2004–05 Northern Premier League

The 2004–05 Northern Premier League season was the 37th in the history of the Northern Premier League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions; the Premier and the First. This was the first Northern Premier League system after the creation of Conference North and Conference South.

Premier Division

Football league season
Northern Premier League Premier Division
Season2004–05
ChampionsHyde United
PromotedHyde United
Workington
RelegatedBamber Bridge
Bishop Auckland
Bridlington Town
Matches played456
Goals scored1,427 (3.13 per match)

Due to a restructuring of the league system in which the new leagues Conference North and Conference South, the league featured 14 new teams promoted from Division One:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Hyde United (C, P) 42 25 13 4 80 43 +37 88 Promotion to Conference North
2 Workington (P) 42 26 7 9 73 30 +43 85 Qualification for Play-offs
3 Farsley Celtic 42 25 8 9 81 41 +40 83
4 Whitby Town 42 23 11 8 65 49 +16 80
5 Prescot Cables 42 21 8 13 63 54 +9 71
6 Burscough 42 21 7 14 93 74 +19 70
7 Leek Town 42 16 15 11 63 52 +11 63
8 Witton Albion 42 15 17 10 56 44 +12 62
9 Radcliffe Borough 42 16 14 12 60 60 0 62
10 Guiseley 42 16 13 13 70 64 +6 61
11 Matlock Town 42 14 13 15 59 67 −8 55
12 Blyth Spartans 42 13 13 16 53 55 −2 52
13 Wakefield-Emley 42 14 10 18 60 67 −7 52
14 Lincoln United 42 15 4 23 53 66 −13 49
15 Marine 42 10 18 14 53 60 −7 48
16 Ossett Town 42 11 13 18 53 62 −9 46
17 Gateshead 42 11 12 19 61 84 −23 45
18 Frickley Athletic 42 10 14 18 44 57 −13 44
19 Bishop Auckland (R) 42 11 7 24 51 74 −23 40 Relegation to NPL Division One
20 Bridlington Town (R) 42 7 14 21 43 66 −23 35
21 Bamber Bridge (R) 42 9 7 26 48 92 −44 34
22 Spennymoor United 42 9 10 23 44 65 −21 25[a] Resigned after 33 games
Updated to match(es) played on 8 February 2011. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Spennymoor United were docked 12 points for failing to fulfil their fixture list. Their resignation from the League after 33 matches caused the Northern Premier League controversy of 2005.

Results

Home \ Away BAM BIS BLY BRI BUR FAR FRK GAT GUI HYD LEE LIN MAR MAT OST PRC RAD SPU W&E WTB WTN WRK
Bamber Bridge 0–0 1–3 2–1 2–3 1–2 2–0 0–2 2–1 0–4 0–4 2–3 2–1 0–1 3–3 0–2 0–3 1–1 3–2 1–2 1–1 0–2
Bishop Auckland 3–0 1–1 2–3 1–2 0–1 2–1 4–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 2–1 4–1 1–0 1–3 4–0 4–2 1–3 1–1 0–1 0–2
Blyth Spartans 0–1 3–0 5–1 2–4 1–4 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 0–2 2–0 1–0 5–2 2–2 2–1 1–0
Bridlington Town 2–2 2–2 1–1 0–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 4–1 1–2 0–0 1–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–3 1–2 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0
Burscough 4–0 4–0 0–1 0–4 1–4 2–1 3–2 3–2 4–0 0–0 7–3 1–3 3–0 5–3 3–5 2–4 5–0 3–3 5–1 1–1 1–3
Farsley Celtic 5–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 3–1 2–0 2–3 1–0 0–0 4–0 2–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 5–0 1–2 0–1 0–2
Frickley Athletic 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 2–1 2–4 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–2 1–0 1–1 1–5 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–2 1–1 2–1 0–1
Gateshead 2–2 1–1 2–1 2–2 3–3 1–0 1–1 2–1 1–3 2–2 2–3 1–3 2–1 3–3 1–1 0–1 5–1 2–1 0–3 2–1 1–1
Guiseley 4–2 5–2 2–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 0–0 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 2–4 0–0 2–3 4–3 3–2 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–3
Hyde United 2–1 1–0 3–0 2–1 6–1 2–4 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–2 3–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 1–0
Leek Town 4–2 2–1 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 5–0 1–3 2–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–0 0–0 4–0 2–2 1–1
Lincoln United 2–0 1–2 1–0 2–1 2–3 0–1 3–0 1–2 0–1 1–2 2–3 4–1 3–0 2–1 0–3 1–2 1–2 0–1 1–5 3–2
Marine 3–3 4–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 4–2 0–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 2–3 1–1 1–2
Matlock Town 3–2 0–2 0–0 0–0 3–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–1 1–3 1–0 0–1 3–0 2–3 2–1 1–1 1–4 1–2
Ossett Town 2–3 1–1 1–1 5–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 2–4 3–0 1–0 3–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 4–3 2–1 2–1 1–2 0–1
Prescot Cables 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–2 1–3 1–4 0–2 3–1 0–1 0–1 2–1 1–0 0–0 2–3 2–1 2–2 3–0 0–2 1–1 1–4
Radcliffe Borough 1–2 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–0 3–0 1–4 1–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–2 2–1 2–2 3–2 0–1 1–1 0–2
Spennymoor United 0–3 5–0 2–3 2–1 1–0 0–2 2–2 3–3 1–3 1–0 0–0 0–2 0–0 5–2 1–0 0–0 1–5
Wakefield & Emley 4–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–0 2–3 1–0 1–3 1–3 3–3 2–1 3–0 0–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 1–2 3–0 0–0 1–0 1–1
Whitby Town 3–0 2–0 4–2 0–0 1–4 2–1 3–1 3–2 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 3–2 1–0 3–2 0–2 0–0 1–2 2–2 0–1
Witton Albion 2–0 1–0 2–2 1–0 0–3 2–2 2–1 4–1 0–0 1–1 1–3 1–0 3–0 1–0 0–0 1–3 4–1 1–2 1–1 0–2 1–0
Workington 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 3–0 1–2 0–2 4–1 1–2 3–0 4–0 3–1 2–0 0–0 5–0 0–0 1–2 1–1
Updated to match(es) played on 30 April 2005. Source: Northern Premier Division results grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

