOS | BPA | EPT | FLE | GAI | GOO | GHA | LNC | MAC | MAT | MOR | MOS | NET | NOR | RUN | SCA | SKU | SLI | SSH | STA | WIG |
| Altrincham | | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Bangor City | 4–0 | | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 |
| Barrow | 1–2 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 |
| Boston United | 4–1 | 4–3 | 5–1 | | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 2–3 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Ellesmere Port Town | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Fleetwood Town | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| Goole Town | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Great Harwood | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 6–3 | 4–2 | 0–0 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Lancaster City | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 0–1 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Macclesfield Town | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| Matlock Town | 0–1 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 1–4 |
| Morecambe | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| Mossley | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
| Netherfield | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 6–2 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Northwich Victoria | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Runcorn | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–4 | | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Scarborough | 0–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Skelmersdale United | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| South Liverpool | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| South Shields | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 1–2 |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | | 2–1 |
| Wigan Athletic | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium |
| Altrincham | Moss Lane |
| Bangor City | Farrar Road |
| Barrow | Holker Street |
| Boston United | York Street |
| Bradford Park Avenue | Park Avenue |
| Ellesmere Port Town | Ellesmere Port |
| Fleetwood | Highbury |
| Gainsborough Trinity | The Northolme |
| Goole Town | Victoria Pleasure Ground |
| Great Harwood | The Showground |
| Lancaster City | Great Axe |
| Macclesfield Town | Moss Rose |
| Matlock Town | Causeway Lane |
| Morecambe | Christie Park |
| Mossley | Seel Park |
| Netherfield | Parkside |
| Northwich Victoria | Drill Field |
| Runcorn | Canal Street |
| Scarborough | Athletic Ground |
| Skelmersdale United | White Moss Park |
| South Liverpool | Holly Park |
| South Shields | Simonside Hall |
| Stafford Rangers | Marston Road |
| Wigan Athletic | Springfield Park |

## Cup results
### Challenge Cup

| Stage | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| 1st Leg | Northwich Victoria | ?–? | Wigan Athletic |
| 2nd Leg | Wigan Athletic | ?–? | Northwich Victoria |
| Aggregate | Northwich Victoria | 3–2 | Wigan Athletic |

### Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Boston United | beat | Northwich Victoria |

### FA Cup

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached the second round:
Second Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Bangor City | 2–3 | York City |
| Notts County | 2–1 | Lancaster City |
| Scarborough | 1–2 | Doncaster Rovers |

### FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, five teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
| Bangor City | 2–3 | Ashford Town (Kent) | |
| Morecambe | 1–1 | Wigan Athletic | |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | Morecambe | Replay |
| Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Morecambe | 2nd Replay |
| Scarborough | 2–0 | Chelmsford City | |
| Stafford Rangers | 4–1 | Bedford Town | |
Semi-finals
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
| Ashford Town (Kent) | 0–1 | Scarborough | |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | Stafford Rangers | |
| Wigan Athletic | 1–0 | Stafford Rangers | Replay |
Final
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Scarborough | 2–1 | Wigan Athletic |

## End of the season

At the end of the fifth season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League. Ellesmere Port Town resigned the league.

### Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of ten non-League teams applied for election, two of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
| Club | League | Votes |
| Colchester United | Football League | 48 |
| Northampton Town | Football League | 43 |
| Crewe Alexandra | Football League | 36 |
| Darlington | Football League | 26 |
| Yeovil Town | Southern League | 14 |
| Kettering Town | Southern League | 12 |
| Wigan Athletic | Northern Premier League | 10 |
| Chelmsford City | Southern League | 4 |
| Cambridge City | Southern League | 1 |
| Nuneaton Borough | Southern League | 1 |
| Telford United | Southern League | 1 |
| Bedford Town | Southern League | 0 |
| Boston United | Northern Premier League | 0 |
| Wimbledon | Southern League | 0 |

### Promotion and relegation

The following club left the League at the end of the season:
* Ellesmere Port Town resigned, demoted to Lancashire Combination
The following club joined the League the following season:
* Buxton promoted from Cheshire County League