Northern Counties East Football League

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.

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 Parkgate (Division One) (2023-24)
Website	ncefl.org.uk
Current: 2024–25 season

History

The league was formed in 1982 following the merger of the Yorkshire League and Midland League. 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.

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)

Premier Division

• Albion Sports
• Barton Town
• Beverley Town
• Bottesford Town
• Campion
• Eccleshill United
• Frickley Athletic
• Golcar United
• Goole
• Hallam
• Handsworth
• Knaresborough Town
• Parkgate
• Penistone Church
• Pickering Town
• Rossington Main
• Silsden
• Tadcaster Albion
• Thackley
• Winterton Rangers

Division One

• Appleby Frodingham
• Armthorpe Welfare
• Athersley Recreation
• Brigg Town
• Club Thorne Colliery
• Dearne & District
• Dronfield Town
• Glasshoughton Welfare
• Harrogate Railway Athletic
• Horbury Town
• Ilkley Town
• Louth Town
• Maltby Main
• Nostell Miners Welfare
• Selby Town
• Shelley
• South Leeds
• Swallownest
• Wakefield
• Wombwell Town
• Worsbrough Bridge Athletic
• Yorkshire Amateur

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

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Location of the NCEL member clubs for the 2023–24 season – Premier Division – Division One

Honours

Champions

Season	Premier Division	Division One	Division Two	Division Three
1982–83	Shepshed Charterhouse	North Scarborough Reserves South Lincoln United	North Rowntree Mackintosh South Woolley Miners Welfare
1983–84	Spalding United	North Pontefract Collieries South Borrowash Victoria	North Harrogate Railway Athletic South Retford Town
1984–85	Belper Town	Central Armthorpe Welfare North Farsley Celtic South Long Eaton United
1985–86	Arnold	North Ferriby United	Lincoln United	Collingham
1986–87	Alfreton Town	Ossett Albion	Frecheville Community Association
1987–88	Emley	York Railway Institute	Pickering Town
1988–89	Emley	Sheffield	Ossett Town
1989–90	Bridlington Town	Rowntree Mackintosh	Winterton Rangers
1990–91	Guiseley	Sheffield	Hall Road Rangers
1991–92	North Shields	Stocksbridge Park Steels
1992–93	Spennymoor United	Lincoln United
1993–94	Stocksbridge Park Steels	Arnold Town
1994–95	Lincoln United	Hatfield Main
1995–96	Hatfield Main	Selby Town
1996–97	Denaby United	Eccleshill United
1997–98	Hucknall Town	Garforth Town
1998–99	Ossett Albion	Harrogate Railway
1999–2000	North Ferriby United	Goole
2000–01	Brigg Town	Borrowash Victoria
2001–02	Alfreton Town	Gedling Town
2002–03	Bridlington Town	Mickleover Sports
2003–04	Ossett Albion	Shirebrook Town
2004–05	Goole	Sutton Town
2005–06	Buxton	Carlton Town
2006–07	Retford United	Parkgate
2007–08	Winterton Rangers	Dinnington Town
2008–09	Mickleover Sports	Scarborough Athletic
2009–10	Bridlington Town	Tadcaster Albion
2010–11	Farsley	Staveley Miners Welfare
2011–12	Retford United	Handsworth
2012–13	Scarborough Athletic	Albion Sports
2013–14	Brighouse Town	Cleethorpes Town
2014–15	Shaw Lane Aquaforce	Clipstone
2015–16	Tadcaster Albion	Hemsworth Miners Welfare
2016–17	Cleethorpes Town	Hall Road Rangers
2017–18	Pontefract Collieries	Knaresborough Town
2018–19	Worksop Town	Grimsby Borough
2019–20	Season abandoned due to coronavirus pandemic
2020–21	Season curtailed due to local lockdown regulations
2021–22	Grimsby Borough	Hallam
2022-23	North Ferriby	Campion
2023-24	Emley	Parkgate

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 –

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	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

Cup competitions

League Cup

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

Finals

Season	Winner	Result	Runner-up	Venue	Attendance
1982–83	Shepshed Charterhouse	1–0	Sutton Town
1983–84	Ossett Albion	2–1	Ilkeston Town	Eastwood
1984–85	Alfreton Town	2–1	Long Eaton United	Eastwood
1985–86	Sutton Town	1–0	Bradley Rangers	Denaby
1986–87	Harrogate Railway Athletic	5–0	Woolley Miners Welfare	Pontfract
1987–88	York Railway Institute	2–1	Rowntree Mackintosh	Bootham Crescent
1988–89	Bridlington Town	3–1	Emley	Pontefract
1989–90	Ossett Town	1–0	Bridlington Town	North Ferriby
1990–91	Guiseley	1–0	North Ferriby United	Ossett - Ingfield
1991–92	North Shields	5–0	Armthorpe Welfare	Ossett - Queen's Terrace
1992–93	Spennymoor United	2–1	Thackley	Ossett - Ingfield
1993–94	Hucknall Town	4–1	Thackley	Ossett - Ingfield
1994–95	Stocksbridge Park Steels	3–0	North Ferriby United	Ossett - Queen's Terrace
1995–96	Ashfield United	8–2	Ossett Albion	Belper
1996–97	Hucknall Town	3–1	Pontefract Collieries	Millmoor
1997–98	Hucknall Town	1–0	North Ferriby United	Hatfield
1998–99	Denaby United	1–0	Selby Town	Garforth
1999–00	Garforth Town	3–1	Glapwell	Ossett - Queen's Terrace
2000–01	Sheffield	2–1	Gedling Town	Alfreton
2001–02	Alfreton Town	4–0	Armthorpe Welfare	Worksop
2002–03	Ossett Albion	3–0	Sheffield	Brigg
2003–04	Hallam	1–0	Mickleover Sports	Buxton
2004–05	Sheffield	2–1	Harrogate Railway Athletic	Ossett - Queen's Terrace	250
2005–06	Liversedge	5–1(agg)	Sheffield	1L: Sheffield 2L: Liversedge	1L: 2L:
2006–07	Mickleover Sports	1–1(p)	Garforth Town	Sheffield	243
2007–08	Winterton Rangers	3–1	Parkgate	Staveley	213
2008–09	Long Eaton United	4–0	Selby Town	Staveley	260
2009–10	Dinnington Town	5–2	Armthorpe Welfare	Staveley	195
2010–11	Farsley	3–0	Winterton Rangers	Staveley	235
2011–12	Thackley	3–2	Shirebrook Town	Parkgate	272
2012–13	Thackley	3–1	Louth Town	Staveley	225
2013–14	Knaresborough Town	2–2(p)	Eccleshill United	Valley Parade	390
2014–15	Handsworth Parramore	4–3	Cleethorpes Town	Staveley	376
2015–16	Cleethorpes Town	3–2	Tadcaster Albion	Garforth	423
2016–17	Penistone Church	4–1	Bridlington Town	Bramall Lane	485
2017–18	Cup withdrawn; final abandoned
2018–19	Worksop Town	3–1	Liversedge	Doncaster	1,075
2019–20	Final not played
2020–21	Cancelled
2021–22	Barton Town	3–2	Garforth Town	Doncaster	718
2022–23	Winterton Rangers	1–1	Golcar United	Doncaster	810
2023–24	Parkgate	3–0	Emley	Scunthorpe	667

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

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

FA Cup first round

The 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

The 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

External links

• Official site
• NCEFL at the Football Club History Database