2021–22 Northern Counties East Football League
The 2021–22 Northern Counties East Football League season is the 40th in the history of Northern Counties East Football League, a football competition in England.
| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
The allocations for the league this season were announced by The Football Association (FA) on 18 May 2021.[1]
After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons.[2][3][4]
Premier Division
The Premier Division consists of 20 clubs.
The following three teams left the division at the end of the 2020-21 season:
- Bridlington Town - promoted to Northern Premier League Division One East
- Liversedge - promoted to Northern Premier League Division One East
- Yorkshire Amateur - promoted to Northern Premier League Division One East
The following three teams joined the division ahead of the 2021-22 season:
- Emley - promoted from Northern Counties East League Division One
- Sherwood Colliery - promoted from East Midlands Counties League
- Winterton Rangers - promoted from Northern Counties East League Division One
Premier Division table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grimsby Borough | 21 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 52 | 28 | +24 | 48 | Promotion to Step 4 |
| 2 | Eccleshill United | 20 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 50 | 28 | +22 | 43 | Promotion to Step 4 or qualification for inter-step play-offs[lower-alpha 1] |
| 3 | Garforth Town | 21 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 44 | 23 | +21 | 41 | |
| 4 | Sherwood Colliery | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 36 | 25 | +11 | 34 | |
| 5 | Handsworth | 21 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 34 | |
| 6 | Penistone Church | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 36 | 28 | +8 | 32 | |
| 7 | Barton Town | 20 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 32 | |
| 8 | Winterton Rangers | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 30 | |
| 9 | Bottesford Town | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 31 | 37 | −6 | 30 | |
| 10 | Maltby Main | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 28 | |
| 11 | Thackley | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 39 | 46 | −7 | 28 | |
| 12 | Silsden | 19 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 27 | |
| 13 | Goole | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 36 | 42 | −6 | 26 | |
| 14 | AFC Mansfield | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 26 | |
| 15 | Knaresborough Town | 19 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 25 | |
| 16 | Staveley Miners Welfare | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 25 | |
| 17 | Emley | 19 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 36 | 37 | −1 | 22 | |
| 18 | Albion Sports | 21 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 29 | 43 | −14 | 19 | |
| 19 | Hemsworth Miners Welfare | 22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 38 | 69 | −31 | 13 | Possible relegation to Step 6[lower-alpha 2] |
| 20 | Athersley Recreation | 22 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 62 | −46 | 9 | Relegation to Step 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[8]
Notes:
- The 10 runners-up from Step 5 with the most points per game (PPG) will be automatically promoted at the end of the 2021–22 season. The remaining six runners-up will contest inter-step play-off matches with the six third-from-bottom clubs with the fewest PPG from the eight divisions at Step 4. The winner of each match will rise to or stay in Step 4 for the 2022–23 season, while each loser will drop to or remain Step 5.[5] If a runner-up does not meet the minimum participation criteria, a club in the next eligible position between third and seventh will play instead.[6]
- Twelve clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that are second-from-bottom in Step 5 will be reprieved.[7]
Stadia and locations

Division on a map of Yorkshire and the Humber
Division on a map of the East Midlands
| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Albion Sports | Throstle Nest[lower-alpha 1] | 3,500 |
| Athersley Recreation | Sheerien Park | 2,000 |
| Barton Town | Euronics Ground | 3,000 |
| Bottesford Town | Birch Park | 1,000 |
| Eccleshill United | Kings Way | 2,225 |
| Garforth Town | Wheatley Park | 3,000 |
| Goole | Victoria Pleasure Grounds | 3,000 |
| Grimsby Borough | Bradley Football Centre | 1,000 |
| Handsworth | Oliver's Mount | 2,500 |
| Hemsworth Miners Welfare | Fitzwilliam Stadium | 2,000 |
| Knaresborough Town | Manse Lane | 1,000 |
| Maltby Main | Muglet Lane | 2,000 |
| AFC Mansfield | Forest Town Stadium | |
| Penistone Church | Church View Road | 1,000 |
| Silsden | Keighley Road Stadium | 1,500 |
| Staveley Miners Welfare | Inkersall Road | 5,000 |
| Thackley | Dennyfield | 3,000 |
| ||
Division One
Division One consists of 21 clubs.
