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 The North West Counties Football League is a association football, football league in the North West England, North West of England. Since 2019–20, the league has covered the Isle of Man, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, ...

, a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

competition in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. 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 *

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

, 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 parishes in England, civil parish in the district of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. The town is located approximately north-northeast of Liverpool and southwest of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. Its north ...

, 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 Northwich is a market town and civil parish in the Cheshire West and Chester borough of Cheshire, England. It lies on the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers River Weaver, Weaver and River Dane, Dane, east of Chester, south of Warr ...

, relegated from NPL Division One South *

Widnes Widnes ( ) is an Industrial city, industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2021–2022 United Kingdom censuses, 2021 census had a population of 62,400. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, ...

, promoted from the First Division

League table

Results

Stadia and locations

* Due to ground conditions and acute fixture congestion, 1874 Northwich played some home matches, notably in the latter stages of the

FA Vase The Football Association Challenge Vase, also known as the Isuzu FA Vase for sponsorship reasons, is an annual football competition run by and named after The Football Association (The FA), for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English Nation ...

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 F.C., Witton Albion, it first opened in 1989, after the club left their former Central Ground. Capacity is 4,813, with 6 ...

, Northwich, home of Witton Albion.

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 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 The Staffordshire County Senior League is a Football (soccer), football competition based in Staffordshire, England. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of the Midland Football League (1994), Midland League (formerly known as the Staffordshire Senio ...

* 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 market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Calder, Lancashire, River Calder, in the Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, Lancashire, England. It is located north west of Burnley, and north ea ...

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" from the name of the district in which it was located, and ...

, home of Fleetwood Town.

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.

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