2022–23 Northern Football League

Northern Football League
Season2022–23

The 2022–23 season was the 125th 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 allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by the Football Association on 12 May 2022,[1] and were subject to appeals.

Division One

Northern Football League
Division One
Season2022–23
ChampionsNewton Aycliffe
PromotedAshington
Newton Aycliffe
RelegatedThornaby
Matches played380
Goals scored1,285 (3.38 per match)

Division One featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs.

Division One table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Newton Aycliffe 38 27 4 7 102 48 +54 85 Promoted to the Northern Premier League
2 Ashington 38 25 5 8 79 35 +44 80 Qualified for an inter-step play-off, promoted to the Northern Premier League
3 Bishop Auckland 38 24 6 8 99 48 +51 78
4 Whitley Bay 38 22 7 9 68 55 +13 73
5 West Allotment Celtic 38 21 4 13 74 55 +19 67
6 Redcar Athletic 38 18 7 13 83 70 +13 61
7 Whickham 38 18 7 13 56 49 +7 61
8 Heaton Stannington 38 18 5 15 81 62 +19 59
9 Guisborough Town 38 16 9 13 69 54 +15 57
10 Newcastle Benfield 38 14 11 13 67 57 +10 53
11 West Auckland Town 38 12 11 15 65 65 0 47
12 Tow Law Town 38 14 4 20 59 84 −25 46
13 Crook Town 38 14 2 22 52 77 −25 44
14 Penrith 38 11 8 19 45 64 −19 41
15 Carlisle City 38 10 10 18 57 68 −11 37[a]
16 Seaham Red Star 38 9 9 20 46 61 −15 36
17 Pickering Town 38 11 3 24 45 94 −49 36 Transferred to the Northern Counties East League
18 Northallerton Town 38 10 8 20 53 73 −20 35[b]
19 Sunderland RCA 38 11 5 22 43 94 −51 35[c] Reprieved from relegation
20 Thornaby 38 9 7 22 42 72 −30 31[d] Relegated to Division Two
Source: Northern League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[6]
Notes:
  1. ^ Carlisle City were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.[2]
  2. ^ Northallerton Town were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.[3]
  3. ^ Sunderland RCA were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.[4]
  4. ^ Thornaby were deducted three points for playing an ineligible player.[5]

Inter-step play-off

29 April 2023 Glossop North End0–3 Ashington Glossop
15:00 Report
Stadium: The Amdec Forklift Stadium
Attendance: 1,052

Stadia and locations

class=notpageimage|
Location of Division One clubs
Club Stadium Capacity
Ashington Woodhorn Lane
Bishop Auckland Heritage Park 1,950
Carlisle City Gillford Park
Crook Town The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground 1,500
Guisborough Town King George V Ground
Heaton Stannington Grounsell Park
Newcastle Benfield Sam Smith’s Park 2,000
Newton Aycliffe Moore Lane Park
Northallerton Town Calvert Stadium
Penrith Frenchfield Stadium 1,500
Pickering Town Mill Lane 2,000
Redcar Athletic Green Lane
Seaham Red Star Seaham Town Park
Sunderland RCA Meadow Park 1,500
Thornaby Teesdale Park 5,000
Tow Law Town Ironworks Road 3,000
West Allotment Celtic East Palmersville Sports Pavilion 1,500
West Auckland Town Darlington Road 2,000
Whickham Glebe Sports Ground 4,000
Whitley Bay Hillheads Park 4,500

Division Two

Northern Football League
Division Two
Season2022–23
ChampionsBoro Rangers
PromotedBirtley Town
Boro Rangers
RelegatedWillington
Matches played420
Goals scored1,545 (3.68 per match)

Division Two featured 17 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:

Division Two table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Boro Rangers 40 28 9 3 97 34 +63 93 Promoted to Division One
2 Horden Community Welfare 40 29 3 8 95 44 +51 90 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Bedlington Terriers 40 28 5 7 120 58 +62 89
4 Billingham Town 40 27 5 8 114 59 +55 86
5 Birtley Town 40 24 8 8 130 55 +75 80 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to Division One
6 Blyth Town 40 21 4 15 83 54 +29 67
7 Redcar Town 40 19 7 14 70 51 +19 64
8 Prudhoe Youth Club 40 19 6 15 71 62 +9 63
9 Boldon Community Association 40 16 8 16 83 83 0 56
10 Brandon United 40 16 6 18 61 71 −10 54
11 Easington Colliery 40 15 8 17 70 77 −7 53
12 Chester-le-Street United 40 16 4 20 79 79 0 52
13 Esh Winning 40 14 8 18 53 72 −19 50
14 Chester-le-Street Town 40 15 4 21 50 74 −24 49
15 Newcastle University 40 14 6 20 71 80 −9 48
16 Billingham Synthonia 40 12 6 22 71 82 −11 42
17 Ryton & Crawcrook Albion 40 11 8 21 56 91 −35 41
18 Jarrow 40 11 7 22 54 82 −28 40
19 Washington 40 11 4 25 44 80 −36 37
20 Sunderland West End 40 11 3 26 51 88 −37 36 Reprieved from relegation
21 Willington 40 2 3 35 22 169 −147 3[a] Relegated to the Wearside League
Source: Northern League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[6]
Notes:
  1. ^ Willington were deducted six points for playing ineligible players in two games.[3]

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Horden Community Welfare 2 (4)
5 Birtley Town 2 (5)
5 Birtley Town 2 (5)
4 Billingham Town 2 (4)
3 Bedlington Terriers 2 (2)
4 Billingham Town 2 (3)

Stadia and locations

class=notpageimage|
Location of Division Two clubs
Club Stadium Capacity
Bedlington Terriers Welfare Park 3,000
Billingham Synthonia Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) 2,000
Billingham Town Bedford Terrace 3,000
Birtley Town Birtley Sports Complex
Blyth Town South Newsham Playing Fields
Boldon Comm Assn Boldon Colliery Welfare
Boro Rangers Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) 2,000
Brandon United Welfare Ground
Chester-le-Street Town Moor Park
Chester-le-Street United Riverside
Easington Colliery Welfare Park
Esh Winning West Terrace 3,500
Horden Community Welfare Welfare Park
Jarrow Perth Green
Newcastle University Kimberley Park
Redcar Town Mo Mowlam Memorial Park
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion Kingsley Park 1,500
Sunderland West End Nissan Sports Complex 1,000
Washington New Ferens Park
Willington Hall Lane

References

  1. ^ "NEW TEAMS JOIN LEAGUE". Northern Football League. 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ "CARLISLE DEDUCTED POINTS". Northern Football League. 4 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b "POINTS DEDUCTION". Northern Football League. 20 December 2022.
  4. ^ "RCA DEDUCTED POINTS". Northern Football League. 14 April 2023.
  5. ^ "THORNABY DEDUCTED POINTS". Northern Football League. 2 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b "The FA Handbook 2022/2023 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.