Founded | 1889 |
---|---|
Country | England |
Divisions | Division One Division Two |
Number of teams | 42 |
Level on pyramid | Levels 9 and 10 |
Promotion to | Northern Premier League Division One East or West |
Relegation to | Northern Football Alliance Premier Division Wearside League First Division North Riding League Premier Division |
Domestic cup(s) | Northern League Challenge Cup Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup J. R. Cleator Cup |
Current champions | Newton Aycliffe (Division One) Boro Rangers (Division Two) (2024–25) |
Website | Ebac Northern League |
Current: 2024–25 |
The Northern League is a British men's football league in north east England. Having been founded in 1889, it is the second-oldest football league in the world still in existence after the English Football League.
It contains two divisions; Division One and Division Two. Division One sits on the ninth tier of the English football league system, five divisions below the Football League. These leagues cover the historic counties of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire's North Riding. The champion club of Division One is promoted to the lower division of the Northern Premier League.
The Northern league was one of many leagues formed the year after the Football League. In its first season, it consisted of ten clubs that were a mixture of professional and amateur organisations. During its early years, the competition included clubs such as Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Darlington that would go on to play in the Football League. In 1905, the league split into two divisions, one professional and one amateur. The next year, however, the Northern League made the decision to abolish the professional division and restrict itself to amateur clubs, or at least clubs that claimed to be amateur.
Between the World Wars and in the early years following World War II, the Northern League's amateur status meant that they and their equivalent in the London area, the Isthmian League, dominated the old FA Amateur Cup. The two Leagues continued to be separate from the professional game which was dominated by the Football League, Southern League and, from 1968, the Northern Premier League.
The Northern League and Isthmian League (with its feeder leagues) continued to claim amateur status right up until, following pressure, amateur status was abandoned by the Football Association in 1974. This left amateur leagues like the Northern to find a place in the overall structure of non-League football. Unlike its southern equivalent, the Isthmian League, who became a feeder to the Alliance Premier League in 1982, the Northern League rejected repeated invitations. Ultimately, the Northern League remained out of the football pyramid until 1991. The league declined throughout the 1980s as its leading clubs defected to other leagues within the football pyramid, such as the Northern Counties East Football League. When the Northern League finally joined the pyramid, it was as a feeder league to the lower division of the Northern Premier League (Level 9).
Since 1995, Northern League clubs have competed for the FA Vase, with some success, having won 11 finals, losing 4 finals. There were two all Northern League finals in 2012 (Dunston UTS beat West Auckland Town) and 2020 (Hebburn Town beat Consett).
The League had an unusual sponsorship deal put in place by Brooks Mileson, owner of the Albany Group, who were its sponsors in 2003. In that year, Mileson announced that he had created a trust which would continue to sponsor the league throughout his lifetime and that of his sons. In 2008, however, the league announced that this sponsorship had come to an end, and it held a raffle to determine its next sponsor. Interested parties were invited to buy a stake in the raffle for £250. The winning stake was held by a local training company and the league was known as the skilltrainingltd Northern League from the 2008–09 season until the 2011–12 season. [1] The league is currently sponsored by dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac. [2]
Level 11 clubs from the North Riding Football League, Northern Football Alliance and Wearside Football League may apply for promotion into the Northern League's Second Division (level 10).
Club | Home ground |
---|---|
Birtley Town | Birtley Sports Complex |
Bishop Auckland | Heritage Park |
Boro Rangers | Trinity College, Middlesbrough |
Carlisle City | Gillford Park |
Crook Town | The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground |
Guisborough Town | King George V Ground |
Heaton Stannington | Grounsell Park |
Newcastle Benfield | Sam Smith's Park |
North Shields | Daren Persson Stadium |
Northallerton Town | Calvert Stadium |
Penrith | Frenchfields Stadium |
Redcar Athletic | Green Lane |
Seaham Red Star | Seaham Town Park |
Shildon | Dean Street |
Sunderland RCA | Meadow Park |
Tow Law Town | Ironworks Road |
West Allotment Celtic | East Palmersville Sports Pavilion |
West Auckland Town | The Wanted Metal Stadium |
Whickham | The Glebe Sports Ground |
Whitley Bay | Hillheads Park |
Club | Home ground |
---|---|
Bedlington Terriers | Dr Pit Welfare Park |
Billingham Synthonia | Broughton Road |
Billingham Town | Bedford Terrace |
Blyth Town | Gateway Park |
Boldon CA | Boldon Colliery Welfare |
Grangetown Boys Club F.C. | B&W Lifting Ltd Stadium |
Chester-le-Street Town | Moor Park |
Chester-le-Street United | Riverside Sports Complex |
Easington Colliery | Welfare Ground (Easington) |
Esh Winning | West Terrace |
FC Hartlepool | Grayfields Enclosure |
Horden CW | Horden Recreation Ground |
Jarrow | Perth Green CA |
Newcastle Blue Star | Scotswood Sports Centre |
Newcastle University | Kimberley Park (Prudhoe)+ |
Prudhoe Youth Club | Kimberley Park |
Redcar Town | The Vibrant Doors Stadium |
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | Kingsley Park |
Sunderland West End | Ford Quarry |
Thornaby | Teesdale Park |
Washington | Northern Area Football Fields |