The following four clubs left Division One before the season -
- Campion – transferred to North West Counties League Division One
- Emley - promoted to Northern Counties East League Premier Division
- Skegness Town - promoted to United Counties League Premier Division
- Winterton Rangers - promoted to Northern Counties East League Premier Division
The following five clubs joined Division One before the season -
- Clipstone - transferred from East Midlands Counties League
- Ollerton Town - transferred from East Midlands Counties League
- Rainworth Miners Welfare - transferred from East Midlands Counties League
- Shirebrook Town - transferred from East Midlands Counties League
- Teversal - transferred from East Midlands Counties League
Division One table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Ferriby | 21 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 12 | +39 | 53 | Promotion to Step 5 |
| 2 | Hallam | 21 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 83 | 21 | +62 | 50 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Brigg Town | 21 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 74 | 33 | +41 | 46 | |
| 4 | Selby Town | 21 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 60 | 39 | +21 | 42 | |
| 5 | Harrogate Railway Athletic | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 46 | 32 | +14 | 42 | |
| 6 | Rossington Main | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 61 | 35 | +26 | 41 | |
| 7 | Worsbrough Bridge Athletic | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 45 | 47 | −2 | 37 | |
| 8 | Retford | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 31 | +11 | 36 | |
| 9 | Armthorpe Welfare | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 35 | |
| 10 | Ollerton Town | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 43 | 40 | +3 | 35 | |
| 11 | Nostell Miners Welfare | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 33 | |
| 12 | Hall Road Rangers | 22 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 32 | |
| 13 | Glasshoughton Welfare | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 31 | |
| 14 | Parkgate | 21 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 30 | |
| 15 | Dronfield Town | 21 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 29 | 52 | −23 | 23 | |
| 16 | Clipstone | 20 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 18 | |
| 17 | Shirebrook Town | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 23 | 51 | −28 | 16 | |
| 18 | Rainworth Miners Welfare | 21 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 24 | 53 | −29 | 16 | |
| 19 | Swallownest | 20 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 24 | 41 | −17 | 13 | Possible relegation to feeder leagues |
| 20 | FC Humber United | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 46 | 100 | −54 | 10 | |
| 21 | Teversal | 22 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 76 | −54 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[8]
Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Armthorpe Welfare | Welfare Ground | 2,500 |
| Brigg Town | The Hawthorns | 2,500 |
| Dronfield Town | Stonelow Ground | 500 |
| East Hull | Dene Park | 2,000 |
| Glasshoughton Welfare | Glasshoughton Centre | 2,000 |
| Hallam | Sandygate Road | 1,000 |
| Hall Road Rangers | Haworth Park | 1,200 |
| Harrogate Railway Athletic | Station View | 3,500 |
| North Ferriby | The Dransfield Stadium | 3,000 |
| Nostell Miners Welfare | The Welfare Ground | 1,500 |
| Parkgate | Roundwood Sports Complex | 1,000 |
| Retford | The Rail | 1,000 |
| Rossington Main | Welfare Ground | 2,000 |
| Selby Town | Richard Street | 5,000 |
| Swallownest | Miners Welfare Ground | |
| Worsbrough Bridge Athletic | Park Road | 2,000 |
League Cup
| Country |
|---|
The 2021–22 Northern Counties East Football League League Cup is to be the 40th season of the league cup competition of the Northern Counties East Football League.
References
- "League line-ups revealed for 2021/22 season". 18 May 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "Changes to promotion and relegation at Step 5". 2 November 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- "Promotion and relegation format confirmed for 2021/22 season". 9 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- Bayliss, Ollie [@Ollie_Bayliss] (2 November 2021). "As a result of gaps in the non-league pyramid, the FA has clarified its position on promotions & relegations this season: ♦ Just 1 club per division will be relegated from the National League North & South ♦ Just 9 [recte 8] Step 3 clubs will be relegated (rather than 16 [recte 15])" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 December 2021 – via Twitter.
- "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
