| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
The 2023–24 season is the 126th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.
The allocations for steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by the Football Association on 15 May 2023.[1] Starting this season, the league's Division One (step 5) will promote two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaces the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there will be only one club relegated from the division.[2]
Division One
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
Division One featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs.[3]
- Promoted from Division Two:
- Relegated from the Northern Premier League:
Division One table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Auckland | 21 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 77 | 19 | +58 | 54 | Promotion to Step 4 |
| 2 | Shildon | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 55 | 16 | +39 | 46 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | West Auckland Town | 23 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 42 | 31 | +11 | 43 | |
| 4 | Birtley Town | 19 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 51 | 30 | +21 | 40 | |
| 5 | Boro Rangers | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 27 | +23 | 35 | |
| 6 | Carlisle City | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 34 | |
| 7 | Heaton Stannington | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 36 | 19 | +17 | 33 | |
| 8 | Guisborough Town | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 32[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 9 | Whitley Bay | 19 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 31 | 34 | −3 | 31 | |
| 10 | Crook Town | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 29 | −6 | 26 | |
| 11 | Newcastle Benfield | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 25 | |
| 12 | Redcar Athletic | 20 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 43 | +9 | 24 | |
| 13 | West Allotment Celtic | 19 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 23 | |
| 14 | North Shields | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 23 | |
| 15 | Penrith | 21 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 51 | 52 | −1 | 21 | |
| 16 | Whickham | 16 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 20 | |
| 17 | Seaham Red Star | 19 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 24 | 40 | −16 | 17 | |
| 18 | Northallerton Town | 20 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 19 | 63 | −44 | 10 | |
| 19 | Sunderland RCA | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 66 | −49 | 4 | |
| 20 | Tow Law Town | 17 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 82 | −70 | 1 | 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
Notes:
Stadia and locations
| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Birtley Town | Birtley Sports Complex | |
| Bishop Auckland | Heritage Park | 1,950 |
| Boro Rangers | Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) | 2,000 |
| Carlisle City | Gillford Park | |
| Crook Town | The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield Ground | 1,500 |
| Guisborough Town | King George V Ground | |
| Heaton Stannington | Grounsell Park | |
| Newcastle Benfield | Sam Smith’s Park | 2,000 |
| North Shields | Ralph Gardner Park | 1,500 |
| Northallerton Town | Calvert Stadium | |
| Penrith | Frenchfield Stadium | 1,500 |
| Redcar Athletic | Green Lane | |
| Seaham Red Star | Seaham Town Park | |
| Shildon | Dean Street | 2,000 |
| Sunderland RCA | Meadow Park | 1,500 |
| Tow Law Town | Ironworks Road | 3,000 |
| West Allotment Celtic | East Palmersville Sports Pavilion | 1,500 |
| West Auckland Town | Darlington Road | 2,000 |
| Whickham | Glebe Sports Ground | 4,000 |
| Whitley Bay | Hillheads Park | 4,500 |
Division Two
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
← 2022–23 2024–25 → | |
Division Two featured 18 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:
- FC Hartlepool, promoted from the Wearside League
- Newcastle Blue Star, promoted from the Wearside League
- Thornaby, relegated from Division One
- Yarm & Eaglescliffe, promoted from the North Riding League
Division Two table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle Blue Star | 25 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 73 | 30 | +43 | 58 | Promotion to Step 5 |
| 2 | Blyth Town | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 77 | 20 | +57 | 57 | Qualification for the play-offs |
| 3 | Bedlington Terriers | 26 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 59 | 36 | +23 | 54 | |
| 4 | Horden Community Welfare | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 51 | 34 | +17 | 47 | |
| 5 | Easington Colliery | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 54 | 24 | +30 | 44 | |
| 6 | Chester-le-Street Town | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 52 | 38 | +14 | 44 | |
| 7 | Yarm & Eaglescliffe | 27 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 44 | |
| 8 | Billingham Synthonia | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 63 | 43 | +20 | 41 | |
| 9 | Thornaby | 25 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 42 | 30 | +12 | 40 | |
| 10 | FC Hartlepool | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 35[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 11 | Esh Winning | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 46 | −14 | 31 | |
| 12 | Boldon Community Association | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 30 | |
| 13 | Newcastle University | 20 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 29 | |
| 14 | Prudhoe Youth Club | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 40 | 47 | −7 | 29 | |
| 15 | Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | 23 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 28 | |
| 16 | Jarrow | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 28 | 30 | −2 | 27 | |
| 17 | Sunderland West End | 27 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 22 | |
| 18 | Redcar Town | 19 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 22 | 43 | −21 | 22 | |
| 19 | Billingham Town | 25 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 25 | 57 | −32 | 19 | |
| 20 | Chester-le-Street United | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 22 | 52 | −30 | 12 | |
| 21 | Washington | 19 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 23 | 55 | −32 | 11 | Possible relegation to feeder leagues |
| 22 | Brandon United | 20 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 96 | −87 | 7 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
Notes:
Stadia and locations

| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Bedlington Terriers | Welfare Park | 3,000 |
| Billingham Synthonia | Stokesley Sports Club (groundshare with Stokesley Sports Club) | 2,000 |
| Billingham Town | Bedford Terrace | 3,000 |
| Blyth Town | South Newsham Playing Fields | |
| Boldon Community Association | Boldon Colliery Welfare | |
| Brandon United | Welfare Ground | |
| Chester-le-Street Town | Moor Park | |
| Chester-le-Street United | Riverside | |
| Easington Colliery | Welfare Park | |
| Esh Winning | West Terrace | 3,500 |
| FC Hartlepool | Grayfields Enclosure | |
| Horden Community Welfare | Welfare Park | |
| Jarrow | Perth Green | |
| Newcastle Blue Star | Scotswood | |
| Newcastle University | Kimberley Park | |
| Prudhoe Youth Club | ||
| Redcar Town | Mo Mowlam Memorial Park | |
| Ryton & Crawcrook Albion | Kingsley Park | 1,500 |
| Thornaby | Teesdale Park | 5,000 |
| Sunderland West End | Ford Hub Sports Complex | |
| Washington | Northern Playing Fields | |
| Yarm & Eaglescliffe | Bedford Terrace (groundshare with Billingham Town) | 3,000 |
References
- ↑ "THE FA RELEASES NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM CLUB ALLOCATIONS FOR STEPS 1-6 IN 2023-24 TERM". The Football Association. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ↑ "Step 5 to 4 promotion/relegation update". The FA. 16 March 2023.
- ↑ "NEW SEASON FIXTURES RELEASED". Northern Football League. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ↑ "GUISBOROUGH DEDUCTED POINTS". Northern Football League. 31 October 2023.
- ↑ "FC HARTLEPOOL POINTS DEDUCTION". Northern Football League. 12 December 2023.