The Premier Division play-offs saw the second to fifth placed sides in the Division compete for one place in the Conference North.

Semi-finals
14 May 2005 		Final
17 May 2005
      
3 Farsley Celtic 1*
4 Whitby Town 0
3 Farsley Celtic 0(5)
2 Workington 0(6)
2 Workington 3
5 Prescot Cables 1

* After extra time

Division One

Football league season
Northern Premier League Division One
Season2004–05
ChampionsNorth Ferriby United
PromotedIlkeston Town
North Ferriby United
A.F.C. Telford United
RelegatedNone
Matches played465
Goals scored1,394 (3 per match)

Division One featured 14 new teams due to the creation of Conference North and Conference South:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 North Ferriby United (C, P) 42 25 8 9 83 49 +34 83 Promotion to NPL Premier Division
2 Ilkeston Town (P) 42 24 9 9 64 40 +24 81
3 A.F.C. Telford United (P) 42 23 11 8 78 44 +34 80 Qualification for Play-offs
4 Willenhall Town 42 22 12 8 71 46 +25 78 Qualified for Play-offs, then transferred in Southern League Western Division
5 Kendal Town 42 21 8 13 89 69 +20 71 Qualification for Play-offs
6 Eastwood Town 42 20 9 13 73 54 +19 69
7 Mossley 42 20 6 16 81 56 +25 66
8 Brigg Town 42 15 19 8 59 46 +13 64
9 Gresley Rovers 42 17 12 13 57 53 +4 63
10 Kidsgrove Athletic 42 15 15 12 60 55 +5 60
11 Woodley Sports 42 16 11 15 68 74 −6 59
12 Ossett Albion 42 15 13 14 83 74 +9 58
13 Colwyn Bay 42 14 13 15 54 62 −8 55
14 Stocksbridge Park Steels 42 15 9 18 58 58 0 51[a]
15 Shepshed Dynamo 42 13 11 18 53 75 −22 50
16 Chorley 42 13 9 20 62 69 −7 48
17 Belper Town 42 13 8 21 57 66 −9 47
18 Spalding United 42 13 8 21 57 69 −12 47
19 Clitheroe 42 12 10 20 47 57 −10 46
20 Warrington Town 42 11 13 18 45 59 −14 46
21 Rossendale United 42 10 10 22 64 87 −23 40
22 Rocester (R) 42 0 6 36 31 132 −101 6 Relegated to Midland Alliance
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Stocksbridge Park Steels were docked 3 points.

