# 1974–75 Northern Premier League

The 1974–75 Northern Premier League was the seventh season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 17 August 1974 and concluded on 12 May 1975.

## Overview

South Shields changed their name to Gateshead United and moved from Simonside Hall to Gateshead Youth Stadium.

### Team changes

The following club left the League at the end of the previous season:
* Bradford Park Avenue folded
The following club joined the League at the start of the season:
* Worksop Town promoted from Midland League (1889) (returning after a five year's absence)

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts |
| 1 | Wigan Athletic (C) | 46 | 33 | 6 | 7 | 94 | 38 | 2.474 | 72 |
| 2 | Runcorn | 46 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 102 | 42 | 2.429 | 68 |
| 3 | Altrincham | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 87 | 43 | 2.023 | 64 |
| 4 | Stafford Rangers | 46 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 81 | 39 | 2.077 | 63 |
| 5 | Scarborough | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 75 | 45 | 1.667 | 60 |
| 6 | Mossley | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 78 | 52 | 1.500 | 57 |
| 7 | Gateshead United | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 74 | 48 | 1.542 | 56 |
| 8 | Goole Town | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 75 | 71 | 1.056 | 50 |
| 9 | Northwich Victoria | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 83 | 71 | 1.169 | 48 |
| 10 | Great Harwood | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 69 | 66 | 1.045 | 48 |
| 11 | Matlock Town | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 87 | 79 | 1.101 | 46 |
| 12 | Boston United | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 64 | 63 | 1.016 | 46 |
| 13 | Morecambe | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 71 | 87 | 0.816 | 43 |
| 14 | Worksop Town | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 69 | 66 | 1.045 | 42 |
| 15 | South Liverpool | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 59 | 71 | 0.831 | 42 |
| 16 | Buxton | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 50 | 77 | 0.649 | 39 |
| 17 | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 46 | 62 | 0.742 | 36 |
| 18 | Lancaster City | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 53 | 76 | 0.697 | 36 |
| 19 | Bangor City | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 56 | 67 | 0.836 | 35 |
| 20 | Gainsborough Trinity | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 79 | 0.582 | 35 |
| 21 | Skelmersdale United | 46 | 13 | 7 | 26 | 63 | 93 | 0.677 | 33 |
| 22 | Barrow | 46 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 45 | 72 | 0.625 | 33 |
| 23 | Netherfield | 46 | 12 | 8 | 26 | 42 | 91 | 0.462 | 32 |
| 24 | Fleetwood | 46 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 26 | 97 | 0.268 | 20 |
The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ALT | BAN | BRW | BOS | BUX | FLE | GAI | GAT | GOO | GHA | LNC | MAC | MAT | MOR | MOS | NET | NOR | RUN | SCA | SKU | SLI | STA | WIG | WOK |
| Altrincham | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Bangor City | 0–1 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 6–2 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Barrow | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–0 |
| Boston United | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 5–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Buxton | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–5 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 3–0 |
| Fleetwood Town | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| Gateshead United | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Goole Town | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 4–1 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Great Harwood | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–4 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Lancaster City | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 0–10 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Macclesfield Town | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Matlock Town | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 7–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 3–1 |
| Morecambe | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–7 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Mossley | 2–2 | 1–0 | 5–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Netherfield | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–5 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–6 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 |
| Northwich Victoria | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 4–6 | 7–1 | | 3–4 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Runcorn | 2–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 7–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Scarborough | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 4–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Skelmersdale United | 0–5 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–4 |
| South Liverpool | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 5–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | | 4–0 |
| Worksop Town | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | |

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Stadium |
| Altrincham | Moss Lane |
| Bangor City | Farrar Road |
| Barrow | Holker Street |
| Boston United | York Street |
| Buxton | The Silverlands |
| Fleetwood | Highbury |
| Gainsborough Trinity | The Northolme |
| Gateshead United | Gateshead Youth Stadium |
| Goole Town | Victoria Pleasure Ground |
| Great Harwood | The Showground |
| Lancaster City | Great Axe |
| Macclesfield Town | Moss Rose |
| Matlock Town | Causeway Lane |
| Morecambe | Christie Park |
| Mossley | Seel Park |
| Netherfield | Parkside |
| Northwich Victoria | Drill Field |
| Runcorn | Canal Street |
| Scarborough | Athletic Ground |
| Skelmersdale United | White Moss Park |
| South Liverpool | Holly Park |
| Stafford Rangers | Marston Road |
| Wigan Athletic | Springfield Park |
| Worksop Town | Central Avenue |

## Cup results
### Challenge Cup

| Stage | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| 1st Leg | Runcorn | ?–? | Stafford Rangers |
| 2nd Leg | Stafford Rangers | ?–? | Runcorn |
| Aggregate | Runcorn | 2–1 | Stafford Rangers |

### Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Wigan Athletic | beat | Runcorn |

### FA Cup

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only four teams reached for the second round:
Second Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
| Altrincham | 3–0 | Gateshead United | |
| Stafford Rangers | 2–1 | Halifax Town | |
| Wigan Athletic | 1–1 | Mansfield Town | |
| Mansfield Town | 3–1 | Wigan Athletic | Replay |
Third Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | |
| Everton | 1–1 | Altrincham | |
| Altrincham | 0–2 | Everton | Replay |
| Stafford Rangers | 0–0 | Rotherham United | |
| Rotherham United | 0–2 | Stafford Rangers | Replay |
Fourth Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–2 | Peterborough United |

### FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, four teams reached for the fourth round:
Fourth Round
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Goole Town | 0–1 | Matlock Town |
| Scarborough | 1–0 | Wimbledon |
| Wigan Athletic | 0–1 | Bedford Town |
Semi-finals
| Stage | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| 1st Leg | Matlock Town | 0–1 | Burton Albion |
| 2nd Leg | Burton Albion | 0–2 | Matlock Town |
| Aggregate | Matlock Town | 2–1 | Burton Albion |
| 1st Leg | Scarborough | 3–1 | Bedford Town |
| 2nd Leg | Bedford Town | 1–3 | Scarborough |
| Aggregate | Scarborough | 6–2 | Bedford Town |
Final
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
| Matlock Town | 4–0 | Scarborough |

## End of the season

At the end of the seventh season of the Northern Premier League none of the teams put forward for election received enough votes to be promoted to the Football League.

### Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, a total of twelve non-League teams applied for election, four of which were from the Northern Premier League. All four Football League teams were re-elected.
| Club | League | Votes |
| Swansea City | Football League | 43 |
| Scunthorpe United | Football League | 41 |
| Darlington | Football League | 32 |
| Workington | Football League | 28 |
| Kettering Town | Southern League | 20 |
| Yeovil Town | Southern League | 8 |
| Wimbledon | Southern League | 4 |
| Bedford Town | Southern League | 2 |
| Goole Town | Northern Premier League | 2 |
| Scarborough | Northern Premier League | 2 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | Northern Premier League | 1 |
| Nuneaton Borough | Southern League | 1 |
| Telford United | Southern League | 1 |
| Weymouth | Southern League | 1 |
| Boston United | Northern Premier League | 0 |
| Chelmsford City | Southern League | 0 |

### Promotion and relegation

No clubs were promoted, conversely, none of the clubs were relegated.