# 2001–02 Northern Premier League

The 2001–02 Northern Premier League season was the 34th 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 Division featured three new teams:
* Bradford Park Avenue promoted as champions of Division One
* Vauxhall Motors promoted as runners-up of Division One
* Burton Albion transferred from the Southern League Premier Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Burton Albion (C, P) | 44 | 31 | 11 | 2 | 106 | 30 | +76 | 104 | Promotion to Football Conference |
| 2 | Vauxhall Motors | 44 | 27 | 8 | 9 | 86 | 55 | +31 | 89 | |
| 3 | Lancaster City | 44 | 23 | 9 | 12 | 80 | 57 | +23 | 78 | |
| 4 | Worksop Town | 44 | 23 | 9 | 12 | 74 | 51 | +23 | 78 | |
| 5 | Emley | 44 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 69 | 55 | +14 | 75 | Changed name to Wakefield & Emley |
| 6 | Accrington Stanley | 44 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 89 | 64 | +25 | 72 | |
| 7 | Runcorn F.C. Halton | 44 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 76 | 53 | +23 | 71 | |
| 8 | Barrow | 44 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 75 | 59 | +16 | 67 | |
| 9 | Altrincham | 44 | 19 | 9 | 16 | 66 | 58 | +8 | 66 | |
| 10 | Bradford Park Avenue | 44 | 18 | 5 | 21 | 77 | 76 | +1 | 59 | |
| 11 | Droylsden | 44 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 65 | 78 | −13 | 59 | |
| 12 | Blyth Spartans | 44 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 59 | 62 | −3 | 58 | |
| 13 | Frickley Athletic | 44 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 63 | 69 | −6 | 58 | |
| 14 | Gateshead | 44 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 58 | 71 | −13 | 56 | |
| 15 | Whitby Town | 44 | 15 | 8 | 21 | 61 | 76 | −15 | 53 | |
| 16 | Hucknall Town | 44 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 50 | 68 | −18 | 51 | |
| 17 | Marine | 44 | 11 | 17 | 16 | 62 | 71 | −9 | 50 | |
| 18 | Burscough | 44 | 15 | 5 | 24 | 69 | 86 | −17 | 50 | |
| 19 | Gainsborough Trinity | 44 | 13 | 10 | 21 | 61 | 76 | −15 | 49 | |
| 20 | Colwyn Bay | 44 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 49 | 82 | −33 | 47 | |
| 21 | Bishop Auckland (R) | 44 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 46 | 68 | −22 | 44 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
| 22 | Hyde United | 44 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 61 | 87 | −26 | 40 | |
| 23 | Bamber Bridge (R) | 44 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 38 | 88 | −50 | 30 | Qualification for Division One Playoffs |
* ↑ From this season onwards, Runcorn were known as Runcorn F.C. Halton.
* ↑ Frickley Athletic were docked 1 point.
* ↑ Bishop Auckland relegated due to ground concerns.
* ↑ Due to Bishop Auckland's dismissal, Bamber Bridge were placed into a play-off to decide if they were to stay up. They were also docked 1 point.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | ALT | BAM | BRW | BIS | BLY | BPA | BUR | BRT | COL | DRO | EML | FRK | GAI | GAT | HUC | HYD | LNC | MAR | RUN | VAU | WTB | WKS |
| Accrington Stanley | | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 5–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 5–0 |
| Altrincham | 3–1 | | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Bamber Bridge | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–6 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Barrow | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 6–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Bishop Auckland | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Blyth Spartans | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 1–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | | 0–2 | 1–4 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–5 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Burscough | 3–2 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 4–0 | 6–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 |
| Burton Albion | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 1–0 |
| Colwyn Bay | 3–0 | 2–5 | 0–0 | 0–5 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| Droylsden | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–7 | 3–2 | | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Emley | 0–3 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Frickley Athletic | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–5 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–5 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 3–0 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 4–0 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 5–2 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| Gateshead | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–7 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 |
| Hucknall Town | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 1–4 | 0–0 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| Hyde United | 2–4 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Lancaster City | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Marine | 2–5 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–4 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 |
| Runcorn | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 |
| Vauxhall Motors | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Whitby Town | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | | 0–2 |
| Worksop Town | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | |

