The 2017–18 North West Counties Football League season (known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons) was the 36th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

competition in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It was also the last season to have a single Division One. Teams were divided into two divisions: Premier Division and Division One. The constitution for Step 5 and Step 6 divisions for 2017–18 was announced by the FA on 26 May 2017, and ratified by the league at its AGM on 17 June.

Premier Division

At the end of season 2016–17, the following four teams left the division: * Atherton Collieries, promoted to NPL Division One North * Cammell Laird 1907, relegated to

Division One The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

, relegated to Division One *

New Mills New Mills is a town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England, south-east of Stockport and from Manchester at the confluence of the River Goyt and Sett. It is close to the border with Cheshire and above the Torrs, a deep gorge cut thro ...

, relegated to Division One The remaining 18 teams, together with the following, formed the Premier Division for season 2017–18: *

Burscough Burscough () is a town and civil parish in West Lancashire in the ceremonial county of Lancashire, England. It is located to the north of Ormskirk and northwest of Skelmersdale. The parish also includes the hamlet of Tarlscough and the Martin M ...

, relegated from NPL Division One North *

Charnock Richard Charnock Richard is a small village and civil parish in the borough of Chorley, Lancashire, in England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 1,748. History The village was named in the early 13th century by the local ...

, promoted from the First Division * City of Liverpool, promoted from the First Division *

Northwich Victoria {{Infobox UK place , static_image_name = Northwich - Town Bridge.jpg , static_image_caption = Town Bridge, the River Weaver and the spire of Holy Trinity Church , official_name = Northwich , country ...

, relegated from NPL Division One South *

Widnes Widnes ( ) is an Industrial city, industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it is on t ...

, promoted from the First Division

League table

Results

Stadia and locations

* Due to ground conditions and acute fixture congestion,

1874 Northwich 1874 Northwich Football Club is a football club based in Northwich, Cheshire, England. Established in 2012 by supporters of Northwich Victoria, they are currently members of the . Home matches are played at Barnton's Townfield ground. The ...

played some home matches, notably in the latter stages of the

FA Vase The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...

and the league programme, at

Wincham Park Wincham Park is a football stadium in Wincham, a parish on the edge of Northwich, England. The home ground of Witton Albion, it first opened in 1989, after the club left their former Central Ground. Capacity is 4,813, with 600 covered seats ...

, Northwich, home of

Witton Albion Witton may refer to one of several places in England: *Witton, historic name of an area of Northwich, Cheshire **Witton Albion F.C. *Witton Gilbert, County Durham *Witton-le-Wear, County Durham *Witton, an area of Blackburn, Lancashire * Witton, B ...

Division One

At the end of season 2016–17, the following four teams left the division: * Ashton Town, relegated to the

Cheshire Association Football League The Cheshire Association Football League is a football competition based in Cheshire, England, which until 2007 was known as the Mid-Cheshire Association Football League. From season 2017–18, the league operates four divisions: the Premier ...

Premier Division. *

, promoted to the Premier Division * City of Liverpool, promoted to the Premier Division *

, promoted to the Premier Division The remaining 18 teams, together with the following, formed Division One for the 2017–18 season: * Abbey Hulton United, promoted from Staffordshire County Senior League * Cammell Laird 1907, relegated from the Premier Division *

, relegated from the Premier Division *

, relegated from the Premier Division

League table

Results

* Bacup Borough v FC Oswestry Town: visitors failed to fulfil fixture on 5 May, result declared a 3–0 home win * St Helens Town v Abbey Hulton United: result declared a draw following investigation

Playoffs

Source for this subsection
NWC website
/small>

Stadia and locations

League Challenge Cup

Also called the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons. Source for this section
NWCFL web site
/small>

First round

Northern Section Southern Section All remaining teams received byes to the second round.

Second round

Northern Section * Played at Padiham, following two postponements
** Played at Ashton, following two postponements
*** Played at Crosby, following two postponements
**** Played at Prestwich, following two postponements
†

Padiham Padiham ( ) is a town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley, Lancashire, England. It forms part of the Borough of Burnley. Originally by the River Calder, it is edged by the foothills of Pendle Hill to the north-west ...

and

eliminated, having fielded ineligible players Southern Section * Played at Abbey Hulton, following two postponements
** Played at Birkenhead, following two postponements

Third round

Northern Section Southern Section

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

First Leg

Second Leg

Final

Played at

Highbury Stadium Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, London, which was the home of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006. It was popularly known as "Highbury" due to its location and was given the affectionate nickname ...

, home of

Fleetwood Town Fleetwood Town Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Fleetwood, Lancashire. Established in 1997, the current Fleetwood Town F.C. is the fourth incarnation of the club; it was originally formed in ...

Division One Trophy

Also called th
LWC Drinks
First Division Cup for sponsorship reasons. Source for this section
NWCFL web site
/small>

First round

Northern Section ^* Played at Carlisle following two postponements Southern Section All the remaining First Division teams received a bye to the second round.

Second round

Northern Section Southern Section

Quarter-finals

Northern Section * Atherton LR disqualified for fielding an ineligible player Southern Section

Semi-finals

First leg

Second leg

Final

Played at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, home of

Runcorn Linnets Runcorn Linnets F.C. are an English football club based in Runcorn, Cheshire. The club currently plays in the , and is a full member of the Cheshire County Football Association. The club is run by a trust which is a registered society under t ...

References

External links

nwcfl.com (The Official Website of The North West Counties Football League)
{{DEFAULTSORT:2017-18 North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League seasons 9