# 1998–99 Northern Premier League

The 1998–99 Northern Premier League season was the 31st 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 four new teams:
* Gateshead relegated from the Football Conference
* Stalybridge Celtic relegated from the Football Conference
* Whitby Town promoted as champions of Division One
* Worksop Town promoted as runners-up of Division One

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Altrincham (C, P) | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 67 | 33 | +34 | 80 | Promotion to Football Conference |
| 2 | Worksop Town | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 66 | 48 | +18 | 76 | |
| 3 | Guiseley | 42 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 64 | 47 | +17 | 72 | |
| 4 | Bamber Bridge | 42 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 69 | |
| 5 | Gateshead | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 69 | 58 | +11 | 65 | |
| 6 | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 65 | 59 | +6 | 65 | |
| 7 | Whitby Town | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 77 | 62 | +15 | 64 | |
| 8 | Leigh RMI | 42 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 63 | |
| 9 | Hyde United | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 61 | 48 | +13 | 59 | |
| 10 | Stalybridge Celtic | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 71 | 63 | +8 | 59 | |
| 11 | Winsford United | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 57 | |
| 12 | Runcorn | 42 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 46 | 49 | −3 | 55 | |
| 13 | Emley | 42 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 53 | |
| 14 | Blyth Spartans | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 56 | 64 | −8 | 51 | |
| 15 | Colwyn Bay | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 60 | 71 | −11 | 49 | |
| 16 | Frickley Athletic | 42 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 55 | 71 | −16 | 48 | |
| 17 | Marine | 42 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 61 | 69 | −8 | 47 | |
| 18 | Spennymoor United | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 71 | −19 | 47 | |
| 19 | Lancaster City | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 50 | 62 | −12 | 46 | |
| 20 | Bishop Auckland | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 49 | 67 | −18 | 45 | |
| 21 | Chorley (R) | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 45 | 68 | −23 | 39 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
| 22 | Accrington Stanley (R) | 42 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 47 | 77 | −30 | 36 | Relegation to NPL Division One |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | ALT | BAM | BIS | BLY | CHO | COL | EML | FRK | GAI | GAT | GUI | HYD | LNC | LEI | MAR | RUN | SPU | STL | WTB | WNS | WKS |
| Accrington Stanley | | 1–4 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Altrincham | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Bamber Bridge | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| Bishop Auckland | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 |
| Blyth Spartans | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 4–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–3 | 0–1 |
| Chorley | 4–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Colwyn Bay | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | | 3–3 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Emley | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Frickley Athletic | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–4 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 |
| Gateshead | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | | 1–0 | 0–3 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 |
| Guiseley | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Hyde United | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Lancaster City | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Leigh RMI | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Marine | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–4 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–2 |
| Runcorn | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Spennymoor United | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 4–5 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Stalybridge Celtic | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Whitby Town | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Winsford United | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | | 1–1 |
| Worksop Town | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |

