The 2020–21 season was the 123rd in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league has operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
← 2019–20 2021–22 → | |
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 for season 2020–21 were announced by the FA on 21 July,[1] and were subject to appeal.
Due to the restrictions on clubs' ability to play matches in the COVID-19 lockdowns, competitions at Steps 3–6 were curtailed on 24 February 2021.[2] The scheduled restructuring of non-league took place at the end of the season, with a new division added to the Northern Premier League at Step 4 for 2021–22,[3] resulting in three Northern League clubs' promotions to that league.
Division One edit
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Promoted | Hebburn Town Shildon Stockton Town |
| Matches played | 118 |
| Goals scored | 457 (3.87 per match) |
← 2019–20 2021–22 → | |
Division One comprised 20 teams, the same number of teams which competed in the previous season's aborted competition.
Division One table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hebburn Town | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 11 | +38 | 33 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League[a] |
| 2 | Stockton Town | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 8 | +24 | 27 | |
| 3 | Consett | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 27 | |
| 4 | North Shields | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 12 | +15 | 26 | |
| 5 | Newton Aycliffe | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 31 | 15 | +16 | 22 | |
| 6 | Newcastle Benfield | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 35 | 23 | +12 | 22 | |
| 7 | Whitley Bay | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 18 | +9 | 22 | |
| 8 | Shildon | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 11 | +15 | 21 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League[a] |
| 9 | Thornaby | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 20 | |
| 10 | Whickham | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 17 | |
| 11 | West Auckland Town | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 17 | |
| 12 | Ashington | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 16 | |
| 13 | Sunderland RCA | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 13 | |
| 14 | Northallerton Town | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 30 | −20 | 12 | |
| 15 | Sunderland Ryhope CW | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 18 | −7 | 11 | |
| 16 | Guisborough Town | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 35 | −15 | 9 | |
| 17 | Penrith | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 34 | −19 | 9 | |
| 18 | Bishop Auckland | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 30 | −18 | 5 | |
| 19 | Seaham Red Star | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 31 | −21 | 5 | |
| 20 | Billingham Town | 13 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 43 | −29 | 3 |
Source: NL website
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
Stadia and locations edit
Northallerton Town (to the south)
Location of Division One clubs
| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Ashington | Woodhorn Lane | |
| Billingham Town | Bedford Terrace | 3,000 |
| Bishop Auckland | Heritage Park | 1,950 |
| Consett | Belle View Stadium | |
| Guisborough Town | King George V Ground | |
| Hebburn Town | Hebburn Sports & Social Ground | |
| Newcastle Benfield | Sam Smith’s Park | 2,000 |
| Newton Aycliffe | Moore Lane Park | |
| Northallerton Town | Calvert Stadium | |
| North Shields | Ralph Gardner Park | 1,500 |
| Penrith | Frenchfield Stadium | 1,500 |
| Ryhope Colliery Welfare | Ryhope Recreation Ground | |
| Seaham Red Star | Seaham Town Park | |
| Shildon | Dean Street | 2,000 |
| Stockton Town | Bishopton Road West | 1,800 |
| Sunderland RCA | Meadow Park | 1,500 |
| Thornaby | Teesdale Park | 5,000 |
| West Auckland Town | Darlington Road | 2,000 |
| Whickham | Glebe Sports Ground | 4,000 |
| Whitley Bay | Hillheads Park | 4,500 |
Division Two edit
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Promoted | Crook Town Redcar Athletic West Allotment Celtic |
| Matches played | 118 |
| Goals scored | 447 (3.79 per match) |
← 2019–20 2021–22 → | |
Division Two comprised the same 20 teams which competed in the previous season's aborted competition.
Division Two table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Allotment Celtic | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 16 | +9 | 24 | Promoted to Division One[a] |
| 2 | Crook Town | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 23 | |
| 3 | Carlisle City | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 17 | +8 | 23 | |
| 4 | Billingham Synthonia | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 31 | 11 | +20 | 22 | |
| 5 | Tow Law Town | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 20 | |
| 6 | Bedlington Terriers | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 16 | +3 | 20 | |
| 7 | Birtley Town | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 20 | |
| 8 | Easington Colliery | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 19[b] | |
| 9 | Newcastle University | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 19 | |
| 10 | Redcar Athletic | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 18 | Promoted to Division One[a] |
| 11 | Heaton Stannington | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 15 | +11 | 17 | |
| 12 | Chester-le-Street Town | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 20 | +9 | 17 | |
| 13 | Brandon United | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 15 | |
| 14 | Willington | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 19 | 27 | −8 | 15 | |
| 15 | Esh Winning | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 22 | 31 | −9 | 15 | |
| 16 | Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 12 | |
| 17 | Sunderland West End | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 30 | −15 | 11 | |
| 18 | Jarrow | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 31 | −14 | 10 | |
| 19 | Washington | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 29 | −11 | 8 | |
| 20 | Durham City | 13 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 19 | 50 | −31 | 1 |
Source: NL website
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
Stadia and locations edit
Carlisle City (to the west)
Location of Division Two clubs
| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Bedlington Terriers | Welfare Park | 3,000 |
| Billingham Synthonia | Norton Sports Complex | 1,970 |
| Birtley Town | Birtley Sports Complex | |
| Brandon United | Welfare Ground | |
| Carlisle City | Gillford Park | |
| Chester-le-Street Town | Moor Park | |
| Crook Town | The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground | 1,500 |
| Easington Colliery | Welfare Park | |
| Esh Winning | West Terrace | 3,500 |
| Heaton Stannington | Grounsell Park | |
| Jarrow | Perth Green | |
| Newcastle University | Kimberley Park | |
| Redcar Athletic | Green Lane | |
| Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | Kingsley Park | 1,500 |
| Sunderland West End | Nissan Sports Complex | 1,000 |
| Tow Law Town | Ironworks Road | 3,000 |
| Washington | New Ferens Park | |
| West Allotment Celtic | Sam Smith’s Park (groundshare with Newcastle Benfield) | 2,000 |
| Willington | Hall Lane | |
| Durham City |
References edit
- ^ "National League System club allocations – Steps 5–6, Season 2020–21" (PDF). The Football Association. 21 July 2020 – via The Non-League Paper.
- ^ "FA Update On Steps 3-6". 24 February 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ a b "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA. Retrieved 23 August 2020.