# 1988–89 Northern Premier League

The 1988–89 Northern Premier League season was the 21st 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 HFS Loans League for sponsorship reasons.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division featured three new teams:
* Shepshed Charterhouse transferred from Southern League Premier Division
* Fleetwood Town promoted as champions from Division One
* Stalybridge Celtic promoted as runners up from Division One

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Barrow (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 69 | 35 | +34 | 87 | Promoted to Football Conference |
| 2 | Hyde United | 42 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 77 | 44 | +33 | 80 | |
| 3 | Witton Albion | 42 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 67 | 39 | +28 | 79 | |
| 4 | Bangor City | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 77 | 48 | +29 | 76 | |
| 5 | Marine | 42 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 69 | 48 | +21 | 76 | |
| 6 | Goole Town | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 75 | 60 | +15 | 73 | |
| 7 | Fleetwood Town | 42 | 19 | 16 | 7 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 73 | |
| 8 | Rhyl | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 75 | 65 | +10 | 64 | |
| 9 | Frickley Athletic | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 64 | 53 | +11 | 61 | |
| 10 | Mossley | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 56 | 58 | −2 | 60 | |
| 11 | South Liverpool | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 65 | 57 | +8 | 58 | |
| 12 | Caernarfon Town | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 49 | 63 | −14 | 55 | |
| 13 | Matlock Town | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 65 | 73 | −8 | 53 | |
| 14 | Southport | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 66 | 52 | +14 | 51 | |
| 15 | Buxton | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 61 | 63 | −2 | 50 | |
| 16 | Morecambe | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 47 | |
| 17 | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 56 | 73 | −17 | 47 | |
| 18 | Shepshed Charterhouse | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 44 | |
| 19 | Stalybridge Celtic | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 46 | 81 | −35 | 40 | |
| 20 | Horwich RMI | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 42 | 70 | −28 | 35 | |
| 21 | Gateshead | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 70 | −34 | 34 | |
| 22 | Worksop Town (R) | 42 | 6 | 5 | 31 | 42 | 103 | −61 | 23 | Relegated to Division One |
* ↑ Morecambe had 1 point deducted.
* ↑ Shepshed Charterhouse had 6 points deducted.

### Results

| Home \ Away | BAN | BRW | BUX | CNR | FLE | FRK | GAI | GAT | GOO | HOR | HYD | MAR | MAT | MOR | MOS | RHL | CHR | SLI | SOU | STL | WTN | WKS |
| Bangor City | | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Barrow | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Buxton | 1–1 | 5–2 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 4–1 |
| Caernarfon Town | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Fleetwood Town | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Frickley Athletic | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 1–3 |
| Gateshead | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Goole Town | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–2 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Horwich RMI | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–5 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Hyde United | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| Marine | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Matlock Town | 4–2 | 0–2 | 5–4 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–4 | | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 6–1 |
| Morecambe | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 |
| Mossley | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Rhyl | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 6–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | | 6–1 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 4–3 | 1–5 | 2–1 |
| Shepshed Charterhouse | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| South Liverpool | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 4–1 | | 2–1 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Southport | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 7–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 |
| Stalybridge Celtic | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Witton Albion | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 6–1 | | 3–1 |
| Worksop Town | 0–5 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–7 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 4–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 0–2 | |

## Division One

The Division One featured five new teams:
* Workington relegated from Premier Division
* Colne Dynamoes promoted as champions of the NWCFL Division One
* Bishop Auckland promoted from Northern League Division One
* Whitley Bay promoted from Northern League Division One
* Newtown promoted from Mid Wales League

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Colne Dynamoes (C, P) | 42 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 102 | 21 | +81 | 98 | Promoted to Premier Division |
| 2 | Bishop Auckland (P) | 42 | 28 | 5 | 9 | 78 | 28 | +50 | 89 | Promoted to Premier Division |
| 3 | Leek Town | 42 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 74 | 41 | +33 | 85 | |
| 4 | Droylsden | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 84 | 48 | +36 | 84 | |
| 5 | Whitley Bay | 42 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 77 | 49 | +28 | 75 | |
| 6 | Accrington Stanley | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 81 | 60 | +21 | 73 | |
| 7 | Lancaster City | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 76 | 54 | +22 | 71 | |
| 8 | Harrogate Town | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 68 | 61 | +7 | 64 | |
| 9 | Newtown | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 65 | 59 | +6 | 57 | |
| 10 | Congleton Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 62 | 66 | −4 | 56 | |
| 11 | Workington | 42 | 17 | 3 | 22 | 59 | 74 | −15 | 54 | |
| 12 | Eastwood Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 55 | 61 | −6 | 52 | |
| 13 | Curzon Ashton | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 74 | 72 | +2 | 50 | |
| 14 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 52 | 73 | −21 | 49 | |
| 15 | Irlam Town | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 53 | 63 | −10 | 47 | |
| 16 | Penrith | 42 | 14 | 5 | 23 | 61 | 91 | −30 | 47 | |
| 17 | Radcliffe Borough | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 62 | 86 | −24 | 46 | |
| 18 | Eastwood Hanley | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 67 | −21 | 45 | |
| 19 | Winsford United | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 58 | 93 | −35 | 45 | |
| 20 | Alfreton Town | 42 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 44 | 92 | −48 | 35 | |
| 21 | Netherfield | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 57 | 90 | −33 | 32 | |
| 22 | Sutton Town (R) | 42 | 7 | 6 | 29 | 70 | 109 | −39 | 27 | Relegated to NCEL Premier Division: |
* ↑ Colne Dynamoes were docked 3 points.
* 1 2 Leek Town and Netherfield were docked 1 point.

## Promotion and relegation

In the twenty-first season of the Northern Premier League Barrow (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Meanwhile, Worksop Town were relegated; these two sides were replaced by First Division winners Colne Dynamoes and second placed Bishop Auckland. Sutton Town left the First Division at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Emley and Rossendale United.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup:
* Mossley 2–1 Fleetwood Town
President's Cup:
* Bangor City 5–1 South Liverpool
Northern Premier League Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Mossley bt. Barrow