Northern League

Founded	1889; 135 years ago (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) (2022–23)
Website	Ebac Northern League
Current: 2023–24

The Northern League is a 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.

History

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).

Current members

Bishop Auckland

Crook Town

Heaton Stannington

Newcastle Benfield

North Shields

Seaham Red Star

Shildon

Sunderland Ryhope Community Association

Tow Law Town

West Allotment Celtic

West Auckland Town

Whickham

Whitley Bay

Bedlington Terriers

Billingham Synthonia

Billingham Town

Birtley Town

Blyth Town

Boldon Community Association

Brandon United

Chester-le-Street Town

Chester-le-Street United

Durham City

Easington Colliery

Esh Winning

FC Hartlepool

Horden CW

Jarrow

Newcastle Blue Star

Newcastle University and Prudhoe Youth Club

Ryton & Crawcrook Albion

Sunderland West End

Washington

Location of the Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne & Wear clubs in the Northern League by division
– First Division – Second Division

Boro Rangers

Guisborough Town

Northallerton Town

Redcar Athletic

Redcar Town

Thornaby

Yarm & Eaglescliffe

Location of the North Yorkshire clubs in the Northern League

Penrith

Carlisle City

Location of the Cumbria clubs in the Northern League

Division One

Division Two

+ indicates ground share

Champions

Originally the league comprised a single division. The champions were as follows:[3] Season Champions 1889–90 Darlington St. Augustine's 1890–91 Middlesbrough Ironopolis 1891–92 Middlesbrough Ironopolis 1892–93 Middlesbrough Ironopolis 1893–94 Middlesbrough 1894–95 Middlesbrough 1895–96 Darlington 1896–97 Middlesbrough 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] Season Champions 1906–07 Stockton 1907–08 South Bank 1908–09 Bishop Auckland 1909–10 Bishop Auckland 1910–11 Eston United 1911–12 Bishop Auckland 1912–13 Esh Winning Rangers[7] 1913–14 Willington 1914–15 Crook Town 1915–19 Not contested due to World War I 1919–20 South Bank 1920–21 Bishop Auckland 1921–22 South Bank 1922–23 Eston United 1923–24 Tow Law Town 1924–25 Tow Law Town 1925–26 Willington 1926–27 Crook Town 1927–28 Chilton Colliery Recreation Athletic 1928–29 Stockton 1929–30 Willington 1930–31 Bishop Auckland 1931–32 Stockton 1932–33 Stockton 1933–34 Shildon 1934–35 Shildon 1935–36 Shildon 1936–37 Shildon 1937–38 Ferryhill Athletic 1938–39 Bishop Auckland 1939–40 Shildon 1940–45 Not contested due to World War II 1945–46 Stanley United 1946–47 Bishop Auckland 1947–48 Ferryhill Athletic 1948–49 Evenwood Town 1949–50 Bishop Auckland 1950–51 Bishop Auckland 1951–52 Bishop Auckland 1952–53 Crook Town 1953–54 Bishop Auckland 1954–55 Bishop Auckland 1955–56 Bishop Auckland 1956–57 Billingham Synthonia 1957–58 Ferryhill Athletic 1958–59 Crook Town 1959–60 West Auckland Town 1960–61 West Auckland Town 1961–62 Stanley United 1962–63 Crook Town 1963–64 Stanley United 1964–65 Whitley Bay 1965–66 Whitley Bay 1966–67 Bishop Auckland 1967–68 Spennymoor United 1968–69 North Shields 1969–70 Evenwood Town 1970–71 Evenwood Town 1971–72 Spennymoor United 1972–73 Blyth Spartans 1973–74 Spennymoor United 1974–75 Blyth Spartans 1975–76 Blyth Spartans 1976–77 Spennymoor United 1977–78 Spennymoor United 1978–79 Spennymoor United 1979–80 Blyth Spartans 1980–81 Blyth Spartans 1981–82 Blyth Spartans In 1982 the league added a second division.