## Division One

Division One featured four new teams:
* Alfreton Town relegated from the NPL Premier Division
* Burscough promoted as runners-up from the NWCFL Division One
* Hucknall Town promoted as champions from the NCEFL Premier Division
* Radcliffe Borough relegated from the NPL Premier Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Droylsden (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 97 | 55 | +42 | 86 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Hucknall Town (P) | 42 | 26 | 11 | 5 | 80 | 38 | +42 | 86 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Ashton United | 42 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 79 | 46 | +33 | 78 | |
| 4 | Lincoln United | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 94 | 65 | +29 | 72 | |
| 5 | Eastwood Town | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 65 | 69 | −4 | 68 | |
| 6 | Radcliffe Borough | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 78 | 62 | +16 | 65 | |
| 7 | Burscough | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 65 | |
| 8 | Witton Albion | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 70 | 63 | +7 | 63 | |
| 9 | Bradford Park Avenue | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 64 | 55 | +9 | 62 | |
| 10 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 61 | |
| 11 | Harrogate Town | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 75 | 77 | −2 | 58 | |
| 12 | Gretna | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 73 | 80 | −7 | 58 | |
| 13 | Belper Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 58 | 57 | +1 | 56 | |
| 14 | Trafford | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 50 | 58 | −8 | 53 | |
| 15 | Netherfield Kendal | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 51 | 64 | −13 | 49 | |
| 16 | Flixton | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 50 | 64 | −14 | 48 | |
| 17 | Matlock Town | 42 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 48 | |
| 18 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 56 | 73 | −17 | 46 | |
| 19 | Whitley Bay | 42 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 53 | 77 | −24 | 39 | |
| 20 | Congleton Town | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 65 | 91 | −26 | 39 | |
| 21 | Great Harwood Town (R) | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 51 | 73 | −22 | 38 | Relegation to NWCFL Division One |
| 22 | Alfreton Town (R) | 42 | 9 | 8 | 25 | 53 | 86 | −33 | 35 | Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division |
* ↑ Hucknall Town were docked 3 points.
* ↑ From this season onwards Netherfield were known as Netherfield Kendal.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ALF | ASH | BLP | BPA | BUR | CNG | DRO | EAS | FAR | FLX | GHT | GRT | HAR | HUC | KEN | LIN | MAT | RAD | STO | TRA | WHI | WTN |
| Alfreton Town | | 1–7 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 |
| Ashton United | 4–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–3 | 0–2 |
| Belper Town | 1–2 | 0–2 | | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 5–3 | 2–2 |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 |
| Burscough | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 |
| Congleton Town | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Droylsden | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | | 1–3 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 |
| Eastwood Town | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–5 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–3 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Farsley Celtic | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 4–0 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Flixton | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 |
| Great Harwood Town | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Gretna | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Harrogate Town | 0–4 | 1–4 | 5–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 |
| Hucknall Town | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | | 6–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 |
| Kendal Town | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Lincoln United | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–7 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | | 6–0 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 5–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Matlock Town | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–5 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 |
| Radcliffe Borough | 2–3 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | | 0–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Stocksbridge Park Steels | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–4 | | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 |
| Trafford | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Whitley Bay | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | | 0–0 |
| Witton Albion | 4–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | |

## Promotion and relegation

In the thirty-first season of the Northern Premier League Altrincham (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Chorley and Accrington Stanley were relegated to the First Division; these two clubs were replaced by relegated Conference sides Barrow and Leek Town, First Division winners Droylsden and second placed Hucknall Town. In the First Division Great Harwood Town and Alfreton Town left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Ossett Town and Workington.

## Cup results
### Challenge Cup

Featuring teams from both leagues.
| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| Hucknall Town | Hucknall Town | 0 | | | | | | |
| Farsley Celtic | Farsley Celtic | 0 | | | | | | |
| Farsley Celtic | Farsley Celtic | 0 | Hucknall Town | Hucknall Town | 1$^1$ | | | |
| | | | Stalybridge Celtic | Stalybridge Celtic | 1$^2$ | | | |
| Stalybridge Celtic | Stalybridge Celtic | 5 | Stalybridge Celtic | Stalybridge Celtic | 1$^2$ | | | |
| Burscough | Burscough | 2 | | | | | | |
| Burscough | Burscough | 2 | | | | Stalybridge Celtic | Stalybridge Celtic | 2 |
| | | | | | | Guiseley | Guiseley | 1 |
| Blyth Spartans | Blyth Spartans | 4 | | | | | | | Guiseley | Guiseley | 1 |
| Droylsden | Droylsden | 3 | | | | | | |
| Droylsden | Droylsden | 3 | Blyth Spartans | Blyth Spartans | 0 | | | |
| | | | Guiseley | Guiseley | 2 | | | |
| Guiseley | Guiseley | 1$^2$ | Guiseley | Guiseley | 2 | | | |
| Accrington Stanley | Accrington Stanley | 1$^1$ | | | | | | |

### President's Cup

'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Droylsden 2–1 Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute

### Peter Swales Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Altrincham bt. Stalybridge Celtic