1996–97 Northern Football League

The 1996–97 Northern Football League season was the 99th in the history of Northern Football League, a football competition in England.^[1]

Division One

Northern Football League
Division One

Season	1996–97
Champions	Whitby Town
Promoted	Whitby Town
Relegated	Chester-le-Street Town Whickham West Auckland Town
Matches played	380
Goals scored	1,412 (3.72 per match)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Division One featured 17 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs, promoted from Division Two:

• Easington Colliery
• Morpeth Town
• South Shields

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Whitby Town	38	32	3	3	131	37	+94	99	Promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One
2	Billingham Synthonia	38	28	6	4	109	46	+63	90
3	Bedlington Terriers	38	28	5	5	113	37	+76	86^[a]
4	Durham City	38	19	11	8	69	50	+19	68
5	Crook Town	38	19	9	10	88	56	+32	66
6	Morpeth Town	38	20	6	12	73	56	+17	66
7	Guisborough Town	38	17	9	12	68	54	+14	60
8	Tow Law Town	38	14	11	13	76	70	+6	53
9	South Shields	38	13	11	14	52	63	−11	50
10	Murton	38	15	5	18	58	80	−22	50
11	Consett	38	12	11	15	65	59	+6	47
12	Dunston Federation Brewery	38	12	10	16	64	70	−6	46
13	Shildon	38	13	7	18	72	86	−14	46
14	Easington Colliery	38	12	8	18	56	72	−16	44
15	RTM Newcastle	38	13	3	22	66	87	−21	42
16	Seaham Red Star	38	7	14	17	50	83	−33	35
17	Stockton	38	8	10	20	70	105	−35	34
18	Chester-le-Street Town	38	7	12	19	53	86	−33	33	Relegated to Division Two
19	Whickham	38	5	6	27	38	98	−60	21
20	West Auckland Town	38	6	3	29	41	117	−76	21

Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:

1. Bedlington Terriers were deducted three points.

Division Two

Northern Football League
Division Two

Season	1996–97
Champions	Northallerton Town
Promoted	Northallerton Town Billingham Town Jarrow Roofing BCA
Relegated	Ferryhill Athletic
Matches played	342
Goals scored	1,246 (3.64 per match)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

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

• Clubs relegated from Division One:
  • Eppleton Colliery Welfare
  • Ferryhill Athletic
  • Peterlee Newtown
• Plus:
  • Jarrow Roofing BCA, joined from the Wearside Football League

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Northallerton Town	36	25	6	5	98	41	+57	81	Promoted to Division One
2	Billingham Town	36	24	6	6	111	39	+72	75^[a]
3	Jarrow Roofing BCA	36	23	6	7	88	34	+54	75
4	Ashington	36	22	5	9	71	38	+33	71
5	Evenwood Town	36	21	4	11	84	46	+38	67
6	Horden Colliery Welfare	36	20	7	9	67	37	+30	64^[b]
7	Prudhoe Town	36	18	10	8	73	48	+25	64
8	Shotton Comrades	36	20	6	10	91	43	+48	63^[c]
9	Willington	36	18	7	11	78	54	+24	61
10	Peterlee Newtown	36	16	8	12	56	56	0	56
11	Hebburn	36	16	3	17	66	61	+5	51
12	Ryhope Community	36	12	5	19	50	70	−20	41
13	Norton & Stockton Ancients	36	11	7	18	47	58	−11	37^[d]
14	Brandon United	36	10	7	19	64	76	−12	37
15	Alnwick Town	36	11	4	21	55	79	−24	34^[e]
16	Eppleton Colliery Welfare	36	6	7	23	44	110	−66	25
17	Washington	36	6	7	23	43	79	−36	22^[f]
18	Esh Winning	36	7	3	26	44	100	−56	21^[g]
19	Ferryhill Athletic	36	1	2	33	16	177	−161	5	Relegated to the Wearside Football League
20	Darlington Cleveland Social	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Club folded, record expunged

Source: fchd
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:

1. Billingham Town were deducted three points.
2. Horden Colliery Welfare were deducted three points.
3. Shotton Comrades were deducted three points.
4. Norton & Stockton Ancients were deducted three points.
5. Alnwick Town were deducted three points.
6. Washington were deducted three points.
7. Esh Winning were deducted three points.

References

1. "Northern Football League 1993–2003". Non League Matters.

External links

• Northern Football League official site