Results

Home \ Away TEL BLP BRG CHO CLT COL EAS GRE ILK KEN KID MOS NFU OSA ROC ROS SPD SPA STO WAR WIL WDL
A.F.C. Telford United 4–0 0–2 3–0 0–2 1–0 2–0 3–1 1–0 4–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 3–3 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 1–0
Belper Town 1–1 1–2 4–2 1–0 0–0 1–2 0–1 0–0 2–3 2–2 1–1 2–5 1–2 2–0 2–2 0–1 3–2 3–4 0–3 0–2 0–0
Brigg Town 2–2 1–3 0–2 1–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–2 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–1 3–0 1–0 1–0 3–3 2–2
Chorley 1–3 1–2 1–1 2–0 3–2 1–2 3–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 0–1 3–2 3–0 0–3 5–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 2–1 2–3
Clitheroe 1–1 0–1 0–0 3–1 0–0 0–1 1–2 0–1 0–5 0–1 2–4 2–1 1–2 6–0 4–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 1–1 1–1
Colwyn Bay 0–3 1–0 1–1 4–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–1 1–5 2–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–3 1–4 2–4
Eastwood Town 1–0 3–1 1–1 1–3 3–2 4–0 2–2 0–1 4–0 1–2 1–1 0–3 1–1 2–0 1–0 4–1 6–0 2–2 2–0 1–2 3–1
Gresley Rovers 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–1 1–2 1–1 2–2 4–1 3–0 2–3 2–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–3 1–0 1–0 1–4 2–1
Ilkeston Town 2–3 2–0 2–2 1–0 1–1 4–0 1–0 0–1 1–3 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 2–2 5–3 3–0 1–0 2–1 0–0 1–0 3–2
Kendal Town 4–2 0–2 2–2 4–0 1–2 3–2 3–0 1–2 2–1 4–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 5–1 5–1 0–0 3–2 3–2 0–0 2–1 5–1
Kidsgrove Athletic 2–2 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–4 1–1 3–2 2–2 3–0 1–1 0–2 0–1 1–2 0–3 3–2
Mossley 0–1 0–1 2–1 2–1 3–0 4–0 3–1 0–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–1 5–1 5–4 0–1 3–1 2–0 4–1 2–2 1–0
North Ferriby United 1–0 2–1 0–0 3–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 3–0 6–0 0–1 2–4 3–1 2–1 1–0 3–0 1–3 1–0 3–2 0–1 3–2
Ossett Albion 1–2 2–8 1–1 1–1 3–0 0–2 3–3 2–1 1–4 2–3 2–2 1–4 1–2 6–1 3–1 6–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 3–3
Rocester 3–5 0–2 0–3 3–3 0–1 0–3 1–6 0–0 0–3 0–4 0–6 0–4 0–4 0–3 1–4 2–3 2–4 0–4 1–1 1–2 2–3
Rossendale United 1–1 1–4 0–1 2–2 2–3 1–1 2–3 1–2 1–0 1–3 2–1 2–5 1–2 2–3 3–2 2–0 0–4 2–3 2–1 0–1 0–1
Shepshed Dynamo 1–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 4–2 2–2 0–1 3–2 0–1 1–3 0–1 0–1 2–1 4–3 5–2 1–1 3–2 1–1 4–2 2–3 0–0
Spalding United 1–2 1–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–4 0–2 1–0 1–2 3–1 1–0 2–2 2–3 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 0–1
Stocksbridge Park Steels 1–2 3–1 2–3 0–0 1–0 0–1 2–0 2–1 2–2 1–2 0–0 1–5 0–1 2–2 2–0 3–0 1–2 0–0 2–1 1–0 2–3
Warrington Town 0–5 1–0 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–0 2–2 2–1 1–2 0–4 0–1 1–0 1–1 0–0 4–0 2–3 2–0 0–1 1–1 1–5 2–0
Willenhall Town 1–0 2–0 1–1 0–3 1–0 2–4 2–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 2–1 1–0 2–3 0–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–0 2–1
Woodley Sports 0–4 3–1 0–0 4–3 2–2 4–2 0–3 0–0 1–0 2–2 1–1 0–3 4–1 2–1 2–0 1–2 1–3 3–2 4–3 1–0 2–2
Updated to match(es) played on 30 April 2005. Source: Northern Premier League First Division results grid
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

The First Division play-offs saw the third to sixth placed sides in the First Division compete for a place in the Premier Division.

