Northern Counties East Football League

Founded	1982
Country	England
Number of teams	44 20 (Premier Division) 24 (Division One)
Level on pyramid	9 and 10
Promotion to	Level 8 Northern Premier League Division One East
Relegation to	Level 10 United Counties League Division One Level 11 Central Midlands League North Division Humber Premier League Premier Division Lincolnshire League Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division West Yorkshire League Premier Division York League Premier Division Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division
Domestic cup(s)	National FA Cup FA Vase League League Cup
Current champions	Emley (Premier Division) 2023-24 Campion (Division One) (2022-23)
Website	ncefl.org.uk
Current: 2023–24 season

The Northern Counties East Football League is a semi-professional English football league. It has two divisions – Premier Division and Division One – which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the English football pyramid respectively.

History

The league was formed in 1982 following the merger of the Yorkshire League and Midland League.^[1] For its inaugural season, the league consisted of five divisions. Since then, the league has undergone several changes to the point where since 2018 it has two divisions of 20 teams.

The league has maintained promotion and relegation between its divisions since its beginning. In 2015 a series of play-offs were introduced for the first time to determine a third promotee from Division One.^[2]

The competition has several feeder leagues at level 11 of the pyramid, which may provide new member clubs each year:

• Central Midlands League North Division
• Humber Premier League Premier Division
• Lincolnshire League
• Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
• West Yorkshire League Premier Division
• York League Premier Division
• Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division

Clubs are also liable to be transferred to other leagues if the FA deems it geographically suitable to do so.

Current clubs (2023–24)

Premier Division

Club Location Home ground Albion Sports Farsley The Citadel (Groundshare with Farsley Celtic) Barton Town Barton-upon-Humber Easy Buy Stadium Bottesford Town Bottesford The Barrett Steel Stadium Campion Bradford Scotchman Road Eccleshill United Wrose Plumpton Park Emley Emley Fantastic Media Welfare Ground Frickley Athletic Frickley Westfield Lane Garforth Town Garforth Bannister Prentice Stadium Golcar United Huddersfield Longfield Avenue Goole Goole Victoria Pleasure Ground Hallam Sheffield Sandygate Road Handsworth Sheffield Olivers Mount Knaresborough Town Knaresborough Manse Lane Maltby Main Rotherham Muglet Lane Penistone Church Penistone Memorial Ground Pickering Town Pickering Mill Lane Rossington Main Rossington Oxford Street Silsden Silsden Keighley Road Stadium Tadcaster Albion Tadcaster Ings Lane Thackley Thackley The Thank You Key Workers Stadium at Dennyfield

Albion Sports Barton Town Bottesford Town Campion Eccleshill United Emley Frickley Athletic Garforth Town Golcar United Goole Hallam Knaresborough Town Maltby Main Penistone Church Pickering Town Rossington Main Silsden Tadcaster Albion Thackley Armthorpe Welfare Athersley Recreation Beverley Town Brigg Town Clay Cross Town Dronfield Town Glasshoughton Welfare Harrogate RA Horbury Town Louth Town Nostell Miners Welfare Ollerton Town Parkgate Retford Retford United Selby Town Shirebrook Town Staveley Miners Welfare Swallownest Wakefield Wombwell Town Worsbrough Bridge Athletic Yorkshire Amateur Location of the NCEL member clubs for the 2023–24 season – Premier Division – Division One

Division One

Honours

Champions

Promoted

Since the league's formation in 1982, the following clubs have won promotion to higher levels of the English football league system – normally to the Northern Premier League –

Cup competitions

League Cup

The league currently has just one cup competition, the League Cup, which is contested by every club in the league.

Finals

President's Cup and Trophy

In the past the league has had additional cup competitions. The Trophy was contested by the Division One clubs and the President's Cup which featured the top eight teams in each division from the previous season, provided they remain in the league.

Winners

Member clubs in national competitions

FA Cup first round

The following NCEL clubs have reached the First Round proper of the FA Cup –

FA Vase finalists

The following NCEL clubs have reached the Final of the FA Vase –