Country | England |
---|---|
Confederation | FA |
Founded | 1982 |
Divisions | Premier Division First Division |
Number of teams | 44 22 (Premier Division) 22 (First Division) |
Level on pyramid | 9–10 |
Feeder to |
Northern Premier League Division One North and Division One South |
Domestic cup(s) | League Challenge Cup First Division Challenge Cup FA Cup FA Vase |
Current champions |
Atherton Collieries (Premier Division) Widnes (First Division) (2016–17) |
Website | Official website |
2016–17 season |
The North West Counties Football League is a football league in the North West of England, and is known as the Hallmark Security League for sponsorship reasons. As of 2016–17, the league covers Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria, Northern Staffordshire, Northern Shropshire, the far west of West Yorkshire, and the High Peak area of Derbyshire. In the past, the league has also hosted clubs from North Wales. The league currently has two divisions: the Premier Division, at level nine in the English football league system, and the First Division at level ten. The league is a member of the Joint Liaison Council which administers the Northern arm of the National Football System in England.
The league was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Cheshire County League and the Lancashire Combination. It originally consisted of three divisions, but this was reduced to two in 1987, partly because of the creation of an extra division in the Northern Premier League (NPL). At the same time, promotion and relegation between the two leagues was introduced, with either the first or second placed club in the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) being entitled to a place in the NPL, subject to their ground meeting that league's requirements.
The NWCFL has six feeder leagues of its own with eligibility for promotion to the First Division being accorded to champions of the Cheshire Association Football League, Liverpool County Premier League, West Cheshire Amateur Football League, Staffordshire County Senior League, West Lancashire Football League, and Manchester Football League, subject to their grounds meeting the NWCFL's requirements.