[3] Season Division One Division Two 1982–83 Blyth Spartans Peterlee Newtown 1983–84 Blyth Spartans Chester-le-Street Town 1984–85 Bishop Auckland Brandon United 1985–86 Bishop Auckland Newcastle Blue Star 1986–87 Blyth Spartans Billingham Synthonia 1987–88 Blyth Spartans Stockton 1988–89 Billingham Synthonia Consett 1989–90 Billingham Synthonia Murton 1990–91 Gretna West Auckland Town 1991–92 Gretna Stockton 1992–93 Whitby Town Dunston Federation Brewery 1993–94 Durham City Bedlington Terriers 1994–95 Tow Law Town Whickham 1995–96 Billingham Synthonia Morpeth Town 1996–97 Whitby Town Northallerton 1997–98 Bedlington Terriers Chester-le-Street Town 1998–99 Bedlington Terriers Durham City 1999–2000 Bedlington Terriers Brandon United 2000–01 Bedlington Terriers Ashington 2001–02 Bedlington Terriers Shildon 2002–03 Brandon United Penrith 2003–04 Dunston Federation Brewery Ashington 2004–05 Dunston Federation Brewery West Allotment Celtic 2005–06 Newcastle Blue Star Consett 2006–07 Whitley Bay Spennymoor Town 2007–08 Durham City Penrith Town 2008–09 Newcastle Benfield Horden Colliery Welfare 2009–10 Spennymoor Town Stokesley 2010–11 Spennymoor Town Newton Aycliffe 2011–12 Spennymoor Town Team Northumbria 2012–13 Darlington Crook Town 2013–14 Spennymoor Town North Shields 2014–15 Marske United Seaham Red Star 2015–16 Shildon South Shields 2016–17 South Shields Stockton Town 2017–18 Marske United Blyth 2018–19 Dunston UTS Billingham Town 2019–20 No champions; season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic 2020–21 No champions; season abandoned due to lockdown regulations 2021–22 North Shields Carlisle City 2022–23 Newton Aycliffe Boro Rangers 2023–24 Bishop Auckland Blyth Town number of titles (1890-2024)[edit] rank-club-(titles-last won) 1-Bishop Auckland (20–2024) 2-Blyth Spartans (10–1988) 3-Spennymoor Town (10–2014)(a) 4-Shildon (6–2016) 5-Stockton (5–1933) 6-Crook Town (5–1963) 7-Bedlington Terriers (5–2002) 8-Billingham Synthonia (4–1996) 9-Middlesbrough Ironopolis (3–1893) 10-Middlesbrough (3–1897) 11-Newcastle (3–1905) 12-South Bank (3–1922) 13-Willington (3–1930) 14-Ferryhill Athletic (3–1958) 15-Stanley United (3–1964) 16-Evenwood Town (3–1971) 17-Tow Law Town (3–1995) 18-Whitley Bay (3–2007) 19-Darlington (3–2013) 20-Eston United (2–1923) 21-West Auckland Town (2–1961) 22-Gretna (2–1992) 23-Whitby Town (2–1997) 24-Dunston Federation Brewery (2–2005) 25-Durham City (2–2008) 26-Marske United (2–2018) 27-North Shield (2–2022) 28-Darlington St.Augustine's (1–1890) 29-Sunderland (1–1905) 30-Esh Winning Rangers (1–1913) 31-Chilton Colliery Recreation (1–1928) 32-Brandon United (1–2003) 33-Newcastle Blue Star (1–2006) 34-Newcastle Benfield (1–2009) 35-South Shield (1–2017) 36-Dunston UTS (1–2019) 37-Newton Aycliffe (1–2023) in bold, competiting for the 2023–24 season in division one or two (a) with Spennymoor United, ancestor club League Cup[edit] Season Winner Score Runners–up Venue Notes 1923-24 Cockfield 3–1 Ferryhill Athletic Bishop Auckland [8] 1924-25 Willington 2–0 Ferryhill Athletic Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1925-26 Willington 2–0 Crook Town Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1926-27 Stockton 1–1 Bishop Auckland Crook [8][10] 1926-27 (R) Stockton 0–0 Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland [8][10] 1926-27 (R2) Stockton 1–1 Bishop Auckland Stockton [8][10] 1926-27 (R3) Stockton 3–0 Bishop Auckland Crook [8][10] 1927-28 Willington 1–1 Chilton Colliery RA Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1927-28 (R) Willington 3–2 Chilton Colliery RA Chilton [8][9] 1928-29 Whitby United 2–1 Chilton Colliery RA Stockton [8][11] 1929-30 Stockton 4–2 Ferryhill Athletic Bishop Auckland [8][10] 1930-31 Willington 3–1 Chilton Colliery RA Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1931-32 Willington 2–2 Whitby United Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1931-32 (R) Willington 2–2 Whitby United Stockton [8][9] 1932-33 Stockton 2–0 Willington Bishop Auckland [8][10] 1933-34 Shildon 3–1 Bishop Auckland Shildon [8][12] 1934-35 Shildon 2–1 Chilton Colliery RA Bishop Auckland [8][12] 1935-36 Evenwood Town 3–2 Trimdon Grange Bishop Auckland [8] 1936-37 Crook Town 2–2 Bishop Auckland Shildon [8] 1936-37 (R) Crook Town 2–1 Bishop Auckland Willington [8] 1937-38 Shildon 1–0 Cockfield Bishop Auckland [8][12] 1938-39 Shildon 2–0 Ferryhill Athletic Bishop Auckland [8][12] 1939-40 Shildon 2–0 Bishop Auckland Shildon [8][12] 1945-46 Crook Colliery Welfare 2–1 Bishop Auckland Shildon [8] 1946-47 Stanley United 3–1 Shildon Ferryhill [8] 1947-48 South Bank 3–1 Tow Law Town Bishop Auckland [8][13] 1948-49 Willington 4–2 West Auckland Town Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1949-50 Bishop Auckland 3–1 Shildon Bishop Auckland [8][14] 1950-51 Bishop Auckland 6–2 Ferryhill Athletic Shildon [8][14] 1951-52 Billingham Synthonia 1–1 Tow Law Town Bishop Auckland [8] 1951-52 (R) Billingham Synthonia 1–0 Tow Law Town Bishop Auckland [8] 1952-53 Shildon 3–3 Evenwood Town Bishop Auckland [8][12] 1952-53 (R) Shildon 3–2 Evenwood Town Bishop Auckland [8][12] 1953-54 Bishop Auckland 4–1 Shildon Bishop Auckland [8][14] 1954-55 Bishop Auckland 6–0 Crook Town Crook [8][14] 1955-56 South Bank 2–0 Bishop Auckland Crook [8][13] 1956-57 Willington 3–0 Evenwood Town Bishop Auckland [8][9] 1957-58 Stanley United 2–1 Durham City Bishop Auckland [8] 1958-59 West Auckland Town 7–0 Crook Town Shildon [8] 1959-60 Bishop Auckland 1–0 Penrith Shildon [8][14] 1960-61 Crook Town 2–0 Bishop Auckland Crook [8] 1961-62 Stanley United 5–1 West Auckland Town Shildon [8] 1962-63 West Auckland Town 4–0 Crook Town Shildon [8] 1963-64 Whitby Town 2–0 West Auckland Town Shildon [8][11] 1964-65 Whitley Bay 1–1 Spennymoor United North Shields [8] 1964-65 (R) Whitley Bay 3–1 Spennymoor United North Shields [8] 1965-66 Spennymoor United 2–1 Penrith Shildon [8] 1966-67 Bishop Auckland 4–0 Tow Law Town Spennymoor [8][14] 1967-68 Spennymoor United 0–0 Whitley Bay Crook [8] 1967-68 (R) Spennymoor United 3–2 Whitley Bay North Shields [8] 1968-69 North Shields 2–0 Tow Law Town Spennymoor [8] 1969-70 Whitby Town 4–1 Spennymoor United South Bank [8][11] 1970-71 Whitley Bay 4–1 North Shields Blyth [8] 1971-72 North Shields 0–0 Spennymoor United Blyth [8] 1971-72 (R) North Shields 2–1 Spennymoor United Ferryhill [8] 1972-73 Blyth Spartans 2–0 Spennymoor United Spennymoor [8] 1973-74 Tow Law Town 2–1 Ashington Crook [8] 1974-75 Willington 2–1 Bishop Auckland Spennymoor [8][9] 1975-76 Bishop Auckland 2–1 Ashington Blyth [8][14] 1976-77 Whitby Town 3–1 Durham City Spennymoor [8] 1977-78 Blyth Spartans 5–1 Willington North Shields [8] 1978-79 Blyth Spartans 4–3 Consett Spennymoor [8] 1979-80 Spennymoor United 2–1 North Shields Consett [8] 1980-81 Spennymoor United 2–0 Consett Blyth [8] 1981-82 Blyth Spartans *1–1 South Bank Bishop Auckland [8]*2–1(pens) 1982-83 Norton & Stockton Ancients 2–1 Whitby Town Horden [8] 1983-84 Horden Colliery Welfare 2–0 Blyth Spartans North Shields [8] 1984-85 Whitby Town 2–1 North Shields Spennymoor [8][11] 1985-86 Blue Star 2–0 Durham City Spennymoor [8] 1986-87 Spennymoor United 2–1 Easington Colliery Shildon [8] 1987-88 Billingham Synthonia 2–1 Shildon Spennymoor [8] 1988-89 Guisborough Town 2–1 Tow Law Town Spennymoor [8] 1989-90 Billingham Synthonia 5–2 Whitby Town Guisborough [8] 1990-91 Gretna 1–0 Newcastle Blue Star Newcastle (Blue Star) [8] 1991-92 Blyth Spartans 1–0 Consett Murton [8] 1992-93 Seaham Red Star *2–2 Brandon