# 1987–88 Northern Premier League

The 1987–88 Northern Premier League season was the 20th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division featured two new teams:
* Frickley Athletic relegated from Football Conference
* Gateshead relegated from Football Conference

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Chorley (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 78 | 35 | +43 | 88 | Promoted to Football Conference |
| 2 | Hyde United | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 91 | 52 | +39 | 85 | |
| 3 | Caernarfon Town | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 56 | 34 | +22 | 76 | |
| 4 | Morecambe | 42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 72 | |
| 5 | Barrow | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 70 | 41 | +29 | 71 | |
| 6 | Worksop Town | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 55 | +19 | 71 | |
| 7 | Bangor City | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 72 | 55 | +17 | 70 | |
| 8 | Rhyl | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 70 | 42 | +28 | 67 | |
| 9 | Marine | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 67 | 45 | +22 | 67 | |
| 10 | Frickley Athletic | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 65 | |
| 11 | Witton Albion | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 61 | 47 | +14 | 60 | |
| 12 | Goole Town | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 71 | 61 | +10 | 60 | |
| 13 | Horwich RMI | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 42 | +4 | 60 | |
| 14 | Southport | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 43 | 48 | −5 | 57 | |
| 15 | South Liverpool | 42 | 10 | 19 | 13 | 56 | 64 | −8 | 49 | |
| 16 | Buxton | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 72 | 76 | −4 | 47 | |
| 17 | Mossley | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 54 | 75 | −21 | 44 | |
| 18 | Gateshead | 42 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 52 | 71 | −19 | 40 | |
| 19 | Matlock Town | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 58 | 89 | −31 | 38 | |
| 20 | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 38 | 81 | −43 | 34 | |
| 21 | Oswestry Town | 42 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 44 | 101 | −57 | 28 | Club Folded |
| 22 | Workington (R) | 42 | 6 | 3 | 33 | 28 | 113 | −85 | 21 | Relegated to Division One |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BAN | BRW | BUX | CNR | CHO | FRK | GAI | GAT | GOO | HOR | HYD | MAR | MAT | MOR | MOS | OSW | RHL | SLI | SOU | WTN | WRK | WKS |
| Bangor City | | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2–3 |
| Barrow | 2–3 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 |
| Buxton | 2–4 | 2–0 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Caernarfon Town | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Chorley | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | | 0–3 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 9–0 | 0–1 |
| Frickley Athletic | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | | 3–1 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–0 | 1–6 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| Gateshead | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–5 |
| Goole Town | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 8–1 | 1–2 |
| Horwich RMI | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Hyde United | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 |
| Marine | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 7–3 | | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 |
| Matlock Town | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–2 | | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Morecambe | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Mossley | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Oswestry Town | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–7 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Rhyl | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| South Liverpool | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| Southport | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 0–4 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Witton Albion | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | | 3–2 | 5–1 |
| Workington | 0–1 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–8 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–0 |
| Worksop Town | 4–1 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | |

## Division One

It was the first Division One season, it was formed by clubs from:
* 12 clubs joined from the NWCL Division One:
** Stalybridge Celtic
** Accrington Stanley
** Winsford United
** Fleetwood Town
** Penrith
** Congleton Town
** Eastwood Hanley
** Radcliffe Borough
** Leek Town
** Netherfield
** Irlam Town
** Curzon Ashton
* 2 clubs joined from the NWCL Division Two:
** Droylsden
** Lancaster City
* 5 clubs joined from the NCEL Premier Division:
** Alfreton Town
** Farsley Celtic
** Sutton Town
** Harrogate Town
** Eastwood Town

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Fleetwood Town (C, P) | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 85 | 45 | +40 | 73 | Promoted to Premier Division |
| 2 | Stalybridge Celtic (P) | 36 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 72 | Promoted to Premier Division |
| 3 | Leek Town | 36 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 63 | 38 | +25 | 70 | |
| 4 | Accrington Stanley | 36 | 21 | 6 | 9 | 71 | 39 | +32 | 69 | |
| 5 | Farsley Celtic | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 64 | 48 | +16 | 63 | |
| 6 | Droylsden | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 58 | |
| 7 | Eastwood Hanley | 36 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 50 | 37 | +13 | 54 | |
| 8 | Winsford United | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 51 | |
| 9 | Congleton Town | 36 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 51 | |
| 10 | Harrogate Town | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 51 | 50 | +1 | 48 | |
| 11 | Alfreton Town | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 53 | 54 | −1 | 47 | |
| 12 | Radcliffe Borough | 36 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 66 | 62 | +4 | 46 | |
| 13 | Irlam Town | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 39 | 45 | −6 | 46 | |
| 14 | Penrith | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 44 | |
| 15 | Sutton Town | 36 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 51 | 96 | −45 | 38 | |
| 16 | Lancaster City | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 45 | 72 | −27 | 36 | |
| 17 | Eastwood Town | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 45 | 65 | −20 | 34 | |
| 18 | Curzon Ashton | 36 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 43 | 73 | −30 | 28 | |
| 19 | Netherfield | 36 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 35 | 93 | −58 | 16 | |
* ↑ Congleton Town were docked 1 point.

## Promotion and relegation

In the twentieth season of the Northern Premier League Chorley (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Meanwhile, Oswestry Town folded at the end of the season and Workington were relegated; these three sides were replaced by Division One winners Fleetwood Town, second placed Stalybridge Celtic and newly admitted Shepshed Charterhouse. Colne Dynamoes, Bishop Auckland, Whitley Bay and Newtown were admitted into Division One at the end of the season.

## Cup Results

Challenge Cup:
* Goole Town bt. Barrow
President's Cup:
* South Liverpool 5–4 Southport
Northern Premier League Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
* Chorley bt. Goole Town