Yarm & Eaglescliffe | Bedford Terrace (Billingham)+ |
+ indicates ground share
Originally the league comprised a single division. The champions were as follows: [3]
In 1897, the league briefly split into two divisions. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Season | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|
1897–98 | Stockton | Howden-le-Wear |
1898–99 | Bishop Auckland | Stockton St. John's |
1899–1900 | Darlington | Whitby |
In 1900, the league reverted to a single division. [3]
Season | Champions |
---|---|
1900–01 | Bishop Auckland |
1901–02 | Bishop Auckland |
1902–03 | Newcastle United A |
1903–04 | Newcastle United A |
1904–05 | Newcastle United A |
In 1905 the league split into two sections, one for professionals and one for amateurs. This lasted for a single season. [3]
Season | Professional | Amateur |
---|---|---|
1905–06 | Sunderland A | Bishop Auckland |
In 1906 the league reverted to a single division, a format retained until 1982. [3]
In 1982 the league added a second division. [3]
rank-club-(titles-last won)
in bold, competing for the 2023–24 season in division one or two
Bishop Auckland Football Club is a football club based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England. They are one of the most successful amateur sides, having won the FA Amateur Cup ten times and reached the final on a further eight occasions. Nicknamed 'The Bishops' or 'The Two Blues', they are rivals with West Auckland Town.
Billingham Synthonia Football Club is a football club based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, England. Nicknamed the "Synners", they are currently members of the Northern League Division Two and play at Bishopton Road West in Stockton-on-Tees.
The Wearside Football League is a non-league football competition based in northern England. It consists of three divisions which sits at steps 7 to 9 of the National League System and is a feeder to the Northern League Division Two.
Brian Aidan Close is a Northern Irish football defender or midfielder who plays for Northern League Division One club Guisborough Town.
The Durham County Football Association is the governing body of football in the county of Durham, from grassroots to professional level. The Durham FA was founded on 25 March 1883. They run a number of cups for teams across the county for under-18, under-21, ladies teams, and an under-18 representative team.
The Durham County Challenge Cup is an annual football competition held between the clubs of the Durham County Football Association which was first played in 1884. It is the senior county cup for the historic county of Durham, which includes Durham, Darlington, Gateshead, Hartlepool, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, and Sunderland. The first winners were Sunderland.
Jordan Marshall is an English footballer who plays as a forward. He made his debut in the Football League for Darlington in April 2010 as a 16-year-old. Since then he has played non-league football for a number of Northern League clubs.
Jordan Robinson is an English football defender or midfielder.
The 1998–99 Northern Football League season was the 101st in the history of Northern Football League, a football competition in England. Division One was won by Bedlington Terriers and Division Two was won by Durham City. Bedlington opted against promotion to the Northern Premier League.
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League, commonly abbreviated to NYSD, is the top-level competition for recreational club cricket in the north of Yorkshire and south of Durham, England. The league was founded as long ago as 1892, the first competition was held in the following year.
Steven "Steve" Walklate is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Darlington and in the Scottish League for Queen of the South. He began his career at Middlesbrough without playing first-team football for them, and also played non-league football for a number of clubs in the north-east of England, mostly in the Northern League.
John David Alexander is an English footballer who made four appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for Darlington in the 2000s. While still at Darlington, he had loan spells at Northern Premier League club Bishop Auckland, and went on to play non-league football in the north-east of England for a number of clubs, mostly in the Northern League. He also played American college soccer for the Stetson Hatters.
Nathan Jameson is an English footballer who played in the Football League for Darlington. He began his senior career with Walsall, but never played for their first team. He also played in the Irish Premier League for Glenavon and for a number of non-league clubs, mainly in his native north-east of England. A midfielder in the early part of his career, he has also played as a forward.
Daniel Charles Key is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Darlington, spent time on loan with League of Ireland club Waterford United, and played non-league football for a variety of clubs in the north-east of England.
The 2018–19 season was the 121st in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league has operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
The 2019–20 season was the 122nd in the history of Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The allocations for Steps 1 to 6 for season 2019–20 were announced by the FA on 19 May. These were subject to appeal, and the Northern League's constitution was ratified at the league's annual general meeting (AGM) on 15 June.
The 2020–21 season was the 123rd in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league has operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
The 2021–22 season was the 124th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
The 2023–24 season was the 126th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at Step 5, and Division Two at Step 6.
The 2024–25 season is the 127th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at Step 5, and Division Two at Step 6.