United Billingham (Town) [8]*3–0 (pens) 1993-94 Northallerton Town 2–0 Blyth Spartans Brandon [8] 1994-95 Consett 2–0 Whitby Town Crook [8] 1995-96 Whitby Town 1–0 Dunston Fed Brewery Billingham (Synthonia) [8][11] 1996-97 Bedlington Terriers 3–0 Billingham Synthonia Dunston [8] 1997-98 Dunston Fed Brewery 3–2 Tow Law Town Durham [15] 1998-99 Dunston Fed Brewery 4–1 Jarrow Roofing Peterlee [15] 1999-00 Dunston Fed Brewery 4–0 Durham City Jarrow [15] 2000-01 Bedlington Terriers 4–1 Marske United West Auckland [15] 2001-02 Durham City *3–2 Shildon Durham [15] aet *gg 2002-03 Shildon *3–2 Billingham Synthonia Darlington (Feethams) [12][15] aet *gg 2003-04 Dunston Fed Brewery *2–1 Durham City Whitley Bay [15] aet *gg 2004-05 Bedlington Terriers *2–2 Dunston Fed Brewery Durham [15]*7–6(pens) 2005-06 Newcastle Blue Star 1–0 Dunston Fed Brewery Durham City [15] aet 2006-07 Newcastle Benfield 1–0 Sunderland Nissan Dunston [15] 2007-08 Billingham Town 2–1 Shildon Seaham [15] 2008-09 Newcastle Benfield 2–0 West Allotment Celtic West Allotment [15] 2009-10 South Shields *2–2 Ashington Dunston [15]*6–5 (pens) 2010-11 Newcastle Benfield 3–1 Spennymoor Town Dunston [15] aet 2011-12 Team Northumbria 4–1 West Auckland Town Newcastle (Coach Lane) [15] 2012-13 Spennymoor Town 1–0 Newcastle Benfield Consett [15] 2013-14 Marske United 2–1 Whitley Bay Newcastle (St.James' Park) [15] aet 2014-15 Shildon 2–0 Newton Aycliffe Bishop Auckland [15] 2015-16 Shildon *1–1 Marske United Billingham (Synthonia) [15]*4–3 (pens) 2016-17 South Shields 5–0 North Shields Whitley Bay [15] 2017-18 Dunston UTS 1–0 Bishop Auckland Consett [16] 2018-19 West Auckland Town *0–0 Newcastle Benfield Seaham [15]*4–3 (pens) 2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21 Cancelled due to COVID-19 local lockdown regulations 2021–22 Cancelled 2022–23 Cancelled gg = Golden goal References[edit] ^ Anthony Vickers (8 August 2008). "League's new name". Evening Gazette. Retrieved 8 August 2008. ^ Steve Brown (4 June 2012). "The Northern League has a new sponsor – County Durham-based dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac Ltd". Sunday Sun. Retrieved 3 June 2012. ^ a b c d e f "England – Northern League". RSSSF. 7 February 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2008. ^ "HOWDEN-LE-WEAR". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 7 September 2012. ^ "STOCKTON ST JOHN'S". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 7 September 2012. ^ "WHITBY". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 7 September 2012. ^ "ESH WINNING RANGERS". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 19 November 2012. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb Hunt, Brian (2000). Northern Goalfields Revisited, A Millennium History of the Northern Football League. pp. 514–15. ISBN 1897585578. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Willington AFC, Club Details". Retrieved 20 July 2013. ^ a b c d e f D.Dale & P.Livingstone. "Stockton Football Club, Giants of the Amateur Game". Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. ^ a b c d e "Whitby Town FC Club History". Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013. ^ a b c d e f g h "Shildon AFC, Club History". Retrieved 20 July 2013. ^ a b "South Bank Football Club, History". Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2013. ^ a b c d e f g "Bishop Auckland AFC, History". Retrieved 20 July 2013. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Northern League Official Website (Archive)". Retrieved 16 May 2018. ^ "Fixtures/Results 1718". Northern League. Retrieved 16 May 2018. External links[edit] Official website