# 2022–23 North West Counties Football League

The 2022–23 North West Counties Football League season was the 41st in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England, and the fifth season following the split of the lower level into two geographically separated divisions. Teams are divided into three divisions: Premier Division, at Step 5, and Divisions One North and South, 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 and FA ratification.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division comprises 22 teams, 18 of which competed in the previous season.
The following three clubs left the Premier Division before the season:
* Macclesfield – promoted to the Northern Premier League
* Runcorn Town – relegated to Division One North
* Skelmersdale United – promoted to the Northern Premier League
The following four clubs joined the Premier Division before the season:
* Bury AFC – promoted from Division One North
* FC Isle of Man – promoted from Division One South
* Kendal Town – relegated from the Northern Premier League
* West Didsbury & Chorlton – promoted from Division One South

### Premier Division table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Vauxhall Motors (C, P) | 42 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 85 | 35 | +50 | 95 | Promotion to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Avro (O, P) | 42 | 27 | 6 | 9 | 75 | 31 | +44 | 87 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Wythenshawe Town | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 109 | 56 | +53 | 83 | |
| 4 | Bury AFC | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 74 | 42 | +32 | 83 | |
| 5 | Northwich Victoria | 42 | 25 | 6 | 11 | 77 | 50 | +27 | 81 | Transfer to the Midland League |
| 6 | AFC Liverpool | 42 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 83 | 63 | +20 | 67 | |
| 7 | Prestwich Heys | 42 | 22 | 3 | 17 | 65 | 56 | +9 | 66 | |
| 8 | Congleton Town | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 70 | 62 | +8 | 65 | Transfer to the Midland League |
| 9 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 81 | 66 | +15 | 64 | |
| 10 | Litherland REMYCA | 42 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 61 | 62 | −1 | 62 | |
| 11 | Charnock Richard | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 86 | 82 | +4 | 56 | |
| 12 | Kendal Town | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 72 | 84 | −12 | 55 | |
| 13 | FC Isle of Man | 42 | 16 | 4 | 22 | 67 | 90 | −23 | 52 | |
| 14 | Padiham | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 66 | 69 | −3 | 51 | |
| 15 | Longridge Town | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 74 | 94 | −20 | 51 | |
| 16 | Lower Breck | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 54 | 62 | −8 | 50 | |
| 17 | Irlam | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 59 | 68 | −9 | 46 | |
| 18 | Winsford United (R) | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 56 | 78 | −22 | 46 | Relegation to Division One South |
| 19 | Barnoldswick Town | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 59 | 86 | −27 | 43 | |
| 20 | Squires Gate | 42 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 61 | 96 | −35 | 41 | |
| 21 | Burscough | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 63 | 99 | −36 | 36 | Reprieve from relegation |
| 22 | Ashton Athletic (R) | 42 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 43 | 109 | −66 | 18 | Relegation to Division One North |

### Play-off

Inter-step play-off

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium |
| AFC Liverpool | Rossett Park, Crosby (groundshare with Marine) |
| Ashton Athletic | Brockstedes Park |
| Avro | Whitebank Stadium, Oldham |
| Barnoldswick Town | Greenberfield Lane |
| Burscough | Victoria Park |
| Bury AFC | Stainton Park, Radcliffe (groundshare with Radcliffe) |
| Charnock Richard | Mossie Park |
| Congleton Town | Ivy Gardens |
| FC Isle of Man | The Bowl, Douglas |
| Irlam | Silver Street |
| Kendal Town | Parkside Road |
| Litherland REMYCA | Litherland Sports Park |
| Longridge Town | Mike Riding Ground |
| Lower Breck | Anfield Sports and Community Centre |
| Northwich Victoria | Wincham Park (groundshare with Witton Albion) |
| Padiham | Arbories Memorial Sports Ground |
| Prestwich Heys | Adie Moran Park |
| Squires Gate | School Road |
| Vauxhall Motors | Rivacre Park, Ellesmere Port |
| West Didsbury & Chorlton | Brookburn Road, Chorlton |
| Winsford United | Barton Stadium |
| Wythenshawe Town | Ericstan Stadium |

## Division One North

Division One North comprises 18 clubs, 15 of which were in the division the previous season.
The following four clubs left Division One North before the season:
* Bury AFC – promoted to the Premier Division
* Campion – transferred back to the Northern Counties East League
* Golcar United – promoted to the Northern Counties East League
* St Helens Town – relegated to the Liverpool County Premier League
The following three clubs joined Division One North before the season:
* Euxton Villa – promoted from the West Lancashire League
* FC St Helens – promoted from the Cheshire League
* Runcorn Town – relegated from the Premier Division

### Division One North table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Pilkington (C, P) | 34 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 78 | 26 | +52 | 78 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Chadderton (O, P) | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 76 | 45 | +31 | 76 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | FC St Helens | 34 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 65 | 39 | +26 | 62 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 4 | Ilkley Town | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 64 | 48 | +16 | 60 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 5 | Euxton Villa | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 72 | 45 | +27 | 59 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 6 | Holker Old Boys | 34 | 18 | 3 | 13 | 73 | 57 | +16 | 57 | |
| 7 | Steeton | 34 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 65 | 52 | +13 | 53 | |
| 8 | Darwen | 34 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 65 | 58 | +7 | 48 | |
| 9 | AFC Blackpool | 34 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 63 | 64 | −1 | 48 | |
| 10 | South Liverpool | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 74 | 63 | +11 | 46 | |
| 11 | Nelson | 34 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 56 | 64 | −8 | 43 | |
| 12 | Atherton LR | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 42 | |
| 13 | Bacup Borough | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 58 | 63 | −5 | 41 | |
| 14 | Garstang | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | 64 | 79 | −15 | 37 | |
| 15 | Daisy Hill | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 42 | 61 | −19 | 36 | |
| 16 | Ashton Town | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 35 | 68 | −33 | 35 | |
| 17 | Runcorn Town | 34 | 9 | 2 | 23 | 38 | 90 | −52 | 29 | Reprieve from relegation |
| 18 | Cleator Moor Celtic (R) | 34 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 46 | 102 | −56 | 16 | Relegation to the West Lancashire Football League |

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Chadderton | 1 (9) | | | |
| 5 | Euxton Villa | 1 (8) | | | |
| 5 | Euxton Villa | 1 (8) | 2 | Chadderton | 1 (6) |
| | | | 3 | FC St Helens | 1 (5) |
| 3 | FC St Helens | 2 (3) | 3 | FC St Helens | 1 (5) |
| 4 | Ilkley Town | 2 (2) | | | |

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium |
| AFC Blackpool | The Mechanics |
| AFC Darwen | The Anchor Ground |
| Ashton Town | Edge Green Street |
| Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Crilly Park |
| Bacup Borough | West View |
| Chadderton | MCA Stadium |
| Cleator Moor Celtic | McGrath Park |
| Daisy Hill | New Sirs, Westhoughton |
| Euxton Villa | Jim Fowler Memorial Ground |
| FC St Helens | Windleshaw Sports |
| Garstang | The Riverside |
| Holker Old Boys | Rakesmoor Lane, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Ilkley Town | MPM Lane |
| Nelson | Victoria Park |
| Pilkington | Ruskin Drive Sportsground |
| Runcorn Town | Pavilions Sports Complex |
| South Liverpool | Jericho Lane |
| Steeton | Cougar Park |

## Division One South

Division One South comprises 20 clubs, 17 of which were in the division the previous season.
The following three clubs left Division One South before the season:
* FC Isle of Man – promoted to the Premier Division
* St Martins – relegated to the Shropshire County Football League
* West Didsbury & Chorlton – promoted to the Premier Division
The following three clubs joined Division One South before the season:
* Ashville – promoted from the West Cheshire League
* Foley Meir – promoted from the Staffordshire County Senior League
* Stockport Georgians – promoted from the Manchester League

### Division One South table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Wythenshawe Amateurs (C, P) | 38 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 89 | 28 | +61 | 93 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Stockport Town | 38 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 108 | 32 | +76 | 92 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Sandbach United | 38 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 95 | 59 | +36 | 79 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 4 | Brocton | 38 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 88 | 57 | +31 | 79 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 5 | Cheadle Town (O, P) | 38 | 22 | 4 | 12 | 91 | 59 | +32 | 70 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 6 | Ellesmere Rangers (R) | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 79 | 55 | +24 | 63 | Voluntarily relegated to the Shropshire County League Premier Division |
| 7 | New Mills | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 83 | 62 | +21 | 63 | |
| 8 | Cheadle Heath Nomads | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 75 | 57 | +18 | 54 | |
| 9 | Stockport Georgians | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 55 | 51 | +4 | 54 | |
| 10 | Eccleshall | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 50 | 59 | −9 | 54 | |
| 11 | Maine Road | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 58 | 61 | −3 | 53 | |
| 12 | Ashville | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 51 | |
| 13 | Barnton | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 57 | 62 | −5 | 51 | |
| 14 | Abbey Hulton United | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 47 | |
| 15 | Abbey Hey | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 58 | 72 | −14 | 46 | |
| 16 | Alsager Town | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 43 | 62 | −19 | 36 | |
| 17 | Cammell Laird | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 51 | 86 | −35 | 33 | |
| 18 | Stafford Town | 38 | 8 | 3 | 27 | 46 | 107 | −61 | 27 | |
| 19 | Foley Meir (R) | 38 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 43 | 111 | −68 | 25 | Relegation to the Staffordshire County Senior League |
| 20 | Rocester (R) | 38 | 3 | 2 | 33 | 26 | 119 | −93 | 11 | Relegation to the Staffordshire County Senior League |

### Play-offs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 2 | Stockport Town | 0 | | | |
| 5 | Cheadle Town | 2 | | | |
| 5 | Cheadle Town | 2 | 5 | Cheadle Town | 3 |
| | | | 3 | Sandbach United | 1 |
| 3 | Sandbach United | 3 | 3 | Sandbach United | 1 |
| 4 | Brocton | 1 | | | |

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium |
| Abbey Hey | The Abbey Stadium, Gorton |
| Abbey Hulton United | Birches Head Road |
| Alsager Town | Wood Park Stadium |
| Ashville | Villa Park, Wallasey |
| Barnton | Townfield |
| Brocton | Silkmore Lane |
| Cammell Laird 1907 | Kirklands, Birkenhead |
| Cheadle Heath Nomads | The Heath |
| Cheadle Town | Park Road Stadium |
| Eccleshall | Pershall Park |
| Foley Meir | Whitcombe Road |
| Ellesmere Rangers | Beech Grove |
| Maine Road | Brantingham Road, Chorlton |
| New Mills | Church Lane |
| Rocester | Hillsfield |
| Sandbach United | Sandbach Community Football Centre |
| Stafford Town | Evans Park |
| Stockport Georgians | Cromley Road |
| Stockport Town | Stockport Sports Village |
| Wythenshawe Amateurs | Hollyhedge Park |