# 1996–97 Northern Premier League

The 1996–97 Northern Premier League season was the 29th 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 League featured three new teams:
* Alfreton Town promoted as runners-up from Division One
* Lancaster City promoted as champions from Division One
* Runcorn relegated from the Football Conference

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Leek Town (C, P) | 44 | 28 | 9 | 7 | 71 | 35 | +36 | 93 | Promotion to Football Conference |
| 2 | Bishop Auckland | 44 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 88 | 43 | +45 | 83 | |
| 3 | Hyde United | 44 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 93 | 46 | +47 | 82 | |
| 4 | Emley | 44 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 89 | 54 | +35 | 81 | |
| 5 | Barrow | 44 | 23 | 11 | 10 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 80 | |
| 6 | Boston United | 44 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 79 | |
| 7 | Blyth Spartans | 44 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 49 | +25 | 77 | |
| 8 | Marine | 44 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 53 | 37 | +16 | 75 | |
| 9 | Guiseley | 44 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 71 | |
| 10 | Gainsborough Trinity | 44 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 66 | |
| 11 | Accrington Stanley | 44 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 77 | 70 | +7 | 66 | |
| 12 | Runcorn | 44 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 63 | 62 | +1 | 60 | |
| 13 | Chorley | 44 | 16 | 9 | 19 | 69 | 66 | +3 | 57 | |
| 14 | Winsford United | 44 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 53 | |
| 15 | Knowsley United | 44 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 58 | 79 | −21 | 50 | Club folded at the end of the season |
| 16 | Colwyn Bay | 44 | 11 | 13 | 20 | 60 | 76 | −16 | 46 | |
| 17 | Lancaster City | 44 | 12 | 9 | 23 | 48 | 75 | −27 | 45 | |
| 18 | Frickley Athletic | 44 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 62 | 91 | −29 | 44 | |
| 19 | Spennymoor United | 44 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 52 | 68 | −16 | 40 | |
| 20 | Bamber Bridge | 44 | 11 | 7 | 26 | 59 | 99 | −40 | 40 | |
| 21 | Alfreton Town | 44 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 45 | 83 | −38 | 37 | |
| 22 | Witton Albion (R) | 44 | 5 | 14 | 25 | 41 | 91 | −50 | 29 | Relegation to NPL Division One |
| 23 | Buxton (R) | 44 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 33 | 86 | −53 | 27 | Relegation to NPL Division One |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | ALF | BAM | BRW | BIS | BLY | BOS | BUX | CHO | COL | EML | FRK | GAI | GUI | HYD | KNO | LNC | LEE | MAR | RUN | SPU | WNS | WTN |
| Accrington Stanley | | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 |
| Alfreton Town | 1–3 | | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–5 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Bamber Bridge | 1–1 | 2–2 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 6–4 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| Barrow | 4–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Bishop Auckland | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 1–3 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Blyth Spartans | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–2 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 6–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Boston United | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–5 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Buxton | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Chorley | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 2–2 | | 4–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 6–1 |
| Colwyn Bay | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–5 | 3–4 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Emley | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| Frickley Athletic | 0–1 | 7–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–4 | 1–2 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Guiseley | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Hyde United | 7–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Knowsley United | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–3 | | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 |
| Lancaster City | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Leek Town | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Marine | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Runcorn | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 4–3 | 4–0 |
| Spennymoor United | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 6–0 | | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Winsford United | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 1–1 |
| Witton Albion | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 1–3 | |

## Division One

Division One featured four new teams:
* Droylsden relegated from the Premier Division
* Flixton promoted as champions from the NWCFL Division One
* Matlock Town relegated from the Premier Division
* Stocksbridge Park Steels promoted as runners-up from the NCEFL Premier Division

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Radcliffe Borough (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 77 | 33 | +44 | 85 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Leigh RMI (P) | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 65 | 33 | +32 | 83 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Lincoln United | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 78 | 47 | +31 | 83 | |
| 4 | Farsley Celtic | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 75 | 48 | +27 | 77 | |
| 5 | Worksop Town | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 72 | |
| 6 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 66 | 54 | +12 | 68 | |
| 7 | Bradford Park Avenue | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 68 | |
| 8 | Ashton United | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 73 | 52 | +21 | 65 | |
| 9 | Great Harwood Town | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 60 | |
| 10 | Droylsden | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 67 | +2 | 59 | |
| 11 | Matlock Town | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 60 | 69 | −9 | 57 | |
| 12 | Whitley Bay | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 47 | 54 | −7 | 54 | |
| 13 | Flixton | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 52 | |
| 14 | Netherfield | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 54 | 56 | −2 | 50 | |
| 15 | Eastwood Town | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 50 | |
| 16 | Gretna | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 55 | 67 | −12 | 50 | |
| 17 | Harrogate Town | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 54 | 76 | −22 | 47 | |
| 18 | Congleton Town | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 45 | |
| 19 | Workington | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 45 | 63 | −18 | 42 | |
| 20 | Curzon Ashton (R) | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 48 | 79 | −31 | 34 | Relegation to NCEFL Premier Division |
| 21 | Warrington Town (R) | 42 | 5 | 18 | 19 | 42 | 79 | −37 | 33 | Relegation to NWCFL Division One |
| 22 | Atherton Laburnum Rovers (R) | 42 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 45 | 85 | −40 | 30 | Relegation to NWCFL Division One |

## Promotion and relegation

In the twenty-ninth season of the Northern Premier League Leek Town (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Witton Albion and Buxton were relegated to the First Division while Knowsley United left the League at the end of the season. Boston United moved to the Southern League. These clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Altrincham, First Division winners Radcliffe Borough and second placed Leigh RMI. In the First Division Curzon Ashton, Warrington Town and Atherton Laburnum Rovers left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Whitby Town, Belper Town and Trafford.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.
* Gainsborough Trinity bt. Boston United
President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.
* Blyth Spartans bt. Runcorn
Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Gainsborough Trinity bt. Leek Town