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.
 | |
| 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 Parkgate (Division One) (2023-24) |
| Website | ncefl |
| Current: 2024–25 season | |
History
editThe 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 (2024–25)
edit
Premier Divisionedit |
Division Oneedit
|
  Albion Sports Barton Town Beverley Town Bottesford Town Campion Eccleshill United Frickley Athletic Golcar United Goole Hallam Knaresborough Town Parkgate Penistone Church Pickering Town Rossington Main Silsden Tadcaster Albion Thackley  Armthorpe Welfare Athersley Recreation Brigg Town Dronfield Town Glasshoughton Welfare Harrogate RA Horbury Town Louth Town Maltby Main Nostell Miners Welfare Selby Town Swallownest Wakefield Wombwell Town Worsbrough Bridge Athletic Yorkshire Amateur Location of the NCEL member clubs for the 2023–24 season  – Premier Division  – Division One
|
Honours
editChampions
editPromoted
editSince 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 –
| Season | Club | Position | Promoted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–83 | Shepshed Charterhouse | 1st | Southern League Midland Division |
| 1986–87 | Alfreton Town Farsley Celtic Sutton Town Harrogate Town Eastwood Town |
1st 2nd 5th 9th 13th |
Northern Premier League Division One Northern Premier League Division One Northern Premier League Division One Northern Premier League Division One Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1988–89 | Emley | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1989–90 | Bridlington Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1990–91 | Guiseley | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1992–93 | Spennymoor United | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1994–95 | Lincoln United | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1995–96 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1996–97 | Belper Town | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1997–98 | Hucknall Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1998–99 | Ossett Town | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 1999–2000 | North Ferriby United | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2000–01 | Ossett Albion | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2001–02 | Alfreton Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2003–04 | Ossett Albion | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2004–05 | Goole | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2005–06 | Buxton Harrogate Railway Athletic |
1st 3rd |
Northern Premier League Division One Northern Premier League Division One |
| 2006–07 | Retford United Sheffield Carlton Town Garforth Town |
1st 2nd 3rd 4th |
Northern Premier League Division One South Northern Premier League Division One South Northern Premier League Division One South Northern Premier League Division One North |
| 2007–08 | Glapwell | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2008–09 | Mickleover Sports | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2009–10 | Rainworth Miners Welfare | 2nd | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2010–11 | Farsley | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One North |
| 2012–13 | Scarborough Athletic | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2013–14 | Brighouse Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One North |
| 2014–15 | Shaw Lane Aquaforce | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2015–16 | Tadcaster Albion | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One North |
| 2016–17 | Cleethorpes Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One South |
| 2017–18 | Pontefract Collieries Pickering Town AFC Mansfield |
1st 2nd 3rd |
Northern Premier League Division One East Northern Premier League Division One East Northern Premier League Division One East |
| 2018–19 | Worksop Town | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One South-East |
| 2019–20 | No promotions | ||
| 2020–21 | Bridlington Town Liversedge Yorkshire Amateur |
Top 3 [a] |
Northern Premier League Division One East |
| 2021–22 | Grimsby Borough | 1st | Northern Premier League Division One East |
| 2022–23 | North Ferriby Winterton Rangers |
1st 2nd |
Northern Premier League Division One East Northern Premier League Division One East |
| 2023–24 | Emley Garforth Town |
1st 2nd |
Northern Premier League Division One East Northern Premier League Division One East |
- ^ Ranked according to total points per game between 2019 and 2021.
Cup competitions
editLeague Cup
editThe league currently has one cup competition, the League Cup, which is contested by every club in the league.
Finals
editPresident's Cup and Trophy
editIn 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
edit| Season | President's Cup | Trophy |
|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | North Ferriby United | |
| 1991–92 | North Shields | |
| 1992–93 | Maltby Miners Welfare | |
| 1993–94 | Lincoln United | |
| 1994–95 | Arnold Town | |
| 1995–96 | Belper Town | Pontefract Collieries |
| 1996–97 | Hucknall Town | Garforth Town |
| 1997–98 | Glasshoughton Welfare | Staveley Miners Welfare |
| 1998–99 | North Ferriby United | Yorkshire Amateur |
| 1999–00 | North Ferriby United | Goole |
| 2000–01 | Selby Town | Pickering Town |
| 2001–02 | Alfreton Town | Bridlington Town |
| 2002–03 | Harrogate Railway Athletic | Mickleover Sports |
| 2003–04 | Eastwood Town | Hall Road Rangers |
| 2004–05 | Buxton | Lincoln Moorlands |
| 2005–06 | Buxton | Retford United |
| 2006–07 | Retford United | Parkgate |
| 2007–08 | Liversedge | Hall Road Rangers |
| 2008–09 | Nostell | Staveley Miners Welfare |
| 2009–10 | Winterton Rangers | Staveley Miners Welfare |
| 2010–11 | Tadcaster Albion | Glasshoughton Welfare |
| 2011–12 | Handsworth | Grimsby Borough |
Member clubs in national competitions
editFA Cup first round
editThe following NCEL clubs have reached the First Round proper of the FA Cup –
| Season | NCEL Club | Round | Venue | Result | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–83 | Shepshed Charterhouse | 1st | Away | Lost 1–5 | Preston North End |
| 1990–91 | Spennymoor United | 1st | Away | Lost 2–3 | Chesterfield |
| 2001–02 | Brigg Town | 1st | Away | Lost 1–4 | Tranmere Rovers |
| 2002–03 | Harrogate Railway Athletic | 1st 2nd |
Away Home |
Won 2–1 Lost 1–3 |
Slough Town Bristol City |
FA Vase finalists
editThe following NCEL clubs have reached the Final of the FA Vase –
| Season | NCEL Club | Result | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | Emley | Lost 0–1 | Colne Dynamoes |
| 1989–90 | Bridlington Town | Lost 0–1 | Yeading |
| 1990–91 | Guiseley | Won 3–1 | Gresley Rovers |
| 1995–96 | Brigg Town | Won 3–0 | Clitheroe |
| 1996–97 | North Ferriby United | Lost 0–3 | Whitby Town |
| 2002–03 | Brigg Town | Won 2–1 | AFC Sudbury |
| 2016–17 | Cleethorpes Town | Lost 0–4 | South Shields |
References
edit- ^ "Northern Counties (East) League". Nozdrul. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ "Division One Play-off Details Announced". Northern Counties East Football League. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS! NCEL Release Statement Regarding League Cup!". The Bootiful Game. 14 July 2018.