The 1976–77 Northern Premier League was the ninth season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 21 August 1976 and concluded on 20 May 1977.
Overview The League featured twenty-three teams for the first time. The systems of goal average was replaced by goal difference.
Team changes The following club left the League at the end of the previous season: Skelmersdale United resigned, demoted to Lancashire Combination Fleetwood folded
The following club joined the League at the start of the season: Frickley Athletic promoted from Midland League (1889)
League table
Results
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Altrincham Moss Lane Bangor City Farrar Road Barrow Holker Street Boston United York Street Buxton The Silverlands Frickley Athletic Westfield Lane Gainsborough Trinity The Northolme Gateshead United Gateshead Youth Stadium Goole Town Victoria Pleasure Ground Great Harwood The Showground Lancaster City Great Axe Macclesfield Town Moss Rose Matlock Town Causeway Lane Morecambe Christie Park Mossley Seel Park Netherfield Parkside Northwich Victoria Drill Field Runcorn Canal Street Scarborough Athletic Ground South Liverpool Holly Park Stafford Rangers Marston Road Wigan Athletic Springfield Park Worksop Town Central Avenue
Cup results Challenge Cup
Home team Score Away team Scarborough 1–0 Runcorn
Northern Premier League Shield
Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup. Home team Score Away team Boston United beat Scarborough
FA Cup
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, only three teams reached the second round:
Second Round Home team Score Away team Mansfield Town 2–5 Matlock Town Northwich Victoria 4–0 Peterborough United Wrexham 1–1 Goole Town Goole Town 0–1 Wrexham Replay
Third Round Home team Score Away team Carlisle United 5–1 Matlock Town Northwich Victoria 3–2 Watford
Fourth Round Home team Score Away team Carlisle United 5–1 Matlock Town Northwich Victoria 1–3 Oldham Athletic
FA Trophy
Out of the twenty-four clubs from the Northern Premier League, three teams reached the fourth round:
Fourth Round Home team Score Away team Scarborough 1-1 Nuneaton Borough Nuneaton Borough 0-1 Scarborough Replay Slough Town 2-0 Morecambe Weymouth 0-0 Altrincham Altrincham 2-1 Weymouth Replay
Semi-finals Stage Home team Score Away team 1st Leg Scarborough 2-0 Altrincham 2nd Leg Altrincham 2-0 Scarborough Aggregate Scarborough 2-2 Altrincham Replay Scarborough 0-0 Altrincham 2nd Replay Scarborough 2-1 Altrincham
Final Home team Score Away team Scarborough 3-2 Dagenham
End of the season At the end of the ninth season of the Northern Premier League, Altrincham who put forward for election did not receive enough votes to be promoted to the Football League.
Football League elections Alongside the four Football League teams facing re-election, two non-League teams, one from the Northern Premier League and the other from the Southern League. Applied to be elected. Three out of the four Football League teams were re-elected. Wimbledon from the Southern League replaced Workington from the Football League as they didn't receive enough votes. Workington was subsequently relegated to the Northern Premier League.
ClubLeagueVotesHalifax TownFootball League Division Four44HartlepoolFootball League Division Four42SouthportFootball League Division Four37WimbledonSouthern League Premier Division27WorkingtonFootball League Division Four21AltrinchamNorthern Premier League12
Promotion and relegation The following club left the League at the end of the season: Gateshead United folded. A new club formed Gateshead replaced.
The following club joined the League the following season: Workington relegated from Football League Fourth Division
References
External links Northern Premier League official website Northern Premier League tables at RSSSF Football Club History Database