## Division One

Division One featured 4 new teams:
* Leek Town relegated from Premier Division
* Spennymoor United relegated from Premier Division
* Ossett Albion promoted as runners-up from the Northern Counties East League Premier Division
* Rossendale United 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 | Harrogate Town (C, P) | 42 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 80 | 35 | +45 | 86 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Ossett Town | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 73 | 44 | +29 | 76 | |
| 3 | Ashton United (P) | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 90 | 63 | +27 | 75 | Qualification for Division One Playoffs |
| 4 | Spennymoor United | 42 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 75 | 73 | +2 | 72 | Qualification for Division One Playoffs |
| 5 | Radcliffe Borough | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 73 | 51 | +22 | 68 | Qualification for Division One Playoffs |
| 6 | Leek Town | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 68 | |
| 7 | Gretna | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 66 | 66 | 0 | 63 | Transferred to the Scottish Football League |
| 8 | Eastwood Town | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 62 | |
| 9 | Rossendale United | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 61 | |
| 10 | Witton Albion | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 72 | 68 | +4 | 61 | |
| 11 | Guiseley | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 60 | 67 | −7 | 61 | |
| 12 | North Ferriby United | 42 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 58 | |
| 13 | Chorley | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 59 | 57 | +2 | 57 | |
| 14 | Matlock Town | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 49 | 48 | +1 | 54 | |
| 15 | Trafford | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 64 | 80 | −16 | 51 | |
| 16 | Workington | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 48 | |
| 17 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 64 | 78 | −14 | 47 | |
| 18 | Belper Town | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 49 | 66 | −17 | 47 | |
| 19 | Lincoln United | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 62 | 80 | −18 | 47 | |
| 20 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 55 | 76 | −21 | 45 | |
| 21 | Kendal Town | 42 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 52 | 76 | −24 | 36 | |
| 22 | Ossett Albion (R) | 42 | 8 | 8 | 26 | 43 | 92 | −49 | 32 | Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division |
* ↑ Ossett Town were blocked from entering the play-offs, replaced by Radcliffe Borough
* ↑ Gretna were docked 1 point

### Results

| Home \ Away | ASH | BLP | CHO | EAS | FAR | GRT | GUI | HAR | KEN | LEE | LIN | MAT | NFU | OSA | OST | RAD | ROS | STO | SPU | TRA | WTN | WRK |
| Ashton United | | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 5–2 | 6–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 1–0 |
| Belper Town | 1–1 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–0 |
| Chorley | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 3–2 | 5–4 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Eastwood Town | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–5 | 0–2 |
| Farsley Celtic | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| Gretna | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 |
| Guiseley | 2–0 | 5–4 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Harrogate Town | 3–0 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 5–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Kendal Town | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Leek Town | 2–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 |
| Lincoln United | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | | 1–0 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Matlock Town | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–2 |
| North Ferriby United | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 0–2 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Ossett Albion | 1–5 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–5 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–5 | 3–1 | 0–3 |
| Ossett Town | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Radcliffe Borough | 2–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–3 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 6–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Rossendale United | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 3–3 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Spennymoor United | 2–6 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 5–4 |
| Stocksbridge Park Steels | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Trafford | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Witton Albion | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 5–0 | 7–2 | 0–0 | | 5–0 |
| Workington | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | |

### Play-offs

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 23°PD | Bamber Bridge | 3 | | | |
| 5°D1 | Radcliffe Borough | 2 | | | |
| 5°D1 | Radcliffe Borough | 2 | 23°PD | Bamber Bridge | 1 |
| | | | 3°D1 | Ashton United | 2 |
| 3°D1 | Ashton United | 3 | 3°D1 | Ashton United | 2 |
| 4°D1 | Spennymoor United | 1 | | | |

## Promotion and relegation

In the thirty-fourth season of the Northern Premier League Burton Albion (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Bishop Auckland and Bamber Bridge were relegated to the First Division; these two clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Stalybridge Celtic, First Division winners Harrogate Town and play-off winners Ashton United. In the First Division Gretna left the League to join the Scottish Football League Third Division, while Ossett Albion left the League altogether; these teams were replaced by newly admitted Alfreton Town and Kidsgrove Athletic.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.
* Accrington Stanley bt. Bradford Park Avenue
President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Barrow bt. Gainsborough Trinity
Chairman's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Worksop Town bt. Droylsden
Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Accrington Stanley bt. Burton Albion