1977–78 Northern Premier League


The 1977–78 Northern Premier League was the tenth 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 21 August 1976 and concluded on 7 May 1978.

Overview

The League featured twenty-four teams.

Team changes

No Clubs left the league last season.
The following club joined the League at the start of the season:

Results

Stadia and locations

TeamStadium
AltrinchamMoss Lane
Bangor CityFarrar Road
BarrowHolker Street
Boston UnitedYork Street
BuxtonThe Silverlands
Frickley AthleticWestfield Lane
Gainsborough TrinityThe Northolme
Gateshead UnitedGateshead Youth Stadium
Goole TownVictoria Pleasure Ground
Great HarwoodThe Showground
Lancaster CityGiant Axe
Macclesfield TownMoss Rose
Matlock TownCauseway Lane
MorecambeChristie Park
MossleySeel Park
NetherfieldParkside
Northwich VictoriaDrill Field
RuncornCanal Street
ScarboroughAthletic Ground
South LiverpoolHolly Park
Stafford RangersMarston Road
Wigan AthleticSpringfield Park
WorkingtonBorough Park
Worksop TownCentral Avenue

Cup results

Challenge Cup

Home TeamScoreAway Team
Matlock Town3–0Boston United

Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Matlock TownbeatBoston United

FA Cup

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only two teams reached the second round:
Second Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Crewe Alexandra0–0Scarborough
Scarborough2–0Crewe AlexandraReplay
Hartlepool United4–2Runcorn

Third Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Brighton & Hove Albion3–0Scarborough

FA Trophy

Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, two teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Altrincham4–2Winsford United
Merthyr Tydfil0–0Runcorn
Runcorn3–2Merthyr Tydfil

Semi-finals
StageHome TeamScoreAway Team
1st LegAltrincham0–0Runcorn
2nd LegRuncorn0–1Altrincham
AggregateAltrincham1–0Runcorn

Final
Home TeamScoreAway Team
Altrincham3–1Leatherhead

End of the season

At the end of the tenth season of the Northern Premier League, Wigan Athletic who was put forward for election, received enough votes, on the second round of voting, to be promoted to the Football League. Great Harwood folded

Football League elections

Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, two non-League teams, one from the Northern Premier League and the other from the Southern League, applied to be elected. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Wigan Athletic from the Northern Premier League tied with Southport from the Football League on the first round of voting. A second round was then implemented with Wigan Athletic gaining promotion, replacing Southport from the Football League as they did not receive enough votes. Southport was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.
ClubLeagueFirst
round
votes		Second
round
votes
York CityFootball League Division Four49
RochdaleFootball League Division Four39
Hartlepool UnitedFootball League Division Four37
Wigan AthleticNorthern Premier League2629
SouthportFootball League Division Four2620
Bath CitySouthern League23

Promotion and relegation

The number of clubs reduced from twenty-four clubs to twenty-three clubs for the following season.
The following two clubs left the league at the end of the season:
The following club joined the league the following season: