Cumbria will be represented by three clubs in the North West Counties League for the 2022/23 season.
Kendal Town, sweating on a suggested move to the Northern League, have been relieved to be told they will drop into the North West Counties Premier Division.
Cleator Moor Celtic and Holker Old Boys will continue to play in a reduced Division One North.
The Mintcakes will become the 153rd different club to play in the North West Counties League after relegation from the Northern Premier League West Division.
They won just three of their 38 games in the league in the 2021/22 season, and have finished no higher than 18th in the league since 2017/18.
Hopefully this can be the league that they need to turn things around at the club, and they only have to look to Skelmersdale to see what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time.
Skelmersdale were relegated from NPL West three years ago and have now gone back up and will be playing alongside Workington and the North West Counties Premier League champions Macclesfield.
Kendal will be joining a bumper Premier Division for the 2022/23 season with 22 teams allocated to the league.
Litherland REMYCA’s reprieve from relegation has been confirmed, and they will line up against three of the promoted clubs from two First Divisions, as Bury AFC, FC Isle of Man and West Didsbury and Chorlton take their place at Step 5.
For West Didsbury and Chorlton, it’s a return to the Premier Division after being relegated in 2018/19, whilst Bury AFC and FC Isle of Man will both be playing at Step 5 for the first time in their history.
For those doing the maths, there were four teams promoted, however Golcar United who beat Holker Old Boys in the play-off final, have been laterally moved to the Northern Counties East League.
Despite running one short with 19 clubs last season, the First Division North will now be two teams short with only 18 teams allocated to the league.
Runcorn Town have been confirmed as dropping into the North after relegation from the Premier Division last season. They return to the First Division for the first time since the 2010/11 Season after six top seven finishes in their 11 years in the Premier.
They will be looking to bounce back at the first attempt, although it has been 22 years since a team achieved a first time promoted after relegation.
AFC Darwen and Atheton LR have both kept their places at Step 6 after being reprieved from relegation due to their Points Per Game last season. There was no reprieve though for St Helens Town, who leave the North West Counties League after 40 years continuous service, although it has not yet been confirmed which league they will be going into.
They were founder members of the league in 1982/83, and finished third in the top league three times.
They won the FA Vase in 1986/87, and have been finalists in the League Cup and Floodlit Cup, They also hold a number of league records including most games played, most goals scored and most points won.
Leaving after one season are Campion AFC, who have been laterally moved back across to the Northern Counties East League Division One.
Joining from the County Feeder Leagues though are two new teams – FC St Helens, after winning the Cheshire League Premier and Euxton Villa who finished third in the West Lancashire League. They play at Runshaw Hall Lane in Euxton, which is four miles north of Charnock Richard’s ground.
Premier Division
AFC Liverpool, Ashton Athletic, Avro, Barnoldswick Town, Burscough, Bury AFC, Charnock Richard, Congleton Town, FC Isle of Man, Irlam, Kendal Town, Longridge Town, Litherland Remyca, Lower Breck, Northwich Victoria, Padiham, Prestwich Heys, Squires Gate, Vauxhall Motors, Winsford United, West Didsbury & Chorlton, Wythenshawe Town.
Division One North
AFC Blackpool, AFC Darwen, Ashton Town, Atherton LR, Bacup Borough, Chadderton, Cleator Moor Celtic, Daisy Hill, Euxton Villa, FC St Helens, Garstang, Holker Old Boys, Ilkley Town AFC, Nelson, Pilkington, Runcorn Town, South Liverpool, Steeton.