Semi-finals
2 May 2005 		Final
7 May 2005
      
4 Willenhall Town 0
5 Kendal Town 1
5 Kendal Town 1
3 A.F.C. Telford United 2
3 A.F.C. Telford United 1
6 Eastwood Town 0

Promotion and relegation

In the thirty-seventh season of the Northern Premier League Hyde United were promoted as champions while Workington were promoted as play-off winners, where they would both be promoted to the Conference North. Bishop Aukland, Bridlington Town, Bamber Bridge and Spennymoor United were relegated to the First Division;[1] these four clubs were replaced by relegated Conference North sides Runcorn Halton, Ashton United and Bradford Park Avenue.[2] First Division winners North Ferriby United, second placed Ilkeston Town and play-off winners A.F.C. Telford United were all promoted to the Premier Division.[3][4][5] In the First Division Rocester were relegated and were replaced by Goole and Fleetwood Town.[6]

Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.

  • Matlock Town 2–2 (3–1 Pens) Whitby Town

President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.

  • Bamber Bridge 1–1 2–1 (3–2 agg.) Witton Albion

Chairman's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.

  • Kidsgrove Athletic 3–3 4–3 (7–6 agg.) Woodley Sports

Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.

  • Hyde United bt. Matlock Town

2005 Northern Premier League Controversy

NPL meeting

The end of this season saw Spennymoor United fail to fulfil nine of their league fixtures after folding. The Northern Premier League's Board of Directors met on 24 April 2005 to consider how these unplayed games would be treated in the fairest possible manner to all Premier Division member clubs. At this meeting it was decided to expunge the record of Spennymoor United from the table. Subsequent to this meeting the member clubs of Gateshead, Radcliffe Borough, Hyde United and Workington appealed to the Football Association (the FA) against the decision.[7]

One of the grounds of appeal was that the meeting did not have a quorum and the FA recommended that the Northern Premier League withdraw their decision to expunge the record of Spennymoor United from the table and for the issue to be considered by a meeting that had a quorum.

Second board meeting

At the emergency board meeting held on 1 May 2005, the Board of the Northern Premier Football League confirmed their decision to expunge Spennymoor United's playing record. This meeting came a day after the final day of the Northern Premier League Premier Division season where Workington had finished in first place, Hyde United in second (having played 41 games to Workington and Farsley's 42) and Farsley in third. The confirmation to expunge Spennymoor United's playing record then saw Farsley finish in first place, Hyde United finish in second and Workington finish in third.

Gateshead, Hyde United, Radcliffe Borough and Workington followed up their appeal to the FA and on 4 May the FA overturned the Northern Premier League Board's decision to expunge the playing record of Spennymoor United. The FA ruled that the Northern Premier League was bound by an undertaking, duly minuted at its management committee meeting in January, that Spennymoor United would not be expelled, nor its record for the season expunged.

The FA decided that Spennymoor United’s playing record would re-instated into the league records and, in addition, three points would be awarded to other teams for each game outstanding against Spennymoor United, although no goals for or against will be allocated. Hyde United were one of the teams awarded three points which awarded them the 2004–05 Northern Premier League Premier Division Championship.

Farsley Celtic celebrated winning the Championship on the last day of the season, ignoring the fact that the original meeting on 24 April did not have a quorum however, as a result of the new overruling finished third in the table. Burscough, who had slipped from fifth to sixth, and out of the final promotion play-off place, thanks to Prescot Cables being awarded six points due to their two unplayed games against Spennymoor United, were aggrieved by this decision and, on 11 May, attempted to get the FA to go to arbitration. This was rejected outright by the FA, and so Farsley Celtic and Burscough attempted to get the FA Appeal Board decision on 4 May overturned by the High Court of Justice in London on 12 May.

Conclusive finding

On 13 May 2005 the FA and the Northern Premier League confirmed that Hyde United were the champions of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and were presented with the trophy at their end of season party by Northern Premier League Chairman, Duncan Bayley.

Workington, who had finished first on the last day of the season having played a game more than Hyde United, were promoted along with Hyde United having beaten Farsley Celtic in a penalty shootout in the play-off final.[8]

References

  1. ^ "English Northern Premier 2004-2005 : Table". Statto.com. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  2. ^ "English Conference North 2004-2005 : Table". Statto.com. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  3. ^ "AFC Telford United". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  4. ^ "North Ferriby United". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Ilkeston Town". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  6. ^ "England - Northern Premier League". RSSSF. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  7. ^ Chaotic finale to Unibond season
  8. ^ Unibond League play-offs go ahead

External links

  • Unibond Football League 2004–05 Tables
  • Northern Premier League Tables at